Friday, April 15, 2005 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

SHOW REVIEW: Sleight of Hand, Slight of Stature

Dirk Arthur covers up his lack of stage presence with leggy dancers, big cats and bigger contraptions

Dirk Arthur puts the squeeze on Cynthia Fuhrer with the aid of Carrie Owens. The illusionist hosts a fast revue, but often comes off more like a cheerful stage manager than a star. Photo by Craig L. Moran.

The tigers seem bored but the audience does not. And after Roy Horn's famous near-fatal tiger bite, we sure wouldn't want it to be the other way around at the Tropicana's new magic show.

Even when they're sitting there, peaceful and sluggish inside the cabinets that magically reveal them, the exotic animals still elicit more oohs and aahs than the human star of "Xtreme Magic starring Dirk Arthur."

But Arthur and producer David Saxe understand this. To compensate for what the star lacks in stage presence, they substitute leggy female dancers, big cats and bigger stage contraptions.

In the first 12 minutes, we see two tigers -- a white and a conventional orange one -- a spotted leopard and a black panther. It's one fast show, almost as quick as the pace at which the leopard broke for the side wings as soon as it was freed from its magic disco ball. Arthur, holding the leash, had to jog to keep up. This is metaphoric of what a trip to the concession stand will have you doing, since the entire running time of this performance was just over 45 minutes.

(Saxe said later the running time usually is at least 55 minutes, but that two numbers were being reworked.)

Within that compressed time frame came a dozen large "cabinet" illusions, two audience participation segments and a short film in which Arthur describes the big cats as "more like colleagues" than pets. If you're bored, you're clicking that remote too much at home.

The illusionist spent six years as a "Jubilee!" specialty act before stepping up to self-financed headliner status in 2002 at the Silverton and Plaza.

His latest effort takes over the Tropicana matinee spot abandoned by Rick Thomas, who moved to the Stardust because of the Trop's uncertain future (Arthur has a three-month contract, with options to extend).

Producer Saxe learned the ropes with his sister "Melinda -- The First Lady of Magic" and here applies the same strategy: If you can't say anything clever, don't say anything at all.

If you've seen Saxe's other productions -- "Showgirls of Magic" and "V -- The Ultimate Variety Show" -- you know the four dancers will be attractive and well-choreographed, and that the music and lighting will be slick and energetic.

The fine-tuning is what will require more time than the week this show had to rehearse. The little things, such as thinking of something funny to say after a big switcharoo in which the audience is surprised to find the magician in its presence instead of onstage.

Something other than "Hey-hey!"

And if wheeling out a big Amtrak locomotive is the final wower to send 'em to the exits, set it up with something jazzier than, "I would like to present our final illusion."

Arthur's play for headliner status has been hampered by just this inability to create a distinctive star presence. It's not that he's unlikable. Just that he's not memorably assertive.

With his short stature and nasal voice, he comes off more like a cheerful stage manager, guiding the cabinets in and out of position.

Perhaps by the time school lets out and the summer family traffic begins to flow, this show will feel a little more full and complete. For now though, the ads promise tigers and magic and some guy there in the middle of it all. And all those things it delivers.