Erik Kabik/Courtesy Absinthe
The “Skates of Hell” act is expected to return when “Absinthe” reopens on October 28.
Monday, Oct. 12, 2020 | 8 a.m.
Spiegelworld has announced it will bring its acclaimed comedy-variety show “Absinthe” back to the stage on October 28.
The performance schedule calls for two shows at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and tickets, priced at $149 including tax, are on sale now at spiegelworld.com. Each performance will offer 153 seats with parties seated in groups of 2 to 5 at cabaret tables position at least six feet away from each other. Separate parties cannot share a table.
The Spiegeltent at Caesars palace will be cleaned and sanitized before and after every performance and a new air purification system has been installed at the venue. Guests will be screened upon entry with non-contact temperature testing, masks will be mandatory for everyone and table service will be provided during the show to avoid lines at the bar.
“I have been so proud of the entire Spiegelworld family. They have faced the past seven months with good humor and support for each other,” said Spiegelworld founder Ross Mollison. “The carefully managed re-opening of Las Vegas has been attracting more and more visitors every week, and we are delighted that the Governor of Nevada and Gaming Control Board have now approved our plans to bring live entertainment back safely. We are ready for ‘Absinthe’ to be one of the first shows to return in Las Vegas, and we’ll be making announcements about the return of our shows ‘Opium’ and ‘Atomic Saloon Show’ very soon.”
A few live entertainment offerings on and off the Strip, including stand-up comedy shows, magic, musical tributes and others have resumed performances in the weeks since Gov. Steve Sisolak announced changes to the restrictions that suspended Vegas shows in March while the state battled the spread of the coronavirus. “Absinthe” is currently scheduled to be the first major Strip show to return to action.
As reported last week, the show’s Spiegeltent venue — located on Las Vegas Boulevard between Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen restaurant at the southern entrance to Caesars Palace — has a few advantages over other casino theaters and showrooms in navigating through the capacity restrictions and safety protocols required for Vegas shows to resume performances. Since it’s a giant tent in the casino’s courtyard, the lobby and largest bar space is located outdoors, and the show can also use outdoor spaces for cast and crew preparations.
“‘Absinthe’ is uniquely positioned to allow us to present the same raunchy, hilarious show in a way that should give everybody involved complete confidence to laugh, cheer, and watch in wonder,” said Mollison. “We are still able retain the mind-blowing atmosphere of the Spiegeltent. As guests arrive for pre-show drinks, our outdoor Green Fairy Garden with its spectacular Absinthe Electric Oak will allow for more social distancing than likely any theater foyer in the world.”
The previous capacity of the Spiegeltent was 660. Although new regulations appear to allow a max audience of 250, Spiegelworld’s plans also account for a required 25-foot distance between the stage and the audience. The majority of the interactive “Absinthe” production was taking place on a circular stage-in-the-round, but if there’s no way around the 25-foot rule, its acts will move to the spot where a smaller stage held the “throne” for the Gazillionaire, the host character.
Mollison said last week his company has already written safety plans for “Opium” at the Cosmopolitan and “Atomic Saloon Show” at Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes and will be submitting them for approval soon.
