PurpleParrot
Proud Member
I've seen the Immortal World Tour 6 times up until now. I love the show, I support the show, I have extraordinary memories of my experiences with the show, but I have to vent my frustration about the changes and the decisions made about what should stay in the show, and what should leave, about what was already cut, and what will soon be cut.
I've been lucky enough to see the last rehearsal in Quebec city, Canada, 1 week before the actual World Premiere in Montreal on October 2nd 2011. I watched the show very seriously, and I've been writting every single detail I could while watching it, so I would keep forever the memories of all the things I saw. I never thought I would re-read it today and be sad, realizing that my favorite moments of the show doesn't exists anymore, and that my other favorites will soon be gone.
It may sound exagerated, but my affection for this show goes beyond my fandom, my love for Michael Jackson and his music, this show has become a part of my life as I've seen it couple of times and have amazing memories of all the time spent with other fans when seeing it, and I have to say it, I feel hurt, saddened and feel it with a certain violence, that the show I've been supporting so much, that the majority of fans have supported so much, is slowly becoming a shadow of itself.
I agree the ''epic'' numbers with the ''epic'' songs are still there, that the artists who slowly became spoke persons of the show are still there (and they are adorable, nothing bad about them), but let me do the before and after...
_________________________________
First of all, during all the build up before the Premiere, from day 1 of publicity about the making of the show, they showed us the Giving Tree, the centerpiece of the show, the soul of the show, the spirit of Michael embodied in this tall, grand, majestic Giving Tree. Being a commited Michael Jackson fan for years, I know that for many fans, seeing this Giving Tree made them breathe easier, being comforted that this show was going where it should be going, a true celebration of not only the music, but the man that was Michael Jackson.
The Giving Tree was at the Quebec last rehearsal in September, it was at the World Premiere in Montreal for the 2 shows there, I think it was in Ontario too.... and then it vanished. Fans were freaking out because the show was supposed to be around the idea of this meaningful tree...
The Giving Tree never came back. It was too complicated to move from city to city, and probably not safe enough for the dancers, or just got broken.
We mourned the Giving Tree, we accepted his departure, and we enjoyed the rest of the show, even if that left a hole. When you're being told over and over that this is the soul of the show, you do feel the soul of the show is gone when the Tree leaves.
__________________________________
I saw the show again twice in March in Quebec city, I knew there would be no Giving Tree and I knew some of the cast has changed since October. I just wasn't prepared for the many other changes that happened since the last time.
One of the first act, Childhood, had a Mini-Michael in a balloon flying over the crowd. The Mini-Michael wasn't in the balloon anymore, only a heart attached at the bottom of the balloon. Ok, not that bad, must have been technical problems with that. Now, in May, there is no balloon at all, just the glowing heart coming from the roof.
There was less apparitions of the ''fanatics'' those dancers/clowns that came here and there during the show, trying to enter Neverland to access the magic of it. I didn't mind that much about that either, since I thought they had too much time on stage and I prefered to see acrobats, dancers etc. But still, they were making a contact with the public, so they weren't completely useless in the show.
The number after Dancing Machine, ''Ben'' had all the 2 stages full of beautiful action when the show began in October, there were acrobats doing percussion, colorful animals walking around the stage, it was really exotic and dreamy, beautiful. In March, this number got highly amputated. Nothing was happening on the main stage, no animals except 2 elephants, there was now a curtain so we wouldn't see that the main stage is empty. Only there was the main character, the mime, and Bubbles, with the elephants... and this part now lasts about 30 seconds compare to almost the entire song before. First real scar.
The cast changes in the Jackson 5 number is actually good and makes the number better in my own humble opinion. It's ''cleaner'', less clownesque, but it could have been more that just performing 3 snippets of J5 songs dressed in J5 clothing. Still, that one is ok.
Of course, the fact that there was no more Giving Tree changes the whole Thriller number, since its branches used to move down the stage to make a giant spider shape on which the dancers were performing the famous dance routine. In March, the dancers were simply coming out from behind the stage and on the sides, and they dance on the stage, it looked empty and didn't have as much WOW factor as it had with the Giving Tree, but if it's for their security, then fine. Another little scar there too though.
Another slightly change I noticed was during You Are Not Alone, before, there was a light/image of waterfalls on all of the crowd, now there isn't, only the screen on the stage showing water, while the crowd waits for the next number, listening to Michael's beautiful voice.
During Beat It, there was some giant iconic pieces on stage, a big hat, a big glittering glove, and big shoes. The big hat wasn't there anymore in March. Well, I can deal with it.. but it's one other stuff that's not there anymore.
My biggest deception was during the number for Earth Song. This is probably the number that moved me the most in September/October, there was such a raw, real and deep emotion in this number, it moved me more than any other number of the show. There was the mime on the center stage, surrounded by dancers, and somewhere in the song, a tree trunk with ropes as roots comes down the roof, the mime gets stuck in the roots, is prisonner of them, and he agressively tries to get out of it, screaming, turning. This was so poignant!
In March, there was no tree trunk, no roots, no mime in the air, just the dancers around the mime holding a ball looking like the Earth, the number is still emotionnal, but it is NOTHING compared to what it was before the changes. In my little book where I was writting everything, I wrote a ''10 star'' next to it. Now it's gone. Huge scar here. Huge.
After the Scream number, there used to be a Gone Too Soon number, which was maybe not the most dynamic, of course, considering the song and it's meaning now that Michael is gone, but still, it was beautifully done and original. They has huge metallic head of an elephant, a giraffe and a lion suspended in the air with an acrobat in each moving in between the metal structures. Bubbles, the mime and one of the bronze statue were also on stage. Now, this whole number doesn't exist anymore. Another scar.
After They Don't Care About Us, there is still a word that is maybe a too delicate matter for fans now to be shown alone on the screen, and it's still there, but the fact that it botters me results more of a personnal matter than an artistic mistake.
In Will You Be There, the number started in September/October with some artists dressed in white, holding a glowing red heart, and they were in the public, at the end of the arena's walkways in the middle of the stairs. In March they were starting from the ending of the Floor, and in May they were all at different places on the floor, so getting closer and closer to the stage, and further from the public. Not that disturbing, but it's one more thing separating the public from the magic.
Near the end, during the Immortal Megamix, they tried in September in Quebec to throw hugs ballons into the crowd, and that so didn't work, the balloons were way to large for the public to move them to another place. In October, they tried with smaller balls, in March, there were no more balls. I'm not sad about this one, it was way too much of a problem to coordinate compared to the fun it was bringing. So good move here.
______________________________________
In May 2012, still in Quebec city, I saw the show again and some slight changes were made but not for the worst. Before Can You Feel It, the ring team act, which is one of my favorite, there was only the music, the building up for the song with Victory Tour recording of ''CAAAN YOU FEEEL IIIT'' screaming and ''MICHAEL'' chanting, but people were still sitting on their chair, waiting to see what's next, now they have 2 of the musicians coming down on the main stage to get the public clapping and raising and dancing, which makes it way more dynamic for the upcoming number of the acrobats.
But there ends my joy about this number, we've just been told that this number, Can You Feel It, is going to be cut, entirely, from the show starting in Europe this fall, along with the so dynamic number that kicks the start of the show, Wanna Be Starting Something. While I'm writting this, those two acts are still performing, but after September 2nd, they won't be part of the show anymore. And by having the ring team leaving the show, it'll also need changes in Dancing Machine number, another of my favorite. UNBAREBLE scar here.
So what's left of the show? Do I still support it? Is it still worth seeing it?
Well, many numbers didn't change at all: The first number Working Day and Night, the mime coming here and there in the show, Hearthbreak Hotel, Smooth Criminal, Dangerous/InThe Closet, Another Part of Me, Human Nature, ''Ghosts Stories'' including Is it Scary, Threathened, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, I think Jam didn't change, but I could be wrong, Scream, They Don't Care About Us, and the ending of the Immortal Megamix, that being Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Billie Jean, Black or White and the final bows on Man In The Mirror.
So, I would say the show is still worth it, but I can't help but admit that many magical moments, many ''plus'' that actually made some numbers more enjoyable and beautiful, have disapeared. I can't help but admit that I'm hurt to know that so many numbers have been changed, amputated, or simply cut from the show, numbers that maybe costed more to move from city to city, numbers that probably required a biggest technique, but numbers that people did enjoy a lot. Right now the show has been sanitized to the max, and now knowing that the Can You Feel It and the Wanna Be Starting Something numbers are gonne be cut soon too, I have some difficulties to figure out how the show is still going to bring strong emotions to the crowd instead of just joy, have people say ''Well, it was nice'' when they could have said ''Oh, that was so beautiful''.
This article may not be the best promotion for the upcoming shows, I'm completely aware of that, I'm not trying to tell people not to go see it, but I needed to vent my frustration, the fact that I'm hurt and feel betrayed about what the show is becoming. The show makes about 1 Million $ every night they perform, I can accept technical problems and security matters, but if they're cutting the show to save money, I know it's a business, but I can't take that as a good reason to slowly make this show a ghost of what it used to be. I want all the world to see the talents we've been able to see. Selfish? Maybe. Right? You decide.
I truly hope those who'll go see the Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour will enjoy it, but I need to remember all the beautiful talents that I was able to experience, before they started the massacre.
In Loving memory of ''Ben'' long version, ''Gone Too Soon'', ''Can You Feel It'', ''Wanna Be Starting Something'', Childhood's Mini-Michael and balloons, Giving Tree, Dancing Machine's ring part, Earth Song's trunk and roots, and to all the artists and athletes who are in those numbers, Thank you for the magic.
(edit: I've been aware by friends that some of the cast are now sharing my post, so I need to add this. Just so you know, I'm not part of the show, lol, I wish!!! but I'm just a fan who happened to see the show more than once when it came near where I live, and I wrote the last rehearsal (where there was 3000 other people watching) cause I knew I would watch the show again and take the time to enjoy it entirely, and the other times, I didn't need to write anything, fans reviews and my own very good memory were enough to remember the changes. So, now that you're aware of the changes and I was able to vent my feelings about it (like.. months ago!), just go to the show and enjoy it, ok? Yes MJ fans can be THAT obsessive, and if some base their negative opinion of me on this one post, well, they obviously haven't been following the other posts about the Immortal on this forum from the beginning, so, welcome to this world hehe!
I've been lucky enough to see the last rehearsal in Quebec city, Canada, 1 week before the actual World Premiere in Montreal on October 2nd 2011. I watched the show very seriously, and I've been writting every single detail I could while watching it, so I would keep forever the memories of all the things I saw. I never thought I would re-read it today and be sad, realizing that my favorite moments of the show doesn't exists anymore, and that my other favorites will soon be gone.
It may sound exagerated, but my affection for this show goes beyond my fandom, my love for Michael Jackson and his music, this show has become a part of my life as I've seen it couple of times and have amazing memories of all the time spent with other fans when seeing it, and I have to say it, I feel hurt, saddened and feel it with a certain violence, that the show I've been supporting so much, that the majority of fans have supported so much, is slowly becoming a shadow of itself.
I agree the ''epic'' numbers with the ''epic'' songs are still there, that the artists who slowly became spoke persons of the show are still there (and they are adorable, nothing bad about them), but let me do the before and after...
_________________________________
First of all, during all the build up before the Premiere, from day 1 of publicity about the making of the show, they showed us the Giving Tree, the centerpiece of the show, the soul of the show, the spirit of Michael embodied in this tall, grand, majestic Giving Tree. Being a commited Michael Jackson fan for years, I know that for many fans, seeing this Giving Tree made them breathe easier, being comforted that this show was going where it should be going, a true celebration of not only the music, but the man that was Michael Jackson.
The Giving Tree was at the Quebec last rehearsal in September, it was at the World Premiere in Montreal for the 2 shows there, I think it was in Ontario too.... and then it vanished. Fans were freaking out because the show was supposed to be around the idea of this meaningful tree...
The Giving Tree never came back. It was too complicated to move from city to city, and probably not safe enough for the dancers, or just got broken.
We mourned the Giving Tree, we accepted his departure, and we enjoyed the rest of the show, even if that left a hole. When you're being told over and over that this is the soul of the show, you do feel the soul of the show is gone when the Tree leaves.
__________________________________
I saw the show again twice in March in Quebec city, I knew there would be no Giving Tree and I knew some of the cast has changed since October. I just wasn't prepared for the many other changes that happened since the last time.
One of the first act, Childhood, had a Mini-Michael in a balloon flying over the crowd. The Mini-Michael wasn't in the balloon anymore, only a heart attached at the bottom of the balloon. Ok, not that bad, must have been technical problems with that. Now, in May, there is no balloon at all, just the glowing heart coming from the roof.
There was less apparitions of the ''fanatics'' those dancers/clowns that came here and there during the show, trying to enter Neverland to access the magic of it. I didn't mind that much about that either, since I thought they had too much time on stage and I prefered to see acrobats, dancers etc. But still, they were making a contact with the public, so they weren't completely useless in the show.
The number after Dancing Machine, ''Ben'' had all the 2 stages full of beautiful action when the show began in October, there were acrobats doing percussion, colorful animals walking around the stage, it was really exotic and dreamy, beautiful. In March, this number got highly amputated. Nothing was happening on the main stage, no animals except 2 elephants, there was now a curtain so we wouldn't see that the main stage is empty. Only there was the main character, the mime, and Bubbles, with the elephants... and this part now lasts about 30 seconds compare to almost the entire song before. First real scar.
The cast changes in the Jackson 5 number is actually good and makes the number better in my own humble opinion. It's ''cleaner'', less clownesque, but it could have been more that just performing 3 snippets of J5 songs dressed in J5 clothing. Still, that one is ok.
Of course, the fact that there was no more Giving Tree changes the whole Thriller number, since its branches used to move down the stage to make a giant spider shape on which the dancers were performing the famous dance routine. In March, the dancers were simply coming out from behind the stage and on the sides, and they dance on the stage, it looked empty and didn't have as much WOW factor as it had with the Giving Tree, but if it's for their security, then fine. Another little scar there too though.
Another slightly change I noticed was during You Are Not Alone, before, there was a light/image of waterfalls on all of the crowd, now there isn't, only the screen on the stage showing water, while the crowd waits for the next number, listening to Michael's beautiful voice.
During Beat It, there was some giant iconic pieces on stage, a big hat, a big glittering glove, and big shoes. The big hat wasn't there anymore in March. Well, I can deal with it.. but it's one other stuff that's not there anymore.
My biggest deception was during the number for Earth Song. This is probably the number that moved me the most in September/October, there was such a raw, real and deep emotion in this number, it moved me more than any other number of the show. There was the mime on the center stage, surrounded by dancers, and somewhere in the song, a tree trunk with ropes as roots comes down the roof, the mime gets stuck in the roots, is prisonner of them, and he agressively tries to get out of it, screaming, turning. This was so poignant!
In March, there was no tree trunk, no roots, no mime in the air, just the dancers around the mime holding a ball looking like the Earth, the number is still emotionnal, but it is NOTHING compared to what it was before the changes. In my little book where I was writting everything, I wrote a ''10 star'' next to it. Now it's gone. Huge scar here. Huge.
After the Scream number, there used to be a Gone Too Soon number, which was maybe not the most dynamic, of course, considering the song and it's meaning now that Michael is gone, but still, it was beautifully done and original. They has huge metallic head of an elephant, a giraffe and a lion suspended in the air with an acrobat in each moving in between the metal structures. Bubbles, the mime and one of the bronze statue were also on stage. Now, this whole number doesn't exist anymore. Another scar.
After They Don't Care About Us, there is still a word that is maybe a too delicate matter for fans now to be shown alone on the screen, and it's still there, but the fact that it botters me results more of a personnal matter than an artistic mistake.
In Will You Be There, the number started in September/October with some artists dressed in white, holding a glowing red heart, and they were in the public, at the end of the arena's walkways in the middle of the stairs. In March they were starting from the ending of the Floor, and in May they were all at different places on the floor, so getting closer and closer to the stage, and further from the public. Not that disturbing, but it's one more thing separating the public from the magic.
Near the end, during the Immortal Megamix, they tried in September in Quebec to throw hugs ballons into the crowd, and that so didn't work, the balloons were way to large for the public to move them to another place. In October, they tried with smaller balls, in March, there were no more balls. I'm not sad about this one, it was way too much of a problem to coordinate compared to the fun it was bringing. So good move here.
______________________________________
In May 2012, still in Quebec city, I saw the show again and some slight changes were made but not for the worst. Before Can You Feel It, the ring team act, which is one of my favorite, there was only the music, the building up for the song with Victory Tour recording of ''CAAAN YOU FEEEL IIIT'' screaming and ''MICHAEL'' chanting, but people were still sitting on their chair, waiting to see what's next, now they have 2 of the musicians coming down on the main stage to get the public clapping and raising and dancing, which makes it way more dynamic for the upcoming number of the acrobats.
But there ends my joy about this number, we've just been told that this number, Can You Feel It, is going to be cut, entirely, from the show starting in Europe this fall, along with the so dynamic number that kicks the start of the show, Wanna Be Starting Something. While I'm writting this, those two acts are still performing, but after September 2nd, they won't be part of the show anymore. And by having the ring team leaving the show, it'll also need changes in Dancing Machine number, another of my favorite. UNBAREBLE scar here.
So what's left of the show? Do I still support it? Is it still worth seeing it?
Well, many numbers didn't change at all: The first number Working Day and Night, the mime coming here and there in the show, Hearthbreak Hotel, Smooth Criminal, Dangerous/InThe Closet, Another Part of Me, Human Nature, ''Ghosts Stories'' including Is it Scary, Threathened, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, I think Jam didn't change, but I could be wrong, Scream, They Don't Care About Us, and the ending of the Immortal Megamix, that being Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Billie Jean, Black or White and the final bows on Man In The Mirror.
So, I would say the show is still worth it, but I can't help but admit that many magical moments, many ''plus'' that actually made some numbers more enjoyable and beautiful, have disapeared. I can't help but admit that I'm hurt to know that so many numbers have been changed, amputated, or simply cut from the show, numbers that maybe costed more to move from city to city, numbers that probably required a biggest technique, but numbers that people did enjoy a lot. Right now the show has been sanitized to the max, and now knowing that the Can You Feel It and the Wanna Be Starting Something numbers are gonne be cut soon too, I have some difficulties to figure out how the show is still going to bring strong emotions to the crowd instead of just joy, have people say ''Well, it was nice'' when they could have said ''Oh, that was so beautiful''.
This article may not be the best promotion for the upcoming shows, I'm completely aware of that, I'm not trying to tell people not to go see it, but I needed to vent my frustration, the fact that I'm hurt and feel betrayed about what the show is becoming. The show makes about 1 Million $ every night they perform, I can accept technical problems and security matters, but if they're cutting the show to save money, I know it's a business, but I can't take that as a good reason to slowly make this show a ghost of what it used to be. I want all the world to see the talents we've been able to see. Selfish? Maybe. Right? You decide.
I truly hope those who'll go see the Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour will enjoy it, but I need to remember all the beautiful talents that I was able to experience, before they started the massacre.
In Loving memory of ''Ben'' long version, ''Gone Too Soon'', ''Can You Feel It'', ''Wanna Be Starting Something'', Childhood's Mini-Michael and balloons, Giving Tree, Dancing Machine's ring part, Earth Song's trunk and roots, and to all the artists and athletes who are in those numbers, Thank you for the magic.
(edit: I've been aware by friends that some of the cast are now sharing my post, so I need to add this. Just so you know, I'm not part of the show, lol, I wish!!! but I'm just a fan who happened to see the show more than once when it came near where I live, and I wrote the last rehearsal (where there was 3000 other people watching) cause I knew I would watch the show again and take the time to enjoy it entirely, and the other times, I didn't need to write anything, fans reviews and my own very good memory were enough to remember the changes. So, now that you're aware of the changes and I was able to vent my feelings about it (like.. months ago!), just go to the show and enjoy it, ok? Yes MJ fans can be THAT obsessive, and if some base their negative opinion of me on this one post, well, they obviously haven't been following the other posts about the Immortal on this forum from the beginning, so, welcome to this world hehe!
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