The Unfair Advantage At The Pylon Lookout – REVIEW

With so many entertainment options at this year’s VIVID, the festival of lights, music and ideas, readers of this publication may be pondering:  what would be a unique and engaging show worth watching?

For something extraordinary and completely different, The Unfair Advantage at the Pylon Lookout is the perfect night out. After a therapeutic walk up 200 steps, attendees will experience — from a bird’s eye view on the balcony —the spectacular beauty of Vivid and the Sydney Harbour.

Then it’s showtime, and with just 25 people gathered around a card table in the adjoining ‘very’ close up and personal venue, Australia’s leading magician and hand artist Harry Milas will expose some of the world’s most intriguing and jaw-dropping magic tricks.

Milas was somewhat shy as a child and fascinated with playing cards. He spent endless hours researching card tricks in the privacy of his room. The rest is history. His skill has attributed to his achieving employment at some of the world’s most prominent casinos, spotting card cheats and catching gambling con rings from Vegas to the Middle east.

He is something of a card gaming genius, and participants will watch the passion and enthusiasm of Milas as he humorously enchants and entertains, displaying his skill at card trickery whilst talking about his past experiences.

It’s simply astounding that a pack of playing cards can provide so much enjoyment and interest! As the tricks upscale from easy to complex, each of the 25 observers will be asking, ‘How did he do that? It’s got to be magic!’

One of the many highlights was watching Milas memorize the position of each card in a deck and then perform tricks that left each audience member speechless. There’s no room for error, but how does he get it right each time?

As Milas explained, there’s one simple rule, “You don’t practice until you get it right, you practice until you never get it wrong…” Audiences may perceive magic on the card table, but Milas corrects: “It’s not magic, it’s devotion… time…33 years of my life so far.”

When a trick was performed using four coins there was silence and the urgency in knowing how it was performed was obvious from the stunned expressions on the audiences’ faces. Milas explained, “Magicians don’t keep the secret from you, they keep it for you. This trick is so simple – If I told you how it was done, you’d be disappointed.”

He also explained that when he performs these tricks at home it’s not special as he knows the secrets behind the trickery, but what makes it special is when he shares the tricks with an audience – the reaction of the audience makes it special.

This is an interactive show, and audiences are part of the magic. They will be asked to participate and can also ask questions at appropriate intervals. But remember: DO NOT interrupt while the card master is in deep concentration!

The Unfair Advantage is appropriate for all mature audiences over the age of 18. Is it a prerequisite to know card games and be an avid card player for full enjoyment and understanding of the magic that unfolds on the card table?

The answer is no. Just remember– watch closely and pay attention…

Until June 14

South-East Pylon of the Harbour Bridge.

 pylonlookout.com.au