Today in Las Vegas Magazine

LANCE BURTON - MORE THAN A HAT TRICK

Lance Burton has come a long way from Louisville, Kentucky when his introduction to magic began before his sixth birthday as a result of being taken to a Christmas party by his mother, where the featured performer was magician Harry Collins. When the magician asked for a volunteer, Lance bolted up on stage and the rest, as they say, is history; though in Lance’s case, it’s more “history in the making.”

Perhaps then it’s no big stretch to see so much more audience participation in this magic show than anywhere else. I’ve been to a few in town and this show provides the audience – children, especially – with a lot more opportunities to take part in a trick and be on stage. For me, this is the best part of the entire production. It may be a cliché, but the expressions on the children’s faces… it’s priceless. Not only that, but their reactions as well. On the night we caught the show, there were two who volunteered, only to back-out in mid-trick, which was very funny and quite endearing.

Although the show doesn’t start out with a bang, he does ease into it towards the middle, becoming a little more animated and hyper, as compared to the first few tricks he performs when he comes across as a bit shy, a tad timid and somewhat apologetic. Not that he should be, having accomplished a great many feats in his career. He’s won countless awards – Grande Prixe and ‘World Champion Magician’ at the Federation Internationale Societe de Magie; “Magician of the Year” by the Academy of Magical Arts; as for honors, in 1994, the “Mantle of Magic” was passed to him from Master Magician Lee Grabel, making him the new member of what has been called The Royal Dynasty of Magic. In that same year, Burton entered into a contract to star-in, produce and direct a new, lavish version of his show at the then up-and-coming Monte Carlo Hotel. This 13-year contract is the longest legal agreement ever given to any entertainer in Las Vegas history. To top it off, a theatre was built for him and designed to his specifications, to the tune of $27 million.

In essence, if you’ve been to a couple of magic shows, you might feel that you’ve seen it all. And perhaps you have, for the tricks are probably the same, running along the lines of variations of a theme, but the difference lies in the execution. For sure, there were more than a couple of “wow” moments, but you’d expect nothing less from such a seasoned and highly honored magician.

After one especially neat trick where he kisses a girl and then makes her disappear, he asked the audience if they had any questions, to which someone from the balcony yelled, “Tell us how you did it!” He of course replied with the standard, “If I tell you, I’d have to kill you,” and just as quickly, that audience member shot back with “Tell my wife!” which got everyone in the room laughing, including Lance.

There are a lot of lighter moments in the show, as provided by comedian Michael Goudeau, whose act serves as some kind of “intermission,” perhaps to give the backstage crew some time to prep for the next act. He juggles beanbags, torches, knives and sometimes even while he’s on a unicycle.

Lance Burton sums it up nicely when at one point he told the audience, “This is a very simple trick, but the question is, is the trick done well?” With Lance, not only is it done well, it’s done with an ease, grace and flair that still elicits awe, night after night, year after year. That in itself is nothing short of magical.

-Rachel M. Sugay

Lance Burton
Lance Burton Theatre, Monte Carlo Hotel. Show times are 7 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday; with added 10 p.m. show, Tuesday and Saturday. Tickets are $66.50 and $72.55. Call 702-730-7160.