‘Absinthe’ veteran whips up something tasty in downtown Las Vegas — PHOTOS
I don’t know scratch about baking. But I can easily identify the ingredients in a tasty variety show:
Expert comic performers, focused writing, expert editing, thoughtful costuming and production effects. Toss into a container, stir, heat and serve.
Melody Sweets has emptied her cabinet in “The Sweets’ Spot” baking-burlesque YouTube series, which celebrated its season-closing sixth episode Monday night at Beverly Theater in downtown Las Vegas.
All six episodes of the silly, smart, stylish, sexy series were presented on the Beverly’s state-of-the-art big screen and sound system. The audience was made up mostly of those who were directly involved in the project.
The video segments were interspersed by live performances by bedeviling doughnut characters (and reliable scene stealers) Bradford Scobie of New York City’s famed burlesque haunt The Slipper Club; and Anaïs Thomassian, who created chaos as Penny Pibbets in the original “Absinthe” at Caesars.
Voki Kalfayan was in-character as a French waiter, also portrayed in the series, serving confections from a silver tray. The creator of the Gazillionaire in “Absinthe” was also featured as gangster Tony Cannoli in the episode titled “Leave The Gun, Take The Cannoli.”
This was a landmark event for the new downtown art house, which staged its first cake smash by an entertainer in a G-string (Vegas burlesque star Buttercup drawing that distinction).
“The Sweets’ Spot” is loaded with spice. Kasey Wilson hosts “commercial break” segments that both promote and mock the series’ sponsors; twin tappers Sean and John Scott groove it up in Elvis jumpsuits; improv great and podcast master Matt Donnelly reveals crack concerns with a low-riding costume; Pearl the Dog performs a few great comedic takes (with a well-placed thread of slobber); The Frigid Heirs fight the chill to furnish righteous music interlude, Vegas stage favorite Sky Dee Miles delivers masterfully between naps (she was pulling near-all-nighters during production). The show checks all the boxes, while filling the baking tins.
What we don’t have a lot of is baking itself. That process is like an excuse to draw Sweets’ cast of characters into her kitchen. The former “Absinthe” Green Fairy is actually great at making themed cakes and such.
But the walk-away from “The Sweets’ Spot” is to be struck by (and reminded of) how much talent is in this city. We have to nod to Jerry, Mike and Scott Thompson; of Light Forge Studios. This team made some sense of the overflowing madness Sweets’ cast produced. The editing in this series is especially masterful.
The challenge for “The Sweets’ Spot” is to determine what is next, where to take this tray of goodies. Sweets and co-creator Melissa King-Jules (MsTickle, in her professional identity) want to bank a Season 2, if they can dial up the temperature on investment.
But the series is very much its own thing. Envisioning a pitch to a major network or streaming service itself is not at all simple: “‘Pee Wee’s Playhouse’ meets a sultry Julia Child meets Katy Perry’s ‘Play’ mixed with a Muppet vibe and some Cheech & Chong shtick, from risk-taking Vegas performers …” is a lot to digest.
Maybe the best path for “The Sweets’ Spot” is the sample-platter approach, like what Voki offered Monday. Just take a bite. You’ll like it.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.