Ka
Perhaps the most elaborate and expensive Cirque Du Soleil show is Ka. Housed at the MGM, this behemoth stage is larger than any of the other Cirque shows opened in 2005. What makes Ka so unique is unlike other Cirque shows that are a series of small acts; Ka is more of a play, a continuous evolving story. I am reviewing my second viewing of Ka. Upon entering the Ka theatre huge fireballs randomly erupt from the bottom of the stage, setting the mood for Ka, which has been described as the fire within all of us. The theatre is unique, as each seat has a pair of speakers in it creating an amazing audio experience.
Ka follows the story of twins, a brother and sister. In their mystical village the entire royal family arrives on a ship, which is soon attacked by some evil villains. The ship sinks and the rest of the show is their journey to finding each other. The first time I saw Ka I found the plot to be a bit confusing as there is no dialogue. The scenes transition from one to another in a linear fashion. Each of the scenes were great, but I did not understand the deeper plot, stuff seemed to be happening but did not make much sense. The Ka souvenir brochure has a synopsis of the show, and after reading through the brochure before I saw the show the second time, everything seemed to make much more sense.
One of the great things about Ka is that the set is able to transform from beach, to forest, to snowy mountaintop in a matter of seconds. Ka has two stages, a lower stage that moves back and forth similar to a drawer. The second stage is more elaborate, it is able to spin 360 degrees, and become totally vertical. One of the famous scenes in Ka is the final battle that is done on the vertical stage. Each actor is strapped to a line and they engage in battle, which when viewed from the audience is really interesting as it allows for the whole fight to be seen at an elevated level.
Martial arts is very heavy in Ka, most of the artists have strong Wushu backgrounds. The show opens with a display of crazy kicks, flips, and swordplay. Another act in the show is the shadowplay; all kinds of animals were made with their hands against the mammoth Ka vertical wall. With as grand of a stage as the Ka theatre, it is really interesting how by only using a small light the actors are able to put on such a great number. The rest of the show has some awesome acrobatics, such as bungee artists in the forest scene and a nerve-racking wheel of death scene.
Ka was recorded for French/German television in 2008. Copies of this are easily available on torrent clients for anyone that wants to see the show. The stage show today is practically the same as the videotaped one. Since this was a legal professional recording it is of great quality, unlike many of the clips of Cirque shows found on YouTube.
Overall Ka is my third favorite Cirque show, behind O and Mystere. The music in Ka is perhaps what really sparks my "Ka". The Shadowplay music and Love Dance are my favorite numbers in the show. Ka is also filled with some unique effects, such as the snow in the mountain scene that falls on the audience (it's made of soap) as well as the great finale consisting of indoor fireworks! Anyone seeing Ka should read the Wikipedia page as to get an understanding of the plot. Take a journey to the village of Ka, it is one of the best shows in Vegas.
Performances are held Tuesday through Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. There are no performances on Sundays and Mondays.
Ka
Tues.-Sat at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Ka Theater, MGM Grand
3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South
702-531-3826 or 866-740-7711866-932-1818
$69-$150. Children half price.
