The Magic Duel is just that...two Magicians competing to win the title of best of the night. You do actually vote on your phone at intermission. Mark Phillips and Ryan Phillips were both terrific. The one we voted for did indeed win, but they were both great! The Saturday we were there, there were two performances. We chose the 5pm one. It's a fast-paced show that kept us laughing, intrigued and highly entertained. A very fun, wonderful way to spend entertainment dollars in DC. Not a bad seat in the house! This is downstairs in the historic Mayflower Hotel, nice and close to the Farragut North Metro Stop. Definitely appropriate for all ages. Highly recommend! read more

The Magic Duel - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This review is for the show at the Writers Center, Bethesda, MD, which doesn't seem to have a Yelp page of its own. I recognize that the Magic Duel takes huge pride in 5 star reviews on Yelp, which I deeply respect. But I did wish that we had seen the show in a different venue. I am no stage expert, but lights and sound do matter a lot in delivery of a magic show for a skeptic like me, going because the significant other loves magic shows. With better lighting, things would have been more "magical" (thinking bottles.) I was also surprised that a bubble artist, as good as she was in her profession, was considered a magician. After some quick research, you will end up at Magic Duel in this genre, so please go to Dupont or Georgetown. read more

We had so much fun with this show! There were definitely some tricks that stumped us. They do involve the audience but not overly so.

Sep 2025: This is a great show! I highly recommend it. I went to see this show at the Delegate which is a hotel restaurant located inside the Marriott across the street from the DC convention center. The performers were Meadow Perry and Mark Phillips. Mark does more traditional magic tricks. For example, he began with a trick where he takes three pieces of rope of different lengths then through magic, make them all of equal length. Meadow does bubble magic. This is a bit difficult to describe in words. She blows bubbles in very fanciful ways. She blows smoke into some bubbles. She makes bubble structures that turn. It was really different which I liked. In the first half of the show, the two magicians take turns doing magic. The second half of the show had the most impressive tricks. In this part of the show, the two magicians work together. One trick was - they asked for a volunteer. A woman stepped up to the platform. She was then given two envelopes to keep with her. Then she was shown a book and asked to pick a page and a word on that page. When she indicated she decided, she was then asked to open one envelope. It had the page number and the word she picked out. Then she opened the other envelope (which was kept behind her back). The other envelope had the page she had chosen from the book. And in the book, Mark showed the page was torn out of the book. It's magic! I hope that gives you some idea of the show. The performance was in a small room. I liked the intimate atmosphere. I could really see what the magicians were doing (and see that they have nothing up their sleeve). I thought it was a very enjoyable evening and well worth the price of the ticket. read more

Mark Phillips has long been a thoughtful and skilled comedy magician, and his show is even better now that his sparring partner is rising magician and bubble artist extraordinaire Meadow Perry. The two build off each other's energies very well; Mark is something of a "straight man" to Perry's playful taunts. Their show offers some traditional " classic" tricks as well as offbeat innovations. This is a very entertaining show and it was a true pleasure to watch these artists combine technical expertise with excellent scripting, creative presentation, and a good way with people. Catch them if you can! read more

My friend and I didn't know exactly what we were in for but the combination of comedy and magic sounded like a win win situation. Be prepared to laugh and be amazed. :) The Mayflower is a beautiful venue, a staple of DC, and also metro accessible. Grab a drink before the magic duel and/or at intermission! Enjoy the show! read more

The Magic Duel - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The Magic Duel show was incredibly fun (lots of laughs and thrills), funny (original, topical jokes), lively and interactive (super energetic performers, engaging audience), entertaining (surprise elements, competitive nature, savvy magicians), wholesome (for the whole family), and clever (storytelling mixed with magic and comedy is a rare art). The performers were charming, professional, smart, and delivered their jokes at the right times. They know how to work an audience and engage a range of people. The comedy was just as good as the magic tricks, which I found cool and head-scratchingly exciting. I went to see Margaret Cho last night and laughed far more often and raucously with the Magic Duel than I did at the Cho show. I read three of the three-star reviews carefully and with a open mind and found none of their complaints justified or valid, mostly just eyeroll-worthy. If you know the venue is at a hotel ballroom, you can't complain about it being at a hotel. If you're worried about length, then... ask how long it is, and decide if it's worth the cost? It's not stadium seating so of course if there's a row of people in front of you, there will be some obvious visual obstructions (bobbing heads). Maybe I'm approaching with a kind of abstruse logic. The show was great, and I would highly recommend to all. read more

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This past weekend was my second visit and all I can say is WOWZAH!! I still don't know the science behind them tricks and I may never know. The second time was even better than the first. I was called up the first time but I was also warned beforehand that I'd be called- I think it was bc it was covid times and they wanted to make sure people were comfortable going up on stage. They don't do that anymore. They called my guest up this time and the mystical nature of the mind reading trick was bonkers!!!! We're still trying to unravel what happened. They have such great humor too- we were cracking up when we weren't ahhhhing and ooohing. They're so engaging and the maturity level is more suitable for adults but they'll engage your child as well bc they're good sports. Grab a drink before you head down the elevator to LL- make sure you check in and get your seat assignment. You're welcome to take photos and videos. I rewatched ours a couple times. What an unforgettable evening this was. read more

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Highly recommend and great choice for a fun date night! I really appreciate live entertainment and the effort that goes into shows like this, especially during these post-peak pandemic times. Mark and Mike were amazing and very funny entertainers as comedic-magicians. I loved their infectious energy and their silly jokes, and how they work off of each other. To summarize expectations of the show without giving much away, the Magic Duel consists of three different rounds where the two magicians alternate acts. There's a short intermission followed by another act. There is a TON of audience participation, basically offered for each magician's act. They make sure people don't get picked again to ensure the most participation/ you don't have to go up if you aren't comfortable so don't worry if you're not into that and just want to sit back. The hosts really captivated the audience and the room was full of laughter and "oooohs"! There were multiple tricks that truly left my partner and I stumped and to me that indicates a great show! It's a really nice venue to be able to visit the Mayflower hotel as well, and it's very easy to navigate through, signs pointing you where to go. I also liked how there were glasses and pitchers of water available for self-serve (you can also order drinks at the hotel bar). At the end you can get a photo with the magicians! read more

My girlfriend and I saw Mark and Michael do their thing, and they put on a great show. I really enjoyed their banter, how they played off of each other, and how they got the crowd involved with basically every trick. Regarding the magic tricks- they were really captivating and left me legitimately stumped. Overall, I thought the performers maintained a good balance of comedy and magic while keeping the mood light-hearted and fun- the entertainment value was well worth the price. Would definitely recommend this show if you're looking for a more unique date night/family/friends outing! read more

Yes, I am almost 40 years old, but I LOVE magic. I was very lucky to see these two duel via Zoom show during the pandemic and my husband and I thought the show was quite cute. He bought tix as a surprise at the Mayflower for date night, and we loved them even more in person. Honestly, I thought Ryan was the more hilarious comedian of the two. Both of their slight of hand was impressive. Even my scientist husband was surprised by some of their tricks! Highly recommend this for DC-residents looking for something fun -- especially good for kids and those who like to be amazed. :) read more

The Magic Duel - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My husband and I truly enjoyed the magic duel! Very funny and impressive - don't miss it! read more

The Magic Duel - After show photo with Mark and Ryan. - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This was an incredible magic show for the entire family. The venue located at the Delegate Restaurant is at the back behind the bar and is private for this event only. You may purchase drinks (which are incredibly overpriced) at the Delegate bar. The show is both funny and clever. Lots of jaw-dropping tricks. read more

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Cute show. Good clean fun. Nice way to pass a few hours. Make sure you don't mind audience participation.

Mark and Mike were hilarious and the magic was actually very impressive--I'm still scratching my head over some of the tricks. Two people in my party participated in the show, so if you want to get picked, sit towards the front. The show is a good length, with an intermission, and a fun night out to do something different. You're bound to have a great time. Highly recommended. read more

The Magic Duel - Michael Jons and Mark Phillips - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is one of the best shows I've seen. Comedic banter in addition to amazing magic. Great audiences participation. I was laughing and clapping so much all night! Go see it. Soon as you can. read more

Mark and Mike were great entertainers. The Magic Duel, held at The Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection, is well worth seeing. I suggest sitting in the first few rows for a good sight line. Audience participation is encouraged and requires. The audience helps make the show better than most others. This show involved comedy and great magic. Definitely check it out! read more

Had the best time! Great laughter and had me questioning if magic was real the magicians really made sure everyone had the best time. You can tell they genuinely care about their business and making everyone feel welcomed. Xoxo read more

The Magic Duel - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

SO FUN SO CUTE LOVED IT. Not expecting much but expectations blew out of the water. They were funny and entertaining. Highly recommend!!!

Was a great time and the 2 people on stage were hilarious. Overall it would've been nice to see more actual magic being done as opposed to a lot of "mind reading" tricks. However, this was still a great time and would watch it again if we had the chance. read more

Absolutely AMAZING and worth it. Never ending laughs and still trying to figure out how they did all those great tricks. I'm definitely going again....I have to bring my sister as she never seen a magic show before !! read more

The Magic Duel - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

For the cost, this was not worth it. Very cheesy. Drinks at the hotel bar were great, hence the three stars. read more

Attended this 5pm Saturday show on a whim for something different to get into. What a blast!!! We live in dc so it was a pretty easy feat to get there. Check in was easy and the seating was casual and easy to choose your seat. The magicians were super entertaining, funny, and overall a very great time! I recommend this to anyone who is looking to laugh, be entertained, and change up a typical bar/restaurant night out! read more

The Magic Duel - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

When we got to our seats, the place was empty and we thought it was not going to be worth it. We were wrong. This show is not a big production thing, but it was nice to see. They interact with the public and they make it really fun to see. read more

The Magic Duel - Stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was our first time attending this show and we really enjoyed ourselves. A magic show with comedy you can't beat that

This was held at the Mayflower Hotel in DC - located 1 block from the Farragut North metro. As you enter the hotel, there is a staircase to the left and as you go down, you walk to the right until you see signs pointing you in the right direction. Oops, let me start from the beginning. Well, I was looking for something to do one evening and came across a group of folks that were attending this event. I got a discount price on the tickets and so that is the reason why I signed up with this group and decided to attend. The hotel itself has its own bar and I saw a few folks take their drinks from the bar to their seats for this show. There was not a bad seat. It was 2 guys competing with each other showing you magic tricks comedy style. They decided on who went first by doing rock - paper - scissors. They had folks randomly pick a card to determine the theme for each of the magic tricks, for example Slight-of-hand was one of those tricks. On several occasions they picked folks from the audience to participate in their tricks. At first I thought that was a trick until they pulled some folks from our group (throughout the event) and it was then I knew it was not a set up. Loved the "What you think you see is not what you just saw" moments and there was a lot of that. It was a lot of laughs and a "Wow, how did they do that?" tricks, magic all right...that is what I saw - Magic. Definitely an entertaining event and would recommend to others. read more

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This show was incredible!! Do not miss this magic duel if you are in DC. The magic was awesome, the magicians themselves were such great performers, and it's a crowd pleaser for all ages and people. 10/10 fantastic experience. Highly recommend!! read more

I'm one who typically uses a paragraph where a sentence will do. :) In this case, everything that should be noted has already been noted by others. Lots of fun. Just. Go. read more

It was a great show super clever, funny and one of the most entertaining one of the best magic shows I've seen in DMV! Highly recommended! read more

The Magic Duel - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It was a fun showing of parlor magic and I would highly recommend it as a source of entertainment for an evening out. I would advise though not to invest in VIP tickets as they are not worth the extra $15 each. You get a space in the front row, but not all seats are exactly equal. If you have a seat on the end, it's not really a VIP view. VIPs are NOT necessarily chosen as participants either. On the 03/31 showing, no VIP was asked to participate. Come early, all seat are on a first come first serve basis, and they give you 'Reserved Seat' place cards to use. Also, the door greeter and ticket taker was rude, non-verbal, and didn't seem to excited or even act like she wanted to be there. They had swag to purchase. For this show it was naughty fortune cookies at $10. Of course, no change, cash only. This is kinda odd for an established showing. Everybody has a pay square for their cell phones. They certainly would have sold more cookies. read more

The Magic Duel - Performing Arts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Both Mark and Ryan are excellent performers and provided a highly entertaining experience! If you enjoy magic and are in the DC area, this is a must-see show! read more

One of the best magic shows I've seen. The guys are hilarious and extremely talented!!

Ah-mazing! Buying tickets to this show is money well spent because you are guaranteed to have a great time and that goes for kids and adults of all ages! Thanks for the great show! read more

Show was fantastic! Venue is kept to limited seating to so all attendees can be a close and engaged with the show. Non stop laughs and incredible magic. Definitely a must see. read more

Absolutely recommend this show . Great for all ages . Give it a try . Great tricks and really funny too

Sometimes best things happen when you do not expect them. So the short one: One of the best shows. The longer one: One of the best shows I seen in a long time. Friends got the tickets, I am usually not fun of that type of shoes, but like I said, when you don't come with high expectations, and get a great experience, this is what makes you go on Yelp and write 5 stars review. And they worth it. read more

The Magic Duel is a magic/comedy show that is performed at the Mayflower hotel in downtown DC near DuPont Circle (and I believe at another location, but this review is focused on this location) and is an hour and a half of nonstop fun! The comedy is clean, but enjoyable and the magic tricks are truly unique and mind blowing! I took my wife to the show as part of a birthday celebration, with a group of friends, and everyone had a blast. Additionally, the show had a ton of audience participation, and they had my wife participate as part of her birthday, which was great! On a last note, this event is absolutely office safe if you are looking for a really great team building event. Thank you all for a great time! read more

This was our first live theatre outing pandemic. The 6 of us had a fantastic date night out! It was entertaining and funny with plenty of magic. Proof of vaccine or negative Covid-19 required before entry. Highly recommended! read more

Good performances, with a mixture of comedy and skill. Venue is easy to access and has good acoustics but the seating is kept small enough that it feels like an intimate affair. Everything ran smoothly, would definitely bring visitors to town to this show. read more

We booked this based on all the wonderful reviews but found it to be pretty cheesy. The setting is boring in a hotel conference room....now the hotel itself is gorgeous. The magic is solid, there are some entertaining bits, but nothing the level experience you get in Vegas. I've been now, can check this off the list and won't go again now that we've seen it. I preferred the same type magic in Baltimore at Illusions club...MUCH more fun environment and the presentation is more entertaining. read more