There’s a moment in Absinthe that perfectly captures the sense of joy, relief and victory that is being felt on the Las Vegas Strip these days, both by the talented entertainers in shows such as this one and by visitors returning to the city after too many months away.
Duo Vector, the powerful acrobatic act consisting of Michal “Misha” Furmanczyk and Lukasz Szczerba, has been part of Absinthe in Las Vegas since opening night on April 1, 2011. Their performance is one of strength and balance, of making impossible movements and holds look graceful and effortless.
And the final hold, where Szczerba is supporting Furmanczyk and all of his body weight with just one hand while Furmanczyk maintains a completely rigid plank position, is the most difficult and mind-blowing feat in the act. Just when it seems like the two men won’t be able to keep it up, Szczerba slowly raises his left hand to his face and makes a small adjustment to his mask, pulling it up over his nose the same way all of us do. The audience explodes in laughter and applause.
“We always did a little head turn to look at the audience in that part (of the act), so they can see we are doing this without any stress in our bodies,” Szczerba says. “But wearing the masks actually helps us, in a way, to show that it looks effortless and that we can do this.” Indeed, “we can do this” has been a mantra that Las Vegas has clung to tightly over the past year as the pandemic has halted and slowed entertainment in the Entertainment Capital of the World.
But Absinthe has been one of the Vegas shows that returned to its stage as early and safely as possible, keeping that spirit alive until more aspects of the Strip could reopen and welcome guests once again.
Like many of the rotating acts in the comedic variety show, Duo Vector was recruited from overseas by producer Speigelworld to relocate to Las Vegas and start something special in the big white spiegeltent in front of Caesars Palace. Szczerba and Furmanczyk were performing together in a circus-style production in Munich when the call came to join Absinthe.
After competing in acrobatic sports events for years in their native Poland, the duo joined forces and created their signature act in 2008. “Usually you can easily determine which is the flyer and which is the base in an act like ours,” says Furmanczyk. “Lukasz will always be a bit bigger than me but we are still trying to match up to get to that perfect spot where we look equal. I’m very tall for a typical flyer and that makes it more difficult in a way for Lukasz because it affects our balance points.”
Their physical similarities make the act unique, and that seemingly small detail represents the vision behind Absinthe. These performers believe that every aspect of the show and how the different acts come together is what makes the experience so special.
“I think every act has some function in the show. Some have to be showstoppers, some have to be romantic, others have to be technical, but all the ones we have now and used to have fit perfectly,” Szczerba says. “They have a specific role, and every time I see the show, I can’t believe how good it is and how the choreography and comedy all works together.”
Furmanczyk is particularly enthralled by the daredevil roller-skating act of Billy and Emily England, even though both acts have been in the show for a long time and he’s seen the brother-sister duo perform many times. “When you sit in the front row and have these skaters spinning right in front of you, everybody has the same face because it’s such a dynamic act,” he says. “I think (the) idea is to bring the most unique acts, something you won’t see anywhere else, so when you come to the show, you’ll always be surprised. It’s been uplifting for me, seeing the show grow so much, and now it’s so well-established in this city. To be a part of it is something we are proud of.”
Pre-pandemic, Absinthe had moved to a seven-nights-a-week schedule and was surging as one of the most popular productions on the Strip. After fighting through COVID conditions, it has returned to form and is expected to add shows to the schedule and increase audience size soon.
Until then, all your favorite acts are back in the spiegeltent, operating under safe and comfortable conditions for the ultimate Absinthe experience. The Gazillionaire and his band of beautiful, eccentric artists may be masked during their performances, but everyone can still clearly see how happy they are to be back onstage again, entertaining Las Vegas the way only they can.
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