Tahir has been performing stand-up comedy and acting for well over 20 years, but it’s a pretty safe bet that any child under 12 years old wouldn’t know who he is. That’s meant as no disrespect to the man, but let’s just say that television shows like Fat Pizza, Housos, and Here Come the Habib’s weren’t exactly kid-friendly. So how did Tahir go from stand-up to television to a children’s entertainer & magician? Well, it probably has something to do with his former job as a school teacher, his ability to make people laugh and, most importantly, because he’s really good at it!

Located in Ukiyo at Gluttony, a place that I can only guess is a converted sauna, Tahir walked out to a packed crowd full of families with little children. Starting off the show by performing 10 magic tricks in only a few minutes, the kids were instantly engaged, shouting and yelling at the top of their lungs at the illusions on show. It’s not exactly the highest calibre of magic, as the show’s title will attest to, but it kept Mr. 8 and Mr. 11 enthralled. It’s the kind of sleight-of-hand trickery that took me back to my childhood. The disappearing coin in the box, floating ball, and the water in the newspaper aren’t exactly new. But I had to remember that my children, and the ones in the audience, had never seen this magic before and were totally amazed by it. And that’s where Tahir excels. He’s a great entertainer and has the ability to make people of all ages laugh and have a great time. And although he may think of himself as the World’s Best Worst Magician, I’ll leave my final thoughts to Mr. 8 who, when walking out at the end of the show mentioned “I don’t think he’s that bad of a magician!” Maybe that should be the title of his next show.

Four Stars ****