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“The Beatles LOVE” has changed over the years but remains one of the top shows on the Strip.
Monday, March 9, 2020 | 2 a.m.
Obviously, I’m always seeing shows on the Las Vegas Strip, especially whatever is new or has been recently updated or renovated. Despite this frequency, my wife and I try to celebrate our December wedding anniversary by taking in a show we love or haven’t seen in a while, or maybe one that’s been around a few years. Cirque du Soleil’s “The Beatles LOVE” at the Mirage is usually at the top of that list of favorites, but a hectic schedule and holiday travel prevented us from celebrating with John, Paul, George and Ringo this time around.
And then I found a special Valentine’s Day promotion chopping the ticket price in half and I had to do it: third-row seats deep into this unique venue, wedged right up against the stage in the round. The regular starting price of “LOVE” tickets is $79 and every seat in the house is well worth that amount, but if you have the chance to get close to the action, take it. Current offers include a free seat upgrade with early booking (seven days or more in advance) and a separate 40 percent ticket discount subject to availability. See what you can find.
We’ve seen this show a few times over the years from different perspectives, but this experience was simply stunning. The roller-skating racers that speed across the stage and up and down a colorful half-pipe ramp during “Help!” seemed to soar just inches away, and the dynamic trampoline-based acrobatics during “Revolution” and “Back in the USSR” felt even more explosive with this hypnotic proximity.
I noticed a few slight changes to “LOVE” since my last visit, most notably the addition of a contortionist and additional meditating artists onstage during the segment soundtracked by “Here Comes the Sun.” Four aerialists dangle from above demonstrating a sort of sky-born yoga, emphasizing Eastern aspects that inspired some of the music of the Beatles.
The diversity of performers (including some children) and dramatic representation of these familiar sounds make “LOVE” one of the most emotional experiences on the Strip. There are so many poignant moments blending these iconic songs with moving physical feats. Every time I see it, I leave with a different favorite part. On Valentine’s Day, it was the trio of aerialists and their poetic performance to “Something.” It would be tough to find a more romantic moment in a Strip show.
Cirque du Soleil is constantly making small changes to different scenes in its fantastic productions, so if you love “LOVE” and it’s been a while, you’re past due. This show never disappoints.
“The Beatles LOVE” is performed twice nightly, at 7 and 9:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday at the LOVE Theatre at the Mirage (3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-792-7777) and more information can be found at cirquedusoleil.com.
