AMAZE TURNS SLEIGHT OF HAND
INTO SLEIGHT OF HEART; THE MOST
DAZZLING TRICK IS MAKING YOU CARE

Jamie Allan, the UK’s original technology magician, brings his new work Amaze to New York’s New World Stages after a successful run in London. Co-created with Tommy Bond and cleverly directed by Jonathan Goodwin, it is a personal journey through illusion, memory, and the rich history of a craft Allan clearly reveres, with a sensibility that leans more toward Broadway storytelling than Vegas spectacle. Most important, the heart of the show is a moving tribute to Allan’s late parents, singer Kay Kennedy and bandleader Alan James Nicklin; they gifted him the Fisher-Price magic set that sparked his lifelong passion, and they helped shape his confidence.

Allan is soft-spoken and warm, a refreshing break from the glitzy swagger of most illusionists. He prefers to draw you in rather than dazzle from a distance, and New World Stages’ Theatre 5 is perfect for such an intimate show. The tricks themselves go from classic card sleights to sleek, modern illusions. Bodies levitate, vanish, and reappear just feet from your seat; smartphones become portals; Rubik’s Cubes and puzzles defy logic; and cards sync perfectly (and poetically) with iconic pop songs. There’s a bit in the middle that asks the audience to stand up and it drags a little, but it’s a small dip in an otherwise smooth show.

At some point in childhood, most of us discover that magic is only great technique, timing, and carefully planted distractions, and for many of us that revelation is the beginning of skepticism. Jamie Allan, however, dares to lead us back to our childhood armed with Scotch-taped posters and props from his 1980s attic. He puts us in a time capsule; set designer Damien Stanton, with the help of senior graphic designer Clare Nordbruch, resurrects that room in cinematic detail, complete with vintage TV advertisements, his parents’ music cases, clunky VHS machines, beloved toys, and the unmistakable charm of the pre-digital age. Ryan Borshuk’s sound design, for his part, seamlessly underscores the memories, sharp sleights, and the grand illusions created by Adam Topham, Greg Frewin, and Willie Kennedy, with whimsical effects from Axtell Expressions, all under the artful direction of illusion master Richard Young.

Before a single card is flipped, a story is shared and the trick contextualized. We are introduced to the legendary Richard Valentine Pitchford (1895–1973), better known as Cardini, a British virtuoso whose sleight of hand still defines the gold standard. We also glimpse into old treasured books that preserve the foundational secrets of the craft. And of course, no magician works alone: Natalia Love, Natalie Gerene, and Justin Gentry lend their talents with a relaxed precision that makes everything look effortless.

More than anything, Amaze is a theatrical memoir wrapped in magic, certainly a unique experience. There are moments where sentimentality is pushed a little too deliberately but it’s a family show, don’t forget. When I saw it, children in the crowd were beaming, especially those lucky enough to join the stage. I did not leave with my jaw dropped but with a flicker of childhood wonder reignited, and a loving nod to the memories and mentors that taught me to find the extraordinary in the everyday. And that, my friends, is its own brand of magic.

photos of West End production by Danny Kaan

Jamie Allan’s Amaze
Starvox Touring
2 hours with one intermission
New World Stages, Stage 5, 340 West 50th St.
ends on November 2, 2025
Harry DeCruz will go on for Jamie Allan at certain performances
for tickets, visit Amaze