The show was fantastic. When we were first seated, there was a piano player up to the right of the stage, accompanied by a standing bass player (what's that called? A cello bass? I have no fucking idea.). The piano player pointed to the stage and said 'You'll notice there's an envelope onstage....Penn and Teller would like each and every member of the audience to come up and sign this envelope. While you're up there, please take a look at the big box...examine it thoroughly. Come be a part of the 'envelope signing/box viewing experience". There's a couple of pics above of the stage and the people going up to sign...I wasn't one of them because I'm allergic to tourists (yes, I hate you all.....suck it). The box was empty....but when the show started, Teller came out of the box. Turned out later that it was Penn playing the bass that whole time.....
They've got so many awesome illusions that I cannot possibly state them all here. One of my faves was Teller's bit with a rose. He has a table with a vase containing a single rose. Behind him is a screen with what appears to be the shadow of same rose. He takes some pruning shears to the 'shadow' and starts cutting. The actual rose falls to the cuts he makes on the 'shadow'. Very elegant and pretty illusion.
They demonstrated with complete transparency the 'cup and ball' trick....afterwards throwing the aluminum foil balls out into the audience. There was another bit using a long sheet of cloth (picture above, though barely visible) and an audience participant. They had the audience member watch as Teller tied knots in the cloth and subsequently cut them.....while not actually slicing the cloth. An old trick, but still very cool. After this, Penn and Teller wrapped the long sheet around the neck of the audience member and then pulled it from each end, thereby releasing the cloth in one piece without strangling the participant in the process. Very, very cool illusion.
There was the old 'sawing a woman in half' trick, which ended somewhat messily.....although nobody was actually harmed. I don't want to give away the whole of the show, as it's something truly to be experienced in person.
After the show, both Penn and Teller wait outside the showroom for pics and autographs.....very accessible and friendly dudes. I had my picture taken with Penn (posted it on my twitpics) and took a picture of Teller standing with someone else. I'm kicking myself in the ass for not asking either of them to sign our show tickets.......what the fuck is wrong with me!!!??? (Please don't answer that)
