Cirque's Beatles show is 'a rock 'n' roll poem'

The Cirque du Soleil offered media a sneak peek into its new Beatles-themed show Love in Las Vegas Wednesday.

Described by Dominic Champagne, one of its creators, as "a rock 'n' roll poem," the show contains more than 100 songs or song segments by the iconic band.

However,even dedicated Beatles fans may have difficulty identifying individual tunes, said George Martin, the band's original producer, since many of the musical treatments are remixes.

"It is a puzzle and people can try and figure it out. They won't," he said, according to the Associated Press.

Martin and his son Giles Martin sifted through hours of original, archival and previously unheard Beatles material at Abbey Road Studios to create the music for Love.

The production is the first time Apple Corps, the London-based record company and guardian of the Beatles's musical heritage, has agreed to a major theatrical partnership. The Montreal-based Cirque already has four other permanent productions in Las Vegas and other fixed and touring productions around the world.

Rather than simply showing pictures or performance footage of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the show is an attempt to be an evocative interpretation of the band's music and lyrics, said Champagne, who wrote, directed and co-created the concept for Love.

Love was born out of a personal friendship between Harrison and Cirque founder Guy Lalibert, withCirque staff settling down in 2002 to begin creating the show.

The new productionis set in an extensively renovated $130-million US theatre at The Mirage hotel and casino complex. The space was formerly occupied by magicians Siegfried and Roy.

Love will run in previews June 2-29. The gala grand opening, set for June 30, is expected to draw McCartney, Starr, Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and Harrison's widow Olivia Harrison.