“Each performer has a specialty of sorts, and all are very good at what they do...Perhaps the production’s greatest trick is that it never feels like a rip-off or a TV show padded out for Broadway prices...Kid-friendly, ‘The Illusionists’ can seem a bit hokey at times and some of the tricks, though never less than well performed, aren’t exactly new...Dance group Light Balance make for an entertaining palate cleanser, though one performance would have been fine.”
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“’The Illusionists — Magic of the Holidays’ more than delivers, even if its cheesiness factor is more redolent of Las Vegas than Broadway...The show features five magicians, all given snappy monikers that don't necessarily prove accurate when it comes to their routines...The show gives little nod to the season...But it provides a holiday treat for those magic fans interested in seeing it performed live rather than from the remove of a television screen.”
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"This year's show is subtitled 'Magic of the Holidays,' but it's certainly not holiday-themed, and it's definitely not magical. With the exception of 'Futurist' Adam Trent, all of the performers are making their Broadway debuts this year, and they lack as much personality as their warmed-over routines, many of which have been done in other shows, to a much greater effect...A show that gets less and less impressive with every new iteration."
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"This year director Neil Dorward's production takes on a straightforward approach, allowing each performer to inject their own personality into the proceedings without contributing to an overall theme...While it's fair to say 'The Illusionists - Magic of the Holidays' doesn't hit a great many gasp-worthy moments, the skills of the performers are certainly quite amazing, making for a pleasant family diversion to warm up the winter months."
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"Unfortunately this latest iteration, the group’s fourth appearance on Broadway, offers many tricks, but little magic...Among the five magicians, mentalist Colin Cloud impressed me the most...The audience does not get a moment to suspend their disbelief and believe in the supernatural, even briefly, because the magicians keep taking credit for the tricks...Diehard fans of magic and illusion will likely get their money’s worth...My wish, however, was for fewer gimmicks and more heart."
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“’The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays’ will blow your mind! Starring five differently talented magicians, the show is undeniably enjoyable, if sometimes over-produced. While some tricks felt sadly small for the big stage and some of the tech overly stylized...I found myself laughing and aweing at the mind tricks and magic placed before me by the incredibly talented acts throughout the evening...The true star of the night was Shim Lim...The evening is sure to wow you.”
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"The Illusionists' fourth Broadway outing in the past five years, subtitled 'Magic for the Holidays,' lives up to its billing - providing moment-after-moment of 'how did he do that?' amazement. Better still, it is a much lighter affair than its initial, spooky-creepy debut; the show is often quite funny and consistently family-friendly, making it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser."
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"Lim’s cad tricks are unique and impressive, even if his stage presence is...underwhelming. Equally as mind-blowing is mentalist Cloud...The holiday theme is lamely mapped onto a pre-existing show...It’s all good, harmless fun, though, and that is ultimately the point...If you’re looking for an entertaining, well-produced, and mainstream magic show this holiday season, check it out.”
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