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Only in Vegas, or a suburb of Vegas, would you find a magician throwing cards over a fence into a neighboring yard, only to have another magician shout from the crowd, \u201cThat\u2019s Todd\u2019s house!\u201d<\/p>\n
That was a moment Sunday night in Mac King\u2019s first backyard, all-star magic show. Veteran comedians\/magicians Mike Caveney <\/strong>(who hosted), Derek Hughes, Rob Zabrecky, Nick Diffatte, John Archer,<\/strong> and David Williamson<\/strong> delivered a crackin\u2019 good time.<\/span><\/p>\n We were especially familiar with Diffatte, the youngster in the bunch, as a cast member in \u201cMad Apple\u201d at New York-New York. And we met and covered Williamson (the previously mentioned card-thrower) in his days as ringmaster in the brilliant but ill-fated \u201cCircus 1903.\u201d That plucky production ran for five months at the Paris Theater, ending in January 2017.<\/p>\n With a (sleight of) hand from his magician friends, King built a proper stage at his Las Vegas home and put on a heck of a show. The audience was a mix of invited guests and 30 magicians in town for a conference, hosted by King. The afternoon mainstay at Excalibur\u2019s Thunderland Showroom is a 26-year Strip headliner dating to his days at Harrah\u2019s.<\/p>\n Billed \u201cThe Comedy Comclave,\u201d the event reflected Las Vegas\u2019s position as an international magic mecca. The conference covered three days, and started with a visit on Saturday to King\u2019s show at ExCal.<\/p>\n Afterward, the group deconstructed King\u2019s act (please don\u2019t mess with his Cloak of Invisibility). They took part in the same process that night at Penn & Teller\u2019s<\/strong> show at the Rio.<\/p>\n The visitors also ventured to the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, where the principal performers were dressed as Good Humor Men while eating ice cream, as Vegas tourists (apparently) do.<\/p>\n Famous contortionist Captain Frodo<\/strong> of \u201cMad Apple\u201d gave a guest performance at the King house on Saturday. Frodo is famous for working his body through an unstrung tennis racquet. That session led to Sunday\u2019s fully realized ensemble show at King\u2019s house.<\/p>\n Monday, Lindsay Benner<\/strong> of Spiegelworld\u2019s \u201cThe Party\u201d at the Cosmopolitan led a seminar centered on juggling, which is her act, dubbed \u201cThe Book of Love\u201d in the Cosmo dinner show.<\/p>\n King might continue these invite-only performances. The infrastructure is great for a magic show, or any show \u2014 the great showman Earl Turner<\/strong> was in the crowd and could headline the venue. His tap-dancing son, Aaron Turner<\/strong>, was called to the stage three times to assist the magicians. The performer and dance instructor who finished second on season 10 of \u201cSo You Think You Can Dance\u201d helped with card tricks.<\/p>\n Not all was dialed in, as can happen at big house parties. The sound system continually crapped out, prompting Caveney to say, \u201cI\u2019m the only Mike that\u2019s working tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n But it was a brilliant night put on by some brilliant entertainers. Asked if his residence was zoned for such an event, King laughed and said, \u201cI think so, as long as I don\u2019t charge for it. I mean, I guess I could \u2014 at least once. But we\u2019re not doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n John Katsilometes\u2019 column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com.<\/a> Follow @johnnykats<\/a> on X, @JohnnyKats1<\/a> on Instagram.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n