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You would be forgiven for thinking that a magician’s most important skill set is in sleight of hand, in their motions and their movements and physical reality. But what really lulls an audience into whatever feeling they will experience at a magic show – shock, wonder, horror – is words. Magician Lorenzo is no stranger to leading an audience to wonder though his words, but in his latest show Magic Ink he explores more deeply into the magic of words themselves with his literary based magic, with a particular focus on Shakespeare.

Lorenzo stands out from his peers in terms of his ability to connect on a genuine level with his audience. Even with him standing on a stage in front of several dozen people, his shows feel like parlor magic, like we are sitting aside him in easy conversation as he makes miracles occur within our own minds. He feels without artifice even in a career built entirely on artifice, seemingly without the trappings of a fictional performance persona. Like someone you know who just happens to have a beautiful and exceptional talent.

Unfortunately at the reviewed show, some of those miracles had more down to earth hiccups. While most of his mentalist effects went well, there were a couple of missteps to his mindreading. There was a bit of tension amongst the audience from secondhand embarrassment when Lorenzo was thrown off by not getting a reveal correct, but in a sympathetic way that spoke to how much he had already won them over. And to that point, some of the audience also seemed to think it had been intentional, with one person overheard as they left the venue saying “I thought he was going to mess up for a minute there, but he didn’t!” He did, but the magic was clearly not lost in everyone’s eyes. Lorenzo still aptly wove magic through books, touch, and a beautiful effect with a string of yearn passed around the entire audience, ultimately getting back on track to great affect.

Magic Ink is a quick and charming show that will remind you of the power of storytelling in literature and in our own lives. Even if not performed perfectly on this occasion, the vision was beautiful and we have confidence that it can grow to be something truly compelling.