 
EFX Alive, starring
Rick Springfield
By Chuck Rounds
| EFX Alive,
starring Rick Springfield, playing
inside the EFX theatre at the
MGM Grand Hotel and Casino,
is probably the best version
of the show yet. Springfield
does a very good job as the
EFX master, and the show moves
along at a strong and lively
pace. This is a huge, and often
times awesome show. The sets,
lights, effects, music and dancers
are all wonderful. |
 |
The show has always
been about seeing really big sets
and special effect, with dancing
and singing. The problem with past
versions of this production has
been the attempt to force a weak
and thin story onto the show in
order to tie the segments together.
This attempt at making this production
into a deep and meaningful experience
never worked. This attempt caused
the producers to lose sight of what
this show was really about--the
effects. The story never worked,
always required extensive narration
to explain, and only served to destroy
the pace and energy of the show.
Even with all of the narration,
the story was still convoluted.
Thankfully, the story and narration
have been eliminated. The show is
tied together by the effects themselves,
and now, at least, there is the
opportunity for the production to
have a little more fun.
Rick Springfield
does a good job as the EFX master.
He has rid himself of a lot of the
pretension that has come with this
role in the past. As the master,
he simply states that we will visit
the amazing worlds of four great
men, and we are off on our journey.
Springfield surprised me. He carries
the production and the singing a
lot better than I thought he would.
He has a nice charisma and a good
stage presence. He relates to the
crowd very well, and is not above
poking fun at himself.
The dancers are
great--they always have been, but
now, they have shed many of the
bulky costumes that shrouded them
in the mystical aspects of the production.
We get to see the dancers dance
a lot more than we used to. They
enliven us as we watch them.
It is, in fact,
amazing to watch all of these large
set pieces be created, changed,
and moved before our eyes. Video,
and other multi-media effects, help
make the transitions smooth and
interesting. Everything about this
show is big--big sets, big sound,
big theatre, and tons of lights.
The size and scope of this production
can be over-whelming.
For as large as
the EFX theatre is, they tend to
cram audience members into the space
and seat them in close quarters
at small tables. There are bad seats
in this theatre--those at the extreme
sides, and those at the back of
the auditorium. The views from these
seats are not necessarily blocked,
but they do not offer a good perspective
of the show.
There are many things
that are wonderful about this production--the
lights, the sound, the sets, the
effects, the dancers, and the star.
It is not a deep, meaningful experience;
but the show is a lot of fun to
watch, and it is often awe inspiring.
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