Cirque Origins thoughts? (Spoilers)

[BoddaH1994]

For those of you who have seen Origins, what are your thoughts? What's your favorite part?

[gforce1994]

I thought the show was ____________(adj). The best part was where ____________ (noun) did _____________ (verb phrase). Will be updated tomorrow.

[BoddaH1994]

I thought the show was ____________(adj). The best part was where ____________ (noun) did _____________ (verb phrase). Will be updated tomorrow.

Well that makes it easier.

[disco2000]

It was a good show that will become great as the season goes on.  This is the first time this has been shown and was specifically developed for KI.  Some of it worked and I think the parts that were a little rough will be modified and/or get better now that they have an audience to perform for.  Certainly different than Cirque Imagine and hard to really compare the two.  Personally I think Cirque Imagine was better (well I liked it better), but this is no slouch and I will be seeing it again and maybe my opinion on which I like better will change as the season goes on.  And definitely awesome that CF invests in bringing in this type of talent.  Although I liked Imagine better, Origins does show how Haut Vol has grown and expanded and matured, if that makes any sense.  Hard to explain.

[TombRaiderFTW]

I think it's a wonderful show and a significant improvement of the format of the Dimensions: A Cirque Experience show that was at Canada's Wonderland last year. I highly recommend it.

Dropping some thoughts behind a spoiler tag so I don't ruin anything for anyone.

I don't think there's an objective way of saying whether Origins or Cirque Imagine is better--it really comes down to what you're into. If you're into awesome stunts and costumes and sets, then it's definitely your thing. If you're looking for a story component, it really isn't there, or else it's extremely abstract and I didn't grasp it. Which is exactly the same contrast I felt after seeing Dimensions.

For me, the story was probably the best part of Cirque Imagine--so while Origins is still an amazing show that I will see many times this summer, it's not quite the same experience that I fell in love with with Cirque Imagine. And that's okay! Origins is still a darn good show. I'd argue that it's almost more rewatchable than Cirque was, as the monkeys' opener, the audience interaction, and the finale all offer opportunities both for the show to change from performance to performance and for us, as the audience, to notice something new we didn't see before. Cirque really only changed if the performers decided to switch up their routines. Origins offers that and more. And while Cirque Imagine's set wasn't anything to sneeze at, the set pieces for Origins are too cool and noticeably higher quality. It's very jungle-y and artsy. And the music that plays starting at 30 minutes to showtime is another one of those tracks that just gets my imagination running.

In Dimensions, the monkeys were clown-y ushers, and the plot revolved around them "crashing" a high-energy, high-quality cirque show. There were several instances of audience interaction, much like with Origins. The acts themselves were almost entirely different, apart from the slackline act. But the format became a little tiresome in Dimensions, because the show focused so much of its runtime on the ushers that it almost felt like the ushers were actually distracting us, the audience, from experiencing a bigger and better show. In Origins, they have kept the best part of the usher scenes--the audience interaction prior to the show, especially--and mixed the rest of their acts in with the yellow people. That went a long way for me, and it made Origins feel like the solid experience that Dimensions wanted to be. (For some reason, "imps" or "elves" feel like the right words to describe the yellow people to me.)

My only suggestion: the painting scene was very cool (and what a cool souvenir!), but it really messes with the energy of the show. It's a neat idea, but the time it takes to complete it cools down the energy the show builds up to that point. But the show is also one performance into its season, so it's unfair of me to fault it. I never attended a passholder preview of Cirque Imagine, but everything I've read indicates that the pacing of Origins will, like Cirque, improve as the season progresses. It's already a great show, so I am definitely excited to see how it grows as the season progresses.

Kings Island folks, if you're reading this: thanks for bringing this awesome show to the park. It's another home run!

[BoddaH1994]

I have been debating with myself as to which I liked better: Imagine or Origins.  I think I stand by what I was telling people (which is similar to your comment): there are things I like about each.  

 

First, I agree that I kind of missed the story aspect.  Nico finding love was always a good way to walk away with some feel-good emotions following the show.  I also thought that the clowns were funnier last year, especially with sections involving Trevor the Bycrobat.  I did notice, however, that the clowns during Cirque Imagine got a lot more creative and funnier as the show went on and they had to think less to do the actual show.  I can only see this getting brighter and brighter as the season goes on.

 

The music for Cirque Imagine was one of the highlights.  I think we had a handful of topics that listed the actual tracks and I have to admit that I had them on a playlist on my iPhone.  You may want to kill more for this, but I think the music for Origins is even better.  I LOVED the music classic circus-like music during the bendy thing during one of the first scenes.  And the live drummer?  So simple, but such an improvement!  

 

Some people I talked to thought there was "too much to watch" during the final scene with both trapeze and trampoline going on at the same time.  I kind of noticed this myself.  I didn't even notice the trampoline work in the background at first.  I think this is mostly offset by the fact that the trapeze artists ended their section of the act before the climax of the trampoline section.  

 

I met the cast briefly after the show.  They were a very nice and lively group!

 

I guess in conclusion, you've got to check it out for yourself.  It definitely didn't disappoint me!

[Magenta Lizard]

I really enjoyed the show. I was very surprised to see a certain performer's entrance method, I won't give that away. I'm charmed by the personalities of most of the performers already. The addition of a live drummer added a special something to the show. The new acts are interesting and well done.

I miss our previous performers, tho. I also felt like the show is missing a certain "wow factor." I want to see more performances though, because I think it will improve over time.

[disco2000]

^spoiler above does a great job of explaining and expanding on the differences between the two shows and really hits to the "hard to explain" component of my post.  Well done!

[LoraX]

I thought it was excellent, especially for opening night. I miss Imagine, but am happy there is a completely brand new show.

The music far surpassed the Imagine shows by far. Love the live drummer. The set design is really cool.

If you read the spoiler above, the part that was mentioned about dragging, if they used that as more of a pre-show act, I think the rest of the show would flow better.

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk

[BoddaH1994]

Mod edit: Changed the title to warn about possible show spoilers.

[electricsun]

I agree with a lot of what everyone else has said. I think comparing or ranking the Origins and Cirque Imagine does a disservice to both. They are different but both were and are high quality performances.

There isn't a story line in Orgins. Instead, it felt as though I was peering in on them playing and being creative. The audience interaction and intro were great and I'm going to enjoy seeing how that evolves during the season.

The part that others mentioned dragging is the only part that concerns me - part of act is dependent on volunteer participation. If a person isn't game, it could get a bit painful to watch.

I too loved the music. It such a nice touch and added another layer to a great production. The level of detail in the make-up, costumes and set are also top notch. You will want to sit closer to the stage if you want to see those details.

Finally, their playful and lighthearted manner made me giggle a few times. I'm really looking forward to seeing it again soon.

Kings Island and the production company have another winner in this show!

[homestar92]

Okay, so a review is only good if it's honest, and while my opinions may not be popular, I'm not going to sugar coat it. Not by a long shot.

 

I don't think it's even in the same league as Cirque Imagine right now. And I realize that Cirque had two years to evolve and grow, but even compared to my initial, first time reaction to Cirque Imagine, this didn't wow me in even close to the same way. Don't get me wrong, there are things I liked too. I'll give more info in the spoiler tag.

 

The pre-show bit was spectacular. Much better than Imagine. Imagine's pre-show was basically a couple of flips and throwing a T-shirt into the crowd. This one had some substance and was tremendously amusing in comparison. I just hope that they expand the characters' vocabulary a LITTLE bit. I realize that there isn't really supposed to be much dialogue, but I got tired of hearing the word "okay" over and over.

 

For the show itself, I was underwhelmed from the start. The entrance that the clowns made in Cirque was so memorable and I enjoyed seeing it every time. No big entry like that to start the show here, everyone just kinda runs onto the stage.  One of the stars of the show makes a similarly impressive entrance, but that's not at the beginning of the show. If I'm watching a show, I want to be engaged from the very first moment.

 

The music was weaker, I think. I don't care for the playlist as much as I did Cirque, but that's a personal opinion thing and everyone will be different. I spent a great deal of time trying to find every track from Cirque so that I could make a playlist, and I just don't see myself doing that for this one. There is a live drummer, but honestly, I felt that the drums were underutilized. They were just playing along with the recorded music track. Either just use the drums that are already in the recorded background music, or get tracks without drums so that the drummer can freestyle a bit and change it up with each show, even if it's just a tiny bit.

 

The pacing was all over the place. I think the biggest problems were the juggling scene and the painting scene. The juggling scene isn't really a physical feat and we've all seen a juggler before. I can get that at any third-rate carnival. And the painting scene has a couple of problems. First, it's slow and nothing really physically impressive is happening. Second, as has been pointed out already, it requires an audience member who's willing to play along, and third, now that I've seen it and know the big joke of the scene, it's not going to be funny again. It was clever one time to see the clown paint himself, I won't get a laugh the second time. I would love to see him paint a picture of the audience participant, but I do realize that might not always be possible in the time allotted. I think ultimately, the scene just needs to go. At least nothing was as bad as the awful tower segment from Skeleton Crew. And I realize that we aren't the target audience and that most people will watch it only once, but why let that stop you from making a re-watchable show when I know it's possible to make a show good every time? Cirque Imagine did it.

 

The stupid, stupid ukulele interludes were simply annoying. Not a fan of that section in the slightest bit. The music was dumb, nothing impressive happened, it was literally NOTHING more than a complete lull in the action. I actually checked my watch during these scenes to see if the show was almost over, which in all my viewings of Cirque Imagine, I never one time did.

 

The trapeze duo didn't seem to do much at all compared to the two ladies who were on the trapeze last year, and I think that's an issue with the show structure rather than the performers. I think dividing the attention between that and the trampoline skit is a pretty big flaw in the show. Maybe get rid of the slower scenes and give the trapeze and trampoline artists their own time to shine with undivided audience focus.

 

I liked the design of the trampoline better this year. Last year, the set design was a big problem if you weren't seated far back or in the middle. If you were in the left or right section toward the front, the big wall between the two trampolines blocked half of your view. This one is nice and visible, and this show at least seems like it could be enjoyed equally from any seat.

 

I really liked the bit with the contortionists. As the physical feats of this show go, that's the big winner for me, and that one element, to me, tops any one individual element of Cirque from 2014 or 2015.

 

I find myself really missing the story element. There was something satisfying about seeing Niko get the girl. It was a good bookend on the show. I felt like something was accomplished. With this one, there's no progression and the only way to know it's over is when they just kinda stop performing.

 

We'll see if it improves throughout the year. I hope it does. Last year, there were many times that I went to KI specifically to catch a show of Cirque. I can't see myself doing that for this show in its current state. This is one that I'll watch if the doors to the theater happen to be open when I'm walking by, but that's about it.

 

Overall, my ranking of recent Kings Island Live-E that I've seen is as follows:
Cirque 2015 > Cirque 2014 > Ed Alonzo 2012 > Ed Alonzo 2013 >>>>>>>>> Origins >{insert any musical revue here}>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Skeleton Crew

For what it's worth, however, all of them are better than All Wheels Extreme, so at least I'm glad they haven't brought that to KI yet. If we're going to have an acrobatics show with no story elements, I've seen much better at other parks. The Peking Acrobats show at SFGAm fits this bill, is fantastic, and is more along the lines of what I'd like to see if we can't have the story elements that Cirque Imagine had.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

I found it to be world-class, high-energy entertainment, and the first audience (1:30 on Saturday) received it uproariously. It warmed my heart to hear the audience laughing and really getting into the pre-show (hold onto your hats!  ) 

 

I particularly found the bearded performer to be entertaining on many levels! Reminded me of the late "Dr. Creep" from our early television days of the 70s and 80s, albeit much more spry and lively!

 

I saw technicians install an element of the show, shortly before it started, and I wondered how on earth that particular element didn't pop out of the stage floor during the amazing "lamppost" routine (I call it that; the thing looks like a lamppost). When you see it, you'll know what I mean. It was exhilarating nonetheless!

 

This one had a couple of neatly-executed surprises, which brought giggles and applause, and seemed on-par with some of "Cirque Imagine's."

 

The use of robotic lighting and smoke were amazingly well-blended into the cool scenery. Loved it.

 

The music is powerful and unique (watch for the amazing drummer); however, 

it doesn't have the kind of closure that you might be used to from Cirque Imagine (remember the powerful, uplifting music that started playing when everyone came out near the end, to come together at the cave so 'strike a pose,' then the music grew more robust as the house lights came up?). In contrast to that, in Origins, the action and musical tone all run smack into the "final bow," so it feels kind of abrupt.

That didn't diminish the amazing quality of the show, though. It is of the caliber of CI, and new audiences who've never seen one of these kinds of shows will certainly find it to be a very memorable part of their Kings Island trip.

[The Interpreter]

Which brings up an interesting question, or several.

How many people does Kings Island Theater sit?

In the average day, how many different people see at least one Kings Island show?

About what percentage of Kings Island unique visitors see at least one show each year?

About what percentage sees a show but doesn't ride any coaster?

And lastly, how do any of these percentages compare to those of the Seventies and Eighties?

Taft and KECO quite obviously spent more--a LOT more--on entertainment than Paramount and Cedar Fair...

[Magenta Lizard]

I know what you mean about the abruptness of the ending. I intended to give them a standing ovation, but there wasn't really a chance. A nondescript "ending", then doors were opened and house lights came up before most people really knew what was happening.

[MDMC01]

I saw Origins for the first time today (well, actually twice, but my first was the 5 PM showing) and it was different from Cirque Imagine, but in a good way.

Upon first glance, I didn't understand the show because of its newness and differentness. However, I did like how my two favorite acts from the past two "seasons" of Cirque Imagine, the trampolines (my fave from Season 1) and the trapeze (my fave from season 2)are combined into one thing (and how Hand2Hand came back!). At first, I thought some acts had too much going on at once, like the Hand2Hand people doing small stuff while the wire guy did his thing. However, I enjoyed the show much more the second time around, especially the opening and the wire guy. I even have a favorite performer, the "gnome" (people in yellow) with the gotee and tats. So, all in all, it took some getting used to, but I think I'll really come to like this show. Also, for the first show, I was right above the ball that drops with the person inside, so that was mind-blowing!

Finally, I also enjoyed the music and it was cool that

one of the performers was actually drumming along with the pre-recorded songs

[Magenta Lizard]

I caught all three showings today, and it is really growing on me.

I Shazamed the music, and was able to ID everything but the trapeze/trampoline part. My favorites are Valse des Marionettes by Ella Louise Allaire, during the lamppost climbing scene, and The Machine (Red-Eye Remix) by Chris Bohn, during Hand2Hand.

The performers this year really show their distinctive personalities, right from the beginning. I need to learn their real names to avoid using terms like "tattooed gnome" and "pilot smurf" in my head . The only name I've picked up is one of the monkey/lizards, that I thought was being called Mika before, possibly is called Paco. As often as it is repeated, I should know, but I'm not 100%.

[TombRaiderFTW]

^ Will you please share the song list? I really like Origins's soundtrack and would love to have it to listen to.

[Magenta Lizard]

Yes, I will get the list together soon, and post it once I have. Only about halfway through forwarding myself the songs from Shazam did I think to put a note which act they were from. I mostly know, I think. (Edit: going back through the list, I'm not certain some of these picked up correct music after listening the samples, I am going to need to put in some more time and probably more shows to this). The ukulele interstitials are definitely "Ask a Muppet" by Yosef Vahid Qualls tho, I know people are probably dying to buy that one

I was looking at Productions Haute-Vol's Facebook page to see if I could find any names to put with faces/acts (the Hand2Hand performers are identified there) and I found an intriguing post. About a week before Origins opened, they said "We are presently looking for an acrobatic duo act on short notice, please contact us if you would be interested and are available for the summer season". I wonder if it was/is for Origins? The sort-of disjointed nature many of us noticed about the show may be due to a last minute change.