I’ve never previously had the chance to see a magic show by The Showmen (comprised of magicians / multi skilled entertainers Justin Williams and Same Hume) so I was VERY excited to catch their show “The Art of Magic and Illusion” at the Melbourne Magic Festival.

The theatre was heaving with an eclectic array of people-  mostly families but people from all walks of life had gathered to watch the magic show. It seems as though The Showmen have some sort of cult following. Commencing the show with an introductory video (backed with a cranking soundtrack) to give everyone a bit of backstory, The Showmen burst onto stage to raptuous applause.

Once on stage, Justin and Sam (The Showmen) wasted little time getting into the magic, which is just what the audience wanted. Each piece of magic shown seemed to be more exciting and surprising than the last. Justin and Sam (The Showmen) are good to their audience, testament to the sheer amount of children and adults wanting to help them out onstage. There were many chances for the audience to help out during this show, often with hilarious results.

What I loved most about this show was the excitement it generated among the audience and within myself. This is much more than a magic show – there were daring escapes (kudos to Justin), performances with fire and even fireworks (literally)! All this excitement built into an incredible finale, which took my breath away. I left the show with adrenaline in my veins, wanting more!

Needless to say, if you get the chance to see The Showmen, then please see them! Support local performers who are super talented and who clearly love their craft so much. I hear The Showmen may be touring soon so keep a lookout for them.

*Disclaimer: we attended this show as guests of the performers