Jubilee!
At Bally’s Hotel
by Dan Zeff
Las Vegas—For the typical visitor, “Jubilee!” is what Las Vegas entertainment is all about—spectacle and elegance and acres of nubile topless young ladies descending a giant staircase. The show has been a staple of the Las Vegas scene for 30 years at Bally’s Hotel, excluding an interlude when its showroom was closed for remodeling.
“Jubilee!” hasn’t changed in its essentials during its long history. The variety acts may be different but the main production numbers remain intact, notably a kitschy scene recreating the Samson and Delilah story that is more Hollywood fantasy than Old Testament. A live-on-stage rendering of the last night on the Titanic is still an impressive, if campy, production number climaxed by a giant model of the ship going down in the icy Atlantic. The special effects in both bits still set a lofty bar for high tech stagecraft in Las Vegas.
I saw “Jubilee!” several times during the 1990’s and attending the production now is like visiting an old friend who had improved with age. The showgirls are as pretty as ever but at least at my performance they seemed to be really enjoying themselves. My recollection of earlier shows was a stage full of frozen smiles as the ladies paraded across the vast stage. The astounding variety and opulence of the costumes looked fresher and more creative. I’ve read that there are 1,000 costumes in “Jubilee!” and 8,000 miles of sequins. Those numbers struck me as legitimate, if not conservative.
The show’s variety acts remain top of the line, the equal of anything you will see at a high-end circus. A hand-balancing act is terrific. Later, a young man twirls an assortment of stainless steel objects that turn into a dazzling light show of vivid colors glowing on the shiny metal.
Perhaps the greatest pleasure, at least for spectators of a certain age, is the show’s celebration of the Great American Songbook. In a city that tends to overwhelm the visitor with deafening rock music in the show rooms, casinos, and even outdoors, “Jubilee!” salutes melodies by great pop music composers like George Gershwin and Cole Porter. The wonderful songs are served up with opulent choreography and solid vocalizing by soloists and a huge chorus. Much of the show is like stepping back into a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical of the 1930’s, done with respect and artistry. So after three decades, “Jubilee!” still stands tall in spectacle, glamour, and high tech effects.
“Jubilee!” is restricted to patrons 18 years of years of age and older because of the topless element. However, the theater does present a Saturday evening version with the females covered that is open to patrons as young as 13 years old. Call 800 237 7469.
This show gets rating of 31/2 stars
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