Nathan Burton Comedy Magic

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it's a unanimous verdict Nathan Burton's showgirls are captivating. Resplendent in barely-there high-cut bikinis and feather topped hats, one might assume he'd borrowed some talent from sister show “X Burlesque” - only Nathan Burton's girls aren't part of any tease and please dance troupe, nor do they conduct pole-dancing lessons down at the Miracle Mile! With pins to rival the leggy Gisele, and more than ample sultry attitude to match, these showgirls form an integral part of Burton's “family” matinee show at the venerable Flamingo Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas. Yes, that means even children are welcome!!

Like many of his contemporaries, Burton was unable to shake the allure of the “craft” from the tender age of four. He attributes his early fascination to stalwart performers such as David Copperfield, whose careers have spanned decades, however his own foray into the world of illusions was also at the age of four – to his fellow primary school buddies, for a talent show. Allegedly “nothing went as planned”, but that early obsession propelled Nathan Burton onto our screens in 2006, when he brought a refined act to the “America's Got Talent” Los Angeles stage. Armed with an easel, a sketchpad and boyish charisma, he proceeded to wow the judges with an old Kevin James illusion known as “Bowl-A-Rama”. Admittedly not the most attentive to detail, Burton took less than 30 seconds to sketch out the shape of a bowling ball onto an A3 sheet – which he promptly ripped off and folded up. It may have been predictable, yet the emergence of a life-size bowling ball which dropped from his arms was enough to carry him through to the next round. Subsequent invitations to perform on E!'s “The Entertainer” and NBC's “World's Greatest Magic” have rocketed Burton into the hearts of a legion of fans – and now into the heart of Vegas!

Landing in Vegas in 2007, there was little prayer needed for Burton's debut at the V Theater, since he had already been courting interest with his appearances in “Buck Wild” at the Sahara, and V's prestigious “Ultimate Variety Show”. His Flamingo debut was received with equal anticipation, since he'd also roped in the “America's Got Talent” scene designer Andy Walmsley, as his creative director. He really needn't have! There's so much filling the line of vision in the foreground (including the showgirls) that one rarely has to marvel at the neat back-lighting and funky extras.

Revving up the introduction (a preluding hint at something huge), Burton's showgirls busy themselves with a whimsical pink pajama party and coy flirting with the audience – until Nathan crashes the festivities and is levitated the heck outta there! His boyish mischievousness comes into play as he stealthily rejoins the proceedings, clad in the same pink pajama ensemble and a blond wig for disguise. They might be blond, but there's no fooling these girls who promptly levitate him above their heads and walk him off stage! “Barbie In A Box” carries on the gentle comedic dig at the blond stereotype, as one of Burton's girls submits to entering the life-size packaging, for a unique alternative to the classic body-in-a-box splitting illusion.

Burton also brings one of his time-honored gags to the show – the very same which featured on a latter “America's Got Talent” audition. It's obviously a giant cardboard replica, but the huge microwave that takes center stage for the “shrinking” act has more than ample sound effects. Conversely to “Barbie in A Box”, Burton shrinks down one of his elegant lady assistants to an 8 inch Barbie doll. With the signature exposure (to the audience) of both the interior, exterior and rear of the “microwave”, you've got to wonder how the heck he pulls it off. Either his ladies are gifted with the ability of Star Trek speed teleporting, or they are Cirque caliber contortionists!

Unique illusion acts in Vegas drop in about once every decade, and even then they're usually only a subtle creative twist on what's been done before. Nathan Burton's “Comedy Magic” defies anything ever seen, with playful dynamics and illusions that take on their own identity – whether or not it's just a classic disappearing bit. Who else in Vegas has implemented Barbie dolls, giant toilets and a trouser press, into routines that already blow the mind? Re-scheduling and reshaping have kept “Comedy Magic” from going stale since 2008 – proof enough that Burton has now entered the realm of supreme Vegas magicians, without the “America's Got Talent” marketing!