REVIEW: ‘The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays’ on Broadway
Photo courtesy of the artists / Provided by BBB with permission.
NEW YORK — The Illusionists, a traveling spectacle of amazing and reason-defying magicians, has become a holiday staple on the Great White Way. In fact, after so many successful shows around Christmastime, this big-theater spectacle is starting to feel like a permanent fixture of the holiday season, right there alongside the Rockettes, toy soldiers, nutcrackers and Scrooges.
Perhaps what makes The Illusionists work year in and year out is the rotating cast of performers. There is usually never a repeat magician on stage, and that means returning theatergoers are always in for a new show.
For example, this year’s edition is subtitled Magic of the Holidays, and each of the acts is fresh and diverse — with some offering comedy, others offering thrilling illusions, a few of them offering both.
The Trickster, Paul Dabek, is the host for the evening, and he seems to relish the emcee role. His brand of comedy and genuinely enjoyable illusions are a wonderful combination to set off the two-hour entertainment. He provides levity throughout the performance and has an Act-II routine that received the most voluminous laughs of the night.
Dabek’s first number featured two young theatergoers who ascended the steps at the Neil Simon Theatre and took part in a fun magic trick. He was hilarious and clever with the children, providing The Illusionists with a perfect opening icebreaker.
Chris Cox, who plays The Mentalist, had a couple of interesting acts that also used comedy, but the laughs were used to showcase revealing mind reading. First off, Cox is a consummate entertainer who uses his entire body to convey exuberant emotion. He jumps around the Neil Simon Theatre with boundless energy, trying his best to instill a sense of wonder and delight in the holiday crowd. He succeeds, especially with his Act-I routine involving a guessing game in an elf’s dressing room (not as naughty as it sounds). His audience bit in Act II was equally impressive, and the couple who were chosen seemed genuinely shocked at his mentalist abilities.
Kevin James’ The Inventor had perhaps the most stage time throughout the entire performance. He had a box routine that kicked off his segment and quieter scenes involving children in the audience and children invited on stage. This reviewer happened to be sitting next to a young girl who was chosen for a beautiful illusion involving tissue paper and a rose. Another routine involved a horrible accident in Santa’s workshop that had the theatergoers scratching their collective heads trying to figure out how everything was happening.
Enzo Weyne, aka The Unforgettable, had some of the grandest illusions of the performance. He had a routine that saw one of his assistants impossibly stuffed into a box that, on its surface, didn’t allow enough room for a human being. Another clever trick — one of the highlights of the show — involved a light bulb and a paper bag. The illusion behind this act was simple and poetic, but sometimes those are the ones that prove the most meaningful and memorable.
Dom Chambers’ The Showman was OK, but the inclusion of alcohol jokes in what is ultimately a family-friendly show seemed a bit out of place. Still, his technique is a solid one. After all, most performers make smaller objects appear and disappear, not filled glasses of beer.
The best of the best had to be Eric Chien as The Manipulator, and one can sense that everyone involved at The Illusionists knows they are working with a magical dynamo. He is given top billing in the first act and also a special routine after the curtain call. He is the chosen sleight-of-hand artist for the evening, and what he can do with a deck of cards is unparalleled. He’s either one of the best sleight-of-hand artists in the business or an actual manipulator of the magical arts (perhaps both) because the camera that was broadcasting his tricks on the big screen was not lying; this man is the real deal.
The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays proves once again that there’s a welcome spot for Christmas-themed illusions on Broadway. These magicians are dazzling and daring, earning their oohs and aahs.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays plays through Jan. 5 at the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway. The cast consists of Eric Chien, Chris Cox, Dom Chambers, Paul Dabek, Kevin James and Enzo Weyne. Rating: 
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