With more than a nod to the heyday of the Las Vegas glitter strip, Dion & Randall International have returned to Melbourne with another show-stopping extravaganza, Club Vegas – The Spectacle.
Dion & Randall International have become known as purveyors of high-quality entertainment across Australia and internationally, including Midnight Magic, Tempo Rouge and Shake, Rattle & Roll. For more than four decades, they have become expert show creators of visually stimulating variety shows featuring premium acts.
Their latest offering, Club Vegas – The Spectacle, is a re-imagined new presentation of a show that originally premiered in 1995. Creative Director Adam Dion Bahoudian has carefully crafted a show that blends a complimentary mix of the old and new, while providing a showcase for Nina Randall Bahoudian’s exquisite costumes.
The Las Vegas Showgirl has become an icon for the ‘glitter-strip’. Ornate costuming and intricate headpieces featuring exotic feathers and rhinestone jewellery became synonymous with these over-the-top extravaganzas.
In Club Vegas, Bahoudian has expertly recreated this era, presenting a kaleidoscope of colour in a variety of staging combinations, amongst them, an over-sized carousel horse and a fifteen-foot motorised stiletto, that has to be seen to be believed.
Choreographer Robert Sturrock, and his well-drilled dancers, Taryn Baxter, Angus Eastwood, Lucy Evans, Paris Luzaic, Samuel Moreira, Tyler-Rose Shattock, Lily Shepherd, Billie Spindler, Andrew Steen, Audrey Stein-Reeves, Benito Veneziano, Amy Williams and Emily Zumstein, complete this visual treat.
A cavalcade of performers, illusionists and aerialists make up the remainder of the cast, including the charismatic Jonathan Guthrie-Jones has the audience swooning with the club standards, Mac the Knife, Danke Schoen and New York, New York.
Guthrie-Jones was ably supported by J’aime Holland, Tony Lee Scott and Danielle Tweedie, performing, amongst others, It’s Magic, When Love Takes Over, Bamboleo, Copacabana, and the Peter Allen’s signature tune, I Go To Rio.
Comedian James Liotta was a delight as Gino Starr, presenting a highly entertaining routine with well-placed references including Versace and Franco Cozzo. Master Illusionist, Sam Powers, ably assisted by Alycia, provided a number of ‘how did he do that’ moments, Fabio Cattafi pumped out a number of Tina Turner classics, while Duo AussieBela! (Danii and Sasha) provided aerial and hand-balancing feats.
It may have been a short Melbourne season, however, an appreciative audience gave this stunning cast a well deserved rousing reception. Audiences on the Gold Coast are in for a treat when Club Vegas heads to The Star in October.
Club Vegas – The Spectacle
Athenaeum Theatre, 188 Collins Street, Melbourne
Performance: Friday 1 September 2023
Season 1 & 2 September 2023 (ended)
Club Vegas – The Spectacle will also play The Star Gold Coast on Saturday 14 October 2023.
For more information, visit: www.clubvegas.com.au for details.
Images: Jonathan Guthrie-Jones and Dancers | Sam Powers and Alycia – all photos by Daniel Bahoudian
Review: Rohan Shearn