Nestled in the centre of the Garden of Unearthly Delights is a shiny black building clad in neon lights. Next to it is a small bar decked out with cherry blossoms. Welcome to the home of Maho Magic Bar. 

Maho Magic Bar returns this Fringe with a collection of familiar and new faces, all bringing a fresh array of close up magic that will leave you gasping, “How did they do that? They are standing right there next to me!”

You are treated to five of the best close up and sleight of hand magicians you will ever see. This year, the Maho Magic Bar features Shingo, Erica Vanlee, Shirayuri, Kaori and Wambi — all masters of their craft.

The inside is beautifully decked out as a Tokyo bar, with several stations around the room. With the hot Adelaide night outside, the cool air-conditioning was a very welcomed treat! Upon entry, you are invited to take a seat at one of the stations where you are met by one of the five magicians who reside in the Maho Magic Bar. 

Our host, Erica Vanlee, keeps the proceedings moving along. Throughout the hour-long performance, each magician rotates around the room to the station you are seated at. They are mere centimetres away from you but still, you cannot work out how they do it. You are just left speechless. 

Throughout the show, audience members are invited to select a bonus trick that features a combination of the five magicians, performed in the centre of the room for all to see. These tricks are of a slightly larger scale, and all bring a lot of cheek and hilarity. 

At the end of the room is the in-house mixologist, Comet, who is an exceptional artist herself. You are able to order drinks that are made by Comet, often in a twirling storm of liquor bottles. It’s impressive to watch.

Although Maho Magic Bar is on the upper end of the price bracket for tickets, it is truly worth every cent. 

For magic lovers, this is certainly a must see, but also, for those of you who are skeptical… I urge you to pay a visit to Maho Magic Bar and be challenged by what you see.