‘Old West Musical Revue’ surprisingly well-performed

I headed to Bonnie Springs Ranch with some trepidation. After all, this was a small place in the middle of nowhere with a museum, a zoo, a saloon, a restaurant, a motel, picnic areas and a mini-train ride. What were the chances that a musical production there would be any good?

On the hopeful side, two of the creators - producer, lyricist and choreographer Marisa Paull Gorst and her husband, musical director and accompanist Jonathan Gorst - both work in The Venetian's "Phantom - the Las Vegas Spectacular." That suggests someone in the production knows from show business.

And that's the surprise.

"Bonnie's Old West Musical Revue" is a professional-level, well-sung, well-acted welcomed evening of vaudeville nonsense. It's one quick sketch after another, featuring some of the best bad jokes that have long been a part of American tradition.

Jonathan Gorst gets things off to a rousing start with some maniacal action on the piano. Best yet, he's a stage personality. His presence is as riveting as his musicianship.

William Finch is a peculiarly likable ensemble member. He doesn't appear to be a young man (I mean, not young, young) but has the youthful exuberance of a teenager. He emits a glow, a masculine enthusiasm for performing that gives him his sensuality. He's also a versatile actor, capable of getting under the skin of a happy, tooth-challenged hillbilly, as well as an elegant, formally dressed hoofer. (And what a hoofer! The man's legs can do anything.)

The evening offers pantomime, sketches, song, dance, audience interaction. Down-home buffet food is set upon long red-checkered cloth tables. The best part: listening to the screams of children who kept telling each other, "I liked that part the best. No, I liked it all the best."

The script could use serious tightening. And at times the show veers from its structure. (I didn't understand what a long segment about modern-day movies was doing in this salute to vaudeville.) A few more rewrites will do more justice to a talented cast.

But this sort of show is bound to please. It would make a worthy finale to a day or two of escape in this isolated hideaway.

Anthony Del Valle can be reached at vegastheaterchat@aol.com.You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box, Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.