Priscilla Presley on changes to Viva Elvis

Viva ELVIS has been running for almost two years at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas. But the Cirque du Soleil  has announced  that the show is going to undergo some alterations. Exactly what those changes are going to be, however, nobody seems to know yet. Not even Priscilla Presley. Nor Cirque du Soleil’s Gilles St. Croix, who was one of two artistic guides (the other was Cirque owner Guy Laliberté) involved with the creation of the show.

I spoke with Presley and St. Croix recently during the opening night party of the Cirque du Soleil’s IRIS in Los Angeles. Neither one could (or would) say anything concrete about the changes, which seem to be still a matter of discussion. But Priscilla, whom I accidentally crossed paths with on the way into the party,  assured me that there was no conflict between her and the Cirque du Soleil on the rethink of the show. “We’re definitely both on the same page,” she said, adding that she didn’t want anyone to get the impression that there was anything seriously wrong with Viva ELVIS.

Other Cirque shows have been revamped (Criss Angel’s BELIEVE, for instance). And all of them are in flux to a certain extent, continually being tweaked or adjusted. A month from now the Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour is going to be a far more polished show than we what we saw during its first public performance in Montreal last week (Oct. 2, 2011)

Asked what she thought of  IRIS, Presley replied that it had made her a little bit jealous, “But in a nice way.”  She was particularly enthusiastic about the circus acts, a couple of which (two male acrobats who fly over the audience, and a group of contortionist) are among the best this writer has ever seen. Clearly she’d like to see more topnotch circus acts in Viva ELVIS.

 At the same time, she said she realized that the creators of IRIS had an easier time of it, in a way, because they didn’t have an icon like Elvis Presley to contend with as they built the show in the first place.

We had a lovely chat. Afterwards, when I ran into St. Croix, I remarked at how warm and friendly Priscilla had been (she managed to give the flattering impression that she actually remembered meeting me before, at the Viva ELVIS opening and treated me like an old acquaintance).  He said that she’s simply one of the nicest people he has ever worked with, as well as one of the most beautiful 66-year-old women in the world:  ”Isn’t she amazing?”

He agreed that Cirque was very much on the same page with Priscilla and Elvis Presley Enterprises about the need to make changes to the show.

Another Vegas Cirque that due for a tune-up, he said, is its first one, Mystère, which has been running steadily at Treasure Island Resort in Las Vegas since December of 1993.
BIM: Having seen the show numerous times, I think change is much needed. Each time I saw the show, changes were supposedly made. But to me, the show was missing something. It just has no umph whatsoever! The best part of the show is the hotel and the theater itself. Lots of Elvis in a very tasteful way. And the theater has the most amazing seats, I even napped during the last performance I saw there of Viva Elvis. Yes, it's that good ;)

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