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| - I met MJ once and went to Neverland Ranch several times with my high school classmates at boarding school between 1995 and 2000. Now that you're jumping to conclusions, believe me when I say that nothing fishy or questionable ever happened to myself or any of the other students who were fortunate enough to be invited to visit his ranch.
Michael was an extremely generous individual who only wanted to grasp onto childhood as long as possible while the world around him tried to pry and intrude into his personal life and home constantly. He was extremely shy when we met him. So much so that shaking his frail hand felt like you were shaking air because it retreated so quickly from the grasp. He sang Happy Birthday to one of my classmates before leaving for other things, but none of us will ever forget the many generous invitations to his home (Most times he wasn't even there, but he still invited all of the local schools in the area to go to his home and play like it was their own regardless.)
That being said - I LOVED this show! I have seen a few Cirque shows, including Love featuring the Beatles music, and this is by far my favorite and the only one I would pay to see again.
The music was upbeat much of the time, encouraging viewers to dance in their seats and clap along, the dancing was perfect with many moves taken from the infamous music videos, and then certain scenes were absolutely mesmerizing and put you at a peace that was both heavy and comforting at once. In the second or third scene, it literally snows in the whole theater. it was one of the most beautiful things I've experienced. (I'm from Tucson where we don't have snow usually.)
The show tells two stories throughout: The first is about Michael Jackson, his beginnings, where he went, and how we remember him now. The second is about a group of kids who come upon a treasure trove of Michael, 'The Legend's,' things - glove, shoes/socks, sunglasses, hat - and throughout the show the kids attempt to utilize the pieces while being attacked and chased by creepy robo-type characters who want to steal the magic away.
In the end, each of the four kid characters manages to put on their respective MJ garment and it allows them to reach their full potential, ranging from martial art style 'fight the system' dancing to a glove that literally controls the show.
Apart from the four main characters, there is one solo dancer who appears to be double jointed in the shoulder department, and he does an excellent job recreating MJ's iconic moves and incorporating things that will twist your mind around as you watch.
The only part that seemed a bit odd was a golden guitar/bass player female character who appeared during certain songs to pretend she's playing the bass. It didn't seem at all necessary to have her in the show and it didn't make sense to anyone in my group. Nonetheless, still visually rich.
Some highlights - The ending sequence during Smooth Criminal when the gymnasts get shot to the ground theatrically, the quiet scene where the moon sings and it begins to snow in the auditorium, the powerful imagery utilized during "They Don't Care About Us" - It may make you cry but it may also give you some much needed but often under-appreciated perspective of the world, Thriller when the zombies dance right next to visitors in the aisles, the athletic pole dancing during Dirty Diana, etc etc.
Songs you may love and recognize from the show: Billie Jean, Thriller, Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal, Beat It, Man in the Mirror, You Are Not Alone, They Don't Care About Us, Black or White, Bad, Earth Song, Don't Stop Till you Get Enough, Wanna Be Starting Something, The Way You Make Me Feel, Smile, I'll Be There....
All in all - I walked out happy after being glued in my seat with eyes wide and a smile on my face the entire time. I would see it again and I would recommend it to my friends.
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