A homegrown Brisbane production is taking the world by storm: 'Theatre Of Magic' has expanded from its local launch, to becoming an international sensation in just over two years.
'Theatre Of Magic' was born in Brisbane, at the end of 2024. It now plays to captivated audiences across Brisbane, Melbourne and Toowoomba, as well as major US cities like Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, and Austin, Texas. It has recently been picked up by global entertainment platform Fever, who created the wildly popular 'Candlelight Orchestra' series.
This cements it as one of the most exciting live entertainment exports from Australia.
The creators are leading illusionists Christopher Wayne, Josh Norbido, and The Amazing Nigel. They combine world-class sleight of hand with intimate, close-up magic and theatrical charm.
Wayne is best-known as a co-creator of the Vegas smash 'The Naked Magicians', while acclaimed card specialist Josh Norbido's work has featured in productions like 'Poker Face' and 'Oceans 9', and The Amazing Nigel is known for his unique blend of magic, comedy, charm, and memory feats.
Here, the 'Theatre Of Magic' team list five things about the show that might surprise you.
One
Some of the world's greatest magicians come from Brisbane, Australia and perform there regularly. One of the magicians at 'Theatre Of Magic' consults for the magic in Hollywood blockbuster films (like 'Oceans 9' and 'Poker Face'), and then spends his weekends in front of Brisbane audiences demonstrating his skills live. Other magicians include Las Vegas headliners, and the best sleight-of-hand artists on the planet.
Two
It's like going backwards in time. From the moment you arrive, 'Theatre Of Magic' feels like entering a hidden world from a different era. Most (magic shows) rely on smoke, mirrors, lights and trap-doors – 'Theatre Of Magic' takes audiences back to the 'Prestige' era of magic and live entertainment.
Three
The amount of magic you experience. The show starts before the show starts. Before the main show begins, the audience meets the magicians who show them close-up magic while they are settling in. You don't just arrive and wait for a show to start, the show is waiting for the guests to arrive.
Four
How close you get to the magic. There is no stage separating the magicians from the audience, all of the magic is performed literally inches away from the crowd. In a world where we only see impossible magic on our phones and televisions, 'Theatre Of Magic' brings the impossible to life in a 90-minute show.
Five
The show changes every week. With a rotating cast of more than ten world-class magicians, no two shows are ever the same. With changing cast, and unpredictable audience interaction, some guests have returned multiple times to experience the different types of magic, from mind-reading to sleight of hand, to hilarious comedy magic and illusions. Every show is different.
Theatre Of Magic 2026 Tour Dates
18, 25 April and 2,9,16,23 May – Rydges Hotel (Brisbane)
9, 23 May and 6,13,20 June – The Victoria Hotel (Melbourne)
9 May, 5 September, 5 December – Empire Theatre (Toowoomba)
