Review by Tiffany Knight Raymond, PhD, and Theron Raymond (7th grader)
Every magician who comes to Liberty Magic unfailingly remarks on what a special and intimate space it is. It’s one of a few venues nationwide that’s dedicated solely to magic. Pittsburghers know our city is special, but it’s always an affirming delight to hear that sense of wonder expressed by outsiders.
Jonathan Levit was no exception to this talk track. Levit is fresh from a residency at The Venetian in Las Vegas. As a powerhouse magical performer, he’s clearly not one to be wowed by the mere presence of a stage. This amplifies his reverence for the Liberty Magic space.
Levit opens his new show with a clip of his 12-year-old self performing a magic trick on Sally Jessy Raphael’s national daytime talk show back in the 1980’s. David Copperfield is in the front row, and Levit’s clip ends with the word MAGIC! splashed across a disparaging eyeroll from the young Copperfield. This moment of vulnerability both establishes Jonathan’s career arc and charms the audience, who are now rooting for the middle-aged Levit before he even starts the show.
Jonathan is so practiced that he appears to execute his tricks effortlessly. This allows him to banter and establish rapport with the audience. His show is clearly not a simple rinse-and-repeat. He personalizes the show, building the audience’s sense of trust and willingness to collaborate.
For example, Levit asked Theron his name when he had him assist with a trick, then guessed how to spell it – and got it correct. The next participant, Nicole, proactively offered up the spelling of her name, which Levit dryly noted was far less impressive than him guessing the spelling.
Levit’s dry, slightly self-effacing wit provides a throughline of authenticity. In fact, he opens the show by baselining that he’ll go from “the easy stuff to the hard stuff,” which he elaborates to define as “mind-reading and going from there.” This elicits easy laughter from the audience.
While initially a joke, mind-reading does prove to be the easy stuff. Levit consistently puts geological layers of choice in the hands of multiple audience members. This definitively illustrates how unplanned his tricks are and how he is unable to manipulate the outcome. And if he’s not manipulating the outcome, then it must be…magic?
The show’s narrative has a charmingly autobiographical bent that’s established with the childhood Sally Jessy Raphael clip. Levit’s origin story is cross-generational, as his father was a magician before Jonathan was born. When Jonathan discovered his dad’s magic trick box in a dresser drawer, the next-generation magician was inspired. Levit frequently references childhood memories. The focus on memories attunes the audience to the memories we are collectively making during this singularly unique show.
On the night we attended, the show ended with Levitt deftly conducting coin tricks with close-up cameras intent on his wide-set hands. His jaw-dropping feats of legerdemain were stunningly executed. Your blink is a slow roll compared to Levit’s hands.
Awaken your sense of awe. The show is rated for ages 12 and up and is astounding for teens and adults alike.
-TKR, Ph.D., & TR
Come (or come again) to Liberty Magic (811 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222) through March 29th and witness Jonathan Levit reinvent reality in Reality Reinvented. It’s well worth the VIP Skeleton Key experience. This allows you to go backstage with Levit after the show, where you can ask questions and see more magic in an even cozier space. Purchase tickets online here.
