Magic - Whats The Show

The Christmas Spectacular

9 December 2024 Amelia Williamson

The Christmas Spectacular Rating

★★★★★

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The Christmas Spectacular tour has officially begun with its season debut at Crown’s Palms Theatre in Melbourne. The glitzy extravaganza features magic, circus art, showgirl acts, and performances of universally adored Christmas songs.

The shining star of the night was host and principal singer Prinnie Stevens. Gracing the stage after rising to fame on Season One of The Voice Australia, Stevens radiated confidence and charm all evening long. Highlights of her vocal showcase included Mariah Carey’s hits ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Joy to the World”.

Illusionist Michael Boyd performed spectacular shows of magic that proved mind-blowing for viewers of all ages. The former Australia’s Got Talent Finalist showcased brilliance as a magician and semi-host of the night with his captivating stage personality and interactive stunts.

Circus artist Aleisha Manion showcased gravity-defying stunts without fault. Her executions were polished, smooth, and perfectly timed between showcases of dance and song to maintain audience excitement.

Glamorous costuming took full effect and enhanced the performances of Showgirls and male dancers. The vast array of dance styles and stage-wear complimented the talent and sharp work of all performers.

The momentum of the show, however, was interrupted by the incorporation of several slow ballad songs, which halted the ‘extravaganza’ theme of the night. Similarly, the frequent use of backing tracks with automated singing flattened the polish of the evening, and a pre-recorded speech during Santa’s appearance gave the finale an awkward feel.

Overall, the debut of the 2024 Christmas Spectacular was a success, with the cast and crew delivering a dazzling evening as intended. The spectacle held the attention of even the youngest crowd members from start to finish by showcasing short bursts of entertainment. At 90 minutes long, it makes for a perfect snapshot of Christmas-themed excitement for all ages. The show is now on the road heading for Canberra, followed by stops in Brisbane and Adelaide before concluding in Sydney.

To book tickets to The Christmas Spectacular, please visit https://thechristmasspectacular.com.au/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Amelia Williamson

Family Fun and Wonder: Michael Boyd’s Magical Spectacle

6 October 2024 Faith Jessel

Mystique Rating

★★★★★

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Mystique: where magic meets emotion, and the impossible becomes an unforgettable reality. In a dazzling display of sleight of hand and showmanship, Michael Boyd proves that illusion is not just tricks, but an art form with a twist.

Boyd presents a world tour of magic – blending Asian exoticism, African rhythms, and Bollywood glamour, with lashings of Vegas spectacle, captivating and engaging a multigenerational crowd. From grandparents to grandchildren, everyone is on board for a thrilling journey across continents and illusions.

Featuring awe-inspiring wizardry, designed and crafted by the same team that brought us David Copperfield’s legendary shows, ‘Mystique’ blends jaw-dropping escapes, levitations and transformations with mind-blowing disappearances that leave the audience spellbound. An energetic soundtrack featuring contemporary songs and iconic film scores amplifies the energy and tension, whilst the exquisite showgirl costumes add glitz straight from The Moulin Rouge.

A great magic show combines skill and deception to evoke amazement, blurring reality and fantasy. Boyd does all of this, but amidst a haze of smoke and mirrors. Voilà! and Ta-da flair, this show refreshingly redefines the typical flash-and-dazzle mould. It breathes new life into familiar tricks thanks to Boyd’s authentic stage presence and effortless charisma, making this show accessible, unpretentious and terrific fun.

Boyd’s style is distinctly interactive, openly celebrating magic and its origins. He cleverly incorporates recognisable and much beloved classics – rings, scarves, and magic boxes – that spark nostalgia and inspire new generations. While these segments risk being cheesy, Boyd’s enthusiasm and charm make them work beautifully.

Eight-year-old Elijah joined him onstage for a delightful “Helping Hands” act, featuring a suitcase of face-paced tricks – blooming flowers, cards, and colour-changing scarves. This enchanting moment captures the essence of backyard birthday party entertainers, where the simplicity of yesteryear reigns supreme. Elijah’s face radiated pure elation as he took a bow centre stage – a future magician was born.

Six-year-old Katherine joined Boyd for a timeless table levitation routine. The beauty of the moment lies not in complexity, but in a child’s genuine wonder. She completely stole the show when Michael asked her how it feels to be a part of a trick. Everyone melted when she earnestly replied, “I believe in magic, and now I want to be a magician.”

The enchanting Music Box Act also whisks audiences away to a forgotten era. Beautiful ballerinas, dressed in elegant white tutus and glittering tiaras delight as they disappear and reappear. A change of tune occurs with a fabulous screwball “unplanned” moment unfolding when Suri “mishears” “banana” instead of “bandana,” revealing Boyd’s mastery of crafted comedic chaos.

Mystique seamlessly shifts between intimate, close-up magic and grand, theatrical illusions. The contrast is perfect, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats, eager for the next surprise. But it is the joy – the performer’s, the audience’s, and the magic itself – that transforms the evening into something truly special.

In a world where scepticism holds sway, magic reminds us of the power of fascination, the thrill of the unknown, and the simple pleasure of being transfixed. With the final bow, the awe lingers: we’re still baffled, but who needs answers? Mystery is the heartbeat of magic, and the soul of ‘Mystique’.

If you missed this show, don’t panic. THE CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR, starring Michael Boyd and special guest Prinnie Stevens, will be the perfect end-of-year holiday treat at The State Theatre, 20-22 Dec 2024.

See https://www.aussietheatre.com.au/news/the-christmas-spectacular-starring-michael-boyd-and-special-guest-prinnie-stevens for details.

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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Sam King – Tricks & Stuff – A Close Up Magic Experience

15 July 2024 Kat Skarbek

Tricks & Stuff - A Close Up Magic Experience - Sam King

Sam King – Tricks & Stuff – Rating

★★★★★

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“I am Bubble.”

This single line by Sam King perfectly sums up ‘Tricks & Stuff,’ his funny yet strangely absurd close up magic show. Delivered in a small venue not much larger than a living room, Sam entertained with a comedic, nerdy and intentionally ‘homemade’ style show as part of the Melbourne Magic Festival.

Drawing his audience in with some goofy yet ingenious slight of hand tricks, he then proceeded to unravel his more and more imaginative and surprising feats of magic. Indeed, the lynch pin of the magician’s repertoire, the card trick, was taken to new and quite astonishing heights by Sam, who utilised plenty of tropes (writing on the card, showing things to the audience, tearing cards into pieces etc) yet still managed to do the impossible with them, under the noses of an audience at very close proximity.

Honestly, there were too many clever tricks to mention and Sam’s skill is undeniable, there were also some skits and lots of truly enjoyable comedy involving high levels of audience participation, (avoid the front row if you’re not a joiner), yet strangely it still fell short of being a truly amazing show and landed in the ‘that was fun’ zone.

Whilst not without its charm, the show perhaps lacked a little polish and was not cohesive enough – something Sam himself jokily shared. Although this may well have been an intentional choice by the man himself, it didn’t quite feel like something one would expect from an awarded ‘up and comer’, which Sam King definitely is.

So, despite offering an enjoyable show with some genuinely mind-bending tricks, the audience was entertained but not, perhaps, totally wowed by his undeniably clever magical arts.

Checkout Sam the Magician here if you’d like to learn more. Or stay tuned for next years Melbourne Magic Festival July 7-19, 2025.

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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Sam King presents TA DA: The Ramblings of a Magician

5 July 2024 Rebecca Rose

Sam King presents TA DA Rating

★★★★★

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Great magic does not have to be big and extravagant to entertain, and Sam King proves this in his award-winning show, “Sam King Presents TA DA: The Ramblings of a Magician”.

Perfectly located at Melbourne’s quirky and iconic Butterfly Club, the friendly staff immediately welcomes you, and Sam himself personally greets each guest in the intimate theatre space.

From start to finish, Sam brings warmth and connection to the audience, putting the entire room at ease. Sam brings a calm confidence to the stage, keeping the audience completely engaged throughout the entire show.

Although a magic show at its core, the sheer talent of Sam’s stand-up comedy routine bits cannot be overlooked. Simple and effective magic tricks and illusions are cleverly connected to his ingeniously crafted comedic narratives.

At times reminiscent of the comedy stylings of Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt (of ‘The Mighty Boosh’ fame), Sam has created a magic show that masterfully intertwines his passion for magic with his quick wit and brilliant talent in comedy.

With an intimate audience, it wasn’t long before Sam had the entire room entranced and taken on an unexpected and utterly entertaining narrative journey. We were introduced to unforgettable characters, including Gary, the bitter violin case, Thumper the rabbit who had met an unfortunate and untimely end, and a strangely hilarious unfinished wooden ventriloquist puppet.

There is nothing better in the world of entertainment than watching a creative artist do what they love on stage. From start to finish, it was clear that Sam not only loves what he does but is also extremely talented.

Sam’s passion for magic and comedy fed directly into the audience. Laughter abounded in those brilliantly placed comedic moments, and the audience was openly amazed by the magic and illusions that were thoughtfully paced throughout the show.

Although some people cringe at the thought of being involved in audience participation, Sam masterfully involved a large proportion of audience members, finding that lovely ‘sweet spot’ where people feel comfortable enough to want to actively engage and be a part of the show.

This was quite simply one of those feel-good shows that give the audience exactly what we all need more of these days: a really good belly laugh and an escape from the humdrum of daily life.

‘TA DA’ is on until the 6th of July at the Butterfly Club.

Sam’s next show, ‘Tricks & Stuff,’ his award-winning close-up magic experience, runs from July 9 to 13 at 483 Swanston Street.

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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