A full re-write improved the show, but Elvis fan were dissatisfied, Cirque fans confused. The saving grace is this show is where we met Priscilla Presley, who fought for Elvis’ image to shine through. Even through the “Viva Elvis” saga, the legacy of the King, and the ingenuity of Cirque, survived.

‘Zarkana’

Opened: Nov. 9, 2012

Closed: April 30, 2016

The show that replaced “Viva” at Aria starred a dark, tortured magician, Zark, his name a blend of “bizarre” and “arcane.”

I remember attending s press performance of the show at Radio City Music Hall, where it had been showcased before uprooting for Vegas. Robin Leach and I sat next to each other that night, and about halfway through I leaned over and said, “This is a Cirque greatest-hits show. Why am I seeing this when I can go to ‘Mystere?’”

I brought up that point at the news conference hosted by Cirque officials the next day, to grim response.

We also learned of Cirque’s specialized, fictional language at the “Zarkana” preview. It was referred to as “Cirque-ish,” or “Saltimbanco Language,” developed for the touring show of that name. Robin and I actually talked drafting a glossary of such terms as “Miracula Æternitatis.”

The happy gibberish was used sparsely in the Vegas production, which as anticipated felt like a darker adaptation of “Mystere.” The show halted when MGM Resorts turned the theater into convention space. They say you can still hear the plaintive wail of the Ghost of Zark.

‘R.U.N’

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