by Tim Leininger

Production photos by Evan Zimmerman

            I do love a good magic show and have reviewed a few since I started reviewing theater nine years ago, but even well executed routines aren’t going to fill a Broadway house. There needs to be what the cliche would be called the “X” factor. Take Rob Lake Magic with special guests The Muppets for example, which opened tonight and announced before it opened that is slated to close Sunday at the Broadhurst Theatre at 234 W. 44^th St. in New York City.

Magic shows happen every few years on Broadway and I enjoy them well enough, but there has to be a degree of charisma, or as the friend who saw the show with me, electricity, that must exist to elevate the show from a perfectly executed magic show, to something with dynamism that will sell out a Broadway house. Even a gimmick like The Muppets making their Broadway debut along with you is only going to add a moderate percentage of ticket sales. At the performance I attended, about half the mezzanine was empty and seats on the ends of the orchestra were open.

It’s not like Rob Lake is a bad magician. Far from it. He and his team of illusionists do an excellent job in executing the routines. The issue is the show doesn’t really bring anything new to the table. Lake says during the show that part of the show’s theme is to present a sort of history lesson in magic, performing illusions that have been a part of magic history, and though there may be some variation to routines that may be hundreds, if not thousands of years old, there is a lot of familiarity with what is presented for anyone who has been going to magic shows throughout their life. One routine, as Lake describes it, is a 3,000-year-old illusion from Egypt that involves stirring various colored sand into a bowl of water and then removing the sand out of the water without it being wet and without the sand mixing colors. The illusion itself was impressive, but Lake’s presentation lacks the “wow” factor that should be expected on a Broadway stage. He performs with a smug confidence, which could be fine if it is in a smaller venue or before a camera, but not in a larger house.

Production photos by Evan Zimmerman

There are a couple illusions that pop with that sense of electricity. One involves a reveal piece where audience members surround a platform from above, below, and around it, presenting the impossibility of the illusion. Then there is the show’s explosive motorcycle finale, which was thrilling.

            One illusion, the Metamorphosis, needed a little cleaning up still, as one of the swaps that makes the illusion work was visible from my vantage point 10 rows back in the house right orchestra.

Production photos by Evan Zimmerman

            The addition of The Muppets to the show adds some kid appeal and nostalgia, which is nice, as I imagine that the illusions that Rob Lake does is going to appeal to children more than many adults, as they’ll be experiencing many of them for the first time. The Muppets are more famous than Rob Lake and it showed as when Kermit, Gonzo, Miss Piggy, and Fozzy received more applause than Lake did. It showed to me at least, that the show needed more routines with them involved. This would have helped with the misdirection, and since things generally never go as planned with The Muppets, it would have been a great way to give the illusions a fresh, new, treatment.

            Rob Lake is an exceptional illusionist. He knows what he’s doing when it comes to executing the routines. It seems that, though for now, his ability to captivate a Broadway audience, isn’t quite there, and if you’re going to have the Muppets on Broadway, make them the stars that they are.

ROB LAKE MAGIC WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE MUPPETS

TICKETS: https://www.roblake.com/broadway

PRODUCTION: Created & Conceived by Rob Lake; Creative Consultant: Bethany Pettigrew; Additional Material by Kevin J. Zak; Costume Consultant: Christine Meyers; Lighting Consultant: Nick Solyom; Sound Consultant: Mike Tracey; Video Consultant: Kate Ducey; Wig & Hair Consultant: Ashley Rae Callahan; General Manager: WJP, Dylan Glen; Company Manager: Weiyi Liang; Production Stage Manager: Thomas Recktenwald; Production Manager: What If We Productions; Marketing Director, Organic Social Media & Partnerships: Table 7 Strategy; Marketing & Advertising: Situation; Public Relations: DKC/O&M; Influencer Marketing: Our Time Influence; Associate Producer: Leila Sykes

CAST

Rob Lake

Kermit the Frog

Miss Piggy

The Great Gonzo

Fozzie Bear

Animal

Rowlf the Dog

Illusion Assistants: Jessie Forcha, Noah Mason, Jennifer Orf, Natalie Vatalaro, Alli Zajac

Puppeteers: John Cody, Ben Durocher, Matthew Furtado, Noel Macneal, Sebastiano Ricci, Stoph Scheer