Stuart Lightbody Opens New Show UNREAL at National Arts Festival Today

Double Standard Bank Silver Ovation Award winner and illusionist extraordinaire, Stuart Lightbody, presents his new show, UNREAL at the National Arts Festival.

From the creator of hits such as STUPERSTITION and DARK IMAGININGS, comes this intriguing symphony of magic and misperceptions. In a waking dream where truth and lies swirl in a strangE Eddy of imagination and wonder, revel in the art of illusion and the experience will be... unreal!

Presented by DL Productions, UNREAL is written and performed by Stuart Lightbody and directed by multiple award-winner Tara Notcutt, (THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, ...MISKIEN, MAFEKING ROAD). Stuart is renowned for his unique and signature sleight-of-hand style, which captivates and enthrals audiences locally and internationally. Comments about his shows have included "His visual trickery is accompanied by wit and self-awareness..." (Cue) and "Stuart Lightbody [is a] sleight of hand extraordinaire" (Cape Argus).

"The fact that magic is not real makes it nonetheless beautiful and all the more fascinating," says Stuart. "UNREAL contains some of my favourite pieces of pure, sleight-of-hand artistry, and in doing so, portrays a magician as someone who plays in the gap between reality and imagination."

This year, Stuart performed an acclaimed tour of Australia and Europe with STUPERSTITION. At the Perth World Fringe Festival it was nominated for the ABC Performance Award and at the Adelaide Fringe Festival it won a weekly Best Of The Festival award. It received a five star review from the Adelaide Advertiser which commented, "He's just like THE MENTALIST on television, only up close without camera tricks." Stuart has also recently returned from a sold-out run at the Prague Fringe Festival where he was nominated for the Creative Award and received a special mention in the Spirit of the Fringe Award. He won Standard Bank Silver Ovation Awards at the National Arts Festival for his shows Stuperstition and Dark Imaginings, and has represented South Africa at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas and at the World Magic Championships in Sweden. In 2011 he lectured and performed at the IMX convention (International Magic Experience) in Las Vegas, Nevada and he is great demand as a performer for corporate events all over the world.

UNREAL will be performed at The Highlander at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, from today, 27 June to 7 July at 4pm daily, except for 7 July when the show is on at 2pm. Ticket prices range from R40 - R65, and bookings can be made at Computicket.

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