Nathan Burton Comedy Magic at the Flamingo

It's a magical afternoon with Nathan Burton

Review by Greg Thilmont

Looking for an early afternoon extravaganza of magical illusions, entertaining dance and comedic stylings that kids and adults can enjoy together?

Well then, Nathan Burton is your man. Your magic man, that is…

Nathan Burton is the wunderkind of wizardry in Vegas. He made his name with the extravagant "7 Days and 7 Showgirls" stunt in which he was locked in a suspended, transparent crate with some colorfully-costumed accomplices.

Burton is also known from gigs at "V—The Ultimate Variety Show" and "Buck Wild." He has also been showcased on E! Network's "The Entertainer" and "World's Greatest Magic" on NBC.

Now, at the Flamingo, the show is all Nathan Burton, all the time -- plus a few lovely showgirls and a sidekick, of course.

Burton's revue mixes his friendly, approachable comedic touch with his prop-oriented magic tricks.

The dancers are there to give the show's segments fun themes like "sleep-over party" or "dream date." The dancers' routines are sweet and just slightly saucy rather than being overtly and overly sexy—it's a kid-friendly affair.

Burton's take on magic can be mischievous—as a hilarious toilet-paper launching contraption proves. The "rubber neck" trick, too, takes giddy delight in what looks like a very uncomfortable situation.

Some of his tricks are of a simpler nature, such as the "bowling ball," "newspaper," and "price prediction" segments—but they're impressive nonetheless. Burton has great timing and really connects with his audiences well.

Burton's props can be significant—one trick involves the largest hand hair dryer you've probably ever seen. He uses it for some classic levitation illusion work. And the "steam roller" segment takes up some real space--as it flattens Burton, that is.

One of the highlights of Burton's show is the "dream date" segment, where a lucky male audience member meets the dancer of his dreams—and discover's Burton's ability to predict the future.

There's much more magical and musical fun in the show, but why ruin the surprise and name them all? Let's just say that Burton ends the show with a real cool touch with his "snow" trick. The show also features Michael Holley a comedic juggler who performed in "Folies Beregere" at Tropicana and Russ Merlin, an entertainer with his own brand of comedy who has performed in "V-The Ultimate Variety Show" in the V Theater in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.