From card tricks to grand escape illusions, this year’s “Superstars of Magic 2” — back for its second year to cap the Genting International Magic Festival — promises a varied and star-studded line-upthat will entertain, surprise and magically make their way into people’s hearts.
The show, which began its run mid last month at the Genting International Showroom, features eight international acts such as illusionists JC Sum and Magic Babe Ning, escape artist Dean Gunnarson, quick change act Sos and Victoria Petrosyan plus their sons who are also manipulation artists in their own right – Sos Petrosyan Junior and Tigran Petrosyan – who are also manipulation artists in their own right. Add pick pocket maestro Christian Lindemann, card manipulator Nestor Hato and variety act Charlie Frye and Company while two-time “Comedy Magician of the Year” Chipper Lowell is the emcee.
Each act can boast of awards and accolades of their own – from Sum and Ning’s Asia’s Premier Illusionists Merlin Award to Frye and Co’s numerous invitations to perform for the Monaco royal family as well as several world records in the case of Gunnnarson and the elder Petrosyan.
Fiery start: Sum brandishing a baton with its tip lit up to the audience before pushing flat the box behind him where Ning is trapped in.
They were brought together by director and show producer David Lai, Malaysia’s very own ‘mentalist’ who specialises in tricks to boggle the mind. He just won a Merlin Award from the International Magicians Society for Best Show Producer Malaysia this year. “The show was created with audience engagement at the foremost in my thoughts. To date, the most challenging show I had to produce was the one in Kuwait City,” said the 26-year-old.
What about fan reaction, then? Christopher Tang, 56, and his family, who were among those seated in the VIP area that was closest to the stage during its matinee performance, had only good things to say.
“We usually come up to Genting every year to catch some show or concert. These outings will turn into a little trip of sorts and we usually stay a night up here as well,” said Tang. His wife, Belinda Ngo, 55, said some of her favourite TV programmes were those showing how magic tricks and illusions were performed.
Safe and sound: Gunnarson, who holds two world records for escapes, coming out victorious of a locked barrel filled with water.
They were among the lucky winners of The Star’s ticket giveaway where the first 35 with the coupon cutout from the newspaper received four VIP tickets to the show. Another winner, Ann Phang, 51, who came with her husband and four children between the age of 12 and 20, said it always felt different to be watching the show live compared to on television.
“My husband and I have been to a magic show in Las Vegas. The production there was much more elaborate but what I have seen here in Genting that it can be quite entertaining as well,” she said, adding that it was an eye-opener for her children who have never seen such shows.
As for 38-year-old Ammar Mohammed Ridzuan, luck was what made him collect the coupon cutout that lead him to his free tickets. “I was merely browsing through the newspaper on the day the coupon came out and happened to come across the right page. “I have always wanted to win something like this and decided to try my luck,” he said. His favourite act was by illusionists Sum and Ning whom he felt performed very well.
“Superstars of Magic 2” will be held until Sept 9 at the Genting International Showroom at the price of RM250 (VIP), RM130 (PS1), RM90 (PS2) and RM60 (PS3) for adults; tickets for children are priced at RM100 (VIP), RM65 (PS1), RM45 (PS2) and RM30 (PS3). Genting WorldCard members enjoy a 20% discount.
As part of the Genting International Magic Festival, there will also be limited seats Magic Workshops organised on Sept 7 to 9 at 2pm at the Genting International Convention Centre at a standard rate of RM25 per participant. For reservations, call 03-2718 1118 or visit www.rwgenting.com
-thestar online.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.