![]() This show takes the audience into the world of magic, by borrowing characters from mythology, fairy tales, and even Disney, as the citizens of a fictional town known as Storybrooke. Still, there’s something mesmerizing about watching sleight of hand done well, like Ryan Hayashi’s coin trick that fooled Penn & Teller.If one show deserves to be on this list, it is without a doubt ABC’s Once Upon a Time. OMG moment: Because of the nature of the show, most of the acts focus more on technicality than spectacle. (And don’t worry: The iconic duo also perform a segment of their own at the end of each episode.) So as not to give away any trade secrets, however, Penn Jillette communicates in a kind of code to indicate whether or not he and Teller figured out the trick - part of the fun of watching Fool Us is in trying to interpret those hints. But Fool Us isn’t about the magic of Penn & Teller, it’s a showcase for other magicians to try and stump Penn & Teller with their own acts. Penn & Teller have been giants in the magic industry for 40 years, appearing on late night TV, guest starring on sitcoms, and hosting a Showtime series - on top of putting out books, specials, and stage shows dedicated to the craft of magic. ![]() “I am a father,” “I am a lawyer,” “I am a visionary,” “I am a unicorn,” etc. At the climax of the show, DelGaudio asks (some of) the audience to stand up and he recites their chosen identity back to them. OMG moment: Before walking into the theater, each audience member chose a card with an identity marker on it. ![]() That’s not to say there aren’t some seriously impressive magic tricks to be seen here, just that the framing meant that I was left asking “Why?” rather than “How’d he do that?” More performance art than magic special, In & Of Itself is a meditation on identity, about how the world defines you and how you let that determine how you define yourself. But defining In & Of Itself by its celebrity clout goes against its core premise. Tim Gunn, Larry Wilmore, Bill Gates, and Marina Abramovic can be spotted in the audience. Both the Off Broadway run and the film were directed by Frank Oz. Here, we round up some of our favorite magic shows, specials, and documentaries you can check out right now to explore this beautiful, dorky art form in all its glory.ĭerek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself was championed by the likes of Neil Patrick Harris (who produced the stage show) and Stephen Colbert (who coproduced the film). As technology has advanced, techniques have gotten more sophisticated, but the effect is always the same: the seamless execution of a seemingly impossible feat. That’s part of the fun of magic too, though - trying to figure out how the trick works.įrom David Blaine to Harry Houdini to ancient Egyptian conjurers, magicians have captured the public’s attention for as long as human beings have been able to manipulate each others’ senses. At a certain point our more boring, logical human brains kick in and rationally conclude that the magician has a specially rigged box or he can manipulate cards really well or he’s just got an insanely good memory. ![]() Our dumb lizard brains freak out when our eyes see something that doesn’t make sense. There’s a reason magic reaction gifs are so beloved. But at the heart of magic is wanting to believe in something amazing happening right in front of your face. There’s a lot of satin and glitter and bow ties. Most magic acts are very cheesy and require a high tolerance for earnestness. I totally get why it’s dorky to be into magic. ![]()
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