As the editor of Greenpointers, a lot of sundry emails cross my inbox threshold every day. A lot of self-promotion, press releases, sometimes the odd pitch or complaint. Some are more interesting than others, such as the inquiry I got from magician Alexander Boyce, who invited us to his monthly ‘Kanpai Magic’ event at Rule of Thirds.
I won’t lie. The idea of a magic show conjured up images of Arrested Development’s failson Gob Bluth and his cheesy tricks (sorry, illusions), set to Europe’s bombastic 80s hit “The Final Countdown.”
What I received instead was a night of skillful fun (set to mid-century jazz, even better). Boyce and two other magicians, Matthew Holtzclaw and Derek Hughes, performed in the backroom event space at Rule of Thirds (171 Banker Street). The restaurant offered up a pared down selection of its menu, featuring smaller bites like karaage chicken and tuna and nori tartare. Guests sat around long communal tables and were able to order food and drinks throughout the evening off QR codes. I got to drink sake out of a juicebox. I have no complaints.
Though I understand the basic logical underpinning of magic — misdirection, showmanship, precisely meting out the information your audience needs to know — I find myself more of a believer and less of a skeptic when it comes seeing it in person. I want to be dazzled, and I’m happy to wholeheartedly suspend my disbelief to throw myself into the experience.
If you’re looking for something different to do on a night out, ‘Kanpai Magic’ fits the bill. Stay tuned for when the event returns to Rule of Thirds on April 18.