The Illusionists: Direct from Broadway

Magic acts world-wide have lately been transformed into a fuel-injected rock and roll circus. Exhibit number one: The Illusionists: Direct from Broadway is an international group of performers, presenting an action-packed programme. With state-of-the-art sets and lighting, fabulous costumes and comedy, it is part music hall and part Steampunk stand-up – with the slick stagecraft that today’s audiences expect. Nothing in this show disappoints.

Like your favourite superheroes, The Illusionists adopt personas and have specialty skills – there is something for everyone in their magic mix. Cheeky Paul Dabek (The Trickster) acts as MC, performing his own works of wonder while moving everything along with his sharp wit. As The Mentalist, Chris Cox, is a mind-manipulator maestro with quirky side-splitting style. The Showman, Mark Kalin, is Lord of the large-scale, presenting classic conjuring with Jinger Leigh, The Conjuress – pure 1920s’ panache. Florian Sainvet (The Manipulator) and Leonardo Bruno (The Alchemist) add flourish with their mastery of close-up classics – adding their own modern flare. Aussie star, Sam Powers, astounds as The Enigma, doffing his hat to past stars like Harry Houdini with his ‘jaws of death’ and glass cabinet escapes.

As a genre, magic may be unique in its tradition of paying homage to its founders and forebears – for example, Harry Houdini took his stage name from French magician, Robert Houdin. ‘Pieces’ of illusion and deception become famous and, rather than being filed away, practitioners lovingly dust them off, and challenge themselves to reinvent the trick with their own twist. So, while fans of magic may find the backbone of some pieces familiar, this is a totally new skin, presented in an alchemy of stage smarts. Some pieces are literally ‘edge-of-seat’, particularly in the exciting large-scale medium and astonishing stunts. And yet, the pure magic remains in close-up card tricks, and the wonder of being fooled by the honed dexterity of hands in a simple shadow play, or the mind-twisting mystery of mind-reading – I mean – HOW do they do it? Especially as most illusions are filmed from all angles and shown on a giant screen – so you don’t need a front-row seat to get close up. However, there is plenty of audience participation in several illusions – beware the empty magic Chinese box – it is a mind-worm that will confound for days! The other magic performed by these talented masters is time travel! In our day-to-day of ever-on devices, fingertip facts and DIY videos, let the Illusionists transport you back to a time of childlike wonder – where you can be astonished, and truly believe that the impossible is possible.

Beth Keehn

Photographer: Darren Thomas