CHICAGO—It begins not with abracadabra or with smoke-and-mirrors but with magician Larry Hass stepping down from a beautiful parlor setting to greet audience members, one by one, in person. That comes across as friendly and effective because, when he asks audience members to join him on the stage of the Rhapsody Theater in Chicago, he can refer to them as “my friend.”
That interactive bonding with theatergoers before a show isn’t typical, but that’s not the only thing that makes this “Magical Life” stand out from other theatrical entertainments. Indeed, one of the big differences between Mr. Hass and other sleight-of-hand magicians is that he is actually a philosopher (with a Ph.D. in the subject), who taught the subject in academia before turning to the art of illusion.
Mr. Hass believes that philosophy and magic have a lot in common, which is the central theme of his presentation. He believes there is an intersection of ideas and illusions, which he explains during his show.
He tells us that there is a lot more going on in life than what we observe, and more going on in the world than we can imagine. Magicians exist to show us that one needs to be careful with what we assume is impossible. Being astonished is a good thing because it provides us with the ability to transform our lives and the lives of other people.
Mr. Hass backs up his perspective with card tricks that include the audience, ingenious hocus-pocus rope entanglements, and points about Chicago neighborhoods that are illustrated with individual pictures, which then miraculously bind together to create a full map of the city.
The most fascinating aspect of the beguiling show, though, are the moments when the magician discusses great men of history who were punished for telling the truth, such as Greek philosopher Socrates, who was forced to drink deadly hemlock for influencing the youth of Athens, and Italian Giordano Bruno, who became a martyr for science because of his religious and views on the afterlife.
Still the highlight of the show is Mr. Hass’s homage to Harry Houdini, the most famous magician and escape artist in America (1874–1926). Photos of Houdini in handcuffs and chains are projected on the back wall of the stage as Mr. Hass explains that Houdini, who was born Erich Weisz, created his pseudonym in reference to the first master of illusion Robert-Houdin (1805–1871).
The master illusionist goes on to explain how Houdini escaped from all kinds of locks, straitjackets, and underwater chains as he allowed himself to be tied up to demonstrate a bit of his own escapist sorcery.
That’s not to say that Mr. Haas reveals the secret of how the feat is accomplished. All he allows us to see is that he is bound hands, feet, and body to a chair by two members of the audience, who acknowledge that the rope is secure and all of one piece. Of course, our magician escapes to the palpable glee of the audience.
While the show is fantastic and bewitching fun, there’s an interesting note about the venue in which he performs. The Rhapsody Theater was carved out of a movie house, the Mayne Stage, which was built in 1912 in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago.
Now, the new theater is a stunning venue of polished oak paneling, wooden rails, an old-fashioned bar in the lobby, and candlelit tables for 200 in cabaret-style seating. While the patrons enjoy the show, they also can order drinks and small dishes that are brought to them from inconspicuous waiters.
Those who love mysteries will appreciate “Magical Life” for its way of reminding us of the sense of wonder we experienced as children when life was more innocent and carefree. And still more of us will enjoy a bit of escapism as this live magic show allows us to solve some of our problems by thinking outside of the box and perhaps altering our way of looking at the world.
