FIVE of the World’s top illusionists, one stage, a sprinkle of glitter and a stunned audience can only mean one thing; the Champions of Magic tour has landed at the Lowry theatre in Salford. Quays News entertainment reporter Francesca Eagleton went along…
Touring since 2013 and seen by over 50,000 people, the award winning magicians are currently in the midst of their current 15-date UK tour.
And they certainly didn’t disappoint, as they gave yesterdays audience a spellbinding afternoon of truly draw dropping illusions.
As baby-faced Edward Hilsum was the first to take to the stage, we could’ve mistaken him for a warmup act. But boy were we wrong! Within seconds, the International Stage Magician of the Year had the audience in the palm of his hands, with his delivery of some old-school magic – yes you guessed it there were white doves involved.
What a fab show @ChampionsMagic. We had such a good night. I'll defo be recommending. #amazing
— Amanda Wood (@dj_blue_eyes) April 3, 2016
Reappearing throughout the show, Hilsum delights the audience with a few new illusions he had tucked up his sleeve. One of which he calls Silver that took him over two years to create. The trick gives one member of the audience the chance to experience magic as up close and personal that they can get.
Hilsum soon makes way for master mind reader Alex McAleer, who steals the show with his captivating display of mentalism and engaging personality.
In the first half of his act McAleer demonstrates why we should never play cards with a mind reader. The second half includes one of the largest scale stunts he has ever done. I wont spill too much but it certainly left us questioning our own minds.
@ChampionsMagic Fantastic show still memorised by you all @#Lowry
— isabelle (@zeesie) April 4, 2016
But who could forget the other star of the show, toy chimp; ‘the Chimpion of Magic’ who is the audience volunteer selector.
If you hate audience participation than this show certainly isn’t for you, as throughout doomed individuals are brought up on stage (some more happy about it than others). For one of his tricks McAleer included the entirety of the front four rows announcing, “in the name of the real slim shady please stand up,” which brought a laughter throughout the audience, however undoubtedly flying over the heads of the younger members in the crowd.
Opening the second half of the show is the Queen of close-up magic and The Magic Circle’s Close-up magician of the Year, Fay Presto (get it?). For years Fay has performed in the presence of royalty, requested on many occasions by HM The Queen. Yesterday she had the pleasure of performing here in Salford, not quite Buckingham Palace but she certainly delivered. As she rolls back the years with her close-up classics, Fay is guaranteed to have you hooked as you try to work out her tricks of the trade.
https://twitter.com/NarkingQueen/status/716656937618771969
Who could step up for the closing finale of this magical show? None other than grand illusionists [Richard] Young and [Sam] Strange. This part-magic and part-comedy duo provide a fantastic round up to show. Both with engaging and endearing personalities and a relationship that resembles two bickering brothers, this pairing certainly know how to perform.
Constantly questioning, how did they do that? How did he get up there? Surely they can’t just vanish? And at times made completely speechless, (which is a hard thing to do for me) you can clearly see why these magicians are the best in the business. Their tricks are genuinely sensational and present a show that is both slick and dramatic, clearly showing that seeing truly is believing.
@ChampionsMagic Kids had a fantastic time – amazing show! @The_Lowry thx 4 getting @misspixter on stage @AlexReadsMinds 🙂
— Ian Patterson (@DesktopShortcut) April 3, 2016
By Francesca Eagleton
@FranEagleton
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