When we entered the venue in time for the 7pm show, the place was jam packed with people.  What surprised me was that although the place is a pub, about fifty percent of the crowd that evening comprised families!  There were children accompanied by their parents.  Magic indeed has its draw on all people regardless of age!

The opening of the show was rather unique.  On a large screen, we saw J C at the Singapore Flyer, beamed to us via satellite.  J C was getting ready to enter into a glass cabinet there.  A lady from the audience at the Arena was randomly chosen and she communicated to J C through the screen and gave J C her initials as well as a freely chosen number, both of which J C wrote on his forearm.  JC entered into the glass cabinet and vanished in a puff of smoke.  There was a similar glass cabinet at the Arena.  The empty cabinet began to be filled with smoke.  When the smoke cleared, J C Sum stood triumphant inside the cabinet.  He had just been teleported from the Singapore Flyer to the Arena!  I was told that J C would be teleported from a different Singapore landmark each day.  J C rolled up his sleeve to show the same information still written on his forearm.  An unique appearance of the magician in an originally designed appearing cabinet.

Ning then made her appearance from a Shadow Box.  The duo did, what to me was, a very nice presentation of Multiplying Bottles.  Next, they performed Crystal Metamorphosis with a transparent trunk, and the switch was really fast!  This is an original design of J C Sum.  Very visual and effective!  J C floated a modified metal Losander table, and then laid down on a platform and became a victim as Ning pushed spikes through J C body in Jim Steinmeyer’s “Audience Puncture” illusion.   Originally designed for use with a kid as a comedy act, J C did a nice variation of it by utilizing it as a revenge weapon.  

Ning went solo and did her signature act: Strait Jacket Striptease, which is self explanatory.  J C then went solo with Miser’s Dream, using a boy assistant from the audience.  His presentation was just right – not too long, not too short – and very entertaining! 

It was time for an original illusion by J C Sum called Full Throttle, where a full-sized motor-cycle was produced on stage.  In another original illusion called Revo-llusion, J C made his appearance through an eight-feet giant industrial fan!  Even the noise made by the fan was threatening to the audience! 

Ning went solo again and did J C’s original take on Razor Blades In Mouth and  with a fire eating kicker!  We were then treated to a large screen video of Ning’s Impalement Cage mega illusion performance that took place not long ago outside the Arena.  The closing act was a re-invention of Roy Shank/Jim Steinmeyer Bo Staff Illusion which J C called Extreme Burn.  We saw Ning right to the last moment before she vanished with a flash of fire!  After the show, both J C and Ning came out and mingled with the audience for a chance for them to meet up with the celebrities as well as photo taking.

Ultimate Magic was all about the charismatic duo J C Sum and Ning, and we could see the chemistry between them as they co-coordinated well together in their performances.  We also got to see each one performing their own magical acts.  Those who came to see Ning as the “sexiest woman in magic” were not disappointed with her dressing and her performance in the illusions.  It was a 60 minutes show and it was fast-paced and entertaining.  There were illusions a plenty, and for us magicians, there were enough originality in the design of the illusions as well as in the presentation of some classic effects to make us happy and appreciative.  The brain behind the entire production was J C Sum.  If you want to know what a professional magic act is like, come and witness Ultimate Magic.

Tickets are available at www.thearenalive.com.sg