 
Siegfried &
Roy
By Chuck Rounds
| Siegfried &
Roy play at the Siegfried &
Roy Theatre inside the Mirage
Hotel and Casino. The show is
a fantasy come true--filled
with mystery, adventure and
wonder. This is Siegfried &
Roy's world of dreams and hope.
The pair has been named the
"Magicians of the Century"
and "The Masters of Illusion."
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They
have become icons of Las Vegas.
They have been given a lifetime
contract. They have a statue honoring
them in front of the hotel. They
are recognized globally and have
continual references made to them.
They even have had their own Saturday
morning cartoon. It is a lot to
live up to each night, and yet,
they seem to carry off each of their
performances with style and panache.
Before
even stepping into the theatre,
you are filled with exceedingly
high expectations. Everyone has
heard of Siegfried & Roy--their
reputations have definitely preceded
them. Everyone is anticipating all
of the white tigers and lions, and
definitely wants to be amazed by
them, and everyone has just paid
a lot of money to go see the show.
In just about everyone's mind is
the thought, "this had better
be a damn good show." Fortunately,
the truth of the matter is that
it is, indeed, a damn good show.
It is the extravaganza of all extravaganzas.
The
show is not perfect, but it is always
fun. The provided program says,
"Don't call us magicians or
conjurers--storytellers would be
just right." If this is the
case, then they must be speaking
in a language that I don't understand.
It is often the case that the images
that are created and presented are
both convoluted and confusing--most
of the time, though, we don't care--we're
just having a good time.
As
for the magic...Siegfried &
Roy are prop magicians. The mechanisms
do the tricks, and they are there
to present them. Their tricks, in
fact, are not that different (and
often times the same) as you can
see at other magic shows presented
across the valley. It is here, however,
where you get to see what Siegfried
& Roy do best. They are showmen
first and foremost. They know how
to present and sell a trick. They
do their job and they do it well.
I was able to look around and see
the sight of pure awe in the eyes
of many audience members--it was
amazing.
Siegfried
& Roy have also made a name
for themselves off the stage as
well. Their love, respect and devotion
to the conservation of rare and
endangered white tigers and white
lions have earned them global respect.
In the years to come, when other
generations of people are able to
see the beauty of these animals,
they will have Siegfried & Roy
to thank. No matter what anyone
may think of them otherwise, it
is impossible to not give them lauds
and praise for that.
The
theatre is wonderful. It is big.
It is beautiful. It is comfortable.
The theatre was built especially
for this show, and it has all of
the technical support, space, bells
and whistles that are needed for
this show. The theatre supplies
a good support system for the show.
Siegfried
& Roy have just celebrated doing
their 5000th show at the Mirage
in Las Vegas. They have entertained
tens of millions of people globally
in their careers, and they don't
look as if they are going to be
stopping any time soon. We admire
their philanthropic efforts, and
we revel in their show. It is pricey...but
if you have the means, you should
see the show.
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