Review: Magicopolis

Magicopolis serves up astounding magic in a classy venue that's one block from Santa Monica's popular Third Street Promenade. If you like your magic straight, without having to buy dinner, Magicopolis is the place to go.

Now running on weekends is the spectacular "Escape Reality" show that stars Magicopolis owner Steven Spill and his wife, Bozena Sparrow. Indeed, if someone could perform real magic, it would look a lot like that in "Escape Reality" with its deft and entertaining mix of large scale illusions, stand-up effects, comedy and music that appeals to everyone in the family.

Spill not only levitates Sparrow, but gets up-close and personal by reading the minds of audience members and borrowing finger rings and linking them. And among Spill's bag of tricks is a harrowing escape from a formidable spiked apparatus. Sparrow draws on her acting prowess (she has appeared in numerous movies and television shows) to bring a theatrical flair to her show segments. Together, the magical pair induce a sense of wonder in audience members and provide comical moments that send spectators into hysterics. The pair perform the best version I have ever seen of Slydini's classic (I'll use initials here so I don't spoil the fun for lay folks) N.O.T.H.

Magicopolis' roomy stage theater features comfortable seats that are set on a steep incline. There's hardly a bad seat in the house, except for the extreme right and left front rows. The steep incline will let a five-year-old sit behind a basketball player and still see all the action--a marvelous venue for magic watching.

Unlike the Magic Castle, a Magicopolis show involves no meals–you visit to watch great magic. There is a bar in the front that serves snacks, coffee and soft beverages. You make reservations for shows, and once you arrive, you get in line, and then seat yourself in the theater. Magicopolis also hosts kids' birthday parties that include pizza, a cake, and a show.

As a facility, Magicopolis lacks the the decor and elegance of The Magic Castle, but its simple, somewhat industrial, look lends itself to the magic within. The impressive stained-glass windows in the lobby depict magic's greats: Kellar, Thurston, Houdini, and more. The front of the facility may be rather modest, but true magic does lie within.

The venue also features a smaller Hocus Pocus room that seats up to 40 people so they may watch intimate close-up magic. The seats in the back are a bit distant to catch the fine nuances of cards and coins, so it's best to grab a seat in the first four rows.

Magicopolis offers the lowest cost magic shows in LA. Also, there's no dress code, and kids are welcome. You can easily make an afternoon out of some shopping and eating at the Promenade, and then cap the day with wonderful magic. Or travel to Santa Monica just to see the magic–it's worth it.

-Wayne N. Kawamoto

Reprinted with permission from http://www.daytrum.com