CLOCKWORK MAGIC, Producer: Corey Dixon #Toronto

By: Lyndsay Brown

Dec. 12, 2015 at the ‘Mini-Indie’ Indoor Go-Kart (Toronto) location held an innovative underground play named CLOCKWORK MAGIC. The show was put together by a group of creative friends dedicated to present their various talents together as one complete event. The Organizer/Producer: Corey Dixon, who won the support of his father Mr. Dixon who provided the venue. CLOCKWORK MAGIC Play Script Writer credits go to Steve Young. The play was a two part, hour long, Steampunk themed show about Science vs. Magic, featuring magic & illusions. Lights, steam, music, costumes, props, fights, acrobatics/dance, jokes, birds, cards, fire, and razor blades fueled the show.  

At 7pm the audience was lead to the upper level in a small intimate setting with a capacity of about 200 people. Seats decorated in black cloth with a red bowtie nicely fitted to the back of the chairs, facing the stage with a steampunk box that fog seeped out of accurately building wonder awe before the performance stared. Soon, the lights dimmed, while scary movie like music began to play. Moments later the music stopped, and character from behind the audience began introducing the plot of the story as he walked through the room towards the stage. Steam filled the room with a theatrical fight between a woman (Natasha Day), and man (Corey Dixon) arguing weather or not magic or science would win the hearts of the people.  As they two left the stage there where several other skits to follow.

Part One started with an interactive performance demonstrating mind games, a magic act with a young member of the audience making balls mysteriously multiply, and illusions accompanied with strobe lights using an acrylic ball. To finish part one, two young ladies (Maya Smith & Brooklyn Mackie) did a short acrobatic performance to Dubstep music. After the intermission break Part Two was presented.

Part Two of the show was the most entertaining as Ryan Brown unexpectedly did some magic tricks with colored fabric making doves appear out of thin air. Ryan then moved on to his next ruse of swallowing razor blades. After Ryan left the stage, another acrobatic/dance performance By Veronica Lange started; the music Lorde’s song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”. Bringing everything to an end Corey Dixon & Natasha Day had one final fight over Science vs. Magic. In closing all performers made their way to the stage, and bowed to the crowd. The crowd was amused by the play as everyone clapped with approval.  

After the play people scattered about, the performers ran around the venue in celebration of a successful event. Wanting to learn more, I met one of the audience members/supporter out of curiosity who says he actually dressed up in a Steampunk themed costume, and vowed he was really just an observer not an actor. Further, during Ryan Brown’s performance I started to wonder if I have seen the actors before at the ‘Screamers’ event (Oct. 31, 2015), as there was a performance of razor swallowing there too; it turns out Ryan Brown was in fact the razor act at ‘Screamers’! Ryan continued to tell me that the other set members where not at ‘Screamers’, but from Canada’s Wonderland ‘Haunt’ instead.

The show exceeded expectations, and I personally hope to see more from this group.

Full cast was: Spencer Scurr, Matthew Stewart, Steve Wallace, Ryan Brown, Veronica Lange, Natasha Day, Corey Dixon, Maya Smith, and Brooklyn Mackie!!  

To learn more see the CLOCKWORK MAGIC Twitter page @ClockWorkCanada

Below are pictures taken before, during, and after the show (photos By: HOOKEDUPB MAG):