Thunder From Down Under

A bevy of ripped, tanned beef-cakes commanding the stage; an adjacent bar and effortlessly cool surroundings. What more could a girl ask for on a Saturday night? Whether you're in town for you bachelorette, or you're simply looking for a girlie night of deviance and debauchery, you couldn't go far wrong with a visit to the Excalibur Hotel and Casino – home to the all-male Australian revue “Thunder From Down Under”. Hailed by critics as the best thing to come out of Oz since Kylie Minogue; the 80-minute 'tease-n-please' was the vital injection of male-flesh baring that Las Vegas sorely needed.

Female burlesque shows have been prevalent on the Strip, since way back in the 1940's when glamorous damsels would contort and gyrate for the 'gentlemen' of the casinos. By the 1980's feminism was at it's peak, heralding a new target audience for the entertainment complexes along the Strip – and a similar requirement for risqué entertainment. Aside from the erotic (and then expensive) Chippendales show, Las Vegas had little to offer the head-strong gaggles of girls, looking to spend their last nights of freedom in the 'Neon City'.

The Australian male-revue export have been shaking their 'thing' around the world for over 19 years, during which time, they have performed to over 6.5 million people – mostly women (although the cast have more than their fair share of male admirers too.) “Thunder” landed in Vegas during the late 1990's, and promptly set up camp at the party-palace – Excalibur Hotel Resort. Known for it's genial warmth, and emphasis upon having a good time, the Excalibur represented the prime Strip venue, for a show that encouraged it's patrons to party along with it's cast. And what a party it is!

Housed within the Merlin Theater, “Thunder From Down Under” is right at home at the castle-themed Excalibur, and much like the hotel, promises to make female fantasy a reality. A wall of washboard stomachs and muscular chests kick off the show, as the 14-strong troupe take to the stage amid the clamor of wolf-whistles and excited shrieks from the audience. The pace is fast, the gyrating vigorous and the hip-swinging guaranteed to leave you in a tizzy, before the likes of “Jack Sparrow” or the “Knight in Shining Armor” have even taken to the stage.

The pace of the show matches the inevitable tempo of rock and dance music, to which the lads play up to enormously. Robbie Williams' “Let Me Entertain You”, AC/DC's “Thunderstruck” and Bodyrocker's “I Like The Way” are just a few of the explosive anthems set to fantasy scenes such as “Firemen With Ladders”, “Pirates” and “Men In Uniform”. The dancing is vigorous; the enthusiasm apparent as several of the “Blokes” thrust inches from the noses of the front row audience, and the evening steamier as the show progresses.

“Thunder From Down Under's” cast are an exotic array of male specimens from all over Australia. Dave Harris, one of the youngest (also a Justin Timberlake lookalike) endears himself to lovers of baby-faced guys with a trademark dimpled smile, and Cerulean blue eyes. Stephen; the goatee-sporting, tattooed hunk caters for the lady who prefers the more rugged, tall, dark 'n' handsome dude, while “Strip Search Australia” winner Scotty, lives up to the cowboy kind of cool that many find irresistible. No matter your taste, “Thunder” guarantee they have a guy who'll get your pulse racing!

Having recently celebrated their tenth anniversary on the Strip, “Thunder From Down Under” look to be a mainstay in Vegas for the foreseeable future. The Las Vegas Review Journal have bestowed a record-breaking number of “Best In Category” awards upon the production since 2006, and the critical acclaim from movie and TV personalities (including Jay Leno) just keeps on flowing. Las Vegas may now offer a variety of male-revues for the choosing, but if you're seeking the kind of sex-appeal that would steam up your aunty's bifocals - “Thunder From Down Under” is the premier choice!