Show Review: Mars/Venus Surprisingly Good
I went into this show just dying to hate it. From the moment that I heard about it, I thought it was the dumbest idea for a musical since they tried to make Stephen King's high-school prom nightmare "Carrie" into an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza.
Pardon me while I go get a glass of water to help me eat my words.
To be sure, this is not ground-breaking musical theater. In fact, it has a similar theme to the hit '70s show "Company," in which several happy couples try to guide the single folk toward wedded bliss. The difference is that where that show had a cynical streak a mile wide, this one is pure charm, lightness and romance.
It is based, very loosely, on the writings of self-help relationship guru John Gray, who wrote the musical along with Emmy-award winning composer/lyricist Rita Abrams. It chronicles the relationship of Mandy and Nelson, two 20-something professionals who get set up on a blind date by their well-meaning friends and then follows them through infatuation, love, living together, fights and, finally, marriage.
Pushing them down the path toward matrimonial glee are four couples: the 50-somethings, happily and grumpily married Harry and Bea; Rex and Frances, 30-somethings who have switched traditional male/female -- sorry, Mars/Venus -- roles; Paul and Sylvia, a couple in their 40s who have read all of the self-help books that John Gray has written and then some; and Mitzi and Dupree, the Gen-X-ers of the group who represent youthful adoration.
It's an old-fashioned musical with dialogue interspersed between the songs, many of which are pretty but bland. Among the standouts: the female cast members sing a delightful parody of self-help psychobabble with "Dys-functional;" the entire company goes along on Mandy and Nelson's "First Date," rife with witty observations about male/female -- sorry, Mars/Venus -- attitudes and inclinations; and "One in a Million," a quite tender love song full of longing for that special someone.
The cast is uniformly excellent, with Arlene Roberston as the sassy older Bea and Jenny Giocomo as the new age-obsessed Sylvia standing above the crowd. These are all musical theater veterans (even the youngsters) and their talent carries the show.
At a sleek 90 minutes with no intermission, the show, while perhaps not changing your life or improving your own Mars/Venus relationship, is an enjoyable diversion. Leave your cynicism at the door and go enjoy yourself.
Grade: B+
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
The Flamingo Las Vegas
3555 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Friday at 9 p.m.
Sunday at 3 and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $44-$52
(800) 732-2111
Pardon me while I go get a glass of water to help me eat my words.To be sure, this is not ground-breaking musical theater. In fact, it has a similar theme to the hit '70s show "Company," in which several happy couples try to guide the single folk toward wedded bliss. The difference is that where that show had a cynical streak a mile wide, this one is pure charm, lightness and romance.
It is based, very loosely, on the writings of self-help relationship guru John Gray, who wrote the musical along with Emmy-award winning composer/lyricist Rita Abrams. It chronicles the relationship of Mandy and Nelson, two 20-something professionals who get set up on a blind date by their well-meaning friends and then follows them through infatuation, love, living together, fights and, finally, marriage.
Pushing them down the path toward matrimonial glee are four couples: the 50-somethings, happily and grumpily married Harry and Bea; Rex and Frances, 30-somethings who have switched traditional male/female -- sorry, Mars/Venus -- roles; Paul and Sylvia, a couple in their 40s who have read all of the self-help books that John Gray has written and then some; and Mitzi and Dupree, the Gen-X-ers of the group who represent youthful adoration.
It's an old-fashioned musical with dialogue interspersed between the songs, many of which are pretty but bland. Among the standouts: the female cast members sing a delightful parody of self-help psychobabble with "Dys-functional;" the entire company goes along on Mandy and Nelson's "First Date," rife with witty observations about male/female -- sorry, Mars/Venus -- attitudes and inclinations; and "One in a Million," a quite tender love song full of longing for that special someone.
The cast is uniformly excellent, with Arlene Roberston as the sassy older Bea and Jenny Giocomo as the new age-obsessed Sylvia standing above the crowd. These are all musical theater veterans (even the youngsters) and their talent carries the show.
At a sleek 90 minutes with no intermission, the show, while perhaps not changing your life or improving your own Mars/Venus relationship, is an enjoyable diversion. Leave your cynicism at the door and go enjoy yourself.
Grade: B+
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
The Flamingo Las Vegas
3555 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Friday at 9 p.m.
Sunday at 3 and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $44-$52
(800) 732-2111
This Week's Trivia Question
Q. When Circus Circus opened in 1968, how many hotel rooms did it have? (The Answer)
The weekly trivia question is brought to you by the Vegas4Visitors Online Memorabilia Museum.
The Full Story
- Hotel Review: Stratosphere Changes For Better
- Show Review: Mars/Venus Surprisingly Good
- Restaurant Review: Pizza Lovers, Listen Up
- Other Vegas News: Power Crisis Continues
- This Week In Vegas: Mandalay Bay Leads Way
- Vegas Q&A: What's Up With Desert Inn?
- Vegas Q&A: Grand Canyon By Air?
Coming Up Next Week
In the news: More new hotel, show and restaurant reviews. In the showrooms: Sugar Ray, Rodney Dangerfield and more. Plus, don't forget to send me your questions about Las Vegas. I've got room for more, so send them in today! Click here to go to the main page and see all of the fantastic resources Vegas4Visitors has to offer you when planning your next trip to Las Vegas.Rick Garman is the head writer for Vegas4Visitors
