NEW YORK—A combination of nostalgia and wonderment is at the center of the simply marvelous offering from magician extraordinaire Jamie Allan.
Genial and welcoming from the moment he first appears, Allan, who recently presented this work on London’s West End, currently holds court off-Broadway at Stage 5 of the New World Stages complex.
The venue’s 199-person capacity is somewhat less than the 1,000-plus seating locations where Allan’s previously performed. But that’s part of the point of the show. In conceiving it with his collaborator, Tommy Bond, Allan wanted to get back to playing at venues where he could really see the audience like he did when he started out. The idea was not only to demonstrate some very amazing magic tricks—sleight of hand, misdirection, and illusion—but also to explore the ongoing fascination magic can offer: What attracts people to magic in the first place?
What’s Shared With the Audience
In examining this premise, Allan recalls his childhood in a small English town in the early 1980s. The first chance he had to see magic up close was thanks to a renowned magician who performed at the pub his parents owned. Later, the magician took Allan under his wing and began to teach him the craft.
Allan also credits his parents for their encouragement in his pursuits. Both had careers in the entertainment industry: His mom was a singer, his dad a bandleader. Allan was particularly close to his mother, and, in fact, it was her love of antiquing and their running across some items one day that, thanks to a strange quirk of fate (a running theme in the show) that would eventually end up playing a far more significant role in Allan’s life than he ever expected.
There’s nothing of the somber and mysterious hushes found in similar productions of this ilk. Allan consistently engages with those in attendance as he relates his personal connection to the world of magic and relies on multiple instances of very willing audience participation.
He drops in interesting bits of related trivia, such as the name of the very first book written that explored the study of magic (“The Discoverie of Witchcraft”), written in 1584. Also, how many of the tricks in the genre are often not simply created, but rather passed down from teacher to student, while others are lost to time.
Allen pays homage to significant magicians from the past, such as the master mage Cardini (1895–1973), who set the standard for many who followed. Of those who personally inspired him as a child were Doug Henning and David Copperfield.
His recollections serve as bridges into various feats of magic. These all confound and delight the audience as they wonder exactly how he did what he did. Included in his repertoire are demonstrations which involve a deck of cards, a jigsaw puzzle, a rope, and a seemingly impenetrable glass window, just to name a few. There’s more than a hint of a Las Vegas extravaganza, thanks to some lights, a mysterious cabinet, a motorcycle, and a woman who seems to float in mid-air, along with a splendid and completely unexpected finale.
One specific point Allan keeps coming back to is the importance of instilling a sense of wonder to go along with the magic presented. Through that, the child inside each person reawakens and rediscovers just how much fun it is to be fooled by what he or she has seen.
Allan is helped in his endeavors by Natalia Love, Natalie Gerene, and Justin Gentry; each excellent in his or her own special way. Director Jonathan Goodwin makes sure to keep the entire show running smoothly and never lets Allan speak so long that his recitations become tedious. Damien Stanton’s set, which combines kitschy elements with wistful nostalgia, adds a crucial element to the overall feeling of the production.
“Jamie Allan’s Amaze” is a delight for children of all ages. Those old enough to remember the 1980s are treated to remembrances of things and people long past, while those younger are introduced to subjects such as a Betamax while they hopefully discover the joy of magic for, perhaps, the very first time.
Magician Harry De Cruz will go on for Jamie Allan at certain performances.
‘Jamie Allan’s Amaze’
New World Stages, Stage 5
340 W. 50th St., New York City
Tickets: AmazeMagic.com
Running Time: 1 hours, 40 minutes (and one intermission)
Closes: Sept. 6, 2026
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