Growing up, I watched David Blaine on television performing street acts and he never ceased to amaze me. The way that he invites his audience to see his performance up close is one of the many reasons he is so captivating to watch. When I heard he was coming to the Saenger Theatre, my curiosity was peaked as I had never seen him in a theater setting. He did not disappoint.
We walked into a sold out show, quickly found our seats. We all waited under the cloud of the 'unknown'. What were we all about to see?
Anticipation grew as his partner cautioned the audience in person that they "may feel the need to divert their eyes from the stage during the night's show" - Par for the course if you're familiar with Blaine's acts. The show started with Blaine visiting the upper balcony to perform for the audience members up close. He then made his way to the stage as the powerful introduction video set the tone for the night. About 20 seconds after greeting the sold out New Orleans audience, Blaine grabs the thread and a needle, then moves forward with sewing his mouth shut. Later, he fished a wedding ring out of his stomach with a clothes hanger. Going back to his street magic roots, Blaine had members of the audience standing so close, they could help slam his hand down on the ole "Sharp Ice Pick Under the Cup" trick. For full disclosure, I looked away during this particular performance. He paid homage to his influences whom he had studied and adopted acts from. Another magician performed an amazing crowd involvement act using memory and persuasion. Solving a Rubik's Cube is a tough feat for most. Solving 2 Rubik's cubes at the same time with your eyes closed will make you think long and hard on your drive home. Like any other performer, a sold out show is a testament to your reputation. His patience and gravitas created the climb up the roller coaster 2 minutes before the stomach turning fall. And like any other roller coaster ride, at the end you were satisfied.
