Today in Las Vegas Magazine

C'est Magnifique

There are countless three-word combinations that can evoke a wide range of emotions but when that trio of words uttered is “Ooh La La,” make no mistake, something sexy is nearby. Mix in two stimulating locales – Las Vegas and the Paris Hotel and you have the steamiest, topless variety show on the Strip.

“Ooh La La” is the newest creation from the highly innovative Anthony Cools, who is world renowned for his bawdy, tantalizing, cutting-edge shows. Whether he is performing in them as a wicked, uncensored hypnotist or producing them like “Ooh La La,” there is no denying Cools’ trademark “take-no-prisoners style.”

In a city where going topless is now becoming commonplace (you have to love this town) with the sudden popularity of European Style pools dotting the Strip, burlesque type shows and countless men’s clubs - going topless has never been more in vogue.

If you’d like to experience some of this freedom and excitement but don’t want to lose your shirt, then definitely check out “Ooh La La.” It shows nightly at 7 p.m. at the Paris Hotel in the Anthony Cools Experience with additional shows at 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturdays.

We arrived at the Paris early on a Saturday night, not knowing where the Theatre was and two friendly Paris doormen (on a side note, if you’ve never been to the Paris Hotel, the stereotypical ‘French attitude’ will not be found here – far from it) bolted towards us and cheerfully helped us find our way. (I’m wondering if my date’s long, slinky, black dress had something to do with that?)

We sipped on a couple of cocktails at the outside bar at Mon Ami Gabi and then slipped into the nearby theatre a tad early, which turned out to be a sagacious move as the performers were already on stage taking turns putting make-up on each other and stretching. Yes, stretching.

For the next ten minutes, while Garbage and Innosense played, my date and I (we’ll call her “Naomi”) discussed the importance of and preference for fishnet stockings. Life is good, and got even better, as the women of “Ooh La La” graced the stage in loosely-tied robes.

We sat up-close (one of the performers may come sit on your lap if you’re lucky) in the 300-seat venue and there’s not a bad seat in the house especially since later in the show, the performers delighted the audience by strutting down the aisles of the theatre in an “impromptu” fashion show.

The prerequisite of bringing an audience member on stage was most likely done in pre-Globe Theatre-days, but on this particular night, I would be hard-pressed to remember witnessing anything funnier on stage.

You won’t find a long chorus line of a dozen or so women in this show. Only five work the stage, with each taking turns revealing their own special skills, appeal, personality, humor and hard bodies. They also perform together and although they were tight and dead-on in their choreographed numbers I thought the women seemed more at ease and were at their very best when they could improvise, emote and play to the audience.

Their entertaining solo acts and group performances are many and since they do perform every night, one can only assume that this can be a bit taxing. So, like many other Las Vegas revues, other performers are brought in to share the load. The whole cast of “Ooh La La’s” team consists of eight women. Although they use sexy stage names with a French flair, the real performers names are Kelly, Cynthia, Michelle, Cher, Nicki, Ashley, Izzy and Delta and each is just as talented as the next.

“Ooh La La” really does have it all. Where else can you see a fast paced, tantalizing variety show with magic, one-handed push-ups, ballet, singing, modeling, stand-up, striptease, and aerial stunts all in one place? (There has to be a Paris Hilton joke in there somewhere.)

Credit the creative Cools with finding such gorgeous and talented women that make “Ooh La La” so unique. Beauty and brains - what a concept. I’d watch that, and did and probably will again.

-Brett Revell