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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
This aired last night at 10 PM. I am glad I did not pay the $150 plus dollars to see them in person. Half comedy, half freak show stuff. Not really magic, except for Dan Sperry, who is always freaky, but does fast flash magic. Jeff Hobson was excellent, Kevin James presented some unusual Illusions I never seen him present before, Yu Ho-Jin performs his award winning act that is already on the Internet. The others I never heard of before, but none were outstanding in my opinion of course.
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hugmagic Inner circle 7655 Posts |
I think this is a perfect example of why it is so hard to produce magic on television. The special does catch the flavor of the show. Too much stop and start. The continuity of the show is totally lost. Since they spent several days shooting this show you can only imagine what the performers had to go through. Knowing a lot of the performances, it was clear that they had been sped up fit for television.
As for $150 a ticket, you really don't need to spend that much. With the large video screen, you can see it from the nosebleed section. All in all, I think it was good for magic. It will expose a new type of audience to magic. It has been a long time since we have had any real full fledged magic special on a national network. I did not realize that Matt Franco was on before but there again it will help magic. Reminded me of the buzz of David Blaine's first special. Not my cup of tea but good for magic overall.
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
Stanyon Inner circle Landrum, S.C. by way of Chicago 3433 Posts |
I guess that European television isn't as ad/product sales based. We seem to have networks that feel the programming is just there to break up the commercials.
JMHO
Stanyon
aka Steve Taylor "Every move a move!" "If you've enjoyed my performance half as much as I've enjoyed performing for you, then you've enjoyed it twice as much as me!" |
Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Yes, I think the cheapest tickets were around $65, and that is not worth to me Freak people doing sickening things. Would have rather had more Jeff Hobson, or good juggler.
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Dave Scribner Assistant Manager Lake Hopatcong, NJ 4849 Posts |
Guys, I saw the illusionists show live in New York last year. There is no comparison to the live show and the televised version last night. As Richard mentioned, the TV broadcast lacked the continuity of the actual show. The cost of $150 really isn't that bad for a two hour New York production
Where the magic begins
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MJE Elite user After all these years,I STILL have only 409 Posts |
Oh, I dunno......we saw it in Dallas and thought it was quite good. Lots of variety. If you don't like one act, no problem. A different one will be onstage very soon.
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Slackerking Special user 613 Posts |
Wow, I loved the tv show and immediately went and purchased tickets to the Pantages show here in LA. Thought everyone was incredible and the show looked brilliant. Looking forward to this as much as the first Cirque de Soleil show I saw decades ago.
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pepka Inner circle Uh, I'm the one on the right. 5041 Posts |
This was a severely cut down version of the show. I've seen it live twice, once on Broadway and once on tour. On Broadway, (at least last year) there was a LIVE band. This SERIOUSLY has a great impact on the show, but it was cut for the touring version. Maybe I'm old schoool, but I liked this MUCH more than the Franco special which aired before it...which seemed to just copy the Blaine/Angel style.
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hugmagic Inner circle 7655 Posts |
The original touring version did have a live band. Maybe they have trimmed some things down for flying the show in an out. If you look at the schedule and jumps for this year, there are some pretty brutal jumps for one nighters.
The cast appearance at the end was a slightly different version than was originally in the show. The co2 screen is much better than the lifting of a large parachute. Richard
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
The Mysterious One Veteran user 384 Posts |
I also saw this show in Dallas. My wife, who has seen countless hours of magic and repaired props of mine through the years, thought the show was phenomenal. The pacing of the show is great. Jeff Hobson is just money. I have seen his act before in various Hobson DVDs that I own. He still had me rolling in the aisles laughing during his Card in Mouth and Egg Bag acts. Each of these performers had the audience entertained. The difference between the show in Dallas earlier this year and the tv special was Aaron Crow. He was in the live show in Dallas. Jonathan Goodwin was in the NBC special. Aaron Crow did his "Weapon Magic" with a bow and arrow, spectator, borrowed ring, and an apple on the spectator's head. It was more impressive seeing him do this live vs. seeing him do this on The Magicians on BBC3. Yu Ho-Jin's performance was different in the live show in Dallas vs what I saw on NBC. My wife thought his manipulation act on stage was stronger than his manipulation act on the NBC Special. During the live show, Sperry performed his bird act, SAW, and Spiked.
My wife, parents, and sisters were cheering loudly at the end of the show. The variety, pacing, and music were quick and on point during the live performance. It is a well oiled machine with wonderful pacing. The NBC special was interesting, especially with the commentary of Jonathan Goodwin describing Andrew Basso's escape. Jonathan Goodwin is a very talented escapologist that really pushes the genre to the next level. His Danger Man series was incredible. I thought the Illusionist special was quite good but didn't like the interruptions to the flow of the show for commercials. That is why network television sucks, those d**n commercials. One thing that does not translate well on television is the tension one feels when watching Andrew Basso escape from the Water Torture Cell. On TV, if anything went wrong, they would cut the scene short. But in a live performance, you could cut the tension in the theatre with a knife. Also, in the live show, you would have seen Kevin James and his Floating Rose illusion ( a beautiful piece of magic), Adam Trent do a strong piece of mentalism and a quick Ambitious routine. To Bill.... As for the $150 price tag, you must be talking about NY, NY prices. I saw the show for about $20 a ticket in Dallas. I had a great view of the action and could see everything thanks to the miracle of Lasik surgery and a large overhead screen. It is a great show, much better that what the NBC special was. |
The Mysterious One Veteran user 384 Posts |
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On Dec 14, 2015, pepka wrote: This would have added another dimension to the show. I saw the Illusionist in London, with the Live Band. It was a wonderful addition to the show that gave it another layer of entertainment. |
MJE Elite user After all these years,I STILL have only 409 Posts |
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On Dec 15, 2015, The Mysterious One wrote: I'm not sure if that was a one-night-stand or if it played multiple days. At the show we saw, the arrow missed the target and was found embedded in something. Perhaps a scenery brace. With the ring in the right spot. To your knowledge, was that planned? |
The Mysterious One Veteran user 384 Posts |
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On Dec 15, 2015, MJE wrote: To my knowledge, it was not planned. On the night I went, the arrow went right through the bullseye. The next night, according to members of my family, the arrow was a little off center but still hitting the target. The Illusionist played for multiple days here in Dallas. A very strong piece of magic. |
MJE Elite user After all these years,I STILL have only 409 Posts |
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On Dec 15, 2015, The Mysterious One wrote: Although my memory isn't as all-powerful as it once was, I'm pretty sure it missed the target altogether in the show we went to. The best trick of the night was getting out of the parking lot. It was raining and nothing moved for well over an hour. |
The Mysterious One Veteran user 384 Posts |
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On Dec 15, 2015, MJE wrote: I understand. I saw the show in July during drought like conditions.Traffic wasn't a problem. The best trick of the night for me was getting out of Fair Park (where the Illusionist show was held) safely without succumbing to "The Bullet Catch" like Chung Ling Soo. Inside the gated area of Fair Park, it is pretty safe. However, the general area outside Fair Park is a very dangerous, run down part of town. A former boss of mine years ago was carjacked and shot in the back in the middle of the day after getting lost. On a side note, I did have a chance to briefly talk to Jeff Hobson, Andrew Bosso, and Yu Ho-Jin minutes after the show. I bumped into them while leaving a few minutes later than most of the crowd. I complimented each of these performers on the wonderful show. Jeff Hobson even commented that "You must be a magician" after I told him that I loved his work with the Egg Bag and all of the subtleties. I try to not come off as a magician, but it is hard when you eat, breathe, and think about magic and mentalism many hours of the day (as well as marketing). I have performed the Egg Bag on several occasions and learned some fantastic techniques from the best in the business via video and reading (Johnny Thompson, Charlie Miller, Ken Brooke, Gazzo). Hobson's routine is so entertaining and cannot be duplicated by anyone due to his flamboyant character onstage. However, I have seen on one occasion someone try to do Hobson's routine line by line. I would never do this since I am not Jeff Hobson and I feel that his jokes, timing, and patter are his and his alone. |
MJE Elite user After all these years,I STILL have only 409 Posts |
I saw the show in July during drought like conditions.Traffic wasn't a problem. The best trick of the night for me was getting out of Fair Park (where the Illusionist show was held) safely without succumbing to "The Bullet Catch" like Chung Ling Soo.
AND Jeff Hobson even commented that "You must be a magician" after I told him that I loved his work with the Egg Bag We've been here only about three years, now, and have done little exploring. The rumor is that things have gotten better. I really want to wander around Deep Elum, which a few years ago was akin to suicide. Perhaps it still is, but the publicity seems to contradict that. And the show must have played twice at Fair Park. We saw it in early May. The Playbill lists only one upcoming event....Pippin on July 16. AND Is there anyone in the world other than a magician who would use the words "egg" and "bag" next to each other? |
The Mysterious One Veteran user 384 Posts |
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On Dec 16, 2015, MJE wrote: MJE, You have taught me a great lesson, don't post late at night before going to bed. My wife reminded me this morning that we went the day after our anniversary on April 8th. The Illusionists were hear from April 7 - April 19th according to the Dallas Summer Musical Booklet I picked up at the Illusionist Show. You were spot on about Pippin. It was from July 7th - July 19th. About Deep Ellum, I haven't been down there since 1999. Deep Ellum went from an eclectic part of town with great bars and music venues to being a very dangerous place in the early 2000s. When business dried up due to people afraid to go due to a spike in crime, the city has attempted to clean up that area with increased police patrols, community watch groups, etc. I heard that it is back with great restaurants, live music, and bars again. Heck, even the staple of Deep Ellum, Trees, is open again after closing it doors in the middle 2000's. I just don't get a chance to go since I am a 40 year old married man with four kids, live 50 minutes away, and it is not really my scene anymore. My wife and I need to venture out one of these days without the kids to try out some of the restaurants in Deep Ellum. I can't do the clubs anymore due to hating long lines, paying a stupid cover charge, loud ear splitting music, and a 1000 other reasons. Sorry, I know that I sound unhip. I would like to see Deep Ellum thrive since it has a rich history of being Dallas' entertainment district. |
The Mysterious One Veteran user 384 Posts |
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On Dec 16, 2015, MJE wrote: Good point. I also slipped and use the phrase "Card to Mouth." It is funny how magic and mentalist terminology can enter one's lexicon and become almost second nature. I guess my attempt as going undercover to watch a great magic performance didn't quite work out. |
r1ch-oxford Regular user Oxford, England 182 Posts |
Hi All,
For the next two weeks on The Magicians' Podcast we have 'The Illusionists Fortnight'. Today the Producer of the show Simon Painter is in my hot seat to discuss how the show came to exist, why he books the acts that he does, the unexpected shocking death of one of the cast members and the incredible West End and Broadway runs which happened simultaneously in December 2015. If you would like to be one of the acts in this show, you cannot afford to miss this weeks episode, Simon tells me exactly what he looks for. You can listen now (for free) in any of these places: Podbean: http://magicianspodcast.podbean.com iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-......286?mt=2 Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-magicians-podcast Next week I speak to the incredible Kevin James! Don't forget there are also 50 other episodes available on the feed for you right now to enjoy. Have a great weekend. Best wishes, Richard Young Creator & Host of The Magician's Podcast Sponsored by The Magic Circle Giggio Alakazam Magic |
Slackerking Special user 613 Posts |
Just saw this at Segerstrom in Orange County Cali tonight and it was fantastic. Worth every penny. The rugrat loved it, the wife loved it, I loved it. So nice to see magic that doesn't feel like it's from another era. Fresh, edgy, modern. Other than the Deception character which was just too Vegasy for me (the audience obviously disagreed as he got some of the biggest ovations), everyone else kicked ass especially Sperry, James and the host.
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