When you think of it in fairytale terms, a trip to Las Vegas can really like
something straight out of "A Thousand and One Arabian Nights."
I mean, think about it: You do cross the burning sands
(Especially if you're driving in from LA. Which means that you're taking I-15
straight across Death Valley.) And then – in the middle of the desert – you can
find this fabled city which is filled with castles & turrets & magic.
And when I say "magic," I'm not talking about the many &
mysterious ways that this town manages to Hoover all of your hard-earned cash
straight out of your wallet. But – rather – that pack of first-class
prestidigitators that can now be found performing along the Strip.
This Fall, Las Vegas is offering you a wide variety of magicians
to chose from. Do you like your illusions to be big & grand? Or do you
prefer your magic to be the small, close-up, how-the-hell-did-they-do-that kind?
It's all here this year in Sin City. Served up by a masterful set of conjurers
who have added a bit of edge & attitude to their usual bag of tricks.
So where's the best place to start? Picking Las Vegas' very best magic show
can sometimes get a bit tricky. But if you'd like to see the guy that Forbes
magazine has called the most commercially successful stage magician in history,
then you really need to go to the MGM Grand. Which is where – starting on
September 28th – American illusionist extraordinaire David
Copperfield will be wowing the crowds at the Hollywood Theatre.
Given that Copperfield is the guy who made the Statue of
Liberty disappear and then walked through the Great Wall of China, people come
into his magic show with some very high expectations. But David does not
disappoint. Among the illusions that you can expect to see as part of this 90-minute-long
show are Copperfield seeming to instantaneously teleport a selection of
audience members from center stage to the back of the house. Not to mention conjuring up a full-sized car
out of thin air.
David Copperfield has a leg up (two legs, actually) up
on the competition
What's really great about catching David
Copperfield at the MGM Grand is that he's performing at the MGM Grand's
Hollywood Theatre. Which – given that it's only got 740 seats – is a relatively
intimate venue. So , if you'd like, you can really sit up close and then try
and figure how exactly this legendary performer (who – over the course of his 30+
year career – has sold more tickets than Michael Jackson, Madonna and Lady
Gaga) pulls his trick.
Mind you, given that part of their act involves throwing a
baby bunny into a wood chipper, sitting down front at Penn &
Teller's show at the RIO may not be the wisest move. If only for the splatter
factor.
Even the way that Penn & Teller advertise their magic show at the RIO is slightly off-center.
But on the other hand, how can you resist a magic show like
this that so skillfully mixes outrageous stunts and contemporary humor? Where
half the charm of Penn & Teller's shtick is that they constantly remind the
audience that they're conning them. That everything that they're doing up there
onstage is somehow a trick.
Of course, if you like a little attitude & edge along with
your magic, then a stop at the Luxor is definitely in order. Where you can then
check out Cirque du Soleil's sixth show for Sin City, CRISS
ANGEL: BeLIEve.
Things can get kind of hare-y onstage at the Luxor during performances of
CHRIS ANGEL BeLIEve.
Given that this is the first time that Cirque has ever built
one of its shows around an individual performer (More to the point, given that
MGM Mirage Resorts reportedly spent $100 million on producing this magical
extravaganza), BeLIEve is an epic trick fest. We're talking twice the number of
illusions that you'll find at any other magic show along the Strip. Not to
mention acrobatics, dancing and puppets as well as the sort of mind-blowing
costumes and music that one normally associates with a Cirque du Soleil
show.
What's that you say? You miss the old days of Las
Vegas-style magic? Where Siegfried & Roy used to hold court at the Mirage
and then fill the stage there with all sorts of exotic animals?
Siegfried, Roy and one of the larger members of the cast of their
magical stage show.
Well, if those are the sorts of tricks that you really
enjoy, then you should really make a point of visiting the Planet Hollywood Resort
& Casino. Which is now presenting the "Magic & Tigers of Rick Thomas"
show.
In a lot of ways, this particular presentation is almost the
quintessential Las Vegas magic act. Given that Thomas makes his entrance by riding
a Harley Davidson onstage. Then this acclaimed illusionist (who was recently
named "Stage Magician of the Year" at the World Magic Awards) – with the help
of his beautiful assistants – fills the performance space at Planet Hollywood
with amazing animal-filled feats of prestidigitation.
Rick Thomas and one of the smaller members of his cast
Best of all (particularly if you're a big cat fan), the "Magic
& Tigers of Rick Thomas" show actually gives you the chance to get
up-close with the four white and orange Bengal Tigers who appear at every
performance. If you spring for the VIP package, not only will you be seated
down front and get to meet Rick & his lovely assistants after the show, but
you can also get your picture taken with these majestic animals from the Far
East.
Which kind of brings today's story full circle. Given that
Tigers and wild beasts feature so prominently in the "Thousand and One Arabian
Nights." So if you think that you'll be crossing those burning sands anytime
soon so that you can then see some magic shows in
Las Vegas … Well, I think I know a few folks who can help conjure up some
excellent seats for you.