Bar magic is a long and storied tradition, and the UK has a new establishment that caters to both bar and magic. Sleight Bar Bath is billing itself as an underground magic bar. The magic is provided by resident performer Paul Brookes and other guests. It’s also carving out a niche for hen and stag parties (that’s bachelor and bachelorette equivalents for our American readers). Magic performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at the bar in Bath, Somerset.
It’s great seeing so many venues with dedicated magic performances popping up around the world. We recently found video of a whole magic set by resident magician Mike O’Donnell at Lagunitas Brewery in Chicago. Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam recently opened a magic-focused performance venue. And Wales is getting a teeny-tiny magic theater of its own. It seems that wherever you live, you can literally find a little magic.
Pop-up shops and restaurants are all the rage right now, offering limited-time experiences for a handful of guests. If you’re a fan of good magic and mixology, you should make it a point to seek out the Magic Bar, a venue run by Benjamin Schrader at Woodley Proper in Encino, and recently featured in LA Weekly.
Magic Bar was borne out of a collaboration between Schrader and restaurateur Phillip Frankland Lee. Lee wanted Schrader to serve up some unique drinks at his sushi bar, and Schader started performing tricks for patrons after dinner hours. Lee was impressed, and allowed Schrader to take over the bar once a week. The night has since built buzz among the locals for its inventive drink selections paired with impressive close-up magic in an intimate setting.
LA Weekly gives more details about what attendees can expect from a night at the Magic Bar:
Tickets to Magic Bar’s 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Monday evening shows are $25 (booze and food are extra). Each week Schrader concocts three specialty cocktails specifically for the space. Last week a traditional margarita was served with a “magic berry” that, once chewed, zapped the tongue’s sour-receptors, transforming the cocktail into a sweet sort of lemon-drop concoction. Patrons can also order from the full bar and kitchen at Woodley Proper (or any of Lee’s other adjacent restaurants).
Previous performers at Magic Bar include Magic Castle performers Robert Ramirez, Kayla Drescher, and Jonathan Levit, and part of the Magic Bar’s charm comes from getting to experience their expert feats in such an intimate setting. As such, space is extremely limited—only 12 people are admitted per showing. For more info about how you can attend upcoming events, follow Woodley Proper over on Facebook, or give them a call at (818) 876-0818.