Vitaly: An Evening of Wonders NYC Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (160)
See it if you enjoy magic. Altho some illusions are repetitive, all are enjoyable. You'll grow to like Vitaly...and be dazzled. Fun to sit close.
Don't see it if you want real theater. Takes awhile to warm to EOW, but you will. Borat meets Seinfeld! Some lame jokes. Audience particip. For adults/kids.
See it if You like magic. Photo was the best. Very talented. Interesting show.
Don't see it if If you want traditional play or a musical or if you don't like audience participation.
See it if you want to relax with some great illusions, laugh a little and be entertained by a warm personality.
Don't see it if you are looking for a play or musical. This is a one-person show-of-wonder with audience participation.
See it if you seek a pleasant, harmless, uncontroversial, family-friendly evening of magic & illusion from a masterful & oddly charming practitioner.
Don't see it if you expect the Vegas-style production values of D Copperfield, sharp wit of Penn & Teller or storytelling/performance art of In & Of Itself.
See it if you like magic and delight in being fooled, want to see innovative tricks, enjoy the company of 1 person on stage and audience participation
Don't see it if not a fan of magic, expect a lot of special effects, not a fan of audience involvement,
See it if Russian illusionist brings gravity-defying manifestations to the stage. Ten illusions and 12 volunteers bring inoffensive tricks o'trade.
Don't see it if Parlour tricks best suited for the table than the stage. Sketch pad and playing card reliant. Don't put your personal info on blast! 75 min.
See it if Phenomenal tricks including 3 different liquids in 3 different glasses & the infamous "drivers license" trick. This guy has been on TV too!
Don't see it if You don't like magic and illusion shows. But give it a try; you'll love it! 80 minutes including a 3 minute "pause".
See it if Want to see the new type of mentalism/illusions that're now prevalent. Vitaly's engaging & a few of his tricks are quite mindboggling.
Don't see it if Want every trick to amaze. It feels a tad unsophisticated & some bits are repetitive. But! Those that land are great. Audience participation Read more
Critic Reviews (18)
“Beckman is toothy and jokey, charisma-proof, but somehow likable...Patter was straight-up terrible, with gags about controlling wives, doctors’ handwriting and van Gogh’s ear. If several of the tricks feel original, nearly all of them feel hokey...Beckman has a deft and surprising way with Photoshop. If you are ever longing for a sorcerous way to improve the picture on your driver’s license, he is definitely the magician to call...Less an evening of wonder, than an evening of ‘Hunh? O.K.’”
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"There are delightful moments in this showcase for the Russian-Israeli-Canadian illusionist Vitaly, and even a few beautiful ones...Magic isn’t bought, it’s sold, and that's where Vitaly stumbles. While his gawky demeanor and unimposing delivery are endearing in a way, they can't anchor a full-length evening; his creative illusions deserve better set-ups than corny jokes, scattered crowd work and a vague suggestion of the supernatural."
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“Beckman’s perfectly charming 80-minute diversion...is a far cry from the grand spectacles of magic and illusion that occasionally pop up on Broadway. There's no sexy dramatics...He's just a friendly guy with some corny jokes and a playful desire to make people want to smile."
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“Entertaining...The youthful, athletic, beaming, and unconventionally handsome Beckman holds forth for 75 delightful minutes with his slight native Russian accent. Though there’s not a big wow factor on display there’s enough cool sequences to make the production quite enjoyable for both adults and children...A crafty program of accomplished trickery and artful patter that Beckman smoothly delivers.”
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“The endearing Beckman has a cheesy flare for the dramatic, which works against his incredible talent as an illusionist...While his technique is incredibly precise, the illusions are often only mildly interesting...Lack the originality and personal touch that might differentiate him from other illusionists...For some, Beckman's talent will be enough; others, may find the theatricality to leave something to be desired.”
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“Beckman is an astounding magician and illusionist. He’s created a fun evening that will dazzle audiences of all ages with tricks that impress...Intimate-scale magic. Working on a mostly bare stage with a few tables and chairs, backed by a projection screen, he demonstrates, with modest props, a series of charmingly baffling illusions. He brings art to life a number of times in extremely creative and amazing ways.”
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"Much to my surprise, I was delighted by the energetic and charming Vitaly and his 'Evening of Wonders'...It is the best magic show I have seen in ages...I know I was flabbergasted and intrigued throughout...Which is exactly how a magic show, I think, should leave you, desperate to figure out just how did he do that wondrous thing."
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"Beckman’s goofy, self-proclaimed Seinfeld-like charm quickly wins over the audience with a range of tricks that he mostly pulls off without a hitch...'Vitaly’s' most magical moments involve Beckman’s love of art, in which he draws figures on a sketchpad. Before our eyes, the thick, black lines move into something entirely new, and with a slow wave of his hand over the image, they transform into color, then three-dimensional, and eventually fly off the page."
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