Absinthe is a variety show in Las Vegas produced by Spiegelworld. It is staged in a Spiegeltent, a round, mirrored tent that puts the audience close to the performers, and it has been running at Caesars Palace since 2011.
The show mixes acrobatics with adult comedy and burlesque. Acts include aerial and balancing performers, feats of strength and flexibility, and comic routines that range well past what a family show would allow. It is written for adults: the humour is direct and the show carries an age restriction.
Part of the appeal is the scale. Where a large production fills a theatre with effects, Absinthe works in a small space, which makes the skills on display feel more immediate. The performers are often inches from the front rows, with no barrier between the stage and the crowd.
Because the format is a series of short acts, a show moves quickly, with the host and the comic performers linking the acrobatic pieces. For visitors to Las Vegas, it is one of the longest-running shows on the Strip and a different kind of night out from the large-scale productions in the bigger theatres.