2 shows hit casinos in same week

Cirque dreams, indeed. A month after Cirque du Soleil’s “Corteo” played Webster Bank Arena in July, two more Cirque shows arrive at Connecticut casinos this weekend (and another, Cirque Dreams’ “Holidaze,” is slated for Toyota Oakdale Theatre in December).

The shorter run of the two incoming Cirques, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 24-25, at the Mohegan Sun Arena, is a touring version of a Broadway hit in Cirque Dreams’ “Jungle Fantasy,” directed by impresario Neil Goldberg, at Mohegan Sun Arena. It’s billed as “an exotic encounter inspired by nature’s unpredictable creations.”

We’re glad the description is vague because these shows are all about colorful costumes, special effects and great athleticism rather than plot. Cirque Dreams, by the way, is a Florida-based company while the others mentioned here are Canada-based.

That brings us to the longer run, 18 shows of Cirque Eloize “Hotel” now through Sept. 2 in the Fox Theater at Foxwoods. It’s the story of “a place and the travelers who come passing through it.” This one also promises acrobatics, theater, dance and live music, not to mention avant-garde stage design inspired by the elegance of great hotels.

Cirque Dreams “Jungle Fantasy,” Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville. Aug 24-25, 8 p.m. $25. 1-800-745-3000, Ticketmaster.com. Cirque Eloize “Hotel,” Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket, through Sept. 2, times vary, $55-$25.