KATHMANDU: Magic and mentalism ruled the stage of Shilpee Theatre, Battisputali on August 13, that would otherwise be busy staging plays and literary events. Sulav Shrestha enthralled the audience through his magic and manipulative acts in the event titled ‘Redefining Magic.’

Unlike the usual magicians, Shrestha appeared on stage without the magician’s hat or the stick. Sporting long hair and grunge jeans pants, Shrestha with inked arms looked like a rock star!

Once, Shrestha, who prefers to call himself “deceptive rather than illusionist”, was on stage, he invited a young boy from the audience onto the stage. The boy was asked to tear a piece of tissue paper, and chew it, and the boy followed instructions. Shrestha also did the same. To audience’s amazement, Shrestha pulled out a long white rope from his mouth, and of course the boy couldn’t. Audience applauded him for the “classic magic”.

Then it was time for some manipulation, and audience could win Rs 10,000 cash. For this, Shrestha asked three people from the audience to choose a number each, from no 1 to no 4. He repeatedly asked them to do so. And each of them chose a number among 2, 3, and 4; no one chose no 1. He then put four chips’ cans on the table, each can had a number pasted on it, from 1 to 4. Those three members of audience were given the can with the number they had chosen earlier. Shrestha took the remaining can. When they opened their cans, all three cans had Pringles chips inside, and the prize money — Rs 10,000 was in the can no 1.

Shrestha showcased more such magic, and manipulative acts and the audience enjoyed his performance. With this show, Shilpee has taken a step towards starting a new kind of theatre, Magic Theatre. It will start from September under Shrestha’s leadership.