Smoke and Mirrors

I’m not sure what show the reviewers quoted on ads for this saw. But, it sure wasn’t the one playing at the Odyssey Theater. Clumsy and very amateurish. How could this still be playing in LA?

I thought the whole show was a flop and a waste of time. The magic was so old fashioned and of such poor quality that it was a joke. Is Los Angeles that desperate for good entertainment. We are visitors from the east coast and we have much more quality than LA.

Biographical magic show based on the life of Albie Selznick, who is also the star of the show. Albie is a ball of fire on stage rapidly moving through scene and illusions. Great fun and superb magic. The show is upstairs at the Road theater in NOHO. Excellent show for a date or bring the whole family. Especially liked the Oracle and metamorphasis illusions. Street parking, and lots of small bistros in the area for dinner too. Highly recommend!

I should really give this 5 stars because of the energy and passion put into this show. For a man in his 50s to run around like this for 90 minutes is no small feat. I will say that there should be about 15 minutes edited out, which is why I need to take a star off. Runs just a little too long. But this is a fun and sometimes touching show with a lot of magic involved. The tricks range from average to absolutely incredible. This is a small theater in noho so you shouldn’t expect the magic castle. It is well worth the money and is a fun night out.

Between the magician’s lumbering, angst-​ridden monologues about the loss of his psychiatrist father, a giant evil bunny prancing about, disembodied references to Houdini, and ominous recordings of the magician’s late father playing in the background; there is some magic performed. But the magic itself is incidental, threadbare and a backdrop to the tortured, down the rabbit hole meanderings of magician, Albie Selznick and his show, Smoke and Mirrors.
Even so, from a marketing angle, Albie and his crew are spot-​on, if the promotional material had said, «Join us for an hour and a half of magician Albie Selznick’s self-​indulgent/​inflicted psychoanalysis sessions with some magic thrown in at regular intervals — I would not have attended. Instead it was billed as a cool, spooky magic show with a sinister, strangely alluring giant rabbit.
Pros: Good marketing and concept. Sexy giant rabbit, cozy theatre, good supporting cast, some creative moments, compelling insight into Magic Castle induction process, Face your Fears subplot, references to New Zealand.
Cons: Unsettling background recordings of magician’s late father droning on about psychiatry, neglect of magic in favor of magician’s sad monologues, disjointed storyline.

Overall it was a good show, got to sit next to Tim Robins. I was also picked to up onstage to «face my fear», they gave me an invite to the magic castle. I had no idea how big of a deal that is, the Magic Castle is very exclusive and I can’t wait to go. I don’t really want to give away the show, but it was a good time, recommend it.

I was so disappointed in this show. It was loooong, and needed editing BIG TIME!
It wasn’t what I was expecting at all. The magic was awful and my friends (who all disliked it as well) said the magic was sloppy because they could see how he was doing the tricks. It just wasn’t a good show. I was so bored and though the story of Albie’s life was very touching. It just went on and on and enough already! Sorry!

Although sold as one, this is not a typical magic show. It is a stage show that involves magic. Do not come expecting to see grand illusion — there is none to be seen.
The first third of the show is quite enjoyable, with Albie Selznick performing some very nice magic with birds and billiard balls. Unfortunately, from about the 30 minute point onward, the show gradually falls apart.
The «illusions» are very low budget, and you have seen them countless times before. Case in point: the broom levitation. This one is inexplicably performed with Bess Houdini as the levitating girl — wobbling away atop the mechanism. Is there any B-​grade or better magician that even performs this anymore? Everything performed is less than cruise ship quality.
I found amusing the storyline about the Magic Castle’s «7 audition levels» that must be passed before becoming a member. Cute, but total B.S. Still, it’s nice to see the Magic Castle being mentioned in a play.
If you are considering taking children, know that the show contains an unusual number of drug references. In one especially boring and overly long segment, a character named «the Oracle» tells people they should mix their fears with herbs, roll them up in smoking paper and get high on them. Albie also explains the joys of an acid trip while juggling glowing pins. Great fun for the kids, eh?
Speaking of kids, Albie goes into a very long monologue where he tells a tender story of performing for disabled children. He then proceeds to shatter the illusion that he actually cares by dropping the one F-​bomb in the show while simultaneously mocking Tourette’s Syndrome. Cass act, Albie.
And if alienating the disabled is not enough, the script calls for three separate «Republican jokes» that serve no other purpose other than to tell the audience that Albie hates Republicans. I’m not even a Republican, but I can’t tell you how tiring it gets to see «clever» writers inject «political humor» into shows that have nothing to do with politics.
Far and away, the best part of the show happens even before the show. David Valdez performs close-​up outside of the main theater as a pre-​show. Watch this kid — when he becomes a Castle member in a few years (after passing ONE audition) — he will be a great act to to catch there.
If you still want to see this show, make sure you buy through Goldstar. This one is not worth full price.
Sadly, this show is now one of the only magic shows in town. The recently ended «Nothing to Hide» and «Cirque-​A-​Palooza — Magic Castle Magicians» were at the other end of the quality scale: incredibly entertaining.

Small, clean venue with an interesting magic play/​show mix and extremely friendly and welcoming staff that immediately make you feel at home.
No need to pay the $ 7 parking lot fee, as there is free street parking on Sundays, just get there a little early.
They have a downstairs ‘gallery’ with photos on the walls… that have some crazy assed prices on them… seriously…for instance they were no less than $ 300, and I saw a few over $ 800. They were interesting, don’t get me wrong, but not unbelievable. Certainly nothing that should command those prices. They had a ‘sales’ bin with little 5×7 photos that were $ 40−70…
Pre show, there is an awesome 14 yr old magician named David, that does a short ‘pre-​show’ few close up card tricks, that he executes excellently… this kid is really good.
The seating is great… I think it holds about 50 seats, and they are perfectly placed, so that no one obstructs your view. Someone mentioned it was stuffy… no idea what they experienced, but it went from comfortable, to slightly chilly (but not uncomfortably so).
Although the building has wifi (and they ask you to ‘like’ them on Facebook), they do not know their password, which is odd. I can never understand a business not posting their password for their customers. Just doesn’t make sense.
The show is 1.5 hours with no intermission, which is perfect. It goes back and forth from funny and light, to oddly heavy in minutes. From great tricks and some funny jokes to talking about deformed and retarded children seemed uncomfortable and put a bit of an awkward damper on it for us.
We bought a ticket on Goldstar, as well as full priced ones (Goldstar was sold out). Goldstar takes Amex, but the venue doesn’t.
I took a 14 yr old and an 18 yr old. All of enjoyed to show. Didn’t ‘love’ it, but all in all, we had a nice time.

Myself, husband, daughter 16 and son 12 went to see the Smoke and Mirrors Show tonight on Lankershim and we loved it! Wasn’t sure about the venue at first when we got there but everyone was so friendly and fun. Watched the youngest of the group David do some card tricks in the lobby, before the show started, he was terrific! In fact the whole cast is very talented and funny. Lots of audience participation required. No intermission but 90 minutes flew by. Will see again!

Cute date idea or family night option (grade school+). Walking up the stairs into the Road Theatre, I was fairly certain that I would be let down yet again by a paltry show, but I left the place a believer! I have a slight obsession in magic, fantasy, and all things mystical, but my opinion is not skewed. So don’t fret if you have not read all of the Potter books or have never visited the Magic Castle, Albie Selznick is a master storyteller who can captivate audiences of all ages.
The production value was quite impressive, and Smoke and Mirrors encompassed an entertaining storyline, spooky Houdini Black and White clips, a pretty assistant, flying doves, and a hilarious Oracle on the Hill. Come early to find free street parking and to secure center seats. There was space for 50 people at most (three rows of uncomfortable seats). It was quite stuffy upstairs and there was no AC or alcohol served so dress accordingly and booze it up elsewhere if one is so inclined.