Last month saw the return of one of the Las Vegas Strip’s most beloved (and most irreverent) shows. And while many shows have returned since the 2020 Strip shutdown, this was easily one of the most anticipated. After all, as millions of visitors will tell you, it’s just not a visit to Las Vegas without seeing Absinthe! And best of all, the ultra-successful show celebrates its 10th anniversary this month.
It’s hard to pinpoint any one thing that makes this show so special. Yes, there’s the spiegeltent, which houses the show and feels like a little world unto itself. Yes, there’s The Gazillionaire, the foul-mouthed host who seems hell-bent on offending each and every audience member in the most hilarious way possible. And yes, there’s The Green Fairy, the seductive chanteuse that instantly puts everyone in a great mood. But Absinthe is so much more than the sum of its parts. Ultimately, the show is about more than any one moment. But oh, such moments!
Longtime fans will be happy to know that some of their favorite acts are returning, including Chair Mountain, the act that has opened every show since it debuted. It’s hard to not feel a slight lump in your throat as the acrobat slowly, gradually stacks enough chairs to take him to the top of the tent, always threatening to topple the structure.
Another audience favorite, Duo Vector, returns as well. At first appearing as Gaz’s bodyguards, they quickly shed their clothes to reveal muscles upon muscles, which they use to good effect, seamlessly balancing on one another. And one of Las Vegas Magazine’s personal favorites, juggling trio Water On Mars, is back to amaze and thrill with their seemingly innate ability to literally juggle anything, even toilet paper and open bottles of water!
The endless highlights include Nastia Strizhanova’s cane balancing acrobatics; Lucia Carbines’ balloon contortion act; Ming and Genevieve’s graceful performance using aerial straps; Hamish McCann’s static pole routine, in which he appears to defy gravity; and Lost Souls’ banquine acrobatic act (their first time onstage since March of last year).
Some popular acts have yet to return, but that’s because of safety restrictions. For example, the small performance area in the middle of the theater is only used for a few acts; there is no “theater in the round” aspect to Absinthe currently—the audience sits on one side and an expanded side stage is on the other.
Other changes include seating. Capacity has been reduced to parties of two to six at sufficiently distanced cabaret tables, spaced a bit away from the performers’ main stage. And, of course, masks are still mandated, so all performers will be wearing them. If you’re actively drinking (and really, it’s practically mandatory during Absinthe), you can briefly remove your mask. And upon entering and exiting, audiences are divided into different-color sections to avoid pre- and post-show congestion.
Not that any of this is going to affect your enjoyment of Absinthe. Like the drink itself, it’s the way it makes you feel. Who cares how you drink it?
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