Vegas Stage Reviews: 'Siegfried & Roy'; 'EFX'; 'The History of Sex'

''There is a very special guest in the audience tonight,'' said Siegfried, the blond half of Siegfried and Roy at The Mirage on July 10. ''An Oscar-nominated actress whose performances have moved us...''

Cathy Moriarty, the beautifully blowsy star of Raging Bull (Best Supporting Actress nomination, 1980), Soapdish, and Casper — and who happened to be seated next to this ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY critic that night — slunk deep into the show-room banquette. ''I can't believe he's going to do this,'' Moriarty growled. ''This is so embarrassing.'' Siegfried extended his arms grandiosely in our general direction. Those of us lucky enough to be sitting with Moriarty straightened our posture, preparing to be doused by her spotlight.

Tension at the table mounted, until: ''Ladies and gentlemen,'' said Siegfried, ''Miss Gloria Stuart!''

As Moriarty just sat there, either calmed down or let down, the 88-year-old Titanic star took a bow and a microphone and began expressing her appreciation for Siegfried & Roy's artistry. And then expressing her appreciation for all the people who made it possible. And then expressing God knows what all; the woman can go on, and Siegfried seemed not quite sure how to get her to stop. Stuart was wearing a spangly little heart-shaped beauty mark decal on her cheek, which was enough to give me a giggle fit. Put off by such rudeness, Moriarty punched me in the arm — hard.

This incident, in a metaphorical nutshell, sums up a great deal of the current Vegas entertainment experience: magicians, tourists, quasi-name-brand celebrities, disappointment, a good laugh now and then, and not a little pain. And if the Vegas hotel-casino operators have a say in it, you'll be having that experience soon. Despite the worried Asian economy, the glut of hotel rooms in Vegas — more than 105,000 by last count — is expected to increase by about 15,000 by the end of the millennium. Vegas wants you, and Vegas' stages are considered a major untapped resource for keeping you happy. Casino mogul Steve Wynn and Hollywood producer-manager Sandy Gallin are planning to develop Broadway-caliber shows, and Peter Morton's Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is catering to its young clientele with acts like Sheryl Crow and the Wallflowers. (Take a look at the new breed of Vegas tourist lounging by the Hard Rock pool — nubile hipsters hell-bent on disposing of income.) What, then, does this impending renaissance mean for the old-fashioned Vegas spectacle — the long-running comedy-variety shows installed in hotel show rooms long ago in order to lure gamblers? A quick tour through three shows from different Vegas genres — a spectacle, a star vehicle, and a T&A romp — reveal a very American art form (if you could call it that) at a crossroads.

It costs $89.35 per ticket to get a look at our first genre, represented by the two taut Teutonic titans of magic. I refer, of course, to Siegfried and Roy (The Mirage; 702-792-7777), though if you think you're buying a magic show, think again. What you're getting is pure Vegas-style spectacle. Siegfried spends much of the 95 minutes posing and gesturing amid a dense population of dancers; the chorus boys have big leonine hair, the girls are dressed, I think, as some kind of insect. There is much fog and fire, and Roy keeps popping up like a bad penny — from boxes, the back of the show room, etc. But the real star is the glorious parade of rare white tigers, all of whom pose as professionally as Siegfried, and one of whom is hoisted high ... and then disappears! Whether this magnificent menagerie is worth the price of admission is up to you and your accountant. Siegfried & Roy are as slick and interesting as Wayne Newton's hairdo, and they're just about as hip. The face of Vegas is changing; it's time Siegfried and Roy changed theirs. From the looks of them, this would not be an alien concept.