Wes Iseli Brings Magic to Cville Sabroso This Saturday

 

Professional magician and illusionist Wes Iseli will bring his magic to Cville Sabroso this Saturday, September 19, at the Ting Pavilion in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The 14th annual Cville Sabroso festival runs from 2:00–9:00 PM and celebrates Latin American culture with live music, dance, art, food, family activities and entertainment.

This year, magic is joining the celebration!

Rather than performing a traditional stage show, Wes will be moving throughout the festival during the afternoon, performing up-close, interactive magic for families and festivalgoers.

For Wes, events like Cville Sabroso offer an opportunity to use magic for something it does particularly well—bringing complete strangers together for a shared experience.

“Magic is a universal language—it gives people of every age and cultural background an opportunity to share the same moment of wonder,” Wes said in a Cville Sabroso release. “I can’t wait to create some of those magical moments at Sabroso with families from across the Charlottesville community.”

Magic Without a Language Barrier

One of the unique things about visual magic is that it doesn't necessarily require everyone in the audience to speak the same language.

A card vanishes. An object appears somewhere impossible. Something changes right in a spectator's hands.

The reaction is universal.

That makes Cville Sabroso an especially fun setting for close-up magic, with the festival bringing together people from different cultures and backgrounds throughout the Charlottesville community.

More Than Just Magic

There's plenty happening beyond Wes's performances.

Cville Sabroso will feature music and dance representing multiple countries, food, art and an expanded Kids Zone running from 2:00–8:00 PM.

New this year are additional passport activities for children and a second stage area featuring Lotería and performances from Filipino dance group Yamang Kultura. The 2026 festival also marks the first participation by Charlottesville's Filipino community.

The festival is organized by Sin Barreras, a Charlottesville nonprofit that provides services, educational programs and other support to local immigrant families. Cville Sabroso also serves as an important annual fundraiser for the organization.

The celebration comes during Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs September 15 through October 15.

Come See Some Magic!

If you're in the Charlottesville area Saturday, keep an eye out for Wes as he makes his way around the Ting Pavilion performing magic throughout the afternoon.

Cville Sabroso
📅 Saturday, September 19, 2026
⏰ 2:00–9:00 PM
📍 Ting Pavilion — Charlottesville, Virginia
🎩 Wes Iseli performing throughout the afternoon

Adult and teen admission is $15, while children under 12 are admitted free.

And if you see Wes walking around with a deck of cards in his hands, stop him.

You just might see something impossible.

The Web Returns

 

The scariest card trick in the world!

THE WEB RETURNS!
Based on The classic Web effect, the web returns gives you all the thrills and chills of the original PLUS so much more!!!

If you want to go for the jugular and take no prisoners, the WEB RETURNS is for you! You will get a more visceral reaction than any card effect ever created!

WARNING: There are some people you simply should NOT do this effect for because it starts out so innocently yet ends with a VERY startling reaction!

The Effect: THE WEB RETURNS makes 'em jump up and scream! Four blank cards are counted onto the spectator's palm up hand. Then pictures of spider webs appear and disappear from the faces of the cards. To conclude, the spectator is asked to wave his hands over the cards. When he or she does, they discover a large, realistic spider on the back of their hand. You WILL make people scream with THE WEB RETURNS!

Comes with everything you need to start performing right out of the box, Including detailed online instructions!

Contains:
NEW, updated cards!
NEW, updated Artwork!
MORE cards for more effects!
NEW, moldable spider!
TWO different spider Bodies!
DETAILED ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS!

The Witch Terrifies Simon Cowell With a Creepy Magic Routine on Britain’s Got Talent

 Magic doesn't always have to make you laugh or leave you wondering where the card went. Sometimes, it's designed to make you uncomfortable—and The Witch certainly accomplished that on Britain's Got Talent.

In this memorable 2022 audition, a mysterious witch slowly makes her way toward judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and David Walliams, immediately creating an atmosphere unlike the typical talent-show performance.

There are no flashy boxes, upbeat music, or rapid-fire card tricks here. Instead, the entire routine is built around suspense, character, and one seemingly innocent object: an apple.

Would You Take an Apple From The Witch?

The routine uses a classic idea in magic—giving spectators what appears to be a free choice—but wraps it inside a horror-themed presentation.

The Witch approaches the judges with a bag containing apples and invites them to participate. What begins as a strange interaction becomes increasingly unsettling as the routine progresses.

And then comes the moment that really gets the audience reacting.

One of the apples is revealed to contain something considerably more disturbing than anyone expected, producing exactly the kind of horrified reaction the character was designed to create.

The performance was creepy, strange, theatrical and—most importantly—memorable.

A Great Example of Character-Driven Magic

For magicians, there is another interesting element to this performance.

Strip away the costume, makeup, music and horror presentation, and the underlying magical concept isn't necessarily complicated. But that's exactly what makes this performance worth studying.

Presentation changes everything.

The Witch isn't simply someone performing a trick while dressed in a costume. The character is the routine. Every movement, pause and interaction helps convince the audience that something genuinely unsettling is happening.

It's a great reminder that audiences don't go home talking about the secret move or method behind a trick. They remember how the magician made them feel.

In this case, The Witch made an entire theater—and particularly Simon Cowell—feel extremely uncomfortable!

When Magic Meets Horror

Horror and magic have a long history together. Magicians have used ghosts, spirits, séances, dangerous objects and bizarre stories to create experiences very different from traditional comedy or illusion shows.

The Witch takes that idea and packages it perfectly for television.

You don't need to know anything about magic to understand the premise, and you don't need an explanation of the character. From the moment The Witch appears, you know exactly what kind of experience you're about to have.

Or at least you think you do.

That's good theatrical magic.

Misty Lee Brings an Amazing Knife Trick to Penn & Teller: Fool Us

 

When you combine sharp objects, great storytelling, and a talented magician, you have all the ingredients for a memorable performance!

Magician Misty Lee stepped onto the Penn & Teller: Fool Us stage with an unusual knife routine that proves magic doesn’t always need elaborate props or massive illusions to keep an audience on the edge of their seats.

In the performance, Misty takes something as ordinary—and potentially intimidating—as a knife and turns it into a piece of theatrical magic. The routine builds suspense while keeping the audience wondering exactly where the magic is headed.

Misty Lee Knows How to Command a Stage

One of the things that makes this performance stand out is Misty herself.

A great magic routine isn't only about the secret behind the trick. It's about presentation, personality, timing, and making the audience care about what happens next. Misty brings all of those elements to the Fool Us stage.

The knife immediately creates tension because everyone understands what it is and what it can do. That gives the routine a very different feeling from a traditional card or coin trick.

And when you're performing for Penn & Teller, simply knowing a clever secret isn't enough. You're performing in front of two magicians who have spent decades studying, creating, and performing magic.

Did Misty Lee Fool Penn & Teller?

That's the question at the heart of every episode of Fool Us.

Penn & Teller watch closely, looking for clues that might reveal how the illusion works. The performer, meanwhile, is trying to stay one step ahead of two of the most knowledgeable magicians in the business.

Rather than spoil the outcome here, watch Misty's complete performance and see if you can figure out the method before Penn & Teller do.

Watch: “Amazing Knife Trick! Penn & Teller Fool Us – Misty Lee”

Whether you're a magician studying presentation or simply someone who loves seeing unusual magic, this is a fun performance worth checking out.

Yarden Shalev Shares His Full Comedy Magic Act From Hollywood’s Magic Castle

 Magician Yarden Shalev has released a complete, unedited performance of his comedy magic act filmed inside the Parlour of Prestidigitation at Hollywood’s world-famous Magic Castle.

Recorded live in 2026, the nearly 30-minute video gives viewers the opportunity to experience an entire Magic Castle performance rather than a carefully edited collection of highlights. From the opening introduction through the final applause, audiences can see how Shalev develops his relationship with the room, transitions between routines, handles volunteers, and combines magic with comedy.

Comedy, Magic and Mind Reading

Shalev begins the show with the magical appearance of a bird before moving into an entertaining celebrity-themed mind-reading routine. The performance continues with an audience participant named Ross and concludes with a suspenseful ring roulette routine.

Throughout the act, Shalev maintains a playful, confident personality. His comedy doesn’t feel separate from the magic; it is built into his interactions, timing, and reactions to the people assisting him.

That ability to work naturally with spectators is especially important in a venue such as the Parlour of Prestidigitation. The relatively intimate setting allows the audience to see every expression and hear every spontaneous comment. A performer cannot rely solely on the tricks—the personality presenting them must hold the room.

Shalev appears comfortable allowing unexpected moments to happen while still keeping the performance moving toward its intended conclusion.

A Rare Look at a Complete Magic Castle Performance

Many magic videos show only a single routine or a heavily edited promotional sequence. This video is different because Shalev presents the complete act with no edits.

For magicians, that makes the footage particularly interesting. It offers a chance to study much more than individual effects. Viewers can observe his pacing, audience management, callbacks, transitions, and the way he gradually raises the stakes throughout the show.

The act begins with visual magic, moves into mind reading and audience participation, and eventually reaches the tension-filled ring roulette finale. That variety keeps the performance from feeling repetitive while allowing Shalev’s comedic character to connect everything.

Performing at the Magic Castle

Located in Hollywood, California, the Magic Castle serves as the private clubhouse of the Academy of Magical Arts and remains one of the most celebrated destinations in the magic world.

Its Parlour of Prestidigitation sits between the intimate Close-Up Gallery and the larger Palace of Mystery. The room provides performers with an opportunity to present material that is larger than traditional close-up magic while retaining a personal connection with the audience.

Performing a full week at the Castle is an important accomplishment for any magician, and releasing an entire act gives fans who may never have visited the venue a glimpse of what the experience is like.

Yarden Shalev’s performance demonstrates how comedy, mind reading, visual magic, and audience participation can be blended into one cohesive show. It is entertaining for the general public and provides plenty for working magicians to study.

Penn & Teller Reveal a Selected Card on Teller’s Eyes in “Scleral Shells”

 Penn & Teller have spent decades finding strange, funny, and sometimes unsettling ways to perform magic. Their routine “Scleral Shells,” featured during Season 4 of Penn & Teller: Fool Us, certainly belongs in all three categories.

The performance begins with a familiar premise: a playing card is selected. However, anyone familiar with Penn & Teller knows that the final revelation is unlikely to happen in an ordinary way.

As Penn guides the audience through the routine, Teller prepares for a revelation that must be seen to be believed. Instead of locating the card somewhere inside the deck, the identity of the selected card appears directly across Teller’s eyeballs!

A Card Revelation You Cannot Forget

Magicians have revealed selected cards in countless unusual places, but Teller’s eyes may be one of the strangest.

The oversized contact lenses—known as scleral shells—transform Teller’s eyes into the final magical revelation. The image is bizarre, slightly creepy, and extremely funny. It is exactly the kind of unforgettable visual that works perfectly with Penn & Teller’s distinctive style.

Host Alyson Hannigan can barely believe what she is seeing. Her reaction helps sell the moment because the revelation is so unexpected that it briefly becomes more shocking than magical.

While many card tricks rely on subtlety, this ending is impossible to miss!

Classic Magic With a Penn & Teller Twist

At its core, “Scleral Shells” uses one of card magic’s most recognizable plots: a spectator selects a card, and the magician reveals its identity.

Penn & Teller take that simple structure and transform it by changing where—and how—the revelation appears. The strength of the routine doesn’t come from making the plot overly complicated. It comes from delivering a conclusion the audience would never predict.

That is one of the most important lessons in the performance. A familiar effect can feel completely new when it is given an original presentation and a memorable ending.

The routine also makes excellent use of the duo’s contrasting personalities. Penn handles the talking and guides the action, while Teller silently commits himself to the increasingly ridiculous situation. Teller’s ability to generate laughter without saying a word remains one of the duo’s greatest strengths.

Penn & Teller Continue to Reinvent Magic

Since first teaming up in the 1970s, Penn & Teller have built their careers by approaching magic differently. They frequently combine classic principles with comedy, suspense, skepticism, and theatrical surprises.

“Scleral Shells” is a short routine, but it captures their style perfectly. It begins with something audiences recognize and ends with an image they are unlikely to forget.

Whether you find the final revelation hilarious, amazing, disturbing—or a combination of all three—it is another wonderful example of Penn & Teller’s ability to make even a traditional card trick feel completely original.

Lance Burton’s Magic Leaves Craig Ferguson Screaming on The Late Late Show

 When a magician can make a television host completely forget that he is in front of an audience and cameras, you know the magic has connected.

In this entertaining clip from The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, legendary magician Lance Burton performs a quick piece of close-up magic that produces one of the funniest reactions you will ever see from a late-night host.

Craig Ferguson is known for being unpredictable, quick-witted, and difficult to catch off guard. However, Burton remains completely calm as he leads Ferguson through the performance. The moment the surprise arrives, Ferguson lets out a scream, jumps away, and appears genuinely stunned by what he has just witnessed.

A Perfect Television Magic Moment

The entire video lasts less than two minutes, but it demonstrates why Lance Burton has been one of magic’s most respected performers for decades.

There is no need for a massive illusion or elaborate stage setting. Burton creates the moment through timing, personality, and a perfectly delivered surprise. His relaxed manner allows Ferguson—and everyone watching—to feel comfortable before the magic suddenly hits.

Ferguson’s reaction is what makes the clip so memorable. It doesn’t feel rehearsed or exaggerated for television. For a few seconds, the experienced entertainer reacts exactly as any astonished audience member might.

Burton simply smiles and enjoys the moment.

Lance Burton’s Effortless Performing Style

One of Lance Burton’s greatest strengths has always been his ability to make difficult magic look effortless. Whether producing doves in his award-winning stage act, presenting a large Las Vegas illusion, or performing something intimate for a television host, Burton never appears rushed.

Everything is clear, direct, and easy for the audience to follow.

That clarity is especially important in television magic. The performer has only a limited amount of time to establish the situation, involve the host, and deliver a strong ending. Burton accomplishes all of that in a clip lasting under two minutes.

It is a valuable reminder for magicians that an effect does not have to be long or complicated to create a lasting impression. Sometimes, one strong magical moment and one unforgettable reaction are all you need.

One of Magic’s Most Accomplished Performers

Lance Burton spent three decades as a Las Vegas headliner, performing more than 15,000 shows during his career. He has also appeared on programs hosted by Johnny Carson, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Craig Ferguson, and many others.

His elegant performing style, technical skill, and respect for the art have earned him an extraordinary place in magic history. According to Lance Burton’s official website, readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal voted him “Best Magician” 18 years in a row.

This short appearance with Craig Ferguson captures another side of his talent: the ability to walk onto a television set, create an impossible moment almost immediately, and leave the host completely speechless—after one very loud scream!