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| JP Lane - Michael Boyd and Dancers in "The Ultimate Vegas Show" |
Presented by Boyd Productions. Produced and directed by
Michael Boyd.
Costumed design: Cathie Costello – Choreographed by Matt
Browning
Production Manager: Sam Hume – Sound Engineer: Tom Hawker
Lighting & Technical Manager: Jeremy Dhen – Stage
Manager: Journey Malone
Canberra Theatre July 9th, 2026 – Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
Besides being a world class illusionist, Michael Boyd is a
busy entrepreneur, who never fails to amaze and delight with his spectacular
productions shows. Among them Cabaret de Paris, Circus of Illusion, Mystique
and The Christmas Spectacular.
Boyd’s latest creation The Ultimate Vegas Show follows
the tried-and-true format of his previous shows which harken back to the glory
days of the variety shows featured on the Tivoli circuit. These shows were
usually centred around a star performer or vedette, supported by lavish
production numbers, magicians, acrobats and comedians.
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| JP Lane and Dancers in "The Ultimate Las Vegas Show" |
Central to previous Boyd Productions have been glamorous vedettes
such as Rhonda Burchmore and Prinnie Stevens. But The Ultimate Vegas Show is
designed around PJ Lane whose father was the legendary TV star, Don Lane, a name
synonymous with Las Vegas where he practised his craft as the ultimate cabaret
host.
Immaculately costumed in white tails and black bowtie, and
flanked by six glamorous showgirls, Lane took the stage to the strains of
“Puttin on the Ritz”.
Tall, handsome, and bearing a striking physical resemblance
to his famous father, Lane also possesses a fair dollop of his father’s easy relaxed
charm and flair. He soon had the fascinated audience eating out of his hand.
He made several appearances with the dancers throughout the
show, always immaculately costumed, and displaying some nifty dance moves, conjuring
up memories of Dean Martin with his version of “Sway”, and Barry Manilow performing
“Cococabaña”.
But it was his moving tribute to his father, with a medley of songs forever associated with Don Lane that really captured the audience. As he crooned songs like “One for the Road”, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, “Come Fly with Me” and especially “My Way”, many in the audience could be seen reaching for their handkerchiefs to wipe away tears.
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| Marcus Jackson and dancers in "The Ultimate Vegas Show" |
No tears though for the leather clad, Elvis Presley impersonator,
Marcus Jackson, who got the joint jumpin’ and the dancers into their bobby sox,
with his sets which included the inevitable “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Tutti Frutti” and
“Shake Rattle and Roll”.
He was a little more contained in the second half of the
program when he returned in an iconic gold trimmed white jumpsuit to woo the
audience with “Burning Love” and “Suspicious Mind”.
Magician extraordinaire, Michael Boyd had reserved his best illusions for this show, drawing audible gasps as a sword appeared to skewer him. Then after being locked in a trunk, suddenly re-appearing, unbelievably, at the back of the theatre.
But despite the star-power of the featured performers it was
the six hard-working, drop-dead-gorgeous dancers for whom the loudest applause
was reserved.
Achieving the many quick changes necessary to display Cathie
Costello’s spectacular costumes, while executing Matt Browning’s demanding choreography
which ranged through hectic jive, exotic jungle rhythms, to elegant Las Vegas
struts, all executed with remarkable precision and dazzling smiles, they provided
the glamour, spectacle and pizzaz that ultimately transported the audience into
the heady world of the ultimate Las Vegas Show.
Photos by Matt Osbourne
This review also posted in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW
