Cirque du Soleil IRIS at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, CA

Rating: You Should Go

This review is really about two things, the Dolby Theater and the show IRIS performed by Cirque du Soleil. Luckily, both are AMAZING! The theater is host to the Academy Awards every year (aka The Oscars), which the show played on during one part. The seats are plush and there are four different levels of seating. I
really think there is not a bad seat in the house. Anywhere you sit will just give you a different view of the show. The theater is clean and offers a full bar and concessions in its 3-level lounge. Really, the fact that the Oscars are hosted here should speak for itself.

Now for the show. IRIS is a tribute to film-making (which Nathan and I are very interested in, considering he majored in film in college). It plays with the idea of film being a series of pictures and the different genres of film more than to individual films themselves. It's impressive what they do with film during the show and how they represent that through feats of acrobatics, dance, and a touching story line. The music is composed by Danny Elfman (from Nightmare Before Christmas and other such movies), which gives the whole show a hauntingly beautiful sound.

The best part for me was before the show started. We were in the orchestra seating (the first row right to be exact), and about 10 minutes before the show started actors from the show started to mingle all around the orchestra seating area. We saw a movie projected onto a woman's stomach (representing a theater), a man playing ukelele, another man with hair like a whip hanging from the top of his head, and all of the main clown personalities who were in the show. I loved being up-close and personal with the performers, even talking with a few.

During the show, it was nice being so close because we could really see people's faces and expressions. At points in the show, there is so much going on that I really only knew what was happening right in front of me. The sides of the stage have mini-stories going on in them, so I got the best view of the story on the right side of the stage. There were times that the performers sat right on the stage in front of us, blocking some of our view, but it wasn't for long and there was plenty to see besides that part.

The price range of seats is so varying (about $40 to $250) that it may be hard to know where to choose. Just pick what price fits your budget. I think no matter where you sit, you'll focus on a different part of the show, whether it's the side performances, the trapeze artists, center stage, or the giant screen backdrop. You'll get a unique experience whatever seat you choose and may even want to go back for a different view (like I do). This show was amazing and I would see it again if I was given the chance.

Photos aren't allowed in the theater so the ticketing area it is.