Maho Magic Bar
Tumbalong Park
Sydney, Australia
10 January 2022
Over the last four years the entity known as Broad Encounters has established itself firmly on our horizon for creatively and innovatively collaborating with other like-minded mavericks to forge immersive and mind-blowing experiences that are geared towards igniting one’s imagination and never lack an idiosyncratic layer of je-ne-sais-quoi.
Having been fortunate enough to interact with Broad Encounter’s previous incarnations, most prominently the fantastic warehouse extravaganza and ode to Edgar Allan Poe, i.e. A Midnight Visit along with the gin-themed theatrical experience A Journey Most Unusual, I was intrigued as to how the company’s co-founder and director, Kirsten Siddle and her team were going to channel their alchemy when it was announced that they were going to celebrate both traditional and contemporary Japanese culture with Maho Magic Bar.
Contextualised within the confines of neon-clad high-end club that is comprised of five bar themed tables, the audience is invited to suspend reality and delve into the magic the rotating cast of charismatic Japanese magicians present in an intimate, multisensory and engaging manner for each group.
Underneath a canopy of cherry blossoms, the melange of quick paced well-choreographed yet customised performances, nuanceful ambience and offerings of expertly curated Japanese drink offerings and the artful emceeing by a camp and engaging host, catapults on straight into a weird and wonderful alternative universe where humour and the fun aspects of kitsch reign supreme.
After its current stint in Sydney at part of Sydney Festival until 29 January, Maho Magic Bar is slated to return for a third season to The Garden of Unearthly Delights as part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival starting on 17 February.
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photo courtesy of Broad Encounters
