Prepare to be amazed
One fantastic magic show has just hit the streets of Boston
Courtesy of Champions of Magic
Champions of Magic
Starring Young & Strange, Alex McAleer, Kayla Drescher, and Fernando Velasco
Boch Center Shubert Theatre
Sept. 20 – 23
As some of you have probably realized by now, I am quite the movie fanatic. I’ve grown up with movies like The Prestige and Now You See Me that have charmed me with a special fondness for magic. However, having seen movies like Now You See Me, I had entered the Champions of Magic show expecting a huge arena, massive contraptions, mind blowing illusions, and dumbfounding moments. The only letdown was that the venue was a small, regal theater instead of a large-scale, modern-day arena.
The Champions of Magic team consists of five members, each with their own special talents and brands of magic. There’s Young & Strange, a comical dynamic duo who specialize in classic magic illusions, some imbued with their own personal twist, Fernando Velasco is the whimsical escape artist, Kayla Drescher is the bubbly close-up trick magician, and Alex McAleer is the charming mind reader. All have their own strengths and weaknesses, but they combine well to make one amazing and surprisingly hilarious show.
The amount of audience interaction with the Champions of Magic was expected but still appreciated. Being the magicians that they are, they interfaced frequently with their audience, from older folks to reluctant dudes to adorable children who had barely even begun to comprehend the idea of magic and were utterly astounded by it. The magicians were also light-hearted and friendly. Their joy in spreading the wonders of magic were almost infectious, especially when you share seats with a particularly enthusiastic crowd. I particularly liked how they set up a trick right before intermission with the express purpose of getting everyone involved in the magic. You may not have been the one chosen to reveal the answer, but it was still remarkable to feel like you could contribute and participate in the secrets of the magicians.
Focusing on the actual magic, the Champions of Magic made sure to provide a variety for their audience to take in and process. They presented your standard card trick and daring, death-defying escape and even had some original crafted tricks from the magicians themselves. It wasn’t hard to be amazed by the impossible feats they presented on stage and it was definitely refreshing to see the magic performed live when you’ve come from a background primarily watching magic tricks on a digital screen. There’s just something about seeing the magic in front of you, without the possibilities of video editing, that’s really indescribable. It’s physically being there for the suspenseful setup and flawless execution and contributing to the awe-inspired applause that makes going to a performance like this worth it. You can’t help but appreciate the amount of time and effort these magicians have probably put into perfecting their craft. Even when they feign disappointment at supposedly slipping up on a particular trick, you’re still sympathetic to their journey towards becoming some of the world’s best magicians.
If you’ve got no plans for the weekend and want some real magic to spice up your life, Champions of Magic is the way to go!