For years I've been a member of the Magic Castle…a place so cool, I'll even put on a tie to go there. I put on a tie last Thursday evening, taking friends to see one of the best acts that plays there or anywhere — The Pendragons, who are just wrapping a two-week stint. Jonathan and Charlotte are impressive not just because they levitate, disappear, reappear, etc., but because the essence of their act is showmanship and skill, as opposed to cleverly-made props — though they have some of them, a couple of which are their own, patented inventions. Still, the hardware is less important than what a master magician does with it…or can do without it. There are tricks in Siegfried and Roy's show that you or I could do without much practice. It's really the box or the tech crew that creates the magic.
But we could rehearse for years and not be able to do most of what the Pendragons do — especially their traditional closer, which is their unique version of a classic trick, "Metamophosis." That's the one where (in this case) Jonathan is stuffed in a bag and locked in a trunk…then Charlotte hops up onto the trunk, pulls up a sheet of plastic and — ZAP! — she and her hubby change places so fast, you'd swear you're watching a TV show and someone did an edit. Only it really happened right before your eyes.
I have seen other, experienced magicians sneak into the back of a Pendragons' performance just to see that one because it's truly amazing. (In fact, it's so amazing that many in the audience don't even notice a little "extra" that the Pendragons provide: Charlotte changes outfits in the process, going from one revealing outfit to another that couldn't possibly have been worn under it. The trick doesn't need that to be stunning but they do it, anyway. That's one of the reasons they're so good.)
Jonathan and Charlotte play all over the country. If they're performing near you, run (do not walk) and get a seat as close to the front as you can. You can also catch them on most TV magic specials and they're terrific on those, too…but it ain't the same. You've gotta be there.