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pfiffiEfr Wednesday, May 13, 1970 Stardust, Las V?╜*gass Lido "7d, "Pourquoi Pas?" presented by Frank Sennes; staged and directed by Donn Arden; conceived by Pierre LouisrGuerin-and Rene Fraday; costumes, Folco; Art Direction; sets, Harvey Warren; original songs & arrangements, Jim Harbert, J. P. Landreau; lighting & sound, Eddie White; company manager, stage construction, Walter Shaner; animals, Eddie Krieg; ; $8.50 minimum. Take half dozen spectacular production numbers punctuated with good (if familiar) variety acts and you have another fine Le Lido de Paris revue concocted by Donn Arden, his ninth at the Stardust, Lido shows are always production heavy, but they are meant to be that way, and with the Arden touch of the unique, the unexpected, the expected, and the magnified Ziegfeld flair, the heaviness has class. His girls are beautiful, sexy, and they gracefully parade through the town's newest colorful splash. Productions are populated by 21 Bluebell Girls, unsurpassed as artistic terpers, 14 just-right shapely nudes, seven excellent boy dancers, and seven topnotch boy singers. Ingenious production surprise this time (Arden has previously offered such eyebrow-raisers as earthquakes, sand storms, ship sinkings, dirigible explosions, darn^ breaks) is "The Theft Of The | Mona Lisa," in which the bad guys try to make off with the painting in a helicopter only to be thwarted by helicopter gendarmes, two of whom "fly" over audience in their j whirlybirds. f Another uncanny illusion comes from a storm at sea (disaster buff Arden at it again) seguing into a beautiful undersea fantasy with "The Gods and Godesses of Mt. Olympus, The Muses and Graces of Beauty." Terp team of Jillian and Ron are outstanding in this and other parts of show. j "Rhapsodic Espagnole" is a gypsy romp from the sacred to the profane, ending in a flaming inferno. Finale, "London Is London," in three scenes offers a Royal Guard parade, a page of history spotlighting Queens Elizabeth, Mary, and Victoria, plus an imaginative glimpse of Picadilly Circus today. Heather Belbin, ice ballerina, provides one of the show's highlights, and was a tremendous fave with first-nighters. Singers Tom Allison, Charles Gray, and Dick Moll give strong support. Marya Linero, Jennifer Pierson, and Nicky Gorska are voluptuous ladies who are highly impressive with their featured roles. Rudy Cardenas, up to his old and new tricks with ball, hat juggling, is first specialty act on bill, matches the quality of the others. The two Volantes with their comedy unieycle bit, are also town returnees, and again are audience faves. Dominique, with his amazing audience-participation pickpocket act is, albeit lengthy, an interesting piece of cabaret humor. One of best magic turns lever tossed here comes from team I of Siegfried & Roy, who make men disappear, turn into tigers, and do other impossible things. Oddly enough, preem went smoothly with no noticeable fluf- faroos, and with about 15 minutes* trimming revue will be ideal casino length. Eddie O'Neil orch (22) does which probably will be in for two years. Frank Sennes produced, as he h&s previous Lidos here. ^^^HH Duke. LIDO IN ORBIT-"Pourquoi Pas?", the ninth edition and 12th anniversary of the internationally renowned "Lido de Paris" revue, has orbited with rocket-like brillance at Las Vegas' Stardust Hotel. Hailed by critics as the winner of the World Series of show spectaculars, the all-new Lido which world premiered Friday night defies description and makes veteran showgoers wonder how it ever will be topped. Frank Sennes has used a lavish hand in his production and Donn Arden's staging and direction are superb. Besides the awe-inspiring production numbers and outstanding specialty acts, key ingredients, of course, are massive regiments of beautiful showgirls and dancers wearing brilliantly sequined and jeweled gowns, rich furs, a variety of beautiful bird feathers and color-drenched materials. ?╟≤