I just recently was in Vegas and I saw Love, One, and Ka AND I caught Crystal in Hershey last week.
Of the Vegas shows, Ka will always be my favorite due to its technical mastery. I have seen it multiple times and I still want to go back for more. It will never bore me. My only, let’s call it a warning, to people going into the show for the first time… it is a roller coaster of high adrenaline moments into low energy transitional moments, up and down constantly that make for a sometimes-odd experience. But the show is so technical, it needs these transitions for safety. And it’s worth it for what you get. Oh lord that chase sequence is masterpiece.
One is a good DANCE show but it's far more dance then Cirque acts as it is based on MJ and his music. It has a few fun acts and while I am glad I saw it, I would only recommend it if you are a fan of MJ's music. Don't expect to be dazzled by the art of cirque at this one… though the pre-show performer interaction is some of the best at ANY Cirque I have seen because you are bombarded by it the moment you enter the theatre and being that the show is all about MJ, it's very clever. No spoilers but I loved it.
Love was a pleasant surprise for me as I am not the biggest fan of the music of the Beatles (I know, I'm a monster, I get that a lot) but it really does a fantastic job of blending the music and style of the band with the art of Cirque into a very colorful and enjoyable experience. This is what One SHOULD have been when it comes to the balance of an artist’s famous music with a Cirque show.
As for Crystal, while I would not call it the worst Cirque I have seen, I would call it the SAFEST. And by that I mean it was very by the book. The acts were standard, the visuals were standard, the story was VERY standard. I suppose I expected more from the first Cirque meets ice show but it's clear they are limited in just what they could do being that their stage is made of a sheet of ice. Glad I saw it but also glad I got pretty cheap seats at the same time.
All other Cirques I have seen in the distant past are now retired (Varekai, La Nouba, Saltimbano, Quidam,) minus Alegria which is returning to touring in the near future and Mystere which is likely my LEAST favorite show. The acts are good but it is very bizarre. Cirque has progressed so far in their ability to tell a story since Mystere’s creation that it seems more like a parody of itself.
I am also very excited to see what they do with their new show at Disney World. I am a big Disney superfan so the idea of a cirque blended with Disney music is like RIGHT up my alley.