Now, we all know there's nothing supernatural about magic, it's all just well-executed illusion. I've watched enough episodes of "Breaking the Magicians' Code" to know that the magician always has something up his sleeve and no, there aren't a select few humans endowed with superpowers. The skill behind a magician's performance is when he / she makes you, a perfectly rational person, question this. It's when your brain can't explain to your mind just how the hell they did that!
Among some clever card tricks, a blindfolded Soffer correctly guesses under which paper cup a potentially mutilating spike lies (at the risk of an audience members appendage). Most impressive to me though, was the bending of steel cutlery - a rather hefty attendee felt the fork up and acknowledged its steel-quality. Even an eager member of the audience found the power within herself to bend the fork - Soffer suggests it's all about believing strongly enough - I still think there's something suspicious about that fork...
Soffer's performance, as far as my eagle eye could tell, was close to flawless - it was only when he decided to pull a John Edwards on us, that things briefly went south. He attempted to put a living woman in touch with her deceased father, using incense 'n all, while providing clues, hints and answers to the woman, that could have applied to just about any dead person. While I do admire the art of illusion, I don't find attempts at connecting with the dead in any way awe-inspiring nor entertaining.
It's a well-rounded show, with some good and some great magical tricks - Larry Soffer is a seasoned entertainer, making the experience, whether you're a fan of magic or not, a pleasurable night out.
The show continues at the Grand West's Roxy Revue Bar in Cape Town from 24 - 27 August. Tickets cost R67. For more information, go to www.larrysoffer.com, to purchase tickets, go to Computicket.
