BWW Reviews: THE AMAZING MAX AND THE BOX OF INTERESTING THINGS Captivates Young and Old Alike

A confident Max Darwin rolls into the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center Theater on his "magic dune buggy" and begins his show by encouraging everyone to come see it. "Tell your family, your friends...the guy sitting next to you on the subway...."  He then goes on to say, "I'm the Amazing Max and I know what you're thinking... Are you going to be any good?"  Well, he's not just good... He's AMAZING!

Max Darwin, who was born into a family of professional street performers, has really grown into his own, entertaining not only the smallest of audience members, but the oldest as well.  Even the awkward-aged teenagers who were forced to part with their iPads for an hour to be dragged along with their younger siblings were some of the most enthralled.

Max is not only charming, witty, and hilarious, but he knows how to work his audience.  For each act, he chooses a willing audience participant (usually a kid) and brings him or her on stage as his assistant.  Various mind-blowing acts are performed using his unending box of props... card tricks, disappearing acts, coin tricks, acrobatic ropes, mind-reading pigs, ring tricks, juggling acts, and even his big box of surprises.  Max keeps his audience completely entranced and focused on every single act as he defies the laws of gravity and physics in a fun and entertaining way.  Even the youngest audience assistant at age 3 was totally captivated and followed every command, thus winning the coveted magic wand prize thereafter.  Of course, if you don't win the magic wand for being one of his assistants, Max makes it clear that you can "use mom or dad's credit card" to buy it, along with most of his tricks, after the show.

Max Darwin is just as much a comedian as he is an undeniably talented magician.  His show, The Amazing Max and the Box of Interesting Things not only captivates the audience with his innovative magic tricks, but his comedic improv keeps the show moving along at a well-proportioned pace.  The very young, the very old, and even the swaggering teenager in between will truly be fascinated by The Amazing Max.  As he closes his show, he reminds everyone to purchase merchandise and says, "If you had fun, I'm the Amazing Max.  If you didn't, I'm David Blaine," then rolls back out on his magic dune buggy. 

Front row seats available on the Magic Carpet (VIP seating) $49.50, regular general admission tickets $29.50.  Performances: Saturdays and Sundays at 4:30pm through January 15; Saturdays at 4:30pm through March 10.  No performances on the following dates: Sunday, December 25; Sunday, January 1; Sunday, January 22; Sunday, January 29.  Special mid-week holiday performances have been added at 11am on the following dates: Monday, December 19; Wednesday, December 21; Friday, December 23; and Tuesday, December 27.  Tickets are available at www.telecharge.com or by phone at 212-239-6200 or 800-432-7250.     

For more information, visit www.TheAmazingMax.com.

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