I read Roger T.'s review while waiting for the show to start and thought "What the hell am I getting into?" And about five minutes in, I started to think it was a little too weird for me. But then the action picked up, and it turned into a Barnum & Bailey circus sideshow.
It doesn't have the smart hilarity of Absinthe, but it's crazy enjoyable. That is, until the end, when you will - if you're a normal human - be completely repulsed. We were so glad we'd changed our seats to be a little further back and higher up. You should consider it, too.
Sword swallower? Check. Contortionist? Check. Near-nudity? Check again. And a host of other show acts, including a woman who gets herself completely inside a big purple balloon. Loved that one.
There was no dog schtick, as mentioned here, so there are probably some substitute acts. That might account for why a few audience members seemed to be regulars. I wouldn't want to see the exact same show if I'd seen it before.
I probably wouldn't pay to see Opium, but we didn't. For the price, it was fun.