Topless isn’t this show’s bottom line

Thursday, July 26, 2007 | 7:10 a.m.

What: "Ooh La La"

When: 7 p.m. Thursdays through Tuesdays, additional shows at 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; dark Wednesdays

Where: Anthony Cools Experience at Paris Las Vegas

Tickets: $58.25; 946-7000

For a show with more obstacles than a steeplechase , "Ooh La La," the latest topless show to bare itself in Las Vegas, does remarkably well.

The room is small - 300 seats on a flat surface that will have you craning to see the beautiful gals performing some pretty sexy stuff. The ceiling is low, but remarkably they are able to perform some interesting acrobatics.

No sound booth to control sound; limited lighting ability; small stage; no backstage area to speak of ; no dressing rooms.

The showroom at Paris Las Vegas was nothing more than an open space near the registration desk when hypnotist Anthony Cools took over the area two years ago, threw up some walls, built a stage and started his adult show, "Anthony Cools -The Uncensored Hypnotist."

The room is suitable for his show, which involves bringing a dozen or so volunteers onstage, hypnotizing them and making them do embarrassing stuff of an adult nature.

But "Ooh La La" would benefit from a larger room. This talented cast - Kelly Adkins, Nicole Taylor, Michelle DiTerlizzi, Kendra Phillips, Ashley Vail, Cher Westcott and Cynthia Fuhrer - does a lot in the limited space - even a couple of trapeze acts.

"We try to take a negative and make it positive," says Cool, who produces the show that shares his room.

And they do.

Because there is no dressing room where the women can do their stretching before the show, director Gary Thomas has them do their warm-up routines onstage as the audience is being seated. The sexy pre-show is almost worth the price of admission.

Thomas, a former dancer, has created an energetic show with vivacious performers who sing, dance, joke, strip and do body painting , magic and acrobatics for 65 very fast minutes.

"Anthony gave me a list of ideas on a piece of paper and said turn this into a show," Thomas said.

And he did.

It races along smoothly, but for a couple of slow spots - one a routine that revolves around imaginary nudity and done better by the Society of Seven and another involving two women in a picture frame who change poses during blackouts.

Otherwise Thomas took seven months and created a little show that could have bigger aspirations.

He has an eye for beauty and for the sensual.

The topless elements don't overwhelm the observer. There's just enough to keep it interesting. The choreography is very sexy, at times erotic.

Although the obstacles were challenges , Thomas says that was a fun part of creating the show.

"We had to utilize what we have technically," Thomas said, "and we wanted to create something brand new - other than something from the mold of your typical Vegas topless show.

"Basically I built the show around the girls, highlighting each girl's talent, what they do best."

Thomas didn't create a show that was overflowing with topless dancing.

"I wanted to do something that had a tease factor built into it," he said. "We want the anticipation, fans wondering 'Are they going to take their tops off?' "

Cools says it's more than just about bare breasts.

"This is a celebration of women," he said. "It makes a statement. It lets people know these girls are not bimbos. They're intelligent and talented.

"We wanted to come up with a quality product, an extremely sexy variety show."

And they did.