Mat Franco reinvents his iconic show on the Las Vegas Strip
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Before the pandemic shutdown hit, Mat Franco had one of the tightest sets of any magician on the Las Vegas Strip: It was one amazing close-up set piece after another, with lots of humor, wit and family memories thrown in for good measure. And Franco’s post-shutdown show is even better, partly because of the time he had to reimagine it.
The first thing fans of the show will notice is a new segment before the show even starts—Franco, in a series of videos posted on social media, performs quick bits of magic, some meant to wow you, some meant to just make you laugh at their silliness. For those who have never experienced a Franco show before, it’s a great introduction to his style, as well as a hint as to what to expect from the show itself.
The personality, sense of humor and smile that helped Franco win America’s Got Talent are in full force in his show at the Mat Franco Theater. He’s instantly likable, and spends plenty of time with his audiences, finding out information from them that gets used at the end of the show in a signature illusion that lends itself to the name of his show—Magic Reinvented Nightly. No matter how many times you’ve seen this show, this final bit ensures that every performance will be different.
One segment that’s likely to always be in Franco’s show comes midway through. After a touching story involving his grandmother helping him achieve the seemingly impossible, Franco proceeds to do just that: He begins producing cards from thin air, demonstrating why he’s easily one of the greatest close-up magicians in the world. This performance brings the house down each and every time, and requires no pyrotechnics, no special effects, no explosions—it’s just a man, cards and loads of technique.
There are also a few new additions, and they are welcome additions to Franco’s stable of favorites. One involves a poker table and four volunteers, and trust us—no matter how closely you’re watching the cards, nothing can prepare you for how this illusion unfolds. It’s a great blend of humor, audience participation and sleight-of-hand. Another new illusion involves a helium-filled balloon that “switches” with another balloon not filled with helium. Again, best of luck in trying to figure this one out.
But, as Franco would admonish you, why are you trying to? Just enjoy it, as you would a big-budget Hollywood film, without trying to determine how all the special effects are achieved. And as Franco moves forward, ever reinventing his show, it’s a safe bet his fans will always be ready for more—whether they can figure it out or not.
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