‘Freaks’ more than a sideshow

It's no surprise when a producer passes along audience reviews such as:

A. "Cute."

B. "Beautiful."

C. "Romantic."

It is a surprise when those descriptions match up to:

A. Darts that appear to shoot from a woman's nether regions.

B. Glass eating.

C. A his-and-hers arm skewering.

This is why hypnotist Anthony Cools is proud of his new show "Freaks," which he says is different from any carnival tent or Jim Rose show you might have seen before.

"It's closer to a Broadway production. A sideshow has never been presented in this fashion," producer Cools (who does not perform in the show) says of the new creation in the 130-seat theater at O'Sheas, formerly home to comedian Vinnie Favorito.

It's not a venue that excites a lot of producers. Favorito jumped ship as soon as a larger space became available at the next-door Flamingo. But Cools says it was the room he was waiting for, at least after serious remodeling.

He first hatched the idea a couple of years ago, watching some of the same sideshow performers at one of The Amazing Johnathan's infamous Halloween parties.

Cools developed the six-person show with Bruce Block, a comedy magician best-known for a bit he does with a "talking" rabbit, and who now feeds the story line (yes, there is one) as an actor who is frustrated because he's not allowed to emcee. ...

The Ides of March also portend another offbeat newcomer at the Greek Isles, where producer-star Antonio Restivo has opened a "fire fantasy" called "Ignite."

Restivo is the formidable bad guy in the Excalibur's "Tournament of Kings," and until very recently was the Lord Vampire in "Bite" at the Stratosphere. His new show goes head to head with the latter at 11 p.m. But he says his show is "Gothic and funky," not "classic rock and topless."

He admits friends have told him, "Now's not the time." But he figures that when an opportunity presents itself, "if I don't try I've already failed." ...

A longtime comedy club folds, but instead of thinning the ranks it may be followed by two new comedy showcases.

Sunday marked the quiet fade-out of the Tropicana's The Comedy Stop, which had been there two months shy of 19 years. It was operated by Bob Kephart, who still runs a club with the same name at the Tropicana in Atlantic City.

The Las Vegas hotel is in negotiations with comedian Bobby Slayton, who would headline the room and co-produce with Joaquin Trujillo, who helms the L.A. Comedy Club inside Trader Vic's at Planet Hollywood. It's not clear whether that effort will keep going or be combined with the new one.

Slayton recently wrapped up a two-year run at Hooters Hotel.

Tropicana officials aren't saying why they pulled the plug on The Comedy Stop, but it sounds like Slayton made them a better offer for the leased space. However, The Comedy Stop didn't use the casino's liquor license and ran its own bar. A new operator will have to be approved for a liquor license.

The Comedy Stop seemed to gradually fade from the radar. It used to be known for its long-standing locals' two-for-one deal on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

But in recent years, Palace Station made a direct play for that locals niche with a room currently operating as Bonkerz.

Bonkerz's operator Joe Sanfelippo already found a silver lining in the recession by booking April with bigger headliners -- Nick Gaza, Ricky Reyes, Jeff Barrett -- who have more cable-TV credits than most of the stand-ups who played the club since it opened in January.

"It's been absolutely insane," Sanfelippo says. "I have to hold myself back from booking too far into the future so I can take advantage of routing dates. But it's safe to say that I am getting several dozen requests per week for comics to work the room."

That could mean more choices for John Padon, a Las Vegas comedian who will launch Sin City Comedy at the Harmon Theater at Planet Hollywood on April 1. The show will share the main room with The Amazing Johnathan, taking the early 7 p.m. shift.

Padon will team up with Kevin Kearney, whose years of booking comedy rooms include the bygone Catch A Rising Star at Bally's.

Padon is used to being the "comic relief" in topless shows such as Luxor's "Fantasy," so it's no surprise he wants to sex up the format and "break the mold on that 'three comics in front of a brick wall' that is so 1985."

Earlier this week, Padon auditioned female variety and burlesque acts. "Sex needs comedy and comedy needs sex," he explains. "I want to add some Vegas to the comedy and make it more of a show. People from Iowa can go to the Funny Bone at home."

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.