Carnival of Wonders

From the start, "Carnival of Wonders" aspires to be more than a magic show, and in most areas it succeeds. The mood is set by Mark Kalin as he enters with his carpetbag telling of the mysteries and magic of carnivals.

He begins to unroll a poster of the carnival and then hands it to a stagehand to hang the poster, which instantaneously produces the much larger than life ringmaster/host for the evening, Jeff Hobson.

If you ever wondered what it would be like if Waylon Flowers and Rip Taylor had a love child, you're in luck because Jeff Hobson steals the show with not only his impeccable comedic timing but also his ability to produce some amazing magic throughout the evening.

After delivering one of his many double-entendre asides to the audience he says, "The magic is for the kids, the comedy is for the adults." This statement is more than accurate for this show and may be the reason it's a real treat for audiences of all ages.

At the helm of this production are Mark Kalin and Jinger Leigh who were voted The Academy of Magic Arts, World Magic Awards, and Fox Television's "Magicians of the Year." Kalin is more than adept at the magic he produces (except for the whole pouring the wine into the glass floating in the air which seemed to go a bit awry in this performance as the trick was more than revealed).

While the illusions are slickly done, there's little you haven't seen before. This could present a problem in less expert hands. But what Kalin and crew have done is wrap the magic in such a great package of the different carnival areas complete with imaginative scenic elements that while you may not see anything new, it makes for a wondrous evening's entertainment.

There are big illusions to see as we're taken through the carnival's Tunnel of Love to the House of Horrors (and other areas in between) but Kalin shines the brightest when he sits on a trunk center stage performing for us the first trick he ever did for his mother when he discovered his love of magic as a boy.

This moment is better than all the sawing in half, disappearing, and re-appearing done in the rest of the show and feels the most sincere. Jinger Leigh is a mix of beauty, comedic timing and illusionist all rolled into one. She is the gold standard for what all magicians' assistants should aspire to be, because she not only assists Kalin but also she is a strong and delightful presence in her own right.

Kalin, Leigh, and Hobson are the perfect combination to lead this show through its paces. While there are dancers to see as well, there's no doubt about who the stars are in this production. And because they're so good at what they do, when the threesome bring audience members up on the stage throughout the show to assist them in illusions they seamlessly make the audience member the star for their moment in the spotlight.

"Carnival of Wonders" may not show you illusions you've never seen before, but much like riding your favorite ride at a carnival it hardly seems to matter because it's just so much fun.

In her curtain speech, Leigh says to the gentleman from the audience who assisted her with one of her illusions, "When you speak of this (and you will), please be kind." She delivers the line with a wink, and then exits.

I don't see how anyone could have anything but kind things to say about "Carnival of Wonders." And from the standing ovation it received the night I was there it seems everyone hopes this carnival comes to town again very soon!