When I saw this dazzling show last summer, it was like being in the midst of a rave set during a hurricane. You never knew when the mood would change or what would fly at you next. It was exhilarating to behold, and the Argentinian cast kept things at a feverish pace. Unfortunately, the show has settled into a bit of a groove lately. The cast is now mostly American and lack the balls-out electricity of their predecessors. The feeling now is one of watching the rave outside your back window, at a comfortable distance. Which really isn't such a bad thing, since the show itself hasn't really changed. It still contains the same evocative lighting design that makes you feel like the center of a David Fincher movie, and the opening of the show is still quite enchanting and still arresting, as the audience sees parades of color and silhouetted bungee performers amidst a large overhead scrim.
This is a fiercely original piece, but the fierceness seems to have dissipated somewhere along the way. It moans when it should growl, and the scene and mood changes lack the taut efficiency they once had. It's still a feast for the eyes, however, and suggests a new-wave style of performance that goes beyond mere audience pleasing. That said, I want the pulsating heart and soul back.
