For a place that thrives on creating magic, it’s almost strange that Broadway doesn’t have a perennial fixture of this type, a Vegas-style spectacle perhaps complete with feather-covered showgirls, cheesy jokes and dashing tricksters. Drama purists would argue that the Great White Way is no place for such thing, but one visit to The Illusionists: Live on Broadway should be enough to dazzle them into believing in the power of straightforward enchantment, as the holiday favorite returns with a grander show and three newcomers who join the all-star team.
This time, the show welcomes James More “The Deceptionist”, a handsome, athletic virtuoso who lies atop a rod, as effortlessly as he seems to shrink when placed inside a retractable box, his head at times looking as if it’s placed directly over his feet! Where More’s tricks are breathtaking, Raymond Crowe’s are heartwarming. His rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Beautiful World” using hand shadows goes from hilarious to heartbreaking in a matter of seconds, and his voice serves as a tool of comedic heaven in a sequence where he shows off his ventriloquism skills, no wonder he is referred to as “The Unusualist”. ‘
Joining them is daredevil Jonathan Goodwin, who calls himself, well, “The Daredevil”, and with reason! Not only does he escape a straitjacket while hanging upside down and being set on fire...he also catches the fast arrow from a crossbow using his bare hands and without flinching. His parts of the show are certainly not for the faint of hearts, or for audience members who want to avoid chewing down their fresh manicures all the way to the cuticle.
Returning wizards include the hilarious Jeff Hobson, who also serves as an emcee of sorts, the goth-influenced Dan Sperry - who goes from swallowing blades to multiplying doves without cracking a smile - and Adam Trent, “The Futurist” who performs tricks using cell phones, screens and other gadgets as if to disprove anyone who says the digital age represented the end of magic.
A plotless evening at the theater is sometimes rather welcome, and the short vignettes presented in this show make for an evening that’s not only pleasing, but also rather cozy for how it unites everyone sitting in the audience, as they all “ooh” and “aah” for the same reasons. Achieving a state of wonder for two plus hours, without recurring to cynicism, condescension, or ironic self-awareness? Well now, that’s magical!
