“Magic & Mischief” Show Review

The incredible brother and sister act, “Magic & Mischief,” performed two shows at The Rugeley Rose Theatre in Rugeley this past weekend. The show featured renowned BGT and AGT performer Ryland Petty, alongside his magician sister Thea, who have formed an exciting new stage illusion act. Both are passionate about stage magic and big box illusions, and they presented their brand-new show to an enthusiastic audience. As a fan of big box illusions, it’s wonderful to see this act following the footsteps of similar artists like Matricks Illusion and High Jinx, who all started young as brother and sister acts. I see a bright future for these two, who I understand put in countless hours of practice after school each day to deliver this amazing show. Their dedication is evident in the performance.

Pic credit – “Magic & Mischief” and Magic TV

The show was split into two acts. The first showcased some of the best young talent in the business before the full “Magic & Mischief” show.

Thomas Moloney skilfully introduced the first act, featuring Jess Howard, Nia Evan’s and then brother and sister act “Emma and Harry Williams” from “The Magic Bar Live”.

After Tom warmed up the audience, Jess, a member of the Young Magicians Club, began proceedings. Her ten-minute set showcased her classical act, demonstrating sleight of hand, manipulation, and quick change. Jess narrated the performance, sharing highlights of her magic career as she begins her journey as an adult professional magician. This fantastic opening set a high bar for the rest of the show.

Nia Evans was up next, confidently interacting with the audience and looking for volunteers. As a comedy magician, she was spontaneous and funny, keeping the audience laughing. I was already familiar with Nia, as she’s well-known within the magic community. While trying to keep the write-up spoiler-free, the act involves Nia creating a story based on a pot noodle while running her fictitious restaurant, serving an audience member.

Brother and sister act “Emma and Harry Williams” were up next. They mixed mentalism and comedy, and these two young professionals already have a lot of experience performing in front of live audiences at “The Magic Bar Live” in Llandudno. Each took their turn to shine in the spotlight, entertaining the crowd. I was also lucky enough to be selected to help out and had a brief moment on stage, assisting Emma as she read my mind.

After the interval, “Magic & Mischief” took the stage. This big box stage illusion show incorporated some parlour and stage magic to break up the pace and add variety.

I’ve seen Ryland perform at magic conventions, and his growth as an artist is very noticeable. His performance on the night was strong and confident. I’ve seen Thea share magic on “Magic TV,” but I hadn’t seen her perform live before. I had some idea of what to expect, as “Magic TV” (YouTube magic channel by magic creator Craig Petty) proudly shared a version of the “Magic & Mischief” show for viewers to watch about 6 weeks ago. While I was impressed with the video, seeing them live was of course so much better. The growth of this act is very noticeable in a short amount of time.

As a double act, they work well together. Ryland is now in his element, doing exactly what he loves – big box illusions. He masterfully presents the show, while Thea brings in the comedy and also acts as assistant and magician. For parts of the show, Thea takes on the role of mischievous sister, attempting to disrupt the performance with a bottle and glass, and she brings in the laughs. Already known in the industry as a natural performer, she displays her abilities to perform well. Perhaps in future, Thea could have her own solo spot like Ryland in the show?

I also need to mention the third newest member of “Magic & Mischief,” who performed with Ryland and Thea and made her debut. Maddie Moloney assisted with the show, as the scale and number of illusions required extra hands. Maddie was confident, and assisted well. I particularly liked how she entered stage at the end of the show which was particularly amazing and a surprise.

As well as big box illusions, Ryland and Thea performed some more general parlour/close up magic to slow down the pace and allow the audience to catch their breaths. Ryland’s solo spot was a water/sand routine and he then also performed a variation of a famous bottle and glass performance with Thea.

“Magic & Mischief” is a joy to watch, and I’m so glad I travelled to see them perform together so I could review the show. Don’t overlook any of these acts just because of their age; all the performers are already entertaining at a very high standard. Their commitment to the art has earned them the support of several highly skilled mentors who assist them on their journey. Credit also goes to the many backstage hands who helped support and run the show that night. It’s no easy task, especially with so many large-scale illusions which can be dangerous.

I believe both shows were sold out, playing to packed audiences. All the performers then took part in a meet and greet at the end of the show and interacted confidently with the audience. Merchandise was also selling well, and I don’t doubt that these performers will have inspired other young audience members to try magic. I witnessed many audience members talk impressively about the show.

The entire “Magic & Mischief” team deserves a huge thank you for making this an incredibly enjoyable evening. And if you have chance to see or book these acts, I have listed their websites below for reference.