“The Present” – Magic Show on Zoom, an Amazing Experience

Words can’t describe how much fun my family had watching “The Present” magic show via zoom last week.  If you can get a ticket to Helder Guimaraes’ “The Present” you should jump on it. Helder’s show is a COVID 19 must see and I can only imagine how good the show would be to see in person. COVID may have made this a unique experience, but I honestly believe it would be amazing under any circumstance. I was a little apprehensive about watching a magic show via Zoom, but it worked perfectly. I highly recommend it even though it is via Zoom.

It is tough to do a review of a magic show without spoilers. I definitely don’t want to ruin the experience for you and that is of the utmost importance to me. Please bear with my lack of specificity as I try to do the show justice.

The Premise (A Magic Show)

The premise is quite simple; a magic show with a regular deck of playing cards that dazzles the audience.  On its face, it hardly seems like that would be worth the money, but it is worth it, hands down.  The fact that Helder was able to conduct this performance on the other end of a computer made it nearly unbelievable and truly justified the spend.  Equally amazing, was the fact that I was sitting in my office watching the show on my computer and it felt like I was there. Helder’s performance was flawless. Thoroughly impressed, I might just believe in magic.  

What is it? (The Present is Magic)

While known for amazing in person performances, the Geffen Playhouse has taken it to another level. By bringing the performance into your home through Zoom as the “Geffen Stayhouse” they have surpassed all expectations. The performance consists of 25 households dialed in through Zoom. We all end up in Helder’s study. Each Household may have multiple participants and you must connect via Zoom on a desktop, laptop, or tablet device.   Prior to the show, each household is mailed a mystery package, don’t open the package until instructed or you risk spoiling some of the surprises.

How it Works (It is Magic)  

Connecting with the theater was as easy as could be. Key requirements are a good internet connection, a Zoom account (4 months into a lockdown it is hard to imagine life without one), and a quiet place to watch the show.   The Geffen Stayhouse host does a great job of making you feel like you are arriving at a real theater as you entertain yourself in the virtual lobby.  I logged on early to make sure my connection worked and then came back about 5 minutes before the show started.  It is important that you are in a location where you won’t be disturbed and are protected from unwanted sounds. There are long periods of time during the performance when your microphone is live and the rest of the audience can hear everything at your location.

Helder’s unassuming presence, difficult to place accent, and affable personify quickly take the audience in. He tells a compelling story that threads together a series of individual tricks; masterfully managing 25 guests for the 70 minute performance. There is no intermission, so use the bathroom before the show starts.  It is ideally suited for adults, but the show is also enjoyable for pre-teens and up.  The precise following of Helder’s instructions is important to the show and I recommend that an adult handle the cards.  

Audience Participation

When the spotlight is on one of the audience members, you can definitely feel it. This is not a sit back and just watch kind of show.  Audience participation is a must and the audience needs to pay attention.  Once the show gets going, Helder connects with you individually, even though you could be thousands of miles away.  I won’t spoil the tricks and I have no idea how he could have known what cards we were holding at our house, but he did.  Our group of 25 was heavily involved throughout the show and Helder was 100% accurate that night, it was magical.

Participation in the event made it go even faster than the hour and ten minutes we were together.  At the end of the show, I was not ready for it to end. I guess I will have to settle for seeing Helder at a future event.  My participation in the show made it even more fun and the fact that I have literally no idea how most of the tricks worked, was icing on the cake.

Recommendation

“The Present” is a magic show that does not disappoint. I recommend seeing this during the COVID lockdown as it will make you feel like you are having a night out.  It was one of the funnest family and social events we have had since COVID locked us down.  I can’t stop telling people about my experience and highly recommend the show. Even though I just saw it, I want to see it again!  If you have a chance, put this on the list of things to do. Its a great evening to get dressed up, have a nice dinner and a cocktail, and enjoy the show.  

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