The allusive allure of illusion

Although he is only 29-years-old, Lightbody's 16 years of experience and practice in the art of sleight of hand has been beguiling audiences worldwide, and is now paying dividends at the intimate Kalk Bay Theatre, where his fans sit really close to ensure that they will unlock the magic portal to the unexplainable. Seeing is believing, but with Illusive, truth is really stranger than fiction.

What makes Lighbody's show really entertaining is his casual approach, deadly charm, and wicked sense of humour. For him, it's always been about passion and the challenge. "It's something we do together," he smiles, constantly ensuring that his audience shares his passion wholeheartedly.

Sleight of hand is, for Lightbody, the purest form of magic and if there's one man that can find a card elegantly with a sense of humour it's him. And even if you dare to think a step ahead of him if you're standing really close to him, carefully watching every move, you will soon realise that there's no way to be smart about it, but admit defeat and enjoy the fun banter.

The "what if?" soon becomes a "that's it" or, most often, "no way", and this is Lightbody's circle of magic, keeping you constantly on your toes and your eyes peeled. He makes it clear from the outset that it is only an illusion: "That's the beauty," and that "the audience must feel free to applaud if something amazing happens."

Astounding feats of mind reading and spine-tingling needle swallowing

And something more than amazing happens as Lightbody takes you on a nostalgic journey of magicians and clairvoyants, making is not only a show about cards or magical appearing and vanishing coins, but filled with astounding feats of mind reading, and spine-tingling needle swallowing.

Most people avoid audience participation, but with this show, everyone wants to be in on the game and outsmart the guru on Magic Mountain.

No one will ever unlock the magician's code, and even if you do, you still won't believe its skilfully constructed practical reality. The real magic of Illusive is Slightbody's endearing charm; with his sleeves rolled up, he does it all with such ease and comfort that it makes you feel uneasy. His sense of humour is equally intoxicating and alluring. What you think is never what it is, and is ultimately revealed as the last thing you would have thought about.

This fascinating mind game between magician and his audience is a show in itself, watching the reaction from some people who have just seen the Wizard of Oz, or look as if they've been through a house of cards.

It's actually as simple as listening carefully to Lightbody when he says to "never make any conscious decisions'" and to "just let it happen".

If there's one thing clear about Lightbody and the feats he conquers with simplicity, is that without a bit of magic our lives would not be the same. Only Lightbody can make it real and through his deception he empowers us with believing in the impossible. As he says in the show: "Imagination is more important than knowledge." (Quoting Einstein.)

Filled with wonder and astonishment, Illusive is not just about solving puzzles, but fully enjoying each moment. "Magic happens when you don't see it," he reassures us, and then takes as for another magical carpet ride.

Illusive is one show you can definitely escape into. Just make sure that it all happens in the range of the audience, otherwise the search will be on for a deserted car left standing in the parking area. It's the kind of show you can take the most cynical of cynics, or impress loved ones with your know-how of unhinging the master, or just enjoying being able to experience escapism at its most provocative and entertaining.

I definitely want to live in a world where anything is possible and everything can happen, and where we have the luxury of escaping into illusive allusions.

Illusive is showing at the Kalk Bay Theater till the 6 October.

Behind the scenes

Stuart was born in London but grew up in Cape Town. As a child he began his training and developed a deep fascination for the secretive arts of magic, misdirection and suggestion. This fascination has never left him. Stuart graduated with the highest honours from the College of Magic in Cape Town and has been a lecturer at the College of Magic since 2004. At the 2005 SA Magic Championships he won the Grand Prix Trophy, becoming the South African National Magic Champion. Since then he has gained international exposure by representing South Africa at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas in 2005 and at the World Magic Championships in Sweden in 2006.

His first one man show, 52 with Stuart Lightbody, debuted in 2008 and revealed the myths and legends surrounding sleight-of-hand artists and card cheats and was a sold-out success. In Stars of Comedy and Magic he teamed up with fellow psychological illusionist Bryan Miles in their two-man show Sleight of Mind; Telling Lies was an interactive exploration of the psychology of deception, body language and lie detection. In his one-man show Stuperstition he explored superstitious and magical thinking filled with impossible feats and thought-provoking demonstrations; Dark Imaginings was an evening of shock and wonder with dangerous stunts, sublime sleight of hand artistry and sneaky psychological illusion. In 2011 Stuart lectured and performed at the IMX convention (International Magic Experience) in Las Vegas, he toured to Australia earlier this year with performing Stuperstition and has just returned from the fringe festival in Amsterdam.

Read more about Illusive at www.writingstudio.co.za/page1746.html.