MagiComedy Night

I think we could all use a little magic sometimes. Some sparkle and wonder. Repetitive routines, pressing deadlines, and limited free time can sometimes turn our little lives a shade of gray. But then, abacadabra! You find a Heldeke show that offers magic and comedy — MagiComedy Night!

Strolling through the colorful, quaint streets of Kalamaja, I made my way to the venue – Heldeke. This place feels magical, or enchanting at the very least. The red-curtained, vaudeville-style venue takes you back in time to the era of glitz and glamour. The room is quite intimate with dimmed atmospheric lights and a few tables. An ideal location for a night full of magic.

After I found myself a seat, the show began. The music was off and the audience waited eagerly in silence. The first performer walked on stage, visual magician Toni Hellström, a charming man with slicked-back hair and the classic magician’s outfit: a dapper black suit. Fitting background music was turned on and Toni started his routine. He began by showing us something unbelievable from the get-go – the power to make things levitate, from a crimson plastic rose to a paper fly. It was, though, quite an unfortunate beginning, as I noticed the secret behind his magic tricks. That did throw me off for a moment, but it was still a fun watch regardless. The most memorable part of the start was when Toni was trying to catch the paper fly and, after many attempts, finally trapped it in a jar. The sounds of a fly whining were blasted through the speakers, and the paper fly kept on flying inside the jar. And for that, I have no logical explanation. 

After Toni’s opening act, mentalist and magician Risto Leppänen wooshed onstage. He was full of energy, witty, and charismatic from the jump. For people like myself, the thought of performers physically engaging the audience members in their shows is a tad scary and anxiety-inducing, but somehow Risto managed to charm his way into all of our hearts immediately. He engaged with the audience easily and made everyone feel comfortable and welcome. During his first act, he made an audience member’s money disappear and reappear (in a random LEMON of all places); all of us chuckled and took part in his act. Since the audience was modest in size, I felt his direct contact with the crowd made us feel closer as a group for the duration of the experience. This can be especially hard with an Estonian crowd, so I applaud him for that.

The show featured card and rope tricks from both magicians, some mind-reading from Risto, and more acts of levitation from Toni. Toni represents the more classic, sleight-of-hand magician, mysterious but amiable, showcasing the tried-and-true interlocked rings and silk handkerchief tricks. I had never been to a magic show before, so I found these acts alluring and fun. Risto, on the other hand, is more like a mind-reading comedian. He somehow knows exactly what number you have randomly pulled out of a notebook or what card you have in your hand. The combination of both of their talents created a diverse show experience, with, at times, genuine awe as I tried to figure out the tricks behind the act.

Risto and Toni are both entertaining as performers, with the element of comedy in their acts, but I believe they could benefit from a bit more practice communicating with the crowd and each other. I also believe Toni would benefit from getting more comfortable speaking in English. Practice makes perfect, and since I am also not a native English speaker, I can vouch for this. These improvements would help eliminate some of the awkward pauses between the acts.

And lastly, the show was two hours in total with one break. Even though time flew by for me, they could condense their material a bit and then do an act together, intertwining both their skills.

MagiComedy Night at Heldeke was entertaining thanks to Risto and Toni. I felt truly baffled, laughed out loud, and even got to go on stage a few times myself. If you are looking for an engaging experience, a show of tried-and-true and newer magic tricks, then you should give these guys a shot. It livened up my weekend and made me feel a bit of magic in the air again. Some hocus pocus!

Author: Mia