About.com Rating

There's something to be said for a magic show. Much like the circus, magic shows were once a heavily-anticipated community event. These days, magic shows, especially the small, community shows, are not the draw they once were. But The Illusionists is not your typical show. The show is packed full of fast-paced tricks and stunts that will leave you amazed. In short - this is not your grandma's magic show.

The Show
Shattering box office records across the globe, The Illusionists is a non-stop show full of sophisticated magic, unlike anything ever seen on stage before. Audiences witness stunning acts of grand illusion, levitation, mind-reading, disappearance and for the first time ever in history, a full view water torture escape.

The Illusionists
The show combines the work of seven of the world's most talented illusionists. Collectively, these men have been seen by millions around the world and are well-known in the field.

• The Escapologist: Andrew Basso - Italian escape artist, Andrew Basso takes his cue from the legendary Harry Houdini. In this show, his most thrilling trick includes escaping from an underwater cell in full view of the audience the entire time, holding his breath for up to 4 minutes.
• The Warrior: Aaron Crow - He's the strong silent type, but nobody's complaining. Without saying a word, Aaron Crow performs some of the most dangerous acts of mentalism ever performed on stage. He works with swords, powerful bows and paintball machine guns and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

• The Trickster: Jeff Hobson - With a show this intense, there has to be some comic relief and that is provided perfectly by Jeff Hobson. But don't be fooled by his silly jokes, this magician is very talented in his own right. His work tips its hat to the style and showmanship of magicians past, while stealing the show with his incredible tricks.
• The Manipulator: Yu Ho-Jin - At only 19, Yu Ho-Jin won the most prestigious award in magic for manipulation. His elegant and artistic style, combined with unbelievable tricks will leave you stunned. In this show, his work involves amazing card tricks.
• The Inventor: Kevin James - Kevin James brings a creative touch to the show. He is known for the invention of ground-breaking magic tricks. His ideas have made it to shows like Penn & Teller, David Copperfield and Doug Henning.
• The Anti-Conjuror: Dan Sperry - By far the scariest of the show, Dan Sperry is a social media phenomenon and blends a bizarre mixtures of comedy magic and mayhem into his performance.
• The Futurist - Adam Trent - Adam Trent is a comedian, dancer, magician and TV star who has appeared on numerous shows, including "Good Morning America", "America's Got Talent" and was the winner of the SyFy's Channel's show, "Wizard Wars," a magic competition judge by Penn & Teller. He is considered the future of magic.

The Theatrics
The Illusionists brings a new and exciting vibe to magic. There's loud music before the show and during the show, a live band contributes to the dramatic feel. The use of heavy makeup and elaborate costumes add a real flair to the show. Visually stunning lighting, brisk flashes of light and the employment of various curtain drops keeps the show lively. The show also employs a lot of camera work that makes the effects even harder for the illusionists because the cameras give the audience insight into many of the angles normally unseen.

The Review
This show is fast-paced. The Opening Act moves so quickly it's difficult to catch all the tricks being performed by the various illusionists. It's one stunning effect after another. But it's not overwhelming because the show is broken up with lots of audience participation and each illusionist has his own time on stage alone to do a few of his own tricks. Both Adam Trent and Jeff Hobson provide narration and introductions into new scenes which help keep the flow. The camera work also displays the enormous talent of the illusionists.

I found this show to be thrilling. It was different and unexpected and above all, entertaining. The audience around me was engaged, laughing and seemingly impressed with the tricks they'd seen. If given the opportunity, I would go back to the show and take my 7 year old son. It made for a nice evening out and I highly recommend it.

The Illusionists is currently showing at the Old National Centre. The show runs from January 20-25, 2015. Tickets range in price from $28-$98.50, plus fees.

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