THE HANGOVER REPORT – THE ILLUSIONISTS return to Broadway, in the same generic form but slightly tweaked for the holidays

Kevin James and the company of "The Illusionists" at the Neil Simon Theatre. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Kevin James and the company of “The Illusionists” at the Neil Simon Theatre. Photo by Joan Marcus.

For about half a decade now, The Illusionists has been making an annual pilgrimage to Broadway during the holiday season. How apropos, therefore, that for the past two years – this time around, the show is playing its limited engagement at the Neil Simon Theatre – the revue-like entertainment has unabashedly rebranded its packaging to more directly reflect the holidays, subtitling itself “Magic of the Holidays”. Unsurprisingly, this year’s edition veers very close to last year’s template, which includes five-ish principal magicians and mentalists.

I’m hard pressed to judge a concoction like The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays. It’s undeniably entertaining, especially if you’re not seeking a show that strives for anything beyond old school – albeit astonishing – sleight of hand. But when compared to other similar entertainments that have played New York in recent years – namely Penn and Teller’s occasional visits, Derek DelGaudio’s recent hit production of In and of Itself, Derren Brown’s Secret (which is currently wowing them on the Great White Way), and the McKittrick Hotel’s intoxicatingly immersive weekly “Speakeasy Magick” – The Illusionists‘ brand of magic pales in comparison, feeling closer in spirit to Radio City’s commercially-driven Christmas Spectacular than it does to authentic eye-opening wonderment.

The squarely-directed production is laid out in a straightforward, Las Vegas-style manner. There’s a certain charm to such proceedings, particularly in the hands of talents like comedic magician Paul Dubek (“The Trickster”) and the unpredictable mentalist Chris Cox (appropriately, “The Mentalist). Admittedly, some acts are stronger than others (the Australian sleight-of-hander Dom Chambers put a slight cringe on my face). Overall, though, The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays is family-friendly fare that will likely satisfy your holiday entertainment craving between sightseeing and holiday shopping. But at Broadway prices, I’m hesitant to recommend a piece of generic entertainment that can similarly satisfy via YouTube.

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THE ILLUSIONISTS: MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS
Broadway, Entertainment
Neil Simon Theatre
2 hours, 15 minutes (with one intermission)
Through January 5

Categories: Broadway, Theater

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