Knife throwing, ventriloquism, comedy routines and unlikely escapes — welcome to Broadway’s The Illusionists, a jam-packed stage production landing in Dubai on May 1.
After a run of shows in Abu Dhabi — the last one was on Saturday — the Illusionists are packing up their treasure troves of tricks and heading to Madinat Theatre for a week-long residency.
Meet the seven skilled magicians — many of whom you may have spotted on television talent shows — who will continue to mystify and entertain audiences in the UAE this week.
THE MAGICIAN: JAMIE RAVEN
Jamie Raven is the man who made Simon Cowell believe in magic. The UK-native appeared on the 2015 series of Britain’s Got Talent, where he famously got Cowell to say, “I know this sounds crazy, but I now actually believe in magic,” after his audition. Raven is no stranger to the UAE, either; he brought his show to Abu Dhabi in 2016, when he told Gulf News tabloid!, “If someone shows me [a trick] I haven’t seen before, I just sit and watch it and enjoy it for what it is. I could, if I wanted to, sit down and work out how I think it works — I might be right, I might be wrong — but I think it’s important to remember that feeling of wonder.”
DEADLY GAMES: ALFREDO SILVA AND KRISTINA PROKOPIUK
Precision is a matter of life or death for Alfredo Silva and Kristina Prokopiuk. The daredevil duo performs a stunt you can only watch between the slits of your fingers: knife throwing. Silva, a sixth-generation circus performer who studied magic and juggling, has made a career out of the dangerous act. Silva also made it to the semi-finals of America’s Got Talent in 2016.
THE TRICKSTER: PAUL DABEK
Hailing from the UK, the quick-talking Paul Dabek is known for his unusually comedic style of performing, mixing a good dose of cheeky stand-up material into his magic shows. The quick-witted Dabek will run his tongue faster than you can see what he’s doing with his hands, earning him the Trickster title fair and square.
THE GRAND ILLUSIONIST: DARCY OAKE
With his shaved head and chiselled features, Darcy Oake made an impression on the talent show Britian’s Got Talent, as he pulled dove after dove out of thin air. Oake, a Canadian sleight-of-hand specialist, was also invited to one of the most exclusive parties of all time — Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday bash, where he got to perform for her and the Royal Family at a private dinner.
THE ESCAPIST: KRENDL
Krendl has been trying to master the impossible from the age of ten, stemming from his fascination with Houdini’s infamous escape routines. Hailing from Virginia, Krendl has been honing his skill set for years, performing on cruise ships and in resorts around the world. You may have also spotted him on the TV series Impractical Jokers, where he was a stunt consultant on a Houdini water cell escape act.
THE UNUSUALIST: RAYMOND CROWE
The Unusualist is an apt moniker for slapstick magician Raymond Crowe, the Australian trickster who uses physical humour to communicate with the audience. Crowe is a trained mime, ventriloquist and shadow puppeteer, who became a finalist on Australia’s Got Talent in 2013. He was also part of the Royal Variety Performance in the UK in 2007, where he performed in front of Queen Elizabeth.
THE MANIPULATOR: FLORIAN SAINVET
French-born Florian Sainvet is likely to be found doing a magic routine to electronic dance music. He finished third on a season of France’s Got Talent, where he put together a half-man, half-robot persona. Sainvet, a self-professed lover of sci-fi cinema, incorporates a futuristic approach into his magic, manipulating reality for the sake of entertainment.
Don’t miss it
The Illusionists perform at the Madinat Jumeirah from May 1 to 7. Tickets, starting at Dh245, are available online.
