Set in the magical world of EFX, the protagonist (either the "EFX Master", a magical emcee, or an everyman depending on the version) takes the audience along on a journey through space and time featuring Merlin, P. T. Barnum, Harry Houdini and H. G. Wells. Packed full of special effects, acrobatics, and even two large animatronic dragons, EFX at the time of its opening was the most expensive theatrical production ever designed, costing $40 million dollars to produce.
Compare the show that replaced it, Cirque du Soleil's KÀ, which could be seen as an unofficial Spiritual Successor in its similar use of extensive theatrical spectacle.
That's a pretty bold tagline...
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Tropes that covered most/all headliners (1995-2003)
- Animorphism: After being trapped in a ring of fire, Morgana turns into a dragon to battle Merlin. Unfortunately for her, Merlin is able to do the same — and thus ultimately win the fight.
- Arc Words: The lyrics "This magic world, where rules do not apply" and "Magic and mystery turn to reality", at least until the original title song was cut in EFX Alive! (See the Rick Springfield folder for the replacement.)
- The Artifact: Most of the larger props, ranging from the holographic head to a giant hand, were kept through various rewrites because MGM wasn't about to waste 40 million dollars.
- Beethoven Was an Alien Spy: This P. T. Barnum is actually a future incarnation of himself, who runs an intergalactic circus starring extraterrestrial people and animals. The show also plays upon the idea that H. G. Wells's Time Traveler character was actually Wells himself.
- The Centerpiece Spectacular: The fire-breathing animatronic dragons featured in the Merlin segment became the show's signature moment, even going as far as to be depicted in merchandise such as watches.
- Central Theme: The wonder of the human imagination. The Magical Land the show unfolds in is explicitly a repository for humanity's dreams (both good and bad) and memories, with its residents able to bring them to life for the audience to marvel at and be inspired by. The execution of the theme, and how heavily it applied in the first place, varied between the different incarnations; it's most obvious in the original Michael Crawford version (down to the exit music "Open Your Eyes" serving as a summing-up of the whole show).
- Cool Starship: P. T. Barnum’s enormous spaceship is equipped with a ton of searchlights, its own scrolling LED display and elevator.
- Damsel in Distress: The slave girl captured by the Morlocks in the Wells segment.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The show's title, an abbreviation derived from the film industry, makes the show's true star (according to early press releases) incredibly clear.
- Excuse Plot: The premise of a journey through a Magical Land justifies the parade of giant setpieces and theatrical effects. As well, from the beginning the show was written (and later rewritten) around the strengths and talents of its current leading man, particularly their musical skillset.
- Fictionalized Death Account: The third segment of the show alleges that Houdini died by drowning in the Chinese water torture cell — it was actually appendicitis.
- Final Love Duet: The song “Tonight” as sung by Houdini and his wife, Bess. Also counts as Distant Duet, seeing as he’s really a spirit brought back through a séance held by Bess.
- Flying Saucer: The headliner rides a similar-looking contraption in the title number.
- Gospel Revival Number: The second half of "Let it Shine", the Grand Finale of the Cassidy and Tune versions.
- Historical Badass Upgrade: H.G. Wells goes from a famed science fiction writer to an action hero as he battles Morlocks to save a slave girl and his time machine. Depending on the star of the show, the amount of stunts Wells actually performs varies.
- Humanoid Aliens: The Intergalactic Circus of Wonders consists primarily of these.
- Humanshifting: The headliner transforms or is transformed into the forms of Merlin (or King Arthur), P. T. Barnum, Harry Houdini and H. G. Wells.
- I Am the Noun: The EFX Master's opening monologue, in which he appears as a large projected face.EFX Master: Master of celestial light, ruler of past, present and future, guardians of wonder and joy, out of the shadows APPEAR!
- Improvised Weapon: The Morlock battle in the final segment is filled with these.
- In Medias Res: The actual opening number comes after a prelude by the EFX Master (originally known as "Nexus") introducing the four lower Masters, each with their own musical theme. The Tommy Tune version takes this further — with three songs before the flying saucer even appears!
- Large Ham: The Master of Laughter, Michael Crawford's Barnum and, starting with the David Cassidy version, the preshow "technician" performing a comedy act similar to those of Cirque du Soleil shows.
- Leitmotif: Each of the four Masters introduces their respective act to the tune of the opening theme. Also, this
operatic theme which appeared in both the opening and finale of Michael Crawford's version of the show. - The Master: Inverted. In all versions, though the specifics of the character vary, the EFX Master himself is benevolent and puts on a show to encourage the audience members to unlock their full potential via imagination. This is taken further in the David Cassidy version where he assigns the sub-Masters to help Cassidy's everyman find his capacity for happiness — and from there, his girlfriend — again.
- No Fourth Wall: A major element of the story, the idea being that the audience is being granted a view of a Magical Land emceed by the EFX Master. Performers during the prologue and Barnum segments constantly run in and out of the audience, and this line serves as the cue to put on the 3D glasses in the Tommy Tune version:H.G. Wells: Trust me on this ma'am, this is one of the best parts of the show. You will not see unless you put on your shades!
- Retool: Happened four times over the eight years the show ran.
- Michael Crawford left the show in 1996 (due to injuries sustained while performing his own stunts), and the show saw Barnum’s stand-up act replaced by a trapeze troupe.
- David Cassidy became the star later that year. His version of the show had a more fleshed-out story involving Cassidy as a busboy searching for his estranged girlfriend, and reducing the character of the EFX Master to a holographic head. Additionally, "Tonight" was cut, "Intergalactic Circus of Wonders" was re-written and "Counting up to Twenty" and the finale were replaced by "River in Time" and "Let it Shine", respectively.
- After Cassidy left in 1998, Tommy Tune joined the cast and "Tonight" was re-inserted. The framing device was now a variation on All Just a Dream rather than an ongoing storyline.
- When Rick Springfield became the last headliner, the show was re-named to EFX Alive! and cut the four Masters entirely.
- Rule of Cool: What exactly do dragons, a trapeze troupe, and a giant head have in common? Everything in the name of trying to outdo every other show on the Las Vegas Strip.
- Pantomime Animal: Exaggerated with the large, long-legged horse-like creature during the Barnum act, played by a performer on stilts.
- Pop-Star Composer: Musical contributions by Michael Crawford and further songs added by David Cassidy, Rick Springfield and Andrew Gold of 10cc.
- Scenery Porn: A moving spaceship, a large mountain, and a multi-story underground lair are just some of the large sets.
- Shout-Out: Dorothy's house and an MGM lion token spin past the camera during the 3D time travel journey — the MGM Grand had a heavy Oz design motif at the time the show opened.
- Space Clothes: The Intergalactic Circus of Wonders ensemble dresses in silver.
- Spontaneous Choreography: Most of the segments, bar the Houdini sequence, have this:
- The Merlin act begins with a ballet number during which leaves grow on trees and a waterfall magically appears
- The Barnum act climaxes with a cosmic Irish jig (which follows a tap number in the Tommy Tune version).
- The H.G. Wells act features a tribal stick number performed by the captured slaves.
- Spooky Séance: The Houdini segment opens with one where sheets fly off nearby furniture and attendees are pulled from the table and into the air.
- The Eleven O'Clock Number: "Counting Up to Twenty"/"River in Time" (for post-Crawford versions), presented as a 3-D film as H. G. Wells travels into the future.
- The '90s: A tamer, fantasy-driven Las Vegas spectacle created at a time when
Vegas was trying to appeal to families. - Time Machine: After H. G. Wells's short monologue about the unexpected success of his novel The Time Machine, it is revealed that he really invented one, which he uses to travel through the 20th century and then beyond.
- Time Travel
- Time Travel Escape: The slave girl during the finale of the H. G. Wells act, who kisses Wells to convince him to take her with him back into the past.
- Title Theme Tune: The opening song.
Michael Crawford version (1995-96)
- Award-Bait Song: "Counting Up to Twenty", the song that accompanies Wells' trip through time. Twenty refers to the 20th century he's zooming through in the film segment.
- Double Entendre: Barnum's stand-up act is filled with these.
- Face on the Cover: The advertising for this version of the show featured the giant, unraveling head of Michael Crawford on signs, posters, the soundtrack cover, and even casino tokens.
- Human Cannonball: The end of P.T. Barnum's stand-up act... however, nothing goes as planned as the cannon is pointed at the stage and explodes with Barnum inside of it.
- Repulsive Ringmaster: Downplayed and Played for Laughs with Barnum: He's an enthusiastic but short-tempered showman who constantly silences his costars and even chases after his assistant for screwing up his human cannonball stunt.
- Sphere of Power: The EFX Master stands on one during the finale.
- Shout-Out: Two major ones happen during P. T. Barnum's standup act.
- Barnum explains that future Las Vegas disappeared when its entire population, including several magicians, was eaten by over-bred white tigers (a dig at the then-popular Siegfried and Roy).
- Barnum's pet bird Muffy quips "Slowwwly, geeennntly..." while he explains his "evade the blade" magic cabinet.
David Cassidy version (1996-99)
- Audience Participation: David's in-universe girlfriend Laura was played by a selected member of the audience who received flowers at the end for her participation.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: The protagonist goes on a magical journey to get back the powers of his imagination in order to...win back his girlfriend.
- The Everyman: David.
- From Beyond the Fourth Wall: David begins the show walking around the theatre waiting tables until he is literally pulled from the audience by the EFX Masters to take a journey across space and time.
- Ignorant of the Call: During the opening scene, David repeatedly scoffs at the idea that he has been chosen by the EFX Master for a journey through space and time. (The four masters can't believe it, either!)Master of Magic: You have been chosen for a journey into a world of illusion!David Cassidy: No more drinks for these four!
- Omniscient Morality License: In this version the Masters nearly let David get burned by dragon fire and drown in Houdini's water torture cell!
- "No Talking or Phones" Warning: Sung by preshow act One Spirit.
- Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer: James Earl Jones as the EFX Master
- Stern Teacher: The Master of Spirits is this. He may be ultimately good at heart like the other Masters, but he does threaten to trap David in the spirit world.
Tommy Tune version (1999-00)
- All Just a Dream: The motif of this version, with Tommy in pajamas atop the opening flying saucer and a young Tommy carrying a pillow in the Merlin segment.
- Fountain of Youth: Tommy Tune is turned into a child version of himself before the Merlin act to play King Arthur. Then it's deconstructed — Tune himself plays Merlin.
- Self-Deprecation: Playing into the press surrounding the notoriously intense physical nature of the show, the commercial for Tommy Tune's version of the show invites audiences to see him as the star while they still can...
Rick Springfield version (2000-03)
