close up magic

BEN HART: UP CLOSE

☆☆☆☆☆

One of the more unusual features of Ben Hart as a magician is that his Fringe shows are of late designed to be performed in the round. This is an extra challenge in a performance art known for its reliance on angles to execute the effects properly, and in Up Close Hart ups the stakes even further. The intimate venue and minimalist decor and props are cleverly designed to leave Hart with no space to hide. The magic is, as ever, nothing short of a masterclass. The intimacy of the venue also gives Hart a chance to show off his crowd work skills, to great effect. Even his outfit takes advantage of the venue size, with trouser embroidery that adds an extra element of visual interest to watching his perform.

Up Close is a mix of routines that Hart has performed before, in his larger scale shows, as well as effects that his fans may not have seen in his prior shows. The more familiar tricks in particular serve Hart in a variety of ways. They are, of course, impressive in their own right for newcomers to his act. There’s also an extra interest for Hart’s fans in seeing him execute these effects flawlessly in such a stripped back environment. And, after watching Hart experiment with ways to bring close up magic to the stage in his larger scale shows over the years to occasionally mixed reactions, it’s satisfying to see him find space to fully showcase a genre of magic that seems like a particular passion.

A particularly well formatted bit involves a classic spoon effect, with an extra element of spellcasting that makes it feel distinct to Hart. Hart excels at performing effects that are recognizable classics of magic, adapted so perfectly to his own style that they feel refreshed specifically for his fans. Hart’s Ouija board routine is a recurring success, with two audience participants getting involved who are ready after the show to swear to the others that Hart must have indeed conjured spirits, as there is no other explanation for what they experienced.

The intimacy of the Up Close venue works both ways—not only does the audience get a better view of Hart, he gets a better view of them at the same time. This is not as scary as it may sound. The only audience member who got told off at the reviewed show was on her phone, and Hart’s gentle chastising earned him one of the first rounds of applause of the evening. Hart cultivated the community of his audience, sharing the spotlight at every opportunity. One participant’s especially well mixed shuffle got an especially enthusiastic reaction, as the audience was clearly happy to help Hart celebrate one of their own. The already commanding Hart gained power from the communal atmosphere, at one point successfully holding the audience’s attention for a long few seconds while trying to change the sheet of paper in his little notepad—maybe a more true test of sheer charisma than any magic trick.

Hart’s audiences have come to expect perfection and he does not disappoint. The casual-witchy Up Close even has a suitably casual-witchy theme, developed by Hart in a suitably cheeky manner that is perfect for this type of show. A perennial Fringe highlight across two continents, Hart had a solid audience at the reviewed Tuesday evening show, a testament to the loyalty of his fans. Always changing, evolving, and experimenting, Hart is a rewarding performer to return to year after year. Up Close will only further cement his role as a trail blazer in the progression of magic as an art form.

LUKA: MAGNUM OPUS

☆☆☆☆

Magnum Opus is many things, but a show for introverts it is not. Magician Luka, either though good fortune or force of personality, commands an audience of participants eager and willing to engage in every trick of magic and of witticism that he has to offer.

There are three parts to Magnum Opus, depending on how much you should be looking to pay for your magical diversion of the night. For the full experience, you get a half hour close-up magic show, followed by two hours with which to eat your three-course dinner upstairs at the Social American Tavern, and finally the main event of an hour long mentalist experience. If you’re looking to be a bit more budget friendly, you can skip the first two parts, but we cannot in good conscience imply they are missable.

The close up magic show provides audiences with their first experience of Luka’s very dry, sarcastic millennial humor. While this may not be for everyone – indeed over the course of the show reviewed it seemed to take some audience members a moment to catch up- it is generally well received. In terms of the magic, it is clear Luka is a master of technical skill. His sleight of hand is flawless, always a feat made more impressive in intimate settings where audience members are mere inches away, squinting intently at hands and pockets. Due to the smaller number of attendees, Luka can make each of his card and coin tricks far more personal than you would suspect, engaging in direct conversation to weave his effects within.

As this is a magic review and not a culinary one, we will not linger over the meal bridging the gap between magic shows, other than to say Social American Tavern provides a well matched ambiance to the mood of an evening of magical performance, delicious food, and magic-themed cocktails.

The main event, the mentalism performance, truly showcases Luka’s particular brand of showmanship. His takes on classic mentalism effects bewilder the audience and are somewhat made bawdy by Luka’s banter.  Definitely not a magic show to be bringing kids to, but that seems to be the point. Due to his chosen methodology of selecting participants, which comes with an unusual twist, it is likely that every performance will be notably unique in the communal atmosphere of the attendees. Sure, all will likely see a nail gun, balloons, books and rings do things we never thought they could. But Luka provides his audience with the opportunity to even steal the show somewhat, making everyone leave feeling like they’ve met their fellow audience members for far more than 60 minutes.

Magnum Opus is a well curated dinner theatre experience. If you are looking for a lively, engaging night out (and you have a slightly dirty sense of humor), look no further. Luka leads his crowd through a delightful experience of all different types of magical diversions.