Penn & Teller at the MaHaffey Theatre
by notidealist on 2/12/12The Mahaffey - St PetersburgRating: 5 out of 5This was incredible performance with a very empowering message.

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Penn & Teller On Tour
Not exactly comedians but more than just magicians, Penn & Teller bring a quirky combination of laughs and illusions to every performance. You're ready to laugh before they even trot out their tricks, with the big, brash Penn Jillette towering over his staid, unspeaking partner Teller. And once they dip into the bag of tricks they've been perfecting since the 1970s, you're simultaneously dazzled and delighted. Whether they're working with things like magic bullets, nail guns, and straitjackets, or just employing a seemingly ordinary deck of cards to demonstrate some sleight of hand, the duo can make you doubt your own senses as they appear to make the impossible happen right before your eyes. Sometimes they toss a touch of danger into the mix, and sometimes they simply play the whole thing for laughs, but whatever illusion they're unveiling, Penn & Teller can always pull it off.
Penn & Teller Background
America's most famous magic/comedy duo actually started out as a trio in the '70s, but when third member Weir Chrisemer left in 1981, Penn Jillette and Raymond Teller (who has always gone by just his surname) continued on together, and it was then that their star began to rise. With TV appearances on such shows as Late Night With David Letterman and Saturday Night Live, a series of Broadway shows, and their own Emmy-winning special on PBS, Penn & Teller carved out a niche in show business and became household names in the process. In the years that followed, they became TV personalities in their own right, first with a Showtime series and then with Fool Us on the CW. They've earned their own star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. They've appeared in music videos by Run-DMC and Katy Perry. They've established a record-breaking residency in Las Vegas. And throughout all of these accomplishments, Penn & Teller have shown that a big, loud guy and a small, silent guy can make people gasp and guffaw at the same time.
This was incredible performance with a very empowering message.
Penn & Teller have been a favorite of mine for almost 30 years. I've followed them since their early appearances on David Letterman and have never ceased to be amazed by their comedy/magic skills. Seeing them in person for the first time put me in a quandary: Would a live performance live up to the expectations or would they fail to enthrall me as I watched them on stage? The Penn & Teller experience was an amazing "Best of" and, though I had seen all of the bits before, I sat in a state of stunned disbelief as the show and the men brought the house down. Time-honed skills had me smiling the whole hour and a half. After the performance ended, Penn & Teller continued to dazzle as they met their audience outside the theater. They signed autographs and posed for hastily composed cell-cam photos for the crowds (myself included). That sort of fan service is unusual in this day and age. They truly seem to appreciate their audience and I could not help to be impressed. On every level, the Penn & Teller show was truly magical (ugh). My face is still sore from the sickening grin that was plastered on my face that night. Fantastic show!
Penn & Teller offer a very entertaining evening. Even as Penn is describing the particular "trickery" and how it's done in a given "magic" trick, he or Teller perform the trick and you still can't figure out how they did it. A two hour evening went by very fast. Fascinating and money well spent. At the end of the evening, Penn & Teller "hang out" with the attendees as they depart the show. That is really cool.
Amusing ... not at all "foul mouthed" ... my wife and I enjoyed both performers and would recommend the show to friends.
The magic was from 20 years ago and very outdated. Penn never shut up and tells the worst stories
We sat in the last row lower level, next to the sound booth & the two guys manning the equipment carried on a conversation for about 1/2 the show! We enjoyed the 2 nd half because we could finally hear them.
The performance was wonderful. The audience by my estimate loved the show. It was well organized and naturally Penn and Teller are always good.
We are huge Penn & Teller fans. Unfortunately the venue was a little too large for the illusions performed. From our seats it was difficult to see the magic. Comedy routine was fantastic, as to be expected!! Would definitely go again, but pay more for better seating.
Some of their tricks are literally beyond belief! We are quite savvy about magic and, for the life of us, could NOT figure out how P & T accomplished some astonishing distractions. The only reason we gave this four stars instead of five is because the show ended on a low note, with Penn waxing nostalgic and then presenting a prosaic fire-eating act.
Fantastic show! Penn and Teller truly are a world class act. Seeing them live is something anymagic aficionado would do well to do.
They elevate a street performance "magic" into an art form all its own,
Have seen Penn And Teller many, many times on tv so I knew what to expect. However, they are even better live! When you are an audience member you really feel part of the act. Plus, even though I have seen their act many times on tv, they had many tricks I did not see before. The live camera bit was the BEST! If you have a chance to see Penn and Teller live, do not pass up the opportunity!
Penn & Teller provided a wonderful night of "getting away from it all". Great fun!!
AWESOME St. Pete show last night. I was worried about whether it was OK for my 10 year old daughter. IT WAS GREAT! She loved it. The show is very family friendly and super entertaining. My daughter was actually picked to go on stage for one of their tricks. How perfect was that? She hasn't shut up about how blue Teller's eyes are...or how "huge" Penn is. Real entertainment and great fun.
Great show with fun atmosphere. Really enjoyed the audience interaction and meeting Penn & Teller after the show.
Amazing magic and hilarious at the same time! Would go again and again if I could!
The show was fantastic. The excitement, the surprising, the theatrics, EVERYTHING! I couldn't have asked for a better experience!
Great show They come out after for photos and autographs
This has to be one of the best magic shows anywhere! These tricks contain an unexpected "twist" in them, not your usual run-of-the-mill standards, many of them start out that way but then take a very unexpected turn. Penn & Teller are impeccable performers, absolute masters of their craft & put on a first-class show night after night. The show is many things: funny, thought-provoking and beautiful - most notably Teller's 'silent acts' (there's a shadow rose act, one with a simple red bouncing ball and a tank of coins which magically morph into something quite spectacular), which are artistically exquisite. I won't give anything else away, you will just have to go see it & experience it for yourself! It runs approx. 90 mins with no intermission, an hour prior to the start of the show Penn Jillette plays upright bass with a Jazz pianist on stage, he's a great musician AND magician!
As always, Penn & Teller put on a fabulous show. The new helium trick was a delight, and Magic Bullets never fails to amaze.