Cory M.
Yelp
I have wanted to see "O" for more than 20 years. I am a big Cirque du Soleil fan and have already seen six other productions, including a few of their classic shows and some of the other water-based spectacles on the Strip. All the buzz about "O" had me so excited. People call it an aquatic masterpiece with incredible acrobatics, synchronized swimming, and divers flying above and into that massive 1.5-million-gallon pool. I honestly thought it would be the ultimate Cirque experience.
My recent trip to Vegas finally gave me the chance to go, and I could not have been more disappointed. The show felt nothing like the high-energy acrobatic thrill rides I love from Cirque. There were almost no real acrobatics at all. No big flips, no trapeze acts, no powerful group routines that leave you breathless. Instead, it focused way too much on synchronized swimming and slow, dreamy sequences that seemed to care more about mood than actual athletic skill.
A lot of the performance came across as very strange showmanship, if that is even the right word. Odd characters in fancy costumes drifted through bizarre scenes that never really connected. Clowns and quirky performers popped up between acts with long, unfunny bits that killed any energy in the room. The story, something about a young boy entering a magical water world, stayed vague and never pulled me in emotionally. You got plenty of pretty visuals with fire, floating platforms, and projections, but no real heart or excitement to hold it together.
The pacing dragged, and the ending was the worst part. There was no proper finale. No big group aerial number, no thrilling high-dive climax, nothing to give you that wow moment before you leave. It just finished with three performers doing a basic balancing act, and then the curtain dropped. No full cast bow, no uplifting music, just silence and lights up. I sat there thinking something else had to be coming, but that was it.
For the high ticket price and the legendary reputation, this felt like a total rip-off. It came across as outdated and flat compared to other Cirque shows I have loved. What an absolute trash show and a complete waste of time and money. If I could, I would ask for a full refund in a heartbeat. I will never recommend "O" to anyone, and I will tell friends to skip it and pick something else in Vegas instead. After waiting two decades, this was a crushing disappointment.