Did you believe in magic when you were a kid?

I don’t mean like the magic of love or Disney magic. I mean wizards, Alohomora, flying on a broomstick magic. Magic that makes you realize that there is wonder in the unknown and that the world is full of possibilities, optimism and hope.

When we grow up, we learn that magic tricks (sorry, Gob Bluth, I mean “illusions”) are just that – illusions. Illusions performed by incredibly skilled artists, but illusions nonetheless. We lose that wonder.

I think it’s ok to sometimes let yourself live in that fantasy for a brief moment – to let yourself feel amazement and awe, and forget that there’s a man behind the green curtain. Sometimes we need that. Sometimes we need a show like Absolute Magic with Keith Brown.

I’m no magic expert, but I think Keith Brown is great. Here are some reasons why:

• Keith has a fantastic stage presence. He has a natural, fluid way of speaking, and he instantly makes you feel comfortable. I’ve seen him perform both on a larger stage (at the Al Green Theatre at Toronto Fringe this past summer) and in his current more intimate venue, and both times his performance felt personal and heartfelt. Keith is very likeable, and a great storyteller.
• I really appreciate how Keith connects with his audience. Not in an uncomfortable forced audience participation way…I wasn’t forced to participate. But there were lots of people that were interested in interacting with Keith, especially the children and teens in the audience, and Keith tried to interact with as many as possible. Even when we walked in, Keith stood at the entrance to greet everyone, and when we left, he was at the exit. I liked that.
• Keith is very skilled, and his tricks are pretty cool. I enjoyed them a lot. I don’t know how he did them, they were performed cleanly, the act was well put together, and I was entertained. What more can you ask for?
• For the record, my personal favourite tricks were the mind-reading ones and the one that involved a knife and a single playing card.
• Keith has a great beard. I wanted to bring my husband along to the show so they could chat about what it’s like to have beards, but alas he was unavailable (that’s what bearded people talk about amongst themselves, right?)

I encourage you to take some time this weekend to put down your social media feeds and allow yourself to breathe, even if for just an hour or two. And why not support a local magician along the way?

Thanks, Keith, for the invite to your show! Absolute Magic with Keith Brown is playing at the Red Sandcastle Theatre in the east end of Toronto until Sunday, October 15, 2023. Tickets can be purchased here.

Featured Image: Keith Brown