Carnival of Illusion

Carnival of Illusion is back at The Renaissance Hotel - Downtown Phoenix on Saturday, December 19. It's a close-up magic show, which means you're watching the tricks happen inches from your seat rather than from a distant stage. The whole thing is clean and family-friendly, so it works just as well for a date as it does for a night out with the kids.

The show is run by Roland and Susan, known as Sarlot & Eyed, who combine sleight-of-hand with dance. They met in 2002, and Roland became the house magician at the Miraval resort in 2005. Their 30-seat boutique theater opened in 2009, and by 2016 it had become the longest-running Arizona theater show in history; by 2020, it had passed its 1,000th performance. In 2023, the brand expanded with Carnival of Illusion THEATER, which brings world-class guest magicians to the stage. The show itself is an old-world, vaudeville-inspired experience with a hint of 1900s Parisian humor, and it's won an 'Excellence in Magic' award in Colon, Michigan.

One thing to keep in mind is that this isn't a big Vegas-style production. There are no smoke machines, no mirrors, and no large-scale pyrotechnics—just the close-up magic they're known for. The dress code is business casual, and the show is performed right in front of you, so you'll have a clear view of everything. Tickets are available at tickets.carnivalofillusion.com.