(fireball exploding)
- [Announcer] Illusion, the art of tricking the brain,
distorting the senses, challenging perception.
You can't trust what you see, even with your own eyes.
Meet the Masters of Illusion.
(fireball exploding) (audience cheering)
- Get ready to be transported into a world of
superstition, soothsaying, and sorcery.
I'm Dean Cain, and welcome to "Masters of Illusion".
(audience cheering)
Take a deep breath right now,
because you won't have a single moment
to try and actually breathe
as Shoot Ogawa comes on stage, ladies and gentlemen.
Shoot Ogawa, how are you? So good to see you.
- Good to see you.
All right so... - You know,
we're actually cousins.
Throw that out there.
- (laughs) Okay, as you said, we are gonna
create magic together. It's an experience, right?
- Okay. - So, could you open your
right hand please?
- Yeah, like that? - Very good,
and hold it high. - Okay.
- Close the hand, hold tight, and turn over your hand.
So now we are gonna do magic, so three hands here.
It's very weird. So watch I make the loop.
It's easy to change shape, right?
That's why I twist here, like this way,
and just do this pinch here and pinch there.
(blowing air)
(audience applauding)
- I don't know how you did that.
- It's strange, right? - That is very odd.
- You don't get it, you don't get it. Okay.
(both laughing)
- Try again, try again. Okay, so I do this, right?
Like make a knot here, but it is not knot like that way.
- It's very interesting. - See, that's not right.
- But you don't have a secret.
- What is the secret?
- You have a secret. Relax a little bit.
So you had a secret. There we go.
(audience gasping)
So I told you it's experience, right?
- Yeah. What?
(Ogawa laughing)
- No, no, I, it didn't hurt though. It didn't hurt.
- Open your hand - Oh no.
- So I, yeah, it's like a simple, keep your hand flat.
- Okay. - And open like this way.
So this is the last experience.
It's the slowest trick. I do very slow.
So could you move your hand down? Down, down, down.
So now this short piece.
- Right, it's just laying there.
(audience gasping, cheering and applauding)
- Well done. - Thank you.
- Shoot Ogawa, ladies and gentlemen.
(audience cheering)
This magician has earned a new fan
just from what I've seen him do backstage,
and I'm sure he's about to have you all mesmerized as well.
Let's hear it for Keelan Leyser.
(audience cheering)
- People are concerned that with the rise of AI and robotics
that our jobs are no longer safe.
People ask me, am I worried about a robot
taking over my job as a magician?
So I thought it'd be a good idea to put a robot
through a test and see how good they are
at performing a magic trick.
And like all good, classic magic tricks,
they always start with a playing card selected,
so this is gonna be no different.
What is your name?
- Devon. - Devon, Devon,
would you select a card for me?
I'm gonna show you that they are all different.
You can see that.
Can you see that they're all different?
- Yes. - I would just like you
to touch the back of any card that you like,
just any one you like, just touch the back.
Which one would you like?
That one right there? You take that out.
It doesn't matter if I know what it is.
It's just important that the robot doesn't know what it is.
If you could just turn around..
(audience laughing)
Excellent. What is your name?
- [Audience Member] Julie.
- [Keelan] Julie. Good to meet you, Julie.
Julie, you're gonna choose a name for this robot.
Now I have a list.
I've shortlisted it to a list of 15 names
and they're all former masters of illusion from our past.
Okay? So I want you to choose a number for me.
Between two and 15, what would you choose?
- 11.
- 11. Okay, so you could have chosen Houdini,
Henning,
Blackstone,
Thurston,
Daniels,
Maskelyne,
Cooper,
Harbin,
Méliès, but you chose number 11.
Number 11 is Kellar. - Kellar, okay.
- Kellar, the magician. Kellar versus Keelan.
Magician versus the machine.
Okay, we also, so we're gonna write that name down.
All right, so if I just take your card back
and I'm gonna write Kellar on here.
(robot feet tapping)
Kellar. There we go.
All right, he's turning around now.
You can see on his eyes, he has some laser
and LiDAR sensors on his eyes right there,
so you can see it nice and clearly.
I'm now going to cut the pack like this
and just and give him a fighting chance.
You can have a look at that, Kellar.
Have a look Kellar.
(audience laughing and cheering)
Okay, let's give it a go.
Let's see how good a robot is at performing
a magic trick.
(audience cheering)
There we go, ladies and gentlemen!
Turn to face the audience, Kellar.
Kellar and the two of hearts. Give it up for Kellar!
(audience cheering and applauding)
Maybe my job isn't so safe after all.
(fireball exploding) - [Dean] When we return,
laughs and the unbelievable talent of Lucy Darling, next.
(audience applauding) (fireball exploding)
She's the darling of the magic world,
and she's about to make you believe the impossible.
Please welcome the incredible Lucy Darling.
(audience cheering)
- Goodness, I am delighted to show you something today.
I ooh, oh my goodness.
Oh, I'm sorry I'm so distracted
by your beautiful complexion, darling.
Look at you. You look absolutely radiant.
I must know. What is your morning ritual?
- A cleanser and moisturizer.
- Cleanser and moisturizer.
(audience laughing)
Darling, what's your name?
- Joey. - [Lucy] Joey,
and Joey, you know what?
In polite society typically when somebody asks your question
it is considered kind to ask the question in return.
- [Joey] Oh, what is your morning?
- Oh, I'm so glad you asked Joey.
(crowd laughing)
Well, since you asked, I, I should, I suppose, tell you,
but in order to explain it
you would need to be standing right here.
- Oh, okay.
(audience applauding)
- Darling, it is a pleasure to meet you, Joey.
You look adorable.
I have a very simple routine
because I prefer a much more natural look.
(audience laughing)
That look seems skeptical, okay.
It's true. Just three things.
Step number one, we must remove all hints of human scent.
Doesn't really matter what perfume you use
as long as you apply it liberally.
(audience laughing)
Step number two, all we have to do is remove
that shine on your face, darling.
No one can appear to have pores anymore.
We must all be as smooth as a Kardashian with Photoshop.
(Lucy chuckling) (audience laughing)
Delightful. Final step, third step, darling.
All you need is a tiny little bit of lipstick.
(audience laughing)
Lipstick is as good as anything
for brightening up your complexion
as well as brightening up your day.
Darling, don't you agree?
- Yes. - You do agree?
(audience laughing)
You don't have to do this if you don't want to.
- It's all good. - It's all, really?
- Yeah. - Okay.
(audience cheering)
Nailed it. (audience laughing)
Darling, you know, a good ritual is as good as
any kind of sorcery for creating beauty.
- Mm-hmm. -Of course one must be careful
because if you do someone else's ritual
you might fall under their charms.
(audience laughing)
On an unrelated note, Joey,
maybe we do a little diagnostic test.
Come stand right here and just gently,
this is a very old box, darling,
just lift that off the table and put it in my hands.
- Sure.
- Darling. You're embarrassing yourself.
(audience laughing)
That's fine, that's fine.
If we can find something easier for you.
Ooh, I know. Let's try this one.
(audience laughing)
Okay darling, I just have this little lipstick.
It's very light.
Simply lift that off of my hand and place it onto this hand.
- Sure.
(audience applauding)
- I think the ritual might have gone wrong.
Do you wanna, just gently one more time?
Okay. No, no, no. You just, you embarrass me.
(audience laughing)
(audience cheering)
- I'll let you keep it. It's obviously your shade.
One big round of applause for Joey.
(audience applauding)
(fireball exploding)
- [Dean] Next, watch the astounding skill
of Joshua Jay.
(fireball exploding) (audience applauding)
(fireball exploding)
It's time for some remarkable magic, folks.
This performer has a never ending bag of tricks
that will leave you gasping in amazement,
and he's ready to unleash them all tonight.
Please give a warm welcome to the incredible Joshua Jay.
(audience applauding)
- All right. Hello.
I need some help for some thought finding.
Your name is? - Fabian.
- [Joshua] Fabian. Give Fabian a round of applause.
Come on up here. (audience applauding)
This way, Fabian.
This is a trick in two parts.
In the first part you are going to try to find
a thought in my head.
And then for the big finish
I'm gonna try and find a thought from your head.
You ready? - Yes.
- Alright. So the thought in my head is of a fruit.
It could be an apple or a pear, but whatever this fruit is,
I brought it with me as a prediction
and it is under this handkerchief.
What fruit is in your head?
- A banana.
- Banana? - Yes.
- Okay. Fabian.
It could be big, you know, something round and big.
Something pink inside with seeds.
It's, you think it's, it's a, what did you say?
- A banana.
- A totally free choice?
We didn't say anything before this moment?
- No. (audience laughing)
- Well that's good because exactly the item
I thought you would think of is a banana.
(audience cheering)
That's exactly right.
Fabian, that was amazing.
Now it is time for me to see
if I can find a thought from your mind.
So your thought is going to be of a playing card.
All of these playing cards are different
and I placed a rubber band around it
that prevents me from getting anything
in or out or doing any kind of sleight of hand.
I will look away. I want you to just call "Stop".
- [Fabian] Stop. - Can you see a card there?
- Yes.
- Can you guys see that at home as well?
(audience applauding)
Remember that card
and take the cards in your own hands.
Can you guys see that my hands are empty?
- [Audience] Yes. - That's critical.
I was looking away. Now you're thinking of a card.
You have that card in mind? - Yes.
- Here's the way this works.
I'm going to give you about half the deck
and I'm going to take half the deck.
I want you to fan your cards out, and in a moment,
on the count of three,
we're gonna throw the cards into the air.
I'm gonna reach into the air and grab one card
and it will be the card that's in your head.
That's how I find your thought.
You guys hyped for this?
(audience cheering) Yes? Okay.
Fabian,
for the first time what is the card
that you have in your mind?
- Four of Spades.
- Four of spades.
Alright, on the count of three,
we'll go for the four of Spades.
1, 2, 3.
Were you also thinking of a Joker or the 10 of Hearts?
(audience laughing)
Oh boy. What? You know, actually,
I said I would find a thought, but I didn't say how.
Come over here.
You threw these cards this way.
That's not it, no? - [Fabian] No.
- My thought was of a banana.
This banana is of course sealed. All bananas are.
That's how they come. (audience laughing)
- No way. No way.
- Do I gotta take a bite?
(audience laughing)
- You asked for it.
I was so hoping there would be a, what'd you say,
Four of Spades in there.
(audience laughing)
Wait a second. Look.
There's something there.
I don't want to even touch it. Would you take that out?
A playing card. (audience gasping)
Unfold that card.
Hold it up for everybody to see that at home.
We got a- - [Fabian] Four of Spades.
- Thank you so much.
(audience applauding)
(fireball exploding)
- [Dean] Is your mind able to keep up with the
antics of Naathan Phan?
(fireball exploding)
(audience cheering)
- Now it's time for the electric, the explosive,
the enigmatic Naathan Phan.
(audience cheering)
- Hello, hello, hello.
I'd like to share a little something about myself.
I actually cut my own confetti by hand.
This is the last of my batch,
so I'm not gonna throw it in the air, but I want to see,
every single piece is a different shape and size
and there's several advantages to cutting your own confetti.
You know it's gonna be the right weight, it'll fall properly
and it's gonna be the right color that matches your shirt
your pocket square and your shoe laces.
You know what happens when you buy confetti in bulk?
This is what happens when you buy confetti in bulk.
It's ugly, circular, it's never the right color,
it falls way too fast.
That's no good at all.
But what do you do once you've bought
pounds and pounds of confetti that you can't use?
Well, you turn it into something you can use
like a live dove.
(audience cheering)
Thank you everyone, thank you very much.
Thank you. Thank you.
- This magician lives in the world
of the bizarre and unsettling.
He has been known to shock, to horrify
and amaze audiences around the globe.
He's a magician like no other
and now he's here to show us why.
Here's Dan Sperry. (audience cheering)
(audience applauding)
(music intensifies)
(audience gasping and applauding)
(audience applauding)
This magician is an expert
at defying logic and wowing audiences.
Please join me in welcoming the incredible Christian Mascia.
(audience cheering)
(fireball exploding)
Well, thank you so much for joining us
on this incredible ride to the world of magic and mystery.
We hope you've enjoyed the show as much as we've enjoyed
putting it all together for you.
I'm Dean Cain and I'll see you next time
on "Masters of Illusion".
(audience cheering)