There’s something especially fitting about seeing a magic show at Fringe. In a festival built on experimentation and imagination, Keith Brown’s 110% Wizard (Website) feels perfectly at home.
Brown, a familiar face to Orlando Fringe audiences and a three-time Critic’s Choice winner for Best Magic Show, returns with what he jokingly describes as the “same wizard, now 10% better.” The framing device for this year’s show centers around a cruise ship residency thrown into chaos after an airline loses the costumes and props intended for the run. Brown openly names the airline responsible, though I’ll avoid repeating it here out of fear that my own upcoming Hawaii trip might suddenly suffer a mysterious blouse-related luggage incident.
What makes 110% Wizard work so well is how approachable it feels. Some magic shows create distance between performer and audience in order to preserve mystery, but Brown takes the opposite approach. Even in one of Orlando Fringe’s larger venues, Brown manages to create an atmosphere that feels surprisingly personal, keeping the audience engaged and connected throughout the performance.
One of the smartest choices in the production is Brown’s use of technology to enhance visibility throughout the venue. In theatrical magic shows, audience sightlines can sometimes limit the impact of close-up illusions, but 110% Wizard makes a clear effort to ensure everyone can follow along regardless of where they’re seated. That thoughtful use of tech helps keep the entire audience connected to the experience throughout the hour.
Brown also has an easy, relaxed stage presence that makes the interactive portions of the show feel inviting rather than stressful. Audience participation remains voluntary, and the atmosphere stays playful and welcoming even when attendees are brought into the act. Families, longtime magic fans, and Fringe audiences looking for something lighter will likely all find plenty to enjoy here.
More than anything, 110% Wizard succeeds because it taps into something simple and universal: the pleasure of being genuinely astonished. For an hour, 110% Wizard invites the audience to reconnect with that childlike sense of amazement, and judging by the reactions around the room, Brown succeeds beautifully.
Remaining Performances:
- May 15 at 8:20 p.m. $15
- May 16 at 4:20 p.m. $15
- May 17 at 2:20 p.m. $15
- May 22 at 8:20 p.m. $15
- May 23 at 6:45 p.m. $15
- May 24 at 9:05 p.m. $6
Event Details
Venue: Silver Venue
Genre: Magic, Solo Show, Storytelling
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $15, $6
Age Rating: 7 & Up
Warnings: Audience Interaction
