We attended Trickery on Saturday 04/18/26. Aaron was adept at working with a diverse audience to…read moreinclude them and maintain control of his performance in a very intimate setting. Because it's BYOB you'll get the 20-somethings that feel they have to get loaded beforehand and then act the fool while attending (do you hear that "Neil"? No one wants the focus on you acting like it was your first experience with alcohol) but Aaron was skilled at bypassing them without causing tension or escalating bad behavior. Aaron's attitude is one of someone who has worked hard to make this little venture work, and he deserves respect and recognition for his obvious commitment and work ethic. His act included variations of tricks performed by other magicians, with his own twists. He is an expert at sleight of hand and distraction, which is considerably more difficult in a room about the size of an average residential living-room. He had an appropriate sense of humor aligned with an audience coming to Boystown, an overtly gay neighborhood in Chicago (if you're not familiar). However he wasn't garish, flaming, flamboyant, or offensive; he managed a perfect balance of innuendo humor and audience engagement without being cheap or ingenuine. The snarky one-liners will likely go over your young kids' heads (although bring them to an early show, your 9 year old doesn't belong in Boystown at 10 pm on a weekend), and he carries himself with class avoiding the use of profanity or graphic terms. Again, I can't overstate that his tricks were amazing, impressive, and captivating - as magic should be. You leave the show shaking your head and wondering how it's done - which truly makes it "magic". You would be hard-pressed to spend $36.36/person for an hour of live entertainment that can match Aaron's performance. Pro-tip: If you're driving there you will need to use an app to reserve parking, as there aren't garages like downtown Chicago and every street is filled with so many signs there's no way you will return and find your car not-towed or not-ticketed. Chicago does this on purpose to generate revenue; you'll see "street cleaning" on Tuesday from xx hour to xx hour, no parking when snow is over 2 inches OR any time from Dec 1 through April 1, loading zone, 15 minute stopping/standing with flashers, no parking, residential permit zone only, bike lanes, bus stop restrictions, etc. If you find street parking and think you've beaten the system, think again. Nobel Prize Laureates, Rhodes Scholars, Ivy League PhDs, Mensa members - you can meet them all at Chicago Central Auto Pound retrieving their vehicles. Stephen Hawking couldn't drive, but if he could and he parked in that neighborhood all the quantum mechanics in the world wouldn't make his towed car reappear from the Chicago Parking space-time continuum. The nice thing is if you do reserve parking and give yourself enough time you can walk to many, many restaurants and bars in the area that are open even after the 10 pm show ends. Thank you Aaron for a wonderful experience, you made my wife's birthday memorable for both of us.

I've attended this show twice now and really enjoyed it both times. It's always a great experience…read more He takes time to thank everyone for coming and even asks how you heard about the show, which makes it feel very personal and welcoming. He's genuinely nice and engaging. I plan to come at least once a year. I also love having a local, neighborhood option instead of having to go downtown to see similar acts.

What a fun performer. I came across him at the Park Ridge Kiwanis annual pancake breakfast, where…read morehe was doing some entertaining mostly for the kids but definitely for the adults as well. It's through him that I heard of the Central Street Busker Festival that took place the next day and his line was loooong! Most recently, we went to his show last week that the Mt. Prospect Public Library held for spring break. That was very very well attended, with a long line of folks waiting to get in (and that's with all of us registered to attend!), but the show was a lot of fun. He did a little magic, a little comedy, and some fun balloon tricks. This guy has been doing this all his adult life--unless that's also a joke and part of his act--but regardless, he's great at his job. I'm looking forward to seeing him again and my little one having the chance to pick her balloon creation on her own.

Smarty Pants was fantastic at our recent event AND each and every time I've seen him perform over…read morethe years - which is many times (because many people see how amazing he is)!! It's not just his talent with super fun and surprising balloon characters but his adaptive nature and outstanding personality, engaging everyone at the parties/events. I would absolutely recommend him for all types of occasions : private or big birthday parties, festivals, block parties, - anywhere there will be children!! He is one less thing at your party you need to worry about because he is a sure thing! Truly, he is a whole family favorite!!

Nick came to my husband's 70th birthday party. Guests ranged in age from 80-25. At the end of the…read moreevening, all my guests found me to tell me how fantastic Nick was. Not only did his tricks blow them away, there was a point in the evening where we were laughing so hard we were crying. I would not hesitate to recommend him. Everyone loved him. We had a very disparate group, and he was able to bring people together and make the evening the overwhelming success that it was.

We hired him for a corporate event and was a little skeptical because magicians usually have corny…read morejokes and their tricks are lame..we had the home or of meeting Nick and Stephen and boy they were hilarious, entertaining, personable and his magic was awesome. Everyone in the office kept talking about them and trying to figure out how he managed to get the card in his mouth or the wine glass with fruits popping out of it. (Wished I recorded that one!) this was one of the best work outings I've ever been too!! Thanks Nick and Stephen!!! You guys were great!

Scott is the best! He is engaging, flexible, thoughtful and 100% focussed on ensuring the…read moreexperience is memorable. I spent 9 months in the Middle East as a member of the Army Reserve and wanted to do something special to surprise my 6 year old triplets at their elementary school. Scott immediately "got it" and planned the perfect surprise that built up to an incredible moment. He was also an excellent ambassador to the school to ensure every aspect of the surprise was expertly synchronized. Scott, thank you!!!!

We called Scott for our daughter's 6th birthday tea party. He responded promptly, was friendly and…read morefunny, yet professional. He arrived on time and ,even though he was greeted by 12 super excited (and slightly impatient) little girls, he quickly engaged the crowd, and had both children and adults oohing and aahing and giggling in no time. I have heard back from several parents that their kids are still proclaiming that to be the best party ever. Most importantly, our daughter was THRILLED. So, mission accomplished, and 5 stars from us. Thanks, Scott!

I had the pleasure of having Mr Bob at my kids event on July 16th, 2017. Let me tell you, Mr Bob…read moredoes not disappoint! he was able to do entertain the kids very much, he always had a smile on his face and he was patient with the kids and made sure most of the kids(we had a big group) interacted. Best of all, He is Professional and prompt. I got many compliments, so I have to pass them along to you Mr Bob. Thank you very much for making my kids event a Successful one. To Mr Bob : My kids are still talking about your show, the other day they were having a discussion on how Mr Bob was so nice in letting them help you with a Magic trick. Thanks again Mr, Bob, hope to work with you again in the future!

After searching and searching I found Mr. Bob to entertain my son's 2nd birthday. He called me to…read moretalk about the day about two weeks before, then a day before, and showed up on time with all of his tricks the day of. He kept all of the kids entertained for about 45-50 mins with all of his magic and comedy. I had boys and girls that spanned 1 1/2 yrs to 11 and everyone over the age of four told me how awesome the magic show was and it was the best birthday party ever. His website states that his show is better received by kids ages 3 and up, and although that did prove to be true, the four 2 year olds I had there were still mesmerized by him for a good 15-20 mins. The adults also enjoyed the show. I highly recommend Mr. Bob for any birthday party entertainment. He was personable, prompt, incredibly nice and worth every penny.

James provided entertainment for our 28 guests at Pomeroy Winnetka after dinner. He has a unique…read moregift of not just being an incredible magician but also has a great personality. He interacted up close and personal with our guests, got them laughing, and amazed. I am sure they are still telling there friends about that evening! I will also add that he worked extremely hard to keep everyone's attention focused on him and not the distractions of the restaurant. In the end I can firmly say HE WON!!

We hired James for a company conference and he was great to work with! He quickly responded to our…read moreinquiry and was very prompt and communicative throughout the planning process. He put on a great show for our employees and everyone enjoyed it. Lots of laughs, surprises, and audience participation. Would definitely recommend!

AJ was great! He came to our block party and did exactly what we would've wanted: He was early;…read moreself-motivated (he set up his own equipment and took care of his own business, which helped b/c it was kind of chaotic); and even helped run an impromptu round of musical chairs. Then there was the performance -- it was perfect for the kids and adults. He engaged the kids and kept their attention, but also did some tricks that absolutely confounded the adults. (Still no idea how he did the trick with the cards and phone calculator.) Lastly, his delivery was really enjoyable -- it was self-deprecating and a little "meta," as he explained his tricks as he went along (but still performed them perfectly). There was one trick that seemed to go a little sideways, but he played it off so well that I'm still not sure whether he intended to do it that way or not. Overall, it added to the enjoyment of the day. All in all: would totally recommend for your next get-together, block party, etc.

We hired AJ for our 5 yr old's bday party. We had around 20 kids and 30 adults and he was awesome…read morethe entire 45 mins. He kept everyone engaged and laughing, and he is extremely talented. He was on time and came prepared. Highly recommend him.

Stevie J was a hit for kids of all ages and the adults. From our first conversation to the end of…read morehis show, he was funny and easy to work with. He put on a great show and the kids loved interacting with him even after it was over.

Stevie J came and performed for our 5 year old sons birthday party. He was outstanding! The kids…read moreloved it and were comfortable with him and impressed by his tricks. It was also enjoyable for the parents there as well. We had about five 5 year olds and a few slightly older kids up to ages 8 who loved it as well. Definitely recommend him!

Edd Fairman's magic was fantastic and made our birthday party a lot of fun. The show was great for…read moreour audience of children and adults. There was a good deal of comedy and audience participation in addition to delightfully mystifying magic tricks. Edd's website offered us clear choices, his communication was prompt, and his confirmation emails leading up to the event were informative and useful. Edd made our party extra special, and we highly recommend his wizardry.

Edd was amazing! He entertained a group of around 30 kids, their ages ranged from 2 to 7 with the…read moremajority of them being 2 or 5:) They were all very engaged and he was hilarious to the kids and the parents! He even gave several parents the opportunity to talk to each other rather than chase their kids as they were so entertained by the show!

The Magic of Mark Presley , is nothing but magical. Los Niños de Estrellas in Home Daycare located…read morein Antioch Illinois was offering affordable childcare on the weekend. To children ages: birth to twelve years old. Part of our childcare we like to offer is field trips in the daycare and outside the daycare. It was a storming Saturday . Roads were shut down. Honestly I was starting to lose hope it was even safe to travel. As a family childcare provider a smooth transition in scheduling is important. Mark Presley reassures me that he will be there! He had ever right to cancel , but he didn't. He was even 30 minutes early! That day children shared smiles, laughter and memories. Mark Presley played a role in providing an environment where exactly that happened! I can't thank Mark Presley enough for putting on a show doing magic trick that told a story from the beginning to the end. If you want someone who is family, friendly, fun, and safe he's the one you want to call!

Mark did a magic performance for us at work and the individuals loved it!! He was interactive with…read morethe individuals and was a great experience for all! Thank you Mark!!