Thursday, November 27, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Stage: Variety pack

By Barbara Scherzer

This has not been a banner year for Las Vegas production shows. One surprise is Ovation, a new multimedia variety show in the Desert Passage at the Aladdin. It is winsome because of the talent of its performers and the charisma that they display as readily as their skills.

Magician Jason Byrne is one mesmerizing birdman. He is among the best in the business at transforming birds from folded paper, scarves and yo-yos. Also top-tier is Tino Ferreira, a personable seventh-generation rolla-rolla circus performer who succeeds in balancing upon multiple layers of cylinders and other assorted unstable objects.

Juggler Mark Gatto is a world record holder with balls, clubs and rings. Part of his charm is his ability to change the direction of his juggling in midstream without missing a beat. My personal favorite remains Cees & Cathy, who perform in mid-air as Aerial Adage. In 1997, their joint act took flight. This married couple is accomplished as well as beautiful to behold.

Mark Kornhauser serves as master of ceremonies and also performs his own material. As master of all zip codes, Kornhauser encourages audience members to shout out their zip codes. From these, he is able to identify where they live. The comic also attempts to predict other "personal information" such as the color of their lawn or if they have cousins.

An enthusiastic Doug DeForest punches up the production in his dual capacity of art director and percussionist. Between acts, his artfully filmed sequences are projected on three screens that hang above the stage. His adept drum playing is also innovative. In one segment, DeForest playfully challenges the dance trio dubbed All That to a percussive duel, flying feet drumming the stage floor vs. drum beating. The outcome: It sounds like a tie to me.

One minor problem: In an effort to pump up the audience, several performers either hold their hand to their ear or wave their arms to exhort everyone to clap and cheer more loudly. With a show of this caliber, egging the audience on is not needed and a tad unprofessional.

The show is housed in a renovated, intimate 350-seat theater that previously held a nightclub/restaurant. Creators David Saxe (Showgirls of Magic, V) and John Stuart (Legends in Concert) are to be commended for mounting a varied high-energy show that can stand on its own in the competitive Las Vegas landscape.
Ovation

7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. nightly

Desert Passage at the Aladdin hotel-casino

932-1818; $49.95-$69.95