After more than seven months in lockdown, The Gazillionaire emerged from his million-dollar bunker beneath Caesars Palace yesterday to host a history-making performance of ABSINTHE by Spiegelworld, the first major production show to reopen in Las Vegas since the city’s stage lights were dimmed in March.
From the moment the Green Fairy emerged from her bottle at the top of the show to the on-your-feet finale, last night’s sold-out performance of ABSINTHE was alive with sidesplitting laughter and audible gasps from the audience. Thrilling, sexy, hilarious and ridiculous, ABSINTHE brought laughter back to The Strip and delivered what showgoers have waited many months for: a brief escape from reality.
Never one to shy from his own spotlight, The Gazillionaire and his hapless assistant Penny Pibbets made their long-awaited return as the show’s emcee duo, both wearing outlandish safety helmets; Pibbets’ clearly a DIY project gone wrong and The Gazillionaire’s, a space-age apparatus that is destined to become the last word in face covering haute couture. Even Gaz’s cast of sexy circus people got in on the safety action with thoughtfully-reworked routines and choreography to meet their new spatial requirements, all while wearing beautiful, extravagant masks and delivering the thrills and intimate energy the show is celebrated for – leave it to ABSINTHE to make safety sexy!
Between introducing the evening’s acts – including many fan favorites and some new to the show – The Gazillionaire took time to do what he loves most: heckling showgoers, who were seated at cabaret tables 25 feet or more from the performers’ main stage.
Upon arrival at ABSINTHE’s spiegeltent, ticketholders each participated in a brief no-contact temperature scan and verbal health screening before enjoying pre-show drinks in the Green Fairy Garden, the venue’s sprawling outdoor foyer, which had been overgrown by a field of giant illuminated mushrooms. “While I was in lockdown, some idiot named Penny watered the ABSINTHE Electric Oak…I guess she didn’t get the memo that electric-powered trees don’t need water.” said The Gazillionaire. “So, while its leaves are recovering, I told her to do something about it…I don’t know what I expected from someone who thinks ‘The Smurfs 2’ is a cinematic masterpiece, but here we are.” The Shrooms were commissioned by Pibbets from renowned Sydney-based light sculpture artists, amigo & amigo.
Show producer Spiegelworld has implemented a number of enhanced health and safety protocols which meet or exceed guidelines and requirements put forth by local government, working agencies and Nevada Gaming Control Board, including but not limited to:
- Reduced audience capacity from 660 to 153 patrons seated in parties of two to five at sufficiently distanced cabaret tables spaced 25 feet away from the performers’ main stage.
- Upon arrival, guests are asked to participate in a brief verbal health screening before being ushered to their color-coded pod in the outdoor courtyard. Audiences are brought in and out of the venue by color section in an effort to minimize congestion at entrances and exits.
- Masks are required to be worn by all artists, staff, and patrons. Guests may briefly remove their mask while actively drinking but are otherwise asked to keep their face covering on.
- A cashless, QR code-based cocktail service eliminates lines at the bar.
- ABSINTHE’s world-famous spiegeltent, including seating areas and all frequently touched surfaces, is sanitized before and after every performance.
“This has been the longest seven months of our lives, but now is the time for the show to go on,” said Ross Mollison, Impresario Extraordinaire of Spiegelworld, in a prepared statement. “I am incredibly proud of our entire Spiegelworld family for their hard work that’s gotten us to this point. The return of ABSINTHE tonight is a small but significant step forward for our wonderful city and the entire entertainment community that I know will come back stronger than ever. Our goal is to open safely and to stay open, and we’re confident that the public will do their part in helping us do so. Stay tuned for announcements about the return of our shows OPIUM and ATOMIC SALOON SHOW coming very soon!”
“The #1 Greatest Show in Las Vegas History” as ranked by Las Vegas Weekly, ABSINTHE performs Wednesday through Sunday at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. in its spiegeltent at the foot of Caesars Palace. For tickets and more information, visit Spiegelworld.com.
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