Denise Truscello
Be prepared to party with the cast of “Blanc de Blanc.”
Monday, Sept. 23, 2019 | 2 a.m.
At the new resident show at the newly renamed Sahara Las Vegas, you’ll be encouraged to drink plenty of bubbly Champagne — more than encouraged, practically ordered to imbibe the sparkly stuff — and then quite possibly invited to sit in a bubbly hot tub. Yes, inside the theater. Please remove your shoes. Otherwise your toes won’t be properly tickled.
Effervescence is everywhere at “Blanc de Blanc” and that’s a good thing because the Sahara, still in the renovation process after the experiment that was SLS Las Vegas, is looking to maximize every possible popped cork as it attempts to reclaim the property’s vintage Vegas glory. The show marked its grand opening September 4 in the space formerly known as the Foundry, located in the deep northern pocket of the resort near superchef José Andrés’ Bazaar Meat restaurant.
Acrobatics steal the spotlight in "Blanc de Blanc" at the Sahara.
“Blanc” is new to Vegas but recently completed a sold-out season at the Sydney Opera House. The show is the Vegas debut of Australia’s Strut & Fret Production House, as well as the Vegas debut of flirty Frenchman Monsieur Romeo, the first man to perform at Paris’ famed Crazy Horse cabaret. Romeo’s co-emcee is the hilarious Spencer Novich, who’s logged more than 1,000 performances with Cirque du Soleil along with gigs such as Spiegelworld’s “Vegas Nocturne” and the former Crazy Horse Paris tease fest at MGM Grand. The physical and stylistic contrast between these two charismatic performers drives the show, which is equal parts sexy and funny.
The progression of “Blanc de Blanc,” described by creator and director Scott Maidment as similar to drinking an entire bottle of bubbly and sliding gently from sophistication into pandemonium, is based on layers of alternating dance, comedy and acrobatic acts. At some point, clothes come off and hot tubs activate — the Monsieur seems to be particularly comfortable when wet — and hopefully, a dizzy euphoria takes over the audience. The culmination is a wild Euro-disco explosion of dance music, rave foam and flailing sway poles, so you better be a little tipsy by the time the finale arrives.
There’s plenty of talent in this cast beyond Romeo and Novich, including charming acrobat Danik Abishev and mesmerizing dancer and comedic artist Laura New. Aerialist Milena Straczynski grabs the spotlight early on from her lofty perch in a floating, twirling hotel luggage cart, then amps up the romantic vibes with on and offstage partner Ulf Hampus Jansson in a sexy, semi-aquatic duo straps act.
Like “Absinthe,” the show it will inevitably be compared with, “Blanc de Blanc” is not for young audiences. You must be 18 or over to attend due to adult themes and some very funny, quite surprising nudity. It’s an up-close-and-personal experience, one you’re not likely to forget and one that I’m hoping has a long life on the Strip. I’ll toast to that.
“Blanc de Blanc” is performed at 7 p.m. Thursday through Monday at the Blanc de Blanc Theatre at Sahara Las Vegas (2535 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-761-7000) and more information can be found at saharalasvegas.com.
