The reviews are in on Believe.
Unfortunately, they are not much better than those received during previews.
There was hope here at Inside Magic and likely other magic hubs that changes promised after the limited preview run would help.
Of course with a ten-year run, there should be time to correct mistakes and improve.
The Las Vegas Sun‘s article “Illusion is Elusive in Angel’s Believe” begins its scathing review with the terse summation “No wonder.”
The Sun‘s rival, The Las Vegas Review-Journal did not disagree.
Midway through his new show, Criss Angel turns and asks his audience the night’s big question: “Are you still there?”
He probably meant it as, are the fans he made with his slam-bang “Mindfreak” stunt-magic hanging on for this new career left turn; a journey through a Cirque du Bizarro ballet?
But the fans might be asking him the same question from their seats. It looks like their guy (most of the time, anyway), and talks like him. But is he still there?
The Los Angeles Times‘ reviewer found the audience fell into one of two camps:
There seemed to be a lot of people around me who were provoked to inadvertent laughter at least once. The responses talking to people afterward fell into two camps: the horrified and the bored.
The Las Vegas Sun ended its review with a less than subtle characterization:
A charmless mook, Angel is a rudimentary stage performer – he’s barely believable playing himself. But those who are hoping for an in-person look at his gleaming tattooed torso will get their money’s worth.
We hope revisions and changes can be made to the show in time. Put us in the camp of those who believe it can be done.
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