Just got back from a Royal Caribbean cruise to Catalina and Ensenada, Mexico. No, I wasn’t working it (I wish), but was attending a fun family gathering. While I still had to field incoming calls concerning upcoming shows and my availability (when my cell phone was working) it was great to simply sit around on deck, visit with family and zone out.
Since I couldn’t visit the Magic Castle, I decided to write about the onboard magic show on my temporary floating residence, The Monarch of the Sea. I had never before seen a cruise magic show and am pleased to report that there’s great magic to be seen on board. The performer was Jean Pierre Person who delivered an entertaining and standout comedy magic act.
I happened to meet and talk briefly with Person when I was temporarily separated from my party on a Catalina Island ferry boat and one of his assistants saw me practicing Nathan Gibson’s “Captain Crunch Cut,” a one-handed cut from his new DVD (more on this in an upcoming review). His assistant asked if I was a magician and introduced me to Person who was sitting nearby. During our brief conversation he told me that he exclusively works cruise ships.
The “Sound of Music” theater on the “Monarch of the Sea” is a huge venue and in his performance, Person connected with everyone there. Highlights from his act included Kevin James’ “Got It Covered” umbrella card stab and Terry Lunceford’s Pro Viper snake basket effect. The true magic in Person's act, however, was his hilarious audience interaction and comedy.
While there’s great magic to be seen in a variety of land-locked venues, it’s wonderful to see excellent magic flourishing at sea and playing to the cruise masses.
-Wayne N. Kawamoto
