The Illusionists

In an oxymoronic blend of Vegas style and family-friendly fun, "The Illusionists" is that rare show that inspires a sense of awe, wonder and utter frustration. Seven performers earn the show its name, each with their own special style of magic and unique super-villain names. The only complaint that can be made is that the show is too short, with too little of each impressive showman.

The audience was guided through the show and entertained through the numerous set changes by Jeff Hobson, "The Trickster." A wonderful blend of timeless tricks, audience participation and a classic queen's sense of humor, Hobson's stand up brought the house down.

Hobson exuded old-school Vegas glamour, but the repertoire of performers he introduced were all of a more modern breed of magician. Sadly, those responsible for some of the biggest spectacles of the night only appeared on stage once or twice, including Andrew Basso, The Escapologist, and his nail-biting version of Houdini's classic water torture escape, Ben Blaque, The Weapon Master, and his incredibly impressive display of cross-bow skill, Yu Ho-Jin, The Manipulator, and his award-winning card illusion and James More, The Deceptionist, and his sword-balancing, showgirl swapping illusions.

However, to make up for the single routines of most of the cast, there were two performers who had multiple stabs at the stage: Kevin James, The Inventor, and Dan Sperry, The Anti-Conjuror. The Inventor's steampunk/mad scientist persona and whimsic nature, including a stunt where he made it snow while waxing poetic about childhood, was in perfect balance against The Anti-Conjuror's goth/industrial fashion and his fantastically freaky gross-out brand of magic. While James classically sawed a man in half and brought a small child on stage to wow, Sperry sawed into his neck with floss to remove a mint he'd previously eaten and shoved a quarter into his eye only to remove it from a self-inflicted gash in his arm.

The audience didn't seem too appreciative of Sperry's routines as I heard numerous variations of, "That's disgusting," whispered around the crowd along with only scattered applause at times, but it is a personal thing. I, personally, have been a long-time fan of his, ever since I saw him on "America's Got Talent" in 2010, and very much enjoyed his contributions. Thankfully, he eventually won over the crowd with a surprisingly elegant and mesmerizing dove routine.

As for the more technical aspects of the show, the stage was simply set, allowing the multiple dancers to flip across the stage and the multiple cameramen to follow the performers without tripping over anything. Video introductions of each Illusionist and the live video feed of their performances were played on a sizable screen hoisted above the stage, either to give the audience a better view or to keep our eyes focused away from the sleight of hand behind each trick (most likely a combination of both), and the stage was kept empty when one of the performers' impressive devices wasn't in use.

All in all, "The Illusionists" is a fantastic bit of fun, and a wonderful two-hour distraction from generic, non-magical lives. It does manage to feel short, but only because you find yourself wanting more from each performer. Oh, and as for the utter frustration it causes, you can't help but try to figure out how each illusion works, only to give up and feel awed by the masters at work.

"The Illusionists" ran through Feb. 7 at the Segerstrom Center, 600 Town Center Dr. The show is now running through March 13 at nearby Pantages Theater, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. For tickets or information, call 323-468-1770 or visit www.pantages-theater.com/pantages_theater_los_angeles.php or www.theillusionistslive.com