Review: THE ILLUSIONISTS at THE STARLIGHT THEATRE

The Illusionists majestically mystify at the Starlight Theatre this weekend!

The Starlight Theatre closes the summer season with The Illusionists. Staring five magical Illusionists ,who each take a turn on stage, have built a show filled with laughter, slight of hand, and some sophisticated "magic".

Jeff Hobson (The Trickster) opens the show with several tricks up his sleeve as he warms up the audience with some light-hearted comedy. He is unexpectedly funny with spontaneous bits and timing that has everyone roaring.

Kevin James (The Inventor) starts with an illusion that brought Charlie Chaplin magically to life from an empty trunk. He later brought a little 7-year old girl forward and from tissue paper made a rose dance in mid-air, lit it on fire, and brought forth a real rose.

Chris Cox (The Mentalist) with his mind-reading act works so fast that it was almost impossible to imagine how he could work his prestidigitation so quickly. At one point he had a young boy on stage and put him behind a curtain, gave him general instructions of what to do, and magically duplicated all that he did without being able to see him. It was impressive to behold.

An Ha Lim (The Manipulator) mysteriously made cards by the hundreds appear from thin air. His hands moved as if to make the cards seem like they were growing right from his hands. Using decks of cards from multiple colors it was quite a sight to see him leave an impressive pile of cards on the floor by the time he was done.

Jonathan Goodwin (The Daredevil) is a stunt performer and escape artist. Unlike the other "Illusionists" most of what he does is more like the moves of a death defying stuntman. Whether he's hanging by his feet over bear traps escaping from a straight jacket, or laying on a bed of "nail" without getting impaled he's spectacular to watch.

All five combine together to make a show that all the family can enjoy. And, if you're real lucky, you might just be brought up on stage to be part of the magic.

The Illusionists runs for one weekend only, Sept 28-30, 2018 at the Starlight. The expansive seating may put one at the back of the house, but two large screens up front provide close-up views of the Illusionists to enhance the performance. The show is about 2 hours with a 20 minute intermission. There are a concessions of all varieties and adult beverages in addition to a restaurant.

Tickets for The Illusionists at Starlight Theatre are available online at kcstarlight.com , by calling the box office at 816-363-STAR (7827) or at the Starlight box office at 4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City MO 64132. Onsite parking is $15 for paved and $10 for grass so have your cash ready.

PHOTO'S courtesy of Starlight Theatre

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