Magicians, daredevils, comedians, and unusalists. This is the cast of Broadway’s highest selling magic show, The Illusionists. Seven world renowned performers and magicians will have you on the edge of your seat as they execute death-defying stunts, entertaining ad-lib and mind-bending trickery that will leave you dazed.

The hilarious compere, Harrison Greenbaum (The Trickster), leads the show with witty improvisation and ‘priceless’ audience interactions. A proud Jewish American, and one of the most sought-after American comedians, his relevant and striking adult humour provides viewers with a chance to catch their breath amidst the daring acts.

Al Halim (The Manipulator) is an elegant addition to the team, opening the show with a spellbinding act, as he bends cards to his will with sleight-of-hand artistry that rivals the best of the craft.

Colin Cloud (The Deductionist) is also awe-inspiring, an ex-forensic investigator and seductionist at heart, he deduces everything from occupations and pet names to a person’s thoughts. This is all conducted through physical observations, like those of Sherlock Holmes, which allows sceptics of mind reading to rest a little easier.

The classic assistant-sawn-in-half trick is completely reinvented by Kevin James (The Inventor) and will leave you screaming for answers in one of the best acts of the night. With levitating flowers and a flare for the dramatic, this man will keep you on your toes.

Our very own Australian born illusionist, Raymond Crowe, brings a variety of beautiful and bizarre talents to the show as The Unusualist. Performing everything from shadow puppetry to volunteer ventriloquism, he infuses his distinctive humour throughout.

James Moore (The Deceptionist) disappears and reappears to avoid meeting a painful end, as his body is put to the test against fire and impalement. Jonathan Goodwin (The Daredevil) also executes death-defying escapes, and elicits both fear and excitement, despite an escape that is a tad anti-climactic. Escape artists and magicians like Goodwin are, however, being constantly subjected to audiences with extremely high expectations due to an increase in special effects in films and exposure to the largest number of magicians and escape artists we’ve ever seen. Goodwin risks his life and the lives of others through his fiery escape attempts and incredible marksmanship that has the entire audience in spellbound silence. Your fear will rise as the targets decrease and the stakes increase, because he doesn’t always hit his mark on the first try.

However, the show severely lacks female performers, save for those dancing or brave enough to become live shooting targets. In fact, The Illusionists have, disappointingly, never been known for a gender balanced cast – with only one central female cast member in past years. Despite this, those hand-picked to perform excel in their different aspects of illusion.

Uniting as an incredibly talented group to provide you with a series of breathtaking performances, The Illusionists will be sure to leave you absolutely astounded and craving a beginner’s magic kit.