Displaying items by tag: magic

Kinesics. As defined in the programs that are handed out at Marc Salem’s Mind Over Chicago, kinesics is a systematic study of the relationship between nonlinguistic body motions (such as blushes, shrugs, or eye movement) and communication. In other words, Marc Salem knows when you are lying despite what might come out of your mouth. Claiming that you can actually receive more information via body language than actual verbal communication, Salem sets the stage for some mind-blowing experiments that you will no doubt attempt to try (and most likely fail at) when you get home from the show.

A student of the human mind for over thirty years, Salem uses a combination of kinesics, mentalism and magic tricks to stun the audience over and over again for ninety straight minutes. Using jokes that often hit or miss (as Salem even has fun with a few of the bombs – making them successful after all) along with savvy mind-bending techniques, crowd members are in for a very unusual and entertaining evening. Salem is not shy about gathering volunteers from the audience, searching out doctors for some experiments and police officers for others. Though people, phrases and words are picked at random for nearly every segment, Salem is never fooled always stunning the audience with a correct prediction (written on paper ahead of time) to the quiet murmurs of “how could he possibly know that” or more simply put, “wtf!?”.  

In one of my favorite Salem “tricks” or “observations”, the master of non-verbal communication picks five audience members to join him on stage. Each person then draws a picture while Salem looks the other way. The pictures are then collected and shuffled and given to Salem. Of course, when we are shown the not so artistic pictures that the volunteers rushed to draw, that’s funny in itself. Salem then tells the five audience members to deny that they drew the picture that he holds in front of them whether they drew it or not and goes down the line, one denial after another. In a matter of seconds, Salem hands the picture with its matching artist, explaining that the slightest tell gave them away. Truly fascinating. Just as amazing, in another demonstration Salem also predicts a single word randomly picked out from an entire newspaper by a volunteer. “This is the stuff!” The man behind me excitedly told his friend. That’s pretty accurate.

Likeable and quick–witted, Salem’s quirky sense of humor and entertaining audience interactions could almost be a show in itself. But when combined with just the right amount of intrigue and inconceivable feats, Salem’s arsenal is lethal. Each portion of the show is as interesting as the next never leaving a dull moment.

Performer, magician, mentalist, comedian – whatever you want to call him, be prepared to laugh and be especially prepared to get stupefied. Marc Salem’s Mind Over Chicago is also filled with clean humor, so it’s the perfect show that an entire family can enjoy.

My first question after seeing Salem read people so accurately was, “Why hasn’t he been approached by the F.B.I. or something of that nature?” Well, he has. Salem has served as a consultant to both law firms as well as law enforcement agencies as one of the chief experts in Kinesics, of which he works closely with its founder Ray Birdwhistell. He has also been featured on many television programs including 60 minutes, Regis, Motel Williams and CNN. Touring around the world to the tune of sold out Broadway and off-Broadway productions, Salem should find the same success at his new home in Chicago’s Apollo Theater.

Whether you are a fan of having your mind blown or just want some good laughs, Marc Salem’s Mind Over Chicago comes highly recommended as a show that will truly entertain from beginning to end. Marc Salem’s Mind Over Chicago is being performed at The Apollo Theater in Lincoln Park. For more show information visit www.ApolloChicago.com. 

I have a tough time reviewing magicians because I don’t want to describe the tricks in detail and ruin the suspense for future audiences.  I will just say that my partner and I were seated in the front row right in the center next to the stage and still could not tell you how ANY of Copperfield’s amazing illusions were done, including making about 12 audience members disappear at once!

I loved that all of David’s magic assistants onstage were men!  I have always found the scantily clad female assistants in most magic acts to be a sexist distraction but in this case the casually dressed and athletic young men who helped move all of the large equipment for each illusion around really moved the show along and gave the audience a feeling that they were in the middle of the action. Copperfield’s audience involvement was excellent, just knowing that at any moment you might be thrown a ball to catch or be plucked out of the audience to go onstage was a big part of the overall suspense factor in the show.  I won’t give away the illusion but there is one part of the show where David talks at length about missing his father who passed many years ago. This was a particularly well done and heartfelt illusion that everyone in the audience could identify with.

I have mixed feelings about the use of an adorable live duck in his show only because I feel so many lesser performers will attempt this and end up hurting or abusing their show animals long term. It was a brief part of the show and should probably be phased out in favor of his many new and exciting illusions.

David is a master magician and there is a reason that he can still pack ‘em in. Considered one of the world’s best illusionists, David has been a favorite act at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for several years running and there is no reason to believe he won’t continue wowing Vegas tourists for years to come. There are several moments in David’s show that bring back the awe and wonderment that one may not have experienced since being a child.   

Overall, this was a family friendly and exciting magic show that will amaze and stun magic lovers of all ages. A recommended stop while visiting Vegas’ Strip, David Copperfield will not disappoint.  With Lance Burton now retired from his long-running gig at the Monte Carlo, Copperfield clearly stands alone as the best magic act in Las Vegas.

For a fun night of mystery and the unexplained, be sure to catch David Copperfield at Las Vegas’ MGM Hotel and Casino. David does not perform at MGM week in and week out so you’ll need to first check his schedule out at  http://www.mgmgrand.com/entertainment/david-copperfield.aspx. Show tickets are just north of $100 and there are also meet and greet tickets available for an extra cost for those who want more intimate access to the living legend.   

The Houston Ballet might not have shown us the world (shining, shimmering, splendid), but they did present the city of Chicago with an incredible production of “Aladdin” filled with the same sorcery, riches, splendor, magic, love, and romance as we’ve come to expect from the heartwarming tale of an impoverished young ne'er-do-well who becomes part of a whirlwind adventure.

The Houston Ballet made its debut at the Auditorium Theatre with celebrated English choreographer David Bintley's ballet "Aladdin." The ballet was originally created for the New National Ballet of Japan in Tokyo in 2008, and the Windy City was only the fourth city to experience the performance, sharing the magic carpet ride with such cities as Tokyo and London. Most people will know the story of Aladdin from the popular 1992 Disney movie of the same name. However, the Houston Ballet's "Aladdin" follows the more traditional story of Aladdin from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights). There’s no singing genie or clever monkey named Abu, but there was no need for it in this breathtaking production.

The caliber of talent that took the stage this past weekend would leave the staunchest of critics in awe. From the background dancers to the principle dancers, everyone commanded the audience’s attention with a technique and grace that prove why the Houston Ballet is a world renowned. The moment the curtains rose, the dancers instantly transported us to old Arabia. Set against spectacular scenery created by the English designer Dick Bird and coupled with an exceptional original score by Carl Davis and performed by the Chicago Philharmonic, the audience was immediately under the spell of Aladdin’s magic.

While there were many highlights throughout the 2 ½ hour performance, one of the standouts had to be the cave of wonders. When the evil sorcerer convinces Aladdin to enter the cave and retrieve the magic oil lamp, Aladdin is met with jewels and riches beyond his imagination. The jewels onyx, pearls, gold and silver, sapphire, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds were all brought to life by dancers, making the riches literally dance before Aladdin’s eyes. The audience watched on, as mystified and entranced as the young peasant boy himself. Equally impressive were the comings and goings of the genie throughout the performance; whether he hovered in midair or vanished and appeared in a cloud of smoke, the genie entered with power and pizazz that would make Robin Williams himself proud. In one scene at the royal court, when the genie transforms Aladdin from rags to princely attire, the scene erupts into a frenzied dance with the genie, jewels, slaves, and courtesans. The high energy, fast moving dance was so synchronized you’d think one person was controlling the dozens of dancers on stage. It was graceful, powerful, magical, and was the definitive mark that this ballet is here to stay.

Who doesn’t love the story of Aladdin? It’s a rags to riches story that has stood the test of time. The Houston Ballet’s production of “Aladdin” is nothing short of spectacular. Folks young and old gave the performance a standing ovation and were captivated for the entire duration of the performance. The sheer talent and pageantry of the ballet was a welcome change to Chicago and the Auditorium Theater. I hope more shows like this breeze through the Windy City for Chicagoans to experience. So the next time “Aladdin” flies into Chicago on its magic carpet, be sure you jump on and enjoy the ride.