Critical Reception
After Spears's premiere performance, the tour received mixed to positive reviews from several critics. Stacey Plaisance of the Associated Press commented that the tour was "another strong step in the right direction" and that Spears delivered a "a tightly choreographed, if perfunctory performance". Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times stated, "despite that first-night stumble and several numbers in which her dancing was no more than adequate, Spears can safely call this performance a success". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times said that " was less a concert than a Las Vegas-style revue of intimidating complexity. Throughout, though she spoke little, Ms. Spears appeared radiant and unfettered, often smiling and never uncommitted". Dixie Reid of The Sacramento Bee commented that the show was "a mesmerizingly big production with entertaining videos (including the infamous Spears-Madonna kiss), confetti, sparklers and even a stilt-walker. Who could ask for more? Everyone seemed to have a good time at the circus". Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph said Spears is "the queen of production line pop and reclaims that diamanté crown with the most perfectly plastic pop show ever staged".
People writer Chuck Arnold wrote that Spears "never really hit her old stride there was a lot more strutting than real choreographic feats from ". Jeff Montgomery of MTV both praised and dismissed Spears's performance saying, "Yes, welcome to Britney's Circus, a big, huge, loud, funny, nonsensical three-ring affair... She looks great in her myriad of outfits, and she can still move with the best of them. It's just, well, she's almost lost in the sheer hugeness of the production around her". Jane Stevenson of Toronto Sun gave Spears's performance three out of five stars stating there was "so much was going on – there were also martial artists, bicyclists, etc. – there was no time to really assess Spears other than to note that she looked great. She could lip-synch the words (one can assume) and strut around the stage well enough, but there was little in the way of genuine passion, joy, or excitement on her part". The Hollywood Reporter's Craig Rosen claimed that "in the end, Britney and company delivered an entertaining spectacle, but one couldn't help but wish that she would strip it all down and show a little more of herself". Sean Daly of St. Petersburg Times summed up all the reviews by stating, "When Britney, touring behind her new Circus album, plays the Times Forum, there will be as many people rooting for her success as her failure. But in the end, we're all envious and thankful, jealous and applauding. We like them/us and hate them/us for the very same reasons".
Read more about this topic: The Circus Starring Britney Spears
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