Checking in on the evolution of ‘Absinthe’

By Brock Radke (contact)

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017 | 2 a.m.

How many times have you walked out of a Las Vegas show making plans to see it again? That’s part of the magic of the Strip, building experiences that keep visitors coming back. But have you ever walked out of a show and wanted to see it again immediately afterwards? That’s what happens at “Absinthe.”

“We do enjoy a lot of repeat visitation, especially since we are supported enormously by the local community of Las Vegas,” says Ross Mollison, founder of Spiegelworld and producer of “Absinthe” and other eccentric productions playing beyond Vegas. “We focused on [locals] from the beginning and many of them came and loved it. When we opened the show in 2011, there was not much else happening [on the Strip], and everyone was still feeling the recession. So we felt if we priced it right and provided some real escapist fun and pitched it to locals, it could give them a reason to come enjoy the Strip again.”

Indeed, “Absinthe” has enjoyed rave reviews and consistently packed shows in the festive Spiegeltent on the Strip in front of Caesars Palace. Our own Las Vegas Weekly even named it No. 1 in last year’s list of “The 20 Greatest Shows in Las Vegas History.”

So it would seem Mollison’s locals-first marketing approach was the right strategy for “Absinthe.” But whether you’re a local or a tourist making a return visit to enjoy your favorite crazy, creative circus act — maybe it’s Melody Sweets’ sexy, singing Green Fairy; or mind-boggling acrobatic strongmen Duo Vector; or talented twin tap dancers Sean and John Scott — you still need something new and different.

Mollison is constantly traveling the globe to find inspiration for “Absinthe,” if not directly discovering different acts he wants to bring to the show. “I love seeing the show evolve,” he says. “The best thing is when friends say they went back and saw the show and saw a new act for the first time and thought it was just as great as the classics.”

Now that Spiegelworld’s legal issues with former partner Base Entertainment have been settled, the road is clear for “Absinthe” to continue performances at Caesars Palace. The show announced plans last year to relocate to the Cosmopolitan, spurring the courtroom battle. Mollison says there are no plans now to move “Absinthe,” and the producers are focusing on making small adjustments to keep the show fresh.

“I like to view it as you would your favorite restaurateur or chef. We have our menu, and then we’re always bringing in some seasonal adjustments, like a nice Negroni for the summer,” he says. “We’re constantly reviewing how the show is put together, how we do the venue, and constantly working on new artists and acts. That’s the fun of it, for us, constantly working to look at the world of talent out there.”

And if Mollison finds something spectacular that doesn’t work out for “Absinthe,” there are other Spiegelworld shows that might be a better fit. He continues to develop new productions with an eye on expansion in Vegas, too. Rumors have Spiegelworld developing something for a space at Palazzo, but Mollison says it’s too early to comment. “We’re always working on new shows and in fact we just did a big workshop in New York for a show that was originally destined for the Alon resort, which is now not proceeding,” he says. “But we love it so we keep workshopping it. Its working title is ‘Heroes,’ and when that finds a home in Las Vegas I think it’s going to be incredible. If it works out, it would be a new direction for Las Vegas entertainment. It’s really exciting and some of the best creative in the world are working on it.”