It's a show that promises plenty of magic, a fair bit of mystery and, in a new twist, a moose serving as the evening's distinguished MC.
Dubbed Moose in a Top Hat, the show plays on cheeky Canadiana themes between acts by award-winning magicians Matthew Johnson, Christopher Taylor and the husband-and-wife team Trevor and Lorena Watters.
The group has been working on the show for about a year and debuted it late last year in Whistler, with more dates booked for the spring. "It's a uniquely Canadian show," said the British-born Johnson, starting with Knuckles the Moose.
Knuckles' voice is actually that of comedian Chris Molineux, who has performed with the likes of Jim Carrey and Jerry Seinfeld, as he serves up one-liners in a typically Canadian "hoser" accent.
Johnson is the first magician on stage, performing his signature brand of tricks, juggling and physical comedy with a retro-classy Vaudevillian vibe.
"As before, it's pretty crazy... but in a skillfully thought out way," Johnson said.
Audience members are pulled in to add to the fun, including a trick where Johnson turns one unsuspecting volunteer into a human magnet, covered with spoons.
He's followed by Christopher Taylor, a fellow PoCo resident, whose mentalist form of magic has been sought out by magicians around the world - including the likes of Criss Angel and David Copperfield.
In this family-friendly show (it's all ages, but recommended for kids aged eight and up) Taylor likes to play a form of "psychic hide-and-seek" in which a child hides in location inside his or her mind - and it's up to the parent to mentally find them.
"I get goosebumps just thinking about it," Taylor said.
Last up is the Watters duo from Delta, winners of the 2010 Golden Lion's Head award from Siegfried and Roy in Las Vegas (who likened the pair to the Carol Burnett show with magic).
Their Magic 101 routine turns the traditional magician/assistant relationship upside-down, with Lorena consistently outdoing her husband on the traditional tricks like the disappearing flowers and doves in a hat, followed by illusions including sawing the partner in half - of course, with a twist that has to be seen to be believed.
"By far they're one of my favourite acts," Johnson said. "They have a great physical comedy presence."
Moose in a Top Hat is at the Terry Fox Theatre (1260 Riverwood Gate, PoCo) on Friday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at $20 are available at www.mooseinatophat.com or by calling 604-375-6270.
