***** Do you believe in magic? I know that I love watching a magician “do their thing”, and Chicago is home to some great magic! For many years, I have watched the amazing Dennis Watkins do his thing, first at The Palmer House and now as a partnership with Goodman Theatre and Petterino’s. The restaurant has taken their downstairs area and converted it into the perfect setting for Watkin’s unique one-man show “The Magic Parlour”. The room is much better equipped for his show than the Palmer House was and with the room next door as a bar and then “the encore room” ( I will explain later), the evening is a delightful experience.The “back story” on Watkins is one that I always like telling. He is a third generation magician who is a member of The House Theatre Company, where many years ago he did the famous Houdini water box trick in “Death and Harry Houdini”, and made me a fan forever. I saw the show several times and gazed at the scene with the water trick in order to expose the answer as to how he did it. There was only one answer- MAGIC! And I was hooked!
Even during Covid, when the theaters were all shuttered, Watkins did a Zoom streamed show where we did tricks with his assistance in our own homes, at our own kitchen tables and wonder of wonders. they worked!
The new show is pretty much the old show, in a new setting. He does a lot of mind reading and is aces when it comes to card tricks, and one of the high points of his “Parlour” show is the way he involves the audience members. You are part of the performance art that he has created.
At the very onset of the evening, He asks people to rise and say a number. They are all written down and just sit f0r the rest of the show. Later, he will use an audience member’s cell phone calculator and do some special adding and dividing with those numbers that will equal a special number that will be part of almost every “trick” that uses the same numbers. This is true “up close and personal” magic. For 90 minutes, you will witness things that feel as if they cannot be real. They are real! You will see and hear things that feel impossible, and yet they are happening right before your eyes.
Watkins’ grandfather was his mentor and he learned well. After the 90 minutes, there is an optional “Encore” where you sit around a table where Watkins truly gets “up close and personal” explaining the con-games ( shell games) of yore and doing things with cards that again seem unbelievable. He even has us involved as well. Once you share this show, you will share memories with everyone. My grandson and I went years ago, and Adam still recalls his involvement in one of the tricks or shared experiences. Watkins is a master of connecting with the audience and most people find themselves coming back for seconds ( or thirds) because each time the experience is unique and different than the previous. It is indeed a magical evening.
BTW- the food at Petterino’s on the mini-menu is delicious, so come early and grab a bite. Drinks can go into the “Parlour”, but food is a no-no. After the show, you can always head upstairs and enjoy the late night menu.
The Magic Parlour” is scheduled to continue at Goodman/Petterino’s through March of 2024 (and beyond I believe) with performances as follows:
Thursdays:7:30pmFridays:7:00pm & 9:30pm
Saturdays:4:30pm & 7:30pm
Sundays:2:00pm
The entry to the Magic Parlour is at 50 West Randolph Street.
Price: $85
Show Type: Performance Art
Box Office: 773-769-3832
Running Time: 1hr, 30mins
www.themagicparlourchicago.com
To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “The Magic Parlour”.
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