BWW Reviews: THE MAGNIFICENTS at The Arsht Center

There's Magic back in Miami, the Magic City. Just toddle on over to the Arsht Center and there is is: Magic. On stage. Courtesy of the House Theatre of Chicago, the magically imaginative group here in Miami for the fifth year, presenting this time THE MAGNIFICENTS.

Playwright Dennis Watkins missed his grandfather's death but he later imagined it: "...I pictured him on a stage, wearing a tuxedo and tails, and slowly sitting in his favorite chair. My grandmother draped a sheet over him, lightly caressed his face, and then quickly pulled the sheet away. As she did so, he simply vanished."

Watkins is a third generation magician, inspired by the lessons from his grandfather. He's also a terrific writer and actor and when he puts this hat trick on the stage in THE MAGNIFICENTS there's a mesmerizing sense of wonder that seems never to stop.

A traveling magic show comes to town. Watkins is Magnificent, the magician. Adeoye plays Harley, the fervent strongman, Chris Mathews is Boy, the silent thief who finally finds a family, Michael E. Smith is Chase, the roustabout clown who is lost without his red bulbous nose, Brenda Arellano plays Rosie, Magnificent's wife, and speaks only in Spanish. And Honeydew the statuesque aerialist is played by Lucy Carapetyan.

The wonderfully outgoing Nathan Allen directs this show with whistle stop flair. A beautifully designed old truck, engine rumbling, exhaust spewing, lights flashing, moves the show from town to town. The wooden side of the truck swings down onto trestles and becomes the stage and the show begins. The strongman lifts the rubbery 800 lb barbell, the clown mimes a motorcycle cop, the aerialist slithers up and down the silken drapes hanging from the sky, a child from the audience, a lady, a grown man all take part for this is a small town friendly show and the magician, ah, the magician Magnificent conjours up the impossible. You see things that can't be done. It's only a trick. No, it can't be. It has to be real. It's okay to be amazed. There's magic in the air.

And then Magnificent coughs mid trick. And coughs again. And collapses on stage. The warm family tale blooms beneath the glitz and laughter. It's the old as time The King is Dead, Long Live the King.

THE MAGNIFICENTS is a well-spun two hour evening, marred only by the decision to have Rosie, the magician's wife, speak only in Spanish. The gist of her many lines can be gleaned, but it strains the fantasy having to do so.

Scenic and lighting design by Lee Keenan, costumes by Melissa Torchia, sound by Jeff Kelley, music composition by Kevin O'Donnell and choreography by Tommy Rapley. All are excellent and make this a first rate production.

THE MAGNIFICENTS plays through May 3 at the Carnival Studio at the Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Boulevard. Miami. 305-949-6722 http://www.arshtcenter.org

Photo of Dennis Watkins by Justin Namon