With much of Vegas always pushing for sex and edge—Beacher's Madhouse and Zumanity, to cite just two examples—it's refreshing when a Strip property brings in what used to be called a "class act," in the parlance of yesteryear. That Barry Manilow's new show, running for 24 weeks through 2005 and into 2006, at the Las Vegas Hilton is just such an act was made abundantly clear to the packed opening-night crowd February 24.
But what else would you expect from a musical force with more than a dozen No. 1 hits who essentially built Arista Records? Not for him are scantily clad backup singers; black cocktail dresses will be fine for his quartet. No aerialists overhead, though the show's impressive "Copacabana" climax features a large, descending catwalk that lets Manilow Inc. perform a few feet over the audience's heads. Let others engage in breathless dance numbers; Barry Alan Pincus is happy with a mid-song game of tag with his three other keyboardists.
Manilow delivers a smooth, fun show, hitting all the right beats. With tongue slightly in cheek, he performs "Mandy" early on as a duet with himself, a la Natalie Cole and Daddy Nat. Later are two set pieces, perhaps one too many, in which Manilow has some fun with his early years—though omitting his history of playing gay bath houses with Bette Midler in New York. Thanks to some creative staging, some of any theater's worst seats—those on the far edges—become the best for these numbers, as patrons find themselves in the fanciful confines of a cocktail lounge or small club.
There's also the near-requisite Pulling Onstage of The Fan, which came off about as well as one could hope with a nurse from Long Island joining Manilow in "Can't Smile Without You," and squealing when pulled into an embrace with her idol.
The Manilow fan will be on her feet for much of the two-hour show, and the non-fan will wonder what he's missing out on. Of course, both might need a moment to recover when Manilow segues from "Copacabana" to Groove Armada's "I See You Baby (Shakin' That Ass)" as he hoists one leg over the catwalk's Plexiglas wall and does a bit of bump 'n' grind. Hmm, maybe there is some sex and edge to Barry after all.