Matsuri at Imperial Palace: A show review

Matsuri was a show I went to based on another friend and LasVegas4Ever board member's suggestion (thank you, Frank/Westie!).  I'm so glad I did - it was a fantastic show!  

I got a VIP ticket from Goldstar.com for $35+tax before I even left home, and I traded it in at the Imperial Palace box office for my "real" ticket two hours before the show.  My seat assignment was Table 15 Seat 6 – literally inches from the stage, right next to the main stage stairs.  

There are currently three different shows that use the Imperial Palace's main theater on different days and at different times: Human Nature, Divas Las Vegas and Matsuri.  For this particular show, it might have been better to sit in the first row of booths because of all the high-flying action going on near the edges of the stage and into the audience.  Unfortunately I waited too long to ask to be moved and the booths were filled, but it was a great, high-energy show nonetheless.  

If you've never heard about Matsuri, here's a quick run-down of the what to expect during the show: a fast-paced blend of Japanese traditional and American past times, including Kabuki, martial arts, gymnastics, aerobatics, strength moves, fan dances, hula hoops, yo-yo's, jump ropes and giant swings, just to name a few.  The action hardly ever stops, and when it does it's only stopped long enough to get performers on or off the stage under cover of darkness (or in some giant object).

I’m still trying to figure out how the main female performer managed to switch – while crossing the stage - from walking on 8” platform shoes to performing barefoot martial arts moves in less than a minute.  From martial arts to fan dances to acrobatics, she was everywhere, all the time.  She was amazing.

But I can't really say who was my favorite performer because there were so many of them doing different things and I loved elements from everyone's acts.  It's difficult to pin down who did what, too, because they changed costumes often and were running from one end of the stage to the other, getting involved in other activities without ever stopping.  It was a great performance, and I would see it again without hesitation.

Currently the show is on tour, but they will be back at the Imperial Palace theater in early 2012.  Once the show returns, tickets can be purchased online through Caesars Entertainment (www.caesars.com), Goldstar (www.goldstar.com), by calling (702) 369-5111 or in person at the Imperial Palace box office.