By George Dixon
Josh Staley – entertainment that satisfies.
Close-up magic is always amazing; close-up magic without a table that takes you on a journey is even more so.
With Josh Staley, that journey is peppered with delightful comedy, sometimes a bit corny as if, well, you asked for it, captain obvious, to comedy that has you rolling on the floor; irrespective, Staley’s timing is impeccable.
Staley is a world-class, multi-award-winning comedic magician, including “Best Magic – 2023”.
His new offering, “Lie to Me”, is a leap above his previous shows.
Like all of Staley’s shows, there is never a dull or flat moment. The progression from using playing cards (presentations are many and varied) blew the audience away with elements, including a full bottle of white wine, a clear bottle of glass and coin, and items pre-sealed in envelopes.
The premise of this show is based around the question, what is the truth and what is a lie, or when does a lie become true? Or is that the other way around?
The atmosphere of the show is relaxed, with Josh performing for friends, the interactive audience clearly enjoying the experience while contemplating the “What the” moments.
All of Staley’s performances are family-friendly and highly interactive, which, by default, makes each one unique; keeping the magic alive as the individuals provide non-repeatable variables is a very unique aspect of Staley’s magic.
More so with this performance, which included a totally unexpected but extremely funny situation in an attempt to trip Josh up.
Needless to say, the situation had everyone in stitches as the deception was played out and given up before its conclusion.
Staley enjoyed the deception, as it fitted into the narrative of truth or lie while, at the same time, magically converting the situation back to the original expected conclusion to the admiration of all.
Everyone left the show completely satisfied, as they stopped to thank Staley for a very enjoyable experience.
