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IT'S T By a Staff Reoorter The sheer theatrical genius of American choreographer, Jerry Jackson has created another masterpiece of entertainment in the show room of the Conrad International Hotel. Jackson's Galaxies is really a journey of imagination beyong Starz but he has only mixed luck when he takes the 42 strong cast to a grand Australian finale. Unfortunately, Jack- , son spoils an otherwise immaculate performance by portraying Australia's outback as just another version of the American wild west. Even a spectacular backdrop that could well have been taken from my grandmother's pioneer cottage, fails to give enough Australiana to cover the early American influence. But putting that criticism aside, Jackson has managed something no Australian has done before. He has produced a version of ihz national anthem, Advance Australia Fair, that stirs the patriotic blood. To do it, he has given the tune a big band Another X masterpiece at Casino soun^t in the tradition of America's Star Spangled* Banner, and created an emotional closing to the 105-minute show that, like its predecesor, traverses time and space. It would be trite to say Jackson has his trademarks in some of the ideas he uses in production but there are successful conceptions that have been included. Who else but Jackson would have been able to find a way of having three horses gallop at full pace, on stage for two minutes in perfect unison. Only Jackson would scour the world to find three men and a woman who play side drums mnd spin ropes in such a way that they earned the highest applause of the capacity first ni^ht audience. Los Gauchos Latinos is an Argent ian group with an unusual act that gets the audience involved ?╟÷ through sheer fascination. Then there are the Russian dancers, Alex and Maria Kalinan whose choreographed gymnastics would be a crowd stopper in ?╟≤ Red Square. There are seven segments to tht show, each one bom out of Jackson's fertile imagination and hourse of dedicated rehearsal. There are some who found it simply an extension of Starz, but as an entertainment force, h is still in world class. The first night audience included nuay long term local residents who have been subjected to the good, the bad and the ordinary of the Gold Coast entertainment scene for many years. Without exception, they \oted it top drawer and well worth the admission price you will pay to see it over the next 18 months or so. Galaxies. Jupiters Casino. By PETER DEAN Electronic sleight of hand and talent FROM somewhere in space to the big finish with Advance Australia Fair sung by the full cast, Galaxies is a triumph of electronic legerdemain, show business pizzazz and talent a'plenty. It's an outstanding monument to glitz. Presiding genius Jerry Jackson has conceived, directed, choreographed, co-written the original music and lyrics, and designed the costumes for Jupiters Casino's second extravaganza, aided by a gifted team. Expectations are that it will run for a year in the International Showroom, but no doubt that will turn out to be a conservative estimate. All that's lacking is comedy. What there is comes from the leader of Los Gauchos Latinos ?╟÷ three men and a girl who thump drums and twirl weighted ropes. They appear for only about 10 minutes but their effect is electric. Jackson has moulded an array of stunning production numbers, state of the art lighting effects (masterminded by Donn Byrnes) and a sharp score, performed by Doug Surman and his 15 indefatigable musicians, into a spectacular whole. It is, in a word, dazzling. Literally so, at least twice. This show must have cost a fortune, but the management has got its money's worth. On Saturday's opening night there wasn't a detectable hitch in a stage managing plot that would have stretched the London Palladium pantomime crew at its peak. Jackson's theme is time travel. After a fling on Venus where men are extinct and passing astronauts quickly seized for stud purposes in a tasteful, symboHc ballet, we go tangoing in 1929 Buenos Aires and join in Storyviile street marches and blues in 1915. Of course, there are slow patches. There is dancing in abundance and some of it goes on too long. But there are three white horses trotting towards the audience. Now, how many shows can say that?