Last night, my daughter and I attended Cirque du Soleil’s IMMORTAL show inspired by the genius who was Michael Jackson. It was phenomenal. And from a MJ fanatic (yeah, I said it!) that is high praise. This was my first Cirque experience, so I didn’t know what quite to expect. Because it was inspired by Michael, my expectations were ridiculously high and I did not want to be disappointed. Again, phenomenal…

I can not capture or articulate the integration of artistry, music, dance, images, video and acrobatics of the show. It was a sumptuous affair for the MJ lover and artist in me. It was a sensory experience with vibrant colors, lights, movement, music, sounds…at times, I was overwhelmed and my greedy eyes did not know where to focus my attention.

The show opened with “Michaels” of different eras: Afro and golden outfits to tight pants with buckles and zippers down the leg with wrapped arm, hands and fingers. We got a taste of the music, his music, and I was riveted to my seat. There were artistic interpretations of his songs and words as well as performances of his one-of-a-kind moves; it spanned from the Jackson 5 to This Is It. My daughter anxiously awaited the “lean” of Smooth Criminal and they did not disappoint, replete with the 30s dance club scene with Mikey “The Glove” and machine guns. I was excited to see This Place Hotel incorporated, one of my favs by MJ that many don’t know.

I was also touched to see that his care and concern for people and the earth was an integral part of the performance. Songs like Black and White, Earth Song and They Don’t Care About Us received their just due. Of course staples like Beat It, Billie Jean and Thriller were also central. Many individuals who worked with him over the years were also behind the scenes: a drummer, a musical director, a choreographer, a costume designer.

Now let’s talk about the intricate props. There was a replica of the front gates to Neverland, machinery for Dancing Machine, huge iconic replicas of his loafers and white socks as well as the glittered glove, suspended swing with a mechanized child and, wait for it…Bubbles… Yeah, Bubbles joined the party. Someone in full costume and mannerisms until a friend who saw the show, thought it was a real monkey for a while. A perfect segue to the costumes. They were sick! Some were studded with lights so that the dancers looked like constellations as they floated through the air. Others were animals, metallic robots, bats, the undead…

I don’t have a favorite scene/performance. Everything was done so well and I got a little misty a few times. Cirque du Soleil paid great homage to one of the greatest performers that will ever be and the title of the tour is an apt descriptor of his imprint. It was- dare I say it- magical. If you have the chance, go see it!

Michael would have loved it.