MAGICIANS with a trick up their sleeve or an ace in the hole promise to spellbind the audience during the Close Up Gallery at the Melbourne Magic Festival this month.
Preston’s self-proclaimed “honest con man” Nicholas J Johnson will host the nightly gallery in which three different performers will showcase their skills in a specially designed intimate performance space at Northcote Town Hall.
“The audience will be so close they can reach out and touch the magicians at any point — but we don’t recommend they do that,” Johnson said.
Some of the Close Up Gallery highlights include Australia’s most acclaimed close up magician Simon Coronel, master of invention and magic teacher Tim Ellis, ventriloquist Sarah Jones, international busker Nick Nickolas, and Pip the illusionist.
Johnson said the audience, limited to 40 each night, could feel a spoon bend in their own hands through a magician’s mind power, marvel at incredible card and coin tricks or learn how to spot a con artist.
Johnson said he was planning to demonstrate a scam which had never been demonstrated on stage before, but was keeping the details under his hat.
His performances in past festivals have been both entertaining and educational, revealing how cons and scams work and demonstrating how to cheat at cards in every game from snap to euchre.
Johnson plans to do more of the same this year and also has plenty of new material to reveal.
“I’ll show how psychological scams work and demonstrate how we’re so gullible,” he said.
“Rather than just stealing a watch, I’ll show how to convince someone to willingly hand it over.”
Johnson’s new book, Chasing the Ace, will be on sale during the festival for those wanting to delve into his special brand of magic a little deeper.
The Close Up Gallery is at the Melbourne Magic Festival, 9.30pm, from June 30 to July 12, at Northcote Town Hall.
Tickets $15.
Bookings: 9481 9500.
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