The experience of Absinthe started as soon as you walked into the outdoor beer garden area. The ambiance was something similar to a makeshift village/adult playground with mini shuffleboard, beanbag toss and burger food truck. The mismatched furniture and random seating included bathtubs made into couches and a plank of wood that also functioned as a table. Everything was so random that it made sense and the beer garden/bar area tied in nicely sitting under a row of tents. It felt like you were transcended into another world of an under ground circus…and this is before the show even started!
Walking into the tent it was easy to feel you were someplace you weren’t supposed to be. The wooden floors and rows of wooden chairs gave the feeling you had just entered an illegal underground showing of something. The main stage could not have been bigger than 7-8 feet in diameter located in the center of the audience with a side stage off to the side for the hosts. The acts ranged from comedy to serious acrobatics that made you cringe. My favorite was a couple who did a roller skating act on the small platform in which the female was spun around by her arms, legs, and neck at a very fast and uncomfortable speed. Before the act even went on stage, the audience was warned not to stand up or leave during the performance to avoid getting hit. This made the act of a woman being flung around at a very fast speed exciting yet scary!
From the beginning you knew this was not the show to bring your grandmother to, the raunchy and provocative humor kept you guessing what was about to come next. I must say the scantily clad outfits definitely added to the ambiance of Absinthe taking you through this hallucination and fantasy world. The description hit the nail on the head, a “Cirque Du Soleil” mashed up with “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” The host of the evening encouraged crowd involvement with racy humor and uncomfortable situations. He pulled two random men from the crowd and tempted them with a shot of Absinthe to kiss all the while taking racy stabs at the men and the audience.
Other acts included stand up dirty comedy involving puppets, sexy suspension acts with an element of contortionism, and the grand finale of a balancing act about 8 feet above the audience. This finale included a keg stand on top of a platform that was on the shoulders of 2 men on the tightrope! You can hear the audience clenching and gasping knowing that if something went wrong the audience would be in trouble.
The intimate and thrilling setting made the show what it is, you didn’t know what was coming next, and at any time you could have seen something that maybe was not intended. If you are looking for something different and fun you should take a shot of Absinthe and enjoy the ride. Las Vegas took a chance and the curiosity of travelers is worth the experience. Located outside of Caesars Palace next to Serendipity 3, you won’t be able to miss the eclectic vibe coming from the garden and Absinthe…Vegas Travelers it’s up to you…will you feed your curiosity?
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