Master Magician Tim Ellis Brings HOUSE OF GAMES to The Laneway Theatre

Master magician Tim Ellis has unveiled THE HOUSE OF GAMES, his eleventh full-length theatrical production since the opening of the Laneway Theatre in 2017. The show is currently playing Saturday nights at the Northcote venue, which operates from a hidden, map-only location.

The House of Games draws inspiration from classic board and card games, incorporating magic built around familiar titles including Uno, Scrabble, Two-Up, Pictionary, Poker, Yahtzee, and Cluedo. Throughout the performance, Ellis combines sleight-of-hand, illusion, and storytelling, presenting effects that build in scale and complexity across the evening rather than reserving spectacle for a single finale.

One sequence features a transformation involving Lego pieces that shift into audience-selected objects, while another centers on a game of Yahtzee played under unconventional conditions. Each effect is structured as a standalone moment while contributing to the broader thematic arc of the show, which focuses on imagination, memory, and the pleasure of the unexplained.

The Laneway Theatre itself is a central element of the experience. Tucked away in a secluded Northcote laneway, the venue is accessed via a map provided upon booking and requires guests to enter through a concealed pathway. Audience members arrive in a museum-like space filled with magic memorabilia before being seated in an intimate performance room designed to place spectators close to the action.

Notably, the theatre is located within Ellis’ own home, allowing the performer to host audiences in a uniquely personal setting. Following performances, Ellis returns upstairs, reinforcing the site-specific nature of the production and the blending of domestic and theatrical space.

The evening concludes with a demonstration centered on intuition and perception, as Ellis reveals a written thought known only to an audience participant. The moment underscores the show’s broader exploration of mystery and the enduring appeal of magic in an age defined by information and certainty.