Fourteen years a hit: How ‘Absinthe’ partied on the Strip

For “Absinthe” fans, the narrative is as familiar as Gaz’s golden shoes. The show opened in April 2011, in a fabric Spiegeltent. The venue, and the show, was built to a half-year at Caesars Palace.

Overcoming, or maybe benefiting from, dozens of walk-outs a night for its raunchy material, the farcical circus show became a word-of-mouth sensation. Six months in, thr tent sagged under fall rains. The show renewed its contract, and a new reinforced structure was erected (as the Green Fairy would say). Six months became a year, with ticket sales swelling.

During that year the show became a hit, expanded from one cast to two (dubbed Moustaches and Unicorns) playing a twice-a-night schedule. The Green Fairy Garden and LED-trimmed Wormwood Tree sprouted from the grounds. The No Pants circus-food dining options include a No Pants Burger that burger buffs rave about.

On Tuesday, “Absinthe” celebrated its 14th birthday, a bonafide juvenile delinquent in human terms, but a veteran among Strip productions. Impresario Extraordinaire Ross Mollison’s anniversary party was a dandy, a German beer-garden theme with many attendees donning lederhosen (great as a costume, not especially functional for everyday wear).

The show celebrated its 16,736th fan-participation lap dance, in which two couples from the crowd let it all hang out (well, almost) for a free cocktail. The theme was inspired by hula-hoop artist Craig Reed and his quick-change act.

Frivolity reined. An oompa-loompa band was booked to play the end of the show and after-party in The Green Fairy Garden.

But there was time for genuine sentiment at the close of the performance.

Mollison, donning lederhosen and a blond-pigtail wig, took to the stage to join the peerless strength artists Misha Furmanczyk and Lukasz Szczerba of Duo Vector. Their act is a Day One “Absinthe” original. The lacking-in-body-fat gents play Gaz’s bodyguards, who have talked him into performing “something that hopefully will not suck.”

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Their strength routine is uncanny, typically drawing a standing ovation, and a roar at the close of Tuesday’s anniversary show. As Mollison approached the stage, a roar emanated from the audience, especially from those who know the act ends its “Absinthe” run at the end of the month.

Mollison recalled recruiting Duo Vector 15 years ago.

“I was in a tiny little town near Mannheim, I have no idea what it was (expletive) called, and I met these two guys,” Mollison said while flanked by his soon-to-be-former cast members. “I said, ‘Look, I’m going to do a show in Las Vegas,’ and they said, ‘Well, right.’ They didn’t speak English very well. Anyway, I said, ‘Do you want to come?’ And somehow, they came. Tonight, we celebrate them and their incredible artistry.”

Mugs were held aloft for Duo Vector. We have not heard the last from them.

Mollison has a knack for recruiting, Duo Vector among several examples of acts that have powered “Absinthe” over the years. But the producer has also seen several fine productions, including a couple of his own, open and close since “Absinthe” took off.

I asked Mollison, 14 years on, why he feels “Absinthe” has survived.

“I dunno, maybe it’s Gaz,” the producer said of the character we’ve long felt is his alter-ego. “Maybe he has the magic.”

But really …

“It’s just something where, with entertainment, sometimes you hit the moment, the right vibe at the right time,” Mollison said. “You hire great acts, you invest your money, you build your venue, you build your show, and you see what happens.”

Mollison has resisted overtures to make a sequel to “Absinthe,” in Las Vegas or elsewhere. There is nothing more enticing in this often-derivative market than a critical and box office hit that hasn’t been duped.

“I have a very strong rule. People say, especially casino presidents, ‘Why don’t you do another ‘Absinthe?’” Mollison says. “Well, I don’t want to be the second best ‘Absinthe.’ We enjoy building something new, and that’s true if your running a football team, or building the Sphere, or with us building our shows or (the restaurant) Superfrico.”

There is only one “Absinthe,” and even that show is constantly changing.

“It’s always growing. If you go to ‘Absinthe’ tonight, you’re going to see a whole lot of new ideas,” Mollison said. “We have an expression, ‘Stand still and rot.’ We are not standing still.”

Cool Hang Alert

It’s harmonica blues time with Vegas vets Monk & The Po’ Boys from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at German-American Social Club on 1110 E. Lake Mead Blvd. Covers include Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson. Intimate live-music haunt, no cover, cheap drinks, dancing not only tolerated but encouraged. Pot roast and mashed potatoes on the menu on a first-come, first-served basis. Go to germanamericanclubnv.com for intel.

Speech! @RossMollison @AbsintheVegas 14th-anniversary show, Tuesday @CaesarsPalace … @reviewjournal pic.twitter.com/Ui8zdi4sHv

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) April 12, 2025

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.