Presented by the Montreal Magic Jam and featuring:
- (Derrick) Chung
- Marc Desaulniers
- Alex Moreaux
- Marc Trudel
- David Acer
For tickets and more information visit the post "Magic Unleashed - SHOW [18+]" at Montreal Magic Jam.
02 July 2026
Montreal: Magic Unleashed [Jul 8]
01 July 2026
Random thoughts about James Alan's show "Mysteries and Lies" at the Toronto Fringe
Yesterday, we ventured to the Sweet Action Theatre in Toronto.
- This was our first visit to this theatre which is located in the Artscape Youngplace. According to the Youngplace website, they are "Fully accessible by Ontario standards."
- The internet suggested parking in the area was scarce (roughly Dundas St. West and Ossington) so we braved the TTC. The Ossington 63 south takes you to within a 4 minute walk of the theatre.
- As James revealed in his June 5th interview with us, the theatre is a cozy space, with a capacity of 46 seats (with raked seating). Every seat has a great view of the action. There are seats reserved in the front row, for audience members who have accessibility issues.
- The theatre is air-conditioned (very welcome with the current heat wave).
- The show is approximately an hour in length, with no intermissions.
On with the show:
- In a theatre this size, you get a good view from every seat. The closer you sit, however, the greater the astonishment!
- As teased in his interview, Mysteries and Lies is completely different from any of James' other shows we've had the pleasure to attend.
- Much to our dismay, there was no wine bottle nor were there citrus-y 'arts and crafts.'
- Without giving too much away, the show did involve glassware, coins, cards, cups, balls, jewellery, envelopes, and a condiment.
- There was plenty of audience participation. Four lucky audience members were able to sit at the table with James, scoring better-than-front row seating. (It should be noted that consent was obtained, and no one was forced to sit at the table.) In addition to those four, another seven or eight people from the audience contributed to the uniqueness of the show.
- The show touched on history, astronomy, astrology, biology, physics, and pop culture. There was even a Browser's Den of Magic Easter egg, if you were paying attention. (This was possibly unique to opening night.)
- While we have seen more than our share of Cups and Balls routines, we have never seen anything quite like the one in this show!
- Last week we saw a sneak peek of James performing one of the card effects, and we had no idea how he did it. At the show we were sitting roughly 4.5 metres (~15 feet) away and are no closer to determining the method.
- James performed excellent sleight of hand with a wide variety of objects. This was so much more than a 'card magic' show. (But the card magic in it, is excellent!)
"Mysteries and Lies" is our favourite James Alan production to date!
Disclosure: We were guests at this show. The opinions expressed above are entirely our own. We did not receive compensation for the writing or the publishing of this article.
Don't just take our word for it, read what Teena in Toronto had to say about it in her June 30th Instagram post.
For more information about the Toronto Fringe, visit
FringeToronto.com
For more information about James Alan, visit his website at JamesAlan.ca and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
From the July 1st Instagram post by Canada's Magic (photos taken with permission):
BC, NL, AB: Mostly Magic with Wes Barker [Jul 3 - Oct 3]
From WesBarker.ca/tour-dates:
- Jul 3 - Kelowna, BC
- Jul 10 - Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
- Jul 11 - St. John's, NL
- Jul 17 - San Antonio, TX
- Jul 18 - Corpus Christi, TX
- Jul 19 - Austin, TX
- Aug 8 - Cranbrook, BC
- Sep 19 - Vancouver, BC
- Oct 2 - Edmonton, AB
- Oct 3 - Edmonton, AB
- Nov 5 - Erie, PA
Check back often for updates.
Found at the June 25th Instagram post by Wes Barker.
30 June 2026
Top 5 posts in June 2026
There were 27 posts at Canada's Magic this month. Here are the top 5 posts in the previous 30
days:
5. Road Ready -- Variety Arts Touring Intensive Program [Aug 13 - 15] - A thoughtful and inclusive way to give back to the community!
4. Checking in with James Alan's show Mysteries and Lies at The Toronto Fringe - We were teased an effect or two at last week's Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club meeting. It promises to be a great show!
3. Broken wand: Bill Jones - Our sincere condolences to Bill's family and friends.
2. Random thoughts about Explorer 2: Build your skills - Thinking about taking the Explorer series of classes? It's great value! Visit MichaelClose.com
and the most viewed post this month ...
1. A Week in the Life of Champions (of Magic) -- part 1 of 3 - An eye-opening behind the scenes look at the considerable effort involved in delivering a touring magic show full of grand illusions!
29 June 2026
Las Vegas: Mark Clearview returns to The Mayfair Supper Club [Jul - Oct]
Learn more about The Mayfair Supper Club at Bellagio.MGMresorts.com/en/restaurants/the-mayfair-supperclub.html
From the June 25th Instagram post by Mark Clearview:
Cannot wait to return to @bellagio as the resident magician in The Mayfair.
27 June 2026
Toronto: Magic at The Toronto Fringe [Jun 30 - Jul 12]
Updated June 29th to add:
- On June 28th, James was interviewed by Donna G on CIUT’s The More the Merrier to talk about Mysteries and Lies. Learn more about it at the June 29th post, The More the Merrier, at James Alan's blog.
--
The Toronto Fringe (June 30 - July 12) is fast approaching!
Here's what we know about the shows:
-
James Alan's
Mysteries and Lies
- Watch James' June 3rd appearance on CP 24
- Listen to David Peck interview James in the June 19th podcast "Truth, Technology & the Art of Deception" episode 634 of Face2Face, where "They talk about creativity, philosophical issues surrounding truth, illusion and lived experience and explore the intersection of magic, AI, and technology and how their performance challenges perceptions of reality."
- From the June 3rd post "Fringe Five 2026" from Stage Door Dialogues:
There are forty-five seats per performance. And we decided to take advantage of that intimacy to get up close and personal with the audience. Inspired by magicians from Spain and Argentina, we have members of the audience on stage the entire show. They make the magic happen as much as I do. We’re giving up a lot of control and a lot of certainty. It also means each show will be different and anything can happen.
Read more. - From the June 18th post "Toronto Fringe Festival 2026" by YoungW:
We’re interested in building work that crosses boundaries: theatre, mystery, storytelling, magic, literature, and old-fashioned showmanship. We want to make live events that feel rare – the kind of thing you had to be there for.
Read more. - And our interview with James
- Watch James' June 3rd appearance on CP 24
-
Keith Brown's
110% Wizard
-
From the May 18th article "Review: HIGHER THAN RAINBOWS, 110% WIZARD, and YOUNGER US at The
Orlando Fringe Festival" by Benoit Teves at
Broadway World:
Fortunately, the cruise ship staff gathered enough miscellaneous items for Brown to cobble together a performance of basic yet dazzling illusions, a few of which still grace the Orlando stage this go-round.
Read more.
-
From the May 13th article "Orlando Fringe 2026 review: ‘110% Wizard’" by Seth Kubersky at
Orlando Weekly:
If you have any doubts that Orlando Fringe changes lives, look no further than illusionist Keith Brown. A fixture of the Festival for over a decade, Brown landed an agent as a result of his 2024 show here, and is now an in-demand guest artist aboard Norwegian and Virgin cruise ships.
Read more.
-
From the May 15th article "2026 Orlando Fringe Review: 110% Wizard" by Jimbo Wood at
Orlando Shine:
Brown, a familiar face to Orlando Fringe audiences and a three-time Critic’s Choice winner for Best Magic Show, returns with what he jokingly describes as the “same wizard, now 10% better.” The framing device for this year’s show centers around a cruise ship residency thrown into chaos after an airline loses the costumes and props intended for the run.
Read more.
- And our interview with Keith
-
From the May 18th article "Review: HIGHER THAN RAINBOWS, 110% WIZARD, and YOUNGER US at The
Orlando Fringe Festival" by Benoit Teves at
Broadway World:
For more information about the Toronto Fringe, visit FringeToronto.com
26 June 2026
Checking in with Keith Brown's show 110% Wizard at The Toronto Fringe
The Toronto Fringe (June 30 - July 12) is fast approaching!
Keith Brown kindly agreed to answer some of our questions ahead of his upcoming show 110% Wizard at The Toronto Fringe.
What is your first memory of magic?
My first memory of magic is probably David Blaine's first special. I was 6 years old when it came out. It inspired my brother and me to learn tricks. I can vividly remember my brother making a card appear on the other side of a window in our front room. Not only did I want to know, I needed to know.
How long have you been performing professionally?
When I was 13, I was offered money to perform in a bar, and I never looked back.
Why is now the right time for you to be at the Fringe?
I am working on a new show that's more storytelling based. I focus on my recent experience as a cruise ship magician. I am breaking in new material as well as some very old material. It's interesting to me to revisit a piece that I haven't touched in a decade and breathe new life into it.
I normally compare the fringe circuit to building a house. First you need to lay the foundation, which is what I did in Orlando. We learnt a lot in the first run and now have the opportunity to make bigger changes. We will build the house up and refine the insides all summer.
I normally compare the fringe circuit to building a house. First you need to lay the foundation, which is what I did in Orlando. We learnt a lot in the first run and now have the opportunity to make bigger changes. We will build the house up and refine the insides all summer.
How, if at all, does this show differ from your previous shows?
This show is more story based. In the past, I would be doing a magic show and then it would be story time. The story almost always leads into a trick and then I go back to doing magic. This show is more thematic, has a through line and more stories woven into the show from start to finish. It feels better crafted than some of my previous shows.
When did you start writing and preparing for this show?
In January I worked my first ever cruise contract. I wanted to use my time on the ship to develop a new show, but I didn't really have the opportunity given the circumstances. Fringe snuck up on me. They say to write about what you know, so I wrote about my experiences working the ships.
It's always scary putting new material in front of an audience, whether it's a trick or a story. You never know how they're going to respond to it, or if it's any good until you put it in front of people. After performing it in Orlando, the stories really resonated with the audience. It's also very rewarding to discover the moments when presenting it for the first time. I have a pretty good road map of how to get from A to B, but I never truly know what moments and opportunities the audience will serve me during a performance. It's my job to listen and respond accordingly. It's their input that always makes the show better than what I could have made by myself.
It's always scary putting new material in front of an audience, whether it's a trick or a story. You never know how they're going to respond to it, or if it's any good until you put it in front of people. After performing it in Orlando, the stories really resonated with the audience. It's also very rewarding to discover the moments when presenting it for the first time. I have a pretty good road map of how to get from A to B, but I never truly know what moments and opportunities the audience will serve me during a performance. It's my job to listen and respond accordingly. It's their input that always makes the show better than what I could have made by myself.
Will you tease an effect or two for us?
The first card trick in the show is something I am revisiting after 8+ years. When I first started performing it, many magicians came up to me after the show and told me it fooled them. I never considered it a "magician fooler" per se, but I realized it's because they think it's a trick they've seen before until it isn't.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Canada’s
Magic?
For the last year and half, I have been working with Brendan Hong to design my very own deck of playing cards. The first run was printed with Shuffled Ink and I got my hands on them in May. For now, the cards are available exclusively at my shows. I am super proud of the cards and it's a really great feeling to be able to perform with them every night.
Thank you Keith, for making the time to answer our questions!For more information about the Toronto Fringe, visit FringeToronto.com
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