'The Hook' in Atlantic City will soon take its final bow.
After four summers of acrobatics, performances, and plenty of surprises, Spiegelworld’s 'The Hook' is entering its final four weeks at Caesars Atlantic City. If you haven’t been (or are itching to head back) to the boundary-pushing production before it closes, there’s still time to nab a seat before the final show on Sunday, Sept. 6.
Since its debut in 2023, The Hook has brought a mix of international circus artistry, comedy, and culinary creativity.
The concept came from Spiegelworld, an entertainment company founded by entrepreneur Ross Mollison. It marked the company’s first production in Atlantic City, a location Mollison settled on after conversations with Caesars Entertainment about expanding Spiegelworld’s reach across the country. The show occupies the former site of the historic Warner Theatre, which originally opened in 1929.
"It's just so beautiful there and I think a lot of people who don't go there a lot just don't realize how beautiful it is," Mollison told Metro Philly back when the space opened in 2023. "You see the cycles that some of these boardwalk towns have been through and I'd always been drawn to them. I've always loved the carnival and the circus and the end of the pier. I love history, I love old buildings, and it's tragic that the Warner Theater was torn down, but it's incredible. The facades are still there... so, let's restore it, fix it, and build a theater there."
The heart of 'The Hook' is its show. The production looks to the origins of vaudeville while incorporating contemporary circus acts and feats of physical performance. As Mollison described it, the show combines the history of circus with its future, all wrapped in a heavy dose of comedy.
But the experience overall was designed to be more than a show. Guests can order craft cocktails and pizza during performances or make an evening of it at Superfrico, the Italian-American psychedelic restaurant tucked into the theater’s former dressing rooms. The unusual setup allows diners to cross paths with performers as they make their way between the dressing rooms and stage.
The venue also includes the Horse Dive Bar and Cheval de Plongée, two additional spaces that extend the Spiegelworld experience beyond the theater itself. Their names and themes pay tribute to Atlantic City’s colorful history of diving horses, while giving visitors places to grab a drink whether or not they are attending a performance.
For those looking to catch the show in its final weeks, however, the final summer lineup features a roster of popular acts through the end of its run.
Alisa Mae Fendley is showcasing her high-flying “Shrimp Shrimply” aerial straps act, and fan favorite Deon Fox has taken on a new sword-swallowing performance, with both appearing through Sept. 6.
Also performing through Sept. 6 is Mirko Köckenberger, showcasing his hand-balancing skills (on top of a champagne glass tower), and Tuedon Ariri, who works with aerial contortion straps through different routines.
Duo Dauntless, featuring Jon Dutch and Anngela Burt, will also be on site through Aug. 30 with their 30-foot perch pole act, set to Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”
"Ultimately it's about making it unique. But that's where I think the intimacy is important because it leads to an emotional response," added Mollison. "Sometimes it could be tears, [or] you could be watching somebody on stage that's so beautiful in their artistry that you just can't believe it. Or you could be laughing your guts out because there's something else happening. But once you get that emotional response as well, then you know you've really got people there."
‘The Hook’ (1909 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, New Jersey) will conclude its run at Caesars Atlantic City over Labor Day weekend 2026, with final performances scheduled through Sunday, Sept. 6. Shows run Wednesday through Sunday at 7 p.m., with additional 9 p.m. performances on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information and tickets, visit spiegelworld.com
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