A Cirque Du Soleil that is tailored for fans of macabre and vaudeville. Set in a timeless post-apocalyptic ghost circus somewhere between the middle ages and beyond reality. The acts are reminiscent of the origins of cirque itself. High flying and dangerously complex. Some performances send chills. Others provoke innocent laughter. The sets are visually appealing and highly trance inducing. The costumes seem to reflect a relevance that all previous cirques had tried to transcend from. Returning to the classic clowns of France and gypsy tramps & thieves of the travelling circus era. There is a large portion of sideshow in Zarkana which makes the premise of the show quite literal in comparison to the artistic off shoots of the other Cirque shows. Some would say that there is more spectacle in the other shows like KA or Mystere, which are both tantalizing and awe striking. I can only say that Zarkana should be appreciated as it is. A pure cirque minus an artsy story line gimmick.