Life Style: Magician Criss Angel captivates Riyadh audience

RIYADH: Stunning illusions, levitation and sleight of hand captivated audiences at the debut Saudi show from award-winning magician Criss Angel.
“Raw,” hosted at Boulevard Riyadh City from Feb. 19-25, was not a magic show the country had seen before, the entertainer said.
“Raw is basically an illusion show that takes material that I performed on Broadway and Las Vegas for over a decade mixed with brand new material and put it all together in a 90-minute spectacle that I don’t believe the Kingdom has ever seen before,” Angel told Arab News.
Audiences were treated to blade swallowing and other spectacles that surprised the audience to the point that they were screaming and standing on their feet.
“I levitated all over the stage and I won with this levitation the greatest illusion of all time. It’s quite an honor to be able to perform here, so I wanted to come here with my best material and audiences have loved it. It’s really unbelievable.” Angel said that he was amazed by Saudi culture and how welcoming people were.
He also said he was unaware about how well-known he was in the country.

“I walk on the Boulevard and people are constantly coming up to me wearing my clothing, making me gifts, telling me how they used to watch me on television, making me smile.”
Angel said he had been in talks with the General Entertainment Authority for about two years to come to Saudi Arabia, and that he did not expect tickets to sell out so fast.
He also talked about his plans to return to the country if the chance was offered to him again.
“Based on the incredible success, I have been told that every single show here has been sold out and I think that there’s a lot of opportunities, and it’s a very exciting time here in the Kingdom with entertainment really breaking (through) and the Boulevard, which is amazing. There is so much to do with the latest, greatest and things to enjoy. I think there’s a lot of wonderful exciting opportunities for a wonderful future in the Kingdom. I will come back in a heartbeat.”
Audience member Abdulrahman Musleh thought the show was spectacular.
“It is my first time to attend a show like this and, honestly, it was very impressive. I was blown away by the tricks and his interaction with the audience,” he said.
Rania Aboaljadayel described herself as one of Angel’s biggest fans. “I love him so much and I saw his show in Las Vegas. I am so beyond happy to see him in the Kingdom, I couldn’t believe it.”