Toronto: Champions of Magic [Dec 27 - 31]

Read our thoughts about their 2022 show:

TLDR: So. Much. Fun!

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 


Read our 2022 interviews with the cast:

- Hollie England

- Alex McAleer

- Sam Strange

- Fernando Velasco

- Richard Young 
 

Tickets at Ticketmaster.

Can't make it to see them in Toronto?  Keep your eyes on ChampionsOfMagic.co.uk/tour.html for updates to the tour schedule.  A little bird told me they'll have dates in Edmonton and Regina as part of their 2023 - 2024 tour.  Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC, SK, and NS!

 

From TO Live:

The Champions Of Magic cast present incredible interactive magic, a daring escape from Houdini’s water torture cell, a mind-blowing prediction that has to be seen to be believed, levitation high above the stage, and a finale beyond explanation. The show happens all around the theatre and features spectacular illusions that can’t be seen anywhere else.

Don’t miss this unbelievable show to entertain the entire family and see why fans return to see one of the world’s biggest touring illusion shows time and time again.

Read more and buy tickets.

 

 

From the June 22nd Tweet by TO Live:

They’ve sold out shows across the globe, been featured on every major US TV network and racked up over 50 million views online…but you haven’t seen magic until you’ve seen it live! Catch Champions Of Magic Dec. 27 to 29. 20% off for a limited time.🌠

 

They’ve sold out shows across the globe, been featured on every major US TV network and racked up over 50 million views online…but you haven’t seen magic until you’ve seen it live! Catch Champions Of Magic Dec. 27 to 29. 20% off for a limited time.🌠https://t.co/k2FHWLd0UC pic.twitter.com/U4vHXigz1p

— TO Live (@TOLiveTweets) June 22, 2023

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 2022

Last chance to catch Champions of Magic in Canada this year is in Peterborough on December 9th.

 

On Saturday Kidlet, and I made the trek to Kitchener's Circle In The Square.  

• The last time I was at CITS was for one of the very first conventions hosted by the Canadian Association of Magicians.
• All of the theatre staff were super helpful, professional, and generally fabulous! 
• While not mandatory, a good number of the patrons and ushers were masked.
  
• The show is about an hour for the first half, with a 16 minute intermission, and about an hour in the second half.
• As always with this show I am genuinely afraid of posting spoilers.  The less you know going in, the more you'll enjoy it.

 

Champions of Magic, a family-friendly world-class magic show, is coming to the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Dec. 9. https://t.co/ITeKqW0BKs

— Ptbo This Week (@PtboThisWeek) November 24, 2022

 

 

We teased a few years back about a Champions of Magic Concert Album.  The show has matured to the point where it has a wonderful toe tapping soundtrack!  Going back to the 1930s with "Sing, Sing, Sing," to the 1960s with "The Girl from Ipanema," to the 1970s with "Live and Let Die" and of course the 80's hits transporting you back to 1989  Las Vegas!

On with the show...

Note to parents of young children:  The music can be very loud at times throughout the show.  There's also a smoke machine involved.  Forewarned is forearmed.

There's a videographer on hand to capture close-up miracles and project them nice and big on a screen so everyone can see!

 

 

Regular readers of the blog have probably guessed that this would be our summary of the show:

So. Much. Fun!

It's possible that between one half to two thirds of this show is new compared with their 2019 presentation.

• With every passing year, the cast are more authentic and the show feels more organic.  Which translates to a demonstrable increase in entertainment value!
  
  
• Hollie England, Alex McAleer, Fernando Velasco, Richard Young and Sam Strange all do what they do very well! 
  
  

If memory serves, there are no standard card tricks in the show!

• As Strange, Velasco, and Young all indicated in their interviews, this show is very different from the one presented in Oshawa in 2019, and significantly different than the one mounted in Toronto in 2018.
   
  
• There are more whole cast moments, making the show less of a patchwork piece and more of a thoughtfully woven production.
  
  
• There's LOTS audience participation with both children and adults!
  
  
• Visually stunning!
  
  

Whether you're new to magic or are a professional magician, there's something for everyone!

• McAleer's material has undergone a significant change and he's introduced two new very strong pieces.  The first, a very visual effect with a young mentalist in training.  And the second a beautifully constructed homage to Keller.
  
  
• England is net new to the show from it's 2019 iteration.  She showcases a strong skill set and talent that is intensely theatrical!  (I'll never look at a cup of tea the same way again.)
   
  
• For those who have seen the show already, not to worry!  The cornerstone crowd-pleasers are still in the show, tweaked and refined!
  
  
• Aerialist Michelle Mazzarella dazzled from above.
  
  
• Velasco succeeds in breathtaking, heart-stopping escapes and then some.  Even though I've seen him do many of these things before, everything he does makes me nervous!
  
  
• Young and Strange have carefully pruned their wonderful grand illusions and introduced some new things in their place.  Even after having seen them perform a similar set twice before, Young and Strange are remarkably entertaining to watch.  One can't help but get caught up in the fun they are having on stage!  They've introduced a collaborative piece with Velasco that has a very strong audience reaction.
  

While excellent magic is at the core of this experience, it's clear that the focus is providing a fabulously entertaining evening.

They definitely hit their mark!

• This was the third time seeing the show and we were thoroughly entertained!  There are so many moments of joyous laughter, and periods of being completely enthralled in the spectacle.
  
  
• It is clear that the acts and the scripts are a work in progress and continue to be thoughtfully curated, updated, and revised.  It gets better every time!
    

We highly recommend it!
(Even if you've seen it before.)

 

@ChampionsMagic are here Friday December 9. Grab your tickets now to witness the most breathtaking and unforgettable tricks you’ll see this year! https://t.co/dbF6Cn2Wek pic.twitter.com/KB5ynxstHr

— Peterborough Memorial Centre (@PtboMemCentre) November 30, 2022

 

 

Disclosure:  Kidlet and I were guests at this show. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own. I did not receive compensation for the writing or the publishing of this article.

 

A peek behind the curtain with Sam Strange [2022]

 

This is the last of a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour shows in Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1], Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and Peterborough [Dec 9].     

Canadian tour to start April 2023!

Read our 2019 interview where Sam shares:
 
- his interests outside of magic
- about pre-show rituals
- keeping performances fresh
- and his Broadway role of choice

 

What is your favourite thing about going on tour with Champions of Magic?

Champions of Magic is now a bigger show in scale, production and crew numbers than ever before.  Because of that, it is such a vibrant circus to be a part of. Even on the days off, or travel days between shows, there is always a good-spirited atmosphere with lots happening. Travelling in a large group with a shared passion for the show unifies everyone too. Needless to say that performing the actual show is an amazing buzz in itself, so that is a tempting first answer to give.

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Champions of Magic (@championsofmagic)

 

 

 

What is your most important self-care practice while on tour?
 

The most important thing for my own mental health and self care is to ensure Young and I get the biggest cheer and reaction during the final curtain call. As we are unlikely to receive that through our own ability as performers, we have to lower the standard of the other acts. Sabotaging props and playing complex mind games backstage often lowers their personal contribution to the show, therefore peacocking Young and I into a stronger position. Failing that we just pay off the sound technician to pipe in extra applause through the speakers.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about performing in Canada?
 
We once did a show in Saskatoon in January and by the time the trucks had made it over to the venue, everything inside was frozen. The extreme temperature over a prolonged trucking time had caused mayhem with so many of the illusions! Bolts wouldn’t move, batteries had failed and the technical crew setting up the lights, pyro etc were encountering countless problems. It really was a period of extreme whether and something I had never experienced before.

[Editor's note:  They say you haven't truly toured Canada unless you've had your equipment wheels freeze making load in, urm, challenging.]

In 2018 we managed to get a spot performing our illusions at the Toronto New Year's Eve celebrations at Nathan Phillips Square. We had been booked to perform at 11.40pm on the main stage. It was windy, raining and the DJ had to stop his set for us to do our introduction. Almost everything went wrong in that performance and it really wasn’t what 10s of thousands of people in the square wanted to see! We did our time but were rightly heckled throughout for killing the vibe in the lead up to midnight. We have never spoken of that night again...

I do genuinely love Canada and the Canadian people so I’m really sorry that both things that spring to mind were performances with a lot of stress and uncertainty.

[Editor's note:  Oh my!  Those are definitely memorable experiences, and not the good kind.  You need to tour here in the warmer weather.  You'll like your visits better, we're sure of it!]

What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to perform?

 

I find this a tough question to answer. The reason for that is that we are continuing to work in new material and when that succeeds that feeling is difficult to compete with. It’s such a buzz. However, if pushed I’d have to say the finale which is a collaborative effort from the cast and crew; it has the vibrancy, energy, humour and production level to match my childhood dreams of becoming a stage illusionist. 

 

 

What is your favourite part of the 2022 Champions of Magic show to watch?  

 

Without doubt one of the best moments of the show to watch is when a new routine goes into the show. We always refer to it as a ‘sell out in the wings’. A new routine inevitably evolves quickly but that first night when scripted jokes are untested, magic techniques are a little shaky and you can see the subtle fear in the performers eyes, really make you appreciate live theatre. If it happens to be your own new routine or material in the show that night then it’s terrifying!  

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Young & Strange (@youngandstrange)

 

 

 

What about the 2022 show would "2012 you" find unbelievable to imagine as your current reality?

 

That gratitude for the show we are in and those moments of reflection really are important.  In 2012 we had performed very little onstage and I think the biggest theatre we had played at that time was the Chipping Norton Theatre in Oxford, England, with a capacity of about 200. To think of the ground we have covered and rooms we are now playing with the show, it’s beyond what we imagined would have been possible. That relentless stage time also means the show (and hopefully our act within it) is only going in one direction.

There really is no secret to making a show good -- just perform it loads and try to proactively make improvements. 

   

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Young & Strange (@youngandstrange)

 

 

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
 

I think all magicians fall into that trap of seeing a show once, making a judgment on it and then dismissing it having ‘seen it already.’ We have so many new elements to the Champions show now that even if you have the show before it will have evolved quickly and improved massively. So do come and see it if you can!

 

Thank you Sam, for making the time to answer our questions!

 

 

 

Catch Champions of Magic in:

• Markham [Nov 30 - Dec 1]
• Kitchener [Dec 2 - 3], and 
• Peterborough [Dec 9]. 
  
  Champions of Magic Canadian tour to start April 2023! 

 

 

Kitchener: Champions of Magic 2022

We've had the good fortune of attending a couple of Champions of Magic shows.  Here are some  random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 2019.

In addition to the previously announced Peterborough show, Champions of Magic (Kayla Drescher, Alex McAleer, Fernando Velasco, and (Richard) Young & (Sam) Strange) will also be appearing in Kitchener as part of The Worldwide Wonders Tour!

Three shows scheduled.  Buy tickets here.

From the July 12th Instagram post by Champions of Magic:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Champions of Magic (@championsofmagic)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peterborough: Champions of Magic 2022

We've had the good fortune of attending a couple of Champions of Magic shows.  Here are some  random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 2019.

 

From the July 5th Tweet by the Peterborough Memorial Centre:

🚨JUST ANNOUNCED - The PMC is excited to welcome Champions of Magic for an incredible performance Sunday February 20, 2022 at 4pm. Tickets go on-sale Thursday July 8 at 10am, PMC SCOOP members pre-sale is Wednesday July 7 at 10am. More info at https://t.co/nllH3HLETo pic.twitter.com/Y4EvF0HF25

— Peterborough Memorial Centre (@PtboMemCentre) July 5, 2021

 

 

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic" 2019

A quick reminder that the Champions of Magic are half-way through their Canadian tour.  Remaining dates:  Saskatoon (January 16), Regina (January 17), Prince George (January 26), and Rama (February 29).

Champions of Magic. 
Photo credit: Champions of Magic.

Last Saturday Kidlet, Kidlet's Friend (KF), Kidlet's Other Parent (KOP), and I made the trek in the wet snow, to Oshawa's Tribute Communities Centre (TCC).  We arrived early and had a chance to get the feel of the arena. 

• This was my first time attending a show at the TCC.   (My first arena show too.  Thank goodness McAleer posted that arena shows are cold.  We were dressed accordingly!)
• All of the arena staff were super helpful, professional, and generally fabulous!  Special thanks to (TCC's) Kayla for her time spent with Kidlet. 
• The show is about an hour for the first half, 15 minutes intermission, and about an hour in the second half.
• Again I am genuinely afraid of posting spoilers.  The less you know going in, the more you'll enjoy it.

 

On with the show...

Note to parents of young children:  The music can be very loud at times throughout the show.  There's also a smoke machine involved.  Forewarned is forearmed.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

So. Much. Fun!

 

KOP's review: A great cast puts on a great performance!

• While the show has the same overall structure as the one at The Bluma Appel Theatre that I saw last year, there are many new wonderful moments.  (Sadly, there were fewer Chimpions.  Also missing: a dinosaur and two folding chairs.) 
• They've refined their scripting and introduced some brilliant new lines.
• The audience came ready to have a good time!  They were all very friendly and primed to be entertained.  (It seemed like everyone in the audience knew each other, at least where we were sitting.)
• The four magic acts are interwoven through the show, which works really well at keeping each of the disciplines fresh and reduces down time.
KF had this to say: They did a really good job of making a coherent show while preserving each magician's unique style.
• Kayla Drescher, Alex McAleer, Fernando Velasco, and Young & Strange all do what they do very well!
• The cast seem to genuinely get along amazingly well both on and off stage.
• The show starts strong with Young and Strange and keeps up an astonishing pace.  It's refreshing to see a man get put into boxes to be squished and skewered!  
• Even after having seen them perform a similar set before, Young and Strange are remarkably entertaining to watch.  One can't help but get caught up in the fun they are having on stage!
• They sure know how to play to the crowd!
  
  

  

  Young (sporting the jersey of the Oshawa Generals) and Strange.
  Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.

  
  
• There's LOTS audience participation with both children and adults!
• McAleer does impressive mind reading.  If he asks you how you are, be sure to ask him how he's doing too, so he knows that Canadians are a caring bunch. 
• He masterfully handles the subject of geography from a unique frame of reference.
• Should I ever be in a position to interview McAleer live, I'm going to need to wear an aluminum foil hat to keep him out of my thoughts!
  





Kelly and Dave help out Alex McAleer. 
Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.



• Velasco succeeds in breathtaking, heart-stopping escapes and then some.  Even though I've seen him do many of these things before, everything he does makes me nervous!  He made some else in the audience nervous too.  About the same time the photo below was taken, I could hear someone shout "Common! GET OUTTA THERE!"
  
  

  

  Fernando Velasco in danger.
  Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.

  
  
• During intermission, the audience was amazed and energized from the first half.  I heard many people wondering out loud, "How on earth did they do that?"
• The second half opened with a "new to me" segment that is very engaging.  It gave us a chance to connect with each of the performers in a simple but meaningful way. 
• Drescher did some fabulous close-up in the audience, and a couple of types of "arts and crafts."  (Also of note, Drescher's volunteer Sean, was reluctant to break her heart.)
• I need to mention that Drescher's handling of volunteers, especially young Mason, was EXCELLENT!  Things were explained in advance.  Consent was obtained.  Respect was given.   As it should be.  (This should come as no surprise to anyone who listens to  "Shezam," the podcast she co-hosts, which has touched on the topic of volunteer handling on more than one occasion.)
  
  

  

  Kayla Drescher with Mason and Brian.
  Photo credit:  William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.
  
  

• Canadian trivia: Gerry Frenette's original illusion is still in the show!
   
Note to performers: Always be extra nice to the sound techs.  You never know when they WILL exact their revenge!
• I'll never get tired of watching Young and Strange channel their inner SARMOTI in their high energy illusion medley!  
• Marissa Maiorana, the aerialist was fabulous!
  
  

  

  Marissa Maiorana flying high.
  Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences.

  
  
• Also fabulous:  Kaylan, Brendon, Brandon, Will, Matt, and the rest of the stage crew and theatre crew.  Especially Alex J.  These folks hustle to keep the pace going!
• The show felt lighter and more playful this year.  Everyone was on board with it! 
• Drescher said in her interview: "We work hard to make the show not just magically impressive, but an absolutely fun time." 
  
  
  Achievement unlocked.
   
Kidlet really enjoyed the show.  Even knowing what it was going to be, Kidlet still really loved the ending!
• Although this was the second time seeing the show, I was again thoroughly entertained!  There are so many moments of joyous laughter, and periods of being completely enthralled in the spectacle. 
• Bonus post-show magic: three primary school aged girls in adorable dresses, created piles of golden confetti, threw the shiny pieces up in the air and danced and sang "red light, green light" as it showered down over them.  Repeatedly.

While excellent magic is at the core of this experience, it's clear that the focus is providing a fabulously entertaining evening.

They definitely hit their mark!

Don't just take my word for it, have a read of TCC Reviewer Sherri Norton's December 15th post "#TCCreviewer: CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC."  Here's part of her review: "The memories? Priceless - a must see show!"


Catch the Champions of Magic in Saskatoon (January 16), Regina (January 17), Prince George (January 26), and Rama (February 29).

Thank you Oshawa @MyTributeCentre for a really fun show last night! One more on this leg of the Canadian tour at @Place_Bell arena tonight, then we're back in January with shows at @SaskTelCtr, @conexusartscntr, @CNCentre and @CasinoRamaLive. We love Canada! pic.twitter.com/2Br52oiyMR

— Champions Of Magic (@ChampionsMagic) December 15, 2019

Disclosure:  My family and I were guests at this show. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own. I did not receive compensation for the writing or the publishing of this article.

For more photos, read Sherri's review "#TCCreviewer: CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC" or visit the Tribute Communities Centre Instagram.

Brilliant show! Wasn't sure what to expect but it exceeded all expectations!

— Sun, surf & sand (@dawnlrogers) December 15, 2019

It was a great show. Will definitely see it again.

— Lesley Kielly (@lesley_kielly) December 15, 2019

Was at the #ChampionsOfMagic show today at the #TributeCommunitiesCente and was awesome! What a great show, we were truly amazed #YouGottaSeeThat

— moOre (@_mo0re_) December 15, 2019

A(nother) peek behind the curtain with Sam Strange

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON      
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON        

Read more and buy tickets.

 

You may remember the fabulous interview, "A peek behind the curtain with Young and Strange," from December of last year.  I was delighted to receive an invitation to take a second pass at an email interview with Sam Strange (the taller half of Young and Strange) as part of a Champions of Magic promotion.

Many of you know that Strange orchestrated a most wonderful surprise last June for Richard Young and The Magicians' Podcast.  

You've toured a number of countries.  Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?

That run of shows we did in Toronto (in December 2018) is generally considered by the cast to be some of the best shows we have ever done, with some of the best audiences we have ever performed to. That maybe in part due to the perfect theatre for the show and at Christmas time when everyone is in a great mood anyway. Young and I did have to evolve the humour and delivery for our act for American audiences, but it does seem that the Canadian audiences sense of humour is a little more aligned with the British.

What interests do you have outside of magic?
 
The 2 interests I’m about to list don’t do my reputation any favours.

Manmade underground structures.
Included in that are tunnels, bunkers and mines. Specifically NOT caves. As we all know, caves are dull.

Prisons. Difficult to articulate why or how those interests have come about it. If I were a betting man (which Young will testify is the case) I would say it’s the human history and sinister nature of both. Prisons are renowned for the evil held within and most places built underground are not for the living.

I am mindful that this answer has given good ammunition in the next round of off stage ribbing from other cast members.

What are your thoughts on touring life?

If you ever get the chance to be a part of a touring show on the scale of Champions of Magic, take it.

It’s an insane experience when I reflect on it. There's a cast and crew of 14 people all travelling together, who are all passionate about magic, who are all decent people and who are all as invested in the show as anyone else  It’s constantly peppered with euphoric highs. As you can imagine, the show is the focus and pretty much all conversations outside of the theatre relate in someway back to the show. I think it’s important to have a bit of escapism from time to time and respect other peoples space when they need it.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
 
As it’s a mixed bill of magicians, it’s always important to get the best response from the audience. I often perform a routine of sabotage on the other magicians props. It’s enormously helpful to making our act peacock ahead of the others and subsequently helps to prop up my misplaced ego.

What do you do to keep your performance fresh for both your audience and you?

As a double act we are fortunate because we can be a catalyst for each other during the performance. If I feel Young’s delivery or energy dip during the performance (or vice versa) we can pick each other up, feeding from each others enthusiasm. I also find that putting the ‘work’ into perspective really helps. [Last December's 17 day run of] 41 shows sounds impressive and tiring, but I’m not at a coalface and I am living my dream. The least I can do to sustain that is to look engaged and interested while on stage.

If you could be endowed with the talent to take on any Broadway role past or present, who would you pick?

My hands are tied. This is an interview for Canada's Magic and it’s important to do everything I can to win you round.

Therefore my answer can only be Doug Henning.

Fortunately not only is that a politically astute answer, but it’s also pretty true. The vibrancy, colour and pure joy of his act would be so much fun to do.

[Editor's note: Truly a terrific answer.  AND it shares internal consistency with last December's interview.  Well done!]

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

On a personal level, I love being a part of the Champions of Magic show. In buying a ticket and coming to support the show you are allowing me, and many other people I tour with, to live their childhood dreams. Think of it as a charity and spread the word for the next run of Canadian shows.

 

Thank you Sam Strange of Young and Strange for making the time to answer more of our questions!

Catch the Champions of Magic on tour in Canada!

Upcoming Champions of Magic Canadian tour dates:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/12/19   Ottawa, ON      
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC
• 2/29/20    Rama, ON         

Read more and buy tickets.

Champions of Magic are coming back!

I was also lucky to score interviews in 2018 with two of the four acts in the show.  Have a read:

• A peek behind the curtain with Alex McAleer
• A peek behind the curtain with Young and Strange

I had the privilege of seeing Champions of Magic with Kidlet last December. So. Much. Fun! You can read my random thoughts about their show here.


From the Champions of Magic:

• 12/8/19     Brandon, MB
• 12/14/19   Oshawa, ON
• 12/15/19   Laval, QC
• 1/16/20     Saskatoon, SK    SaskTel Centre
• 1/17/20     Regina, SK    Conexus Arts Centre
• 1/26/20     Prince George, BC

Read more and buy tickets.

From the Champions of Magic Facebook page:

Random thoughts about "Champions of Magic"

Before I begin, have a peek at a snippet of the most recent Champions of Magic press release:

TORONTO, ON, December 21, 2018: Last night, the UK’s biggest large-scale illusion spectacle Champions Of Magic left Toronto spellbound after its spectacular opening night performance. Running for a limited-time engagement at The Bluma Appel Theatre (St Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St E.), with an unprecedented three shows a day, the popular production has to be seen to be believed.

As The Bluma Appel Theatre’s highest selling holiday extravaganza ever, ​Starvox Entertainment is proud to announce the addition of five new performances across the following dates, including a death-defying fourth show on January 5, for a total of 40 performances over 18 days!

• Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. EST
• Thursday, December 27, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. EST
• Friday, December 28, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. EST
• Wednesday January 2, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. EST
• Saturday January 5, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. EST

A four show day, 17 days into the run?  Death-defying indeed!

 

On with the show...

After missing out on the opportunity to interview Alex McAleer and Young & Strange live, I knew I had to jump on the chance when I was invited to attend Champions of Magic (especially after what Strange told me I missed by not making it to interview day).

We arrived early and had a chance to get the feel of the theatre.  The Bluma Appel Theatre seats just under 900 guests and is a cozy theatre.  I'd venture that there are no truly bad seats in the house.

• I experienced my first feat of astonishment when the usher read my mind and gave me directions to the rest room before I'd even asked the question!
• Kidlet observed that there were a lot of children in the audience and was surprised by the number of girls in attendance.
• If not a sold out show, the theatre looked very close to capacity.
• If you're chatting with Brendon at the merchandise table, tell him to visit the Browser's Den of Magic if he gets any off-time.  
• The show is about an hour for the first half, 15 minutes intermission, and about an hour in the second half.
• I am genuinely afraid of posting spoilers.  The less you know going in, the more you'll enjoy it.

Note to parents of young children:  The music can be very loud at times throughout the show.  There's also a smoke machine involved.  Forewarned is forearmed.

So. Much. Fun.

• The show starts strong with Young and Strange and keeps up an astonishing pace.
• As with Starvox Entertainment's Potted Potter, Champions of Magic is absolutely D'liteful!
• The four acts are interwoven through out the night, which works really well at keeping each of the disciplines fresh.
• Kayla Drescher, Alex McAleer, Fernando Velasco, and Young & Strange all do what they do very well indeed!
• There's a tangible camaraderie among the cast.  Kidlet likened the feeling of the group to the team of illusionists in Now You See Me (but without the audience payout at the end of the show).
• There's a tonne of audience participation with both children and adults!
• One of the pieces performed was something submitted in the contest from earlier this month.  Can you guess what it was?
• McAleer does impressive mind reading.  He even offers a wager with an audience member for a substantial amount of money. (And he knew how to pronounce "Toronto" like a local!)  If he asks you how you are, be sure to ask him how he's doing too, so he knows that Canadians are a caring bunch.
• Velasco does more than impressive breathtaking, heart-stopping escapes.
• Drescher did some mind-boggling close-up in the audience, a couple of types of "arts and crafts," and made her young volunteer, Malia, feel very special. (Also of note, Drescher's volunteer Andy, was very reluctant to break her heart.)
• Young and Strange performed a super tight, high energy set while channeling their inner SARMOTI.  It's refreshing to see a man get put into boxes to be squished and skewered!  On a personal note, it was fun to see them perform an original illusion by Canadian magician Gerry Frenette.
• Annalisa, the aerialist was fabulous! As were Brendon, Brandon and the rest of the stage crew and theatre crew.  Those folks hustled to keep the pace going.
• I had many "how'd they do that?" thoughts, along with so many moments of joyous laughter, and periods of being completely enthralled in the spectacle.
• Kidlet can't stop talking about the ending.  It caught us both completely by surprise!

Don't just take my word for it, have a read of Wayne Leung's post "Review: Champions of Magic (Starvox Entertainment)" from December 21, over at Mooney on Theatre.

Hang out in the lobby after the show and have a picture taken with the @ChampionsMagic cast.#ChampionsOfMagic #championsTO pic.twitter.com/Y42ZWLMUyF

— Canada's Magic (@canadasmagic) December 21, 2018

Catch the Champions of Magic at The Bluma Appel Theatre through to January 6, 2019.  Tickets through Ticketmaster.

(Don't forget about Drescher's Toronto lecture in the New Year!) 

Disclosure:  Kidlet and I were guests at this show. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own. I did not receive compensation for the writing or the publishing of this article.

Toronto: American Sign Language interpreted magic show

From the Champions of Magic Press release:

TORONTO, ON, DECEMBER 13, 2018: The holiday season just got a little more magical as ​Starvox Entertainment announces a very special performance of ​Champions Of Magic accompanied by American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. On December 29 at 5:00 p.m. at Toronto’s​ Bluma Appel Theatre ​ (​St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St E), the UK’s mind-bending magical troop, will deliver their jaw-dropping, mind-bending performance and mesmerising illusions with ASL interpretation to Toronto for the first time ever.

“Fully immersing deaf audience members into a grand scale illusion show, such as Champions of Magic, is no easy task, and is rarely done,” stated Corey Ross President and Founder of Starvox Entertainment. “While magic is very visual, the sleight of hand often involves distracting the audience through audio cues and the traditional magician’s patter.  The Champions are preparing themselves for the challenge of performing for this new audience without giving away the secrets of the illusions. It will be incredibly suspenseful to see if this works.”   

“It was really important to us that the show to be fully inclusive of the diverse Toronto audience,” says Kayla Drescher, the show’s close up Magician. “Having a performance with American Sign Language interpretation allows the entire audience to be totally immersed in the magic and enjoy the camaraderie that is an integral part of the performance.”

Champions Of Magic’s five world-class illusionists deliver a mesmerizing experience that’s entertaining for the entire family. Featuring incredible illusions with sports cars, an impossible escape from Houdini’s water torture cell, mind-blowing predictions that must be witnessed to be believed, levitation from wonderous heights and a finale beyond explanation, Champions of Magic showcases original magic that can’t be seen anywhere else.

To reserve seats for the December 29th ASL performance, please use code “ASL” when purchasing tickets through ​www.ticketmaster.ca to ensure assigned seating. For assistance, contact the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts box office via tquinlan@stlc.com or call 416-366-7723.

A peek behind the curtain with Young and Strange

I was delighted to receive an invitation to interview Richard Young and Sam Strange earlier this month, as part of a Champions of Magic promotional event.  You may have seen Young and Strange on The Next Great Magician, Penn & Teller: Fool Us (2014 and 2017), or “photobombing” the Live News Report.

Although I was unable to attend, they kindly agreed to answer a few questions by email.  Which of course meant that I wasn’t able to witness any of their magic up close and personal.  And so my first question …


What wondrous and extraordinary magical effect would you have shown me had I been there to interview you in person?

As I’m sure all your readers can empathise with, when asked about your profession/hobby, it’s quickly followed up with “show us a trick mate.” That can be repetitive at times and more often than not the environment in which you’re asked to perform isn’t favourable, meaning a cobbled together performance.

What is your first memory of magic?
 
My first experience of the magic we know and love was probably seeing Lance Burton performing his dove act on a TV special. What an incredible piece of magic that was/is.

The beauty of being stage illusionists is that it immediately takes you out of the “performing on demand” predicament and we often say “unfortunately, all of the magic we do is simply too big to do for you right now!” Having said all of that,

we would have definitely made the effort for you and would have probably set up our full illusion show complete with lighting, music and pyro.

Aww, shucks.  I am gutted that I wasn’t able to make the live interview!

Where do you find non-magical inspiration?
 
The reality is that we take inspiration from all sorts of things outside of magic. There has always been a comedic thread in our performances so we are interested in all forms of comedy. Young has had a lifelong passion for WWE wrestling which draws many parallels with stage magic (the production, characters, humour).

Who inspires you magically?

We have always absolutely loved David Copperfield and seeing his TV specials as children was probably the biggest inspiration to our act today.  We have a passion for stage illusions and no-one does it better than him. We recently saw his show in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand and he’s still at the very top of his game. Lance Burton, along with Siegfried and Roy were also hugely inspirational. We have always loved the magic of 1980’s and 90’s.

Why do you think people are still fascinated by magic, especially live magic? 

Despite having all of this magic at our fingertips in the age of smartphones, we think that people are still looking for that momentary escapism where they can feel like a kid again, even if only for a few seconds. Magic and certainly stage illusion can absolutely do that.

What’s is it about Champions of Magic that has allowed you to draw large audiences on 6 UK tours and 2 North American tours over the past five years?

I think there are a number of reasons why it’s been successful. There’s no doubt about it, live magic is popular at the moment.. Talking specifically about the show, we think the name is brilliant. Champions of Magic; it’s about as clear a show title as it can be. It feels like a safe, solid bet for an evening’s entertainment. 

It has a multi-magician line-up with different styles of magic-- if you don’t like one performer or style, you’ll like one of the others. 

The varied line up also allows for much more flexibility within the show, therefore broadening its appeal. The show is constantly evolving both on and off stage. The branding and marketing changes as the producer (an incredibly hardworking, dynamic man called Alex Jarrett) learns from each run of the shows we do.  

What surprised you most about performing in different countries?  Have you experienced anything specific about Canadian audiences in particular?

I think if you chat to most magicians who have developed their acts for British audiences and then transitioned to North America, they will say the same thing: audiences over your side of the Atlantic are SO much better. They are less cynical and more vocal in their praise. Why that is we're not sure, it could be because magic has a great reputation or they are more conditioned to ‘join in’ with sports games being such a huge feature of the culture. We’ve only done a handful of shows in Canada probably not enough to distinguish between American and Canadian audiences. Maybe you can give us some pointers?! The shows we are doing in Toronto are over the holiday season so it should be a fantastic run of shows with everyone in good spirits.

Life on the road isn’t all glory and glamour.  There are tight schedules, never-ending bus rides, questionable accommodations, missed connections, and broken or disappearing props.

I’m glad you recognise that. It’s all too easy to look at the touring life (especially through the lens of magician’s social media) and think “that looks like the absolute dream lifestyle.”  It is amazing but does have a equal amounts of highs and lows.

Tell us about your most memorable touring misadventure.

One of the biggest benefits of being in a large scale touring show is that you end up with a lot of interesting stories, so to pin it on a single anecdote is difficult. However we did a show recently at a casino near Seattle and flew out the night before. When we landed, we had a message from the trucking company saying the truck had been caught in heavy weather and simply wouldn’t make it to the event. I should say that if you have seen any of the advertisements for Champions of Magic or seen the show itself you’ll understand that it is a large scale show. In our set alone there are nine illusions framed with top level production. So to have no truck is an absolute disaster.

No truck?  No props?  Oh no!

Fortunately, the event we had been booked for was a little unusual with a theatre at one end of the room and dining tables tightly packed into the floor space. It allowed for the guests to enjoy a three course meal followed by the evening show. We took a taxi to the local magic shop in Seattle, while the rest of the cast and crew brainstormed what they could do in order to make the show happen. It’s amazing how resourceful five magicians can be when the chips are down. We also gave extra value by performing close up magic around the tables prior to the show, which kicked the whole thing off on the right foot.

One of the things we did was have a crew member dress and [Editor's note: The content that followed contained super secret secrets and has been redacted.  Hey.  I said it was super secret.  Did you think I was just going to leave it here for you in plain text?] Of course a little rehearsal before, the use of a devil’s handkerchief (courtesy of the Seattle Magic Shop) and an audio track that is as well known to the magic community as David Copperfield himself, created one of the best reactions of the night.

Alex McAleer the Mind Reader did an extended performance, along with Kayla Drescher (the specialist close up magician in the show). Young and I were forced to resurrect a card production/manipulation act we used to do, along with a comedy routine we had for silk in Egg. Fernando Velasco (the escapologist in the show) did a variation on Smash and Stab and by the time the show had finished the audience went crazy.

It seems no level of production can compete with confusing a bandana for a banana.

So as to not scare off any aspiring performers, please share with us your favourite touring experience and / or strategies you use to maintain your sanity on tour.

Without sounding like PR spin, we are like a big family off stage. We all get on well and look after each other. We go to the gym together, share apartments together and spend most of our time hanging out. We are fortunate to have an excellent producer, Alex Jarrett, who is laid back, very funny and incredibly hard working. He strikes the perfect balance as a boss and allowing us to have fun. He’s been incredibly selective in which magicians are in the show, not only for their acts but also for their attitudes off stage. Magicians are well known for their ballooned ego’s and ensuring everyone gets on with each other is just as important as the show itself. We joke around all the time and every show has something that makes us laugh.

 

Had your families not been friends (meaning that you wouldn’t have met each other in childhood and become friends), what kind of magic do you think each of you would be doing today?  (Or would you be back to filling jam donuts?)

We often talk about what we would all be doing if we hadn’t have discovered our early passion for magic. There is no doubt about it that Young and I have always loved large scale stage illusions. Although we have been close up magicians for many years, our passion has always been rooted in stage magic. I suspect that passion would have come through regardless of whether we knew each other. Whether that would have translated into us both being stage performers is another matter and probably unlikely. The beauty of a double act is that you both bring different things to the table, pooling the little talents we did have together. Obviously learning magic together was a great catalyst and our friendship is what makes performing our act so much fun. Some double acts are known for not getting along well, but we are very fortunate that’s not the case for us, and our deep rooted friendship is the biggest asset to our act.

What's your connection to Canadian magic?

How can you not be absolutely in love with Doug Henning's vibrancy and positivity? His shows were incredible. We also love Darcy Oake, a great performer and an incredible stage magician. He is one of the very few magicians who is genuinely cool, rather than most illusionists who try, but can’t quite pull it off.

How have your numerous television appearances, including Penn & Teller: Fool Us, The Next Great Magician, and NBC’s Access Hollywood (USA) impacted your career?

Penn and Teller: Fool Us has always been a fantastic show with nothing but good intentions to showcase magic at it’s best. That’s been really helpful in getting our name out there, along with a viral video we created of us photobombing a Live News Report.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

We’ve been in the show Champions of Magic for a number of years and the show is the best it’s ever been. By the time it reaches the St. Lawrence Centre in Toronto we will have been out in North America for nearly eight weeks performing in venues all over the US. The theatre in Toronto has a capacity of about 900 so it’ll feel like an intimate venue for such a large scale show. With all this in mind it’s worth making the effort to come and see the show and the four acts in it, as everything is pointed to it being the best run of shows we have ever done.

Thank you Sam Strange of Young and Strange for making the time to answer our questions!

Catch the Champions of Magic at The Bluma Appel Theatre December 19 to January 6, 2019.  Tickets through Ticketmaster or enter our contest!