Trickery Chicago
4.9(671)google
5.0(212)yelp
InteractivePerformanceImmersive
Overview
Trickery Chicago is an wonderfully intimate, charmingly eccentric storefront theater located in the vibrant Lakeview neighborhood, celebrated for hosting one of the most entertaining and funniest live magic shows in the city. Stripping away the heavy digital special effects of massive modern illusion shows, this cozy, vintage-styled venue brings audience members just inches away from the charismatic magician Apollo Ace and his hilarious assistant, Hoppy the psychic mind-reading puppet rabbit. The fast-paced, highly interactive show perfectly blends jaw-dropping, masterful sleight-of-hand card magic with side-splitting, razor-sharp stand-up comedy, ensuring a brilliant, laughter-filled night out.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration1-1.5 hours
Best TimeAn intimate and highly-rated comedy magic theater that requires advance ticket booking online for Thursday through Saturday evening shows. Seating only around 30 guests, this cozy BYOB storefront theater ensures every seat is front-row, letting you experience hilarious and baffling sleight-of-hand magic up close.
Getting ThereLocated in the Lakeview neighborhood on the North Side. Take the 'L' Brown Line to the Paulina station, exit, and walk southeast along N Lincoln Avenue for about 5 minutes to find the storefront theater near W Cornelia Ave.
Travel Tips
- This intimate magic venue features mature humor and sleight-of-hand. Age limits are strictly enforced: minors under 12 or 18 (depending on the specific show run) are denied entry. Always check the online age boundary for your date, and bring physical government photo IDs for verification.
- The venue is highly compact, seating only a few dozen patrons. To avoid disrupting the magician's focus, the entry doors lock down precisely at showtime; latecomers are absolutely barred from mid-show entry with no refunds. No bag checks exist; leave rolling luggage or heavy rucksacks behind.
- The theater operates a BYOB policy but limits items exclusively to factory-sealed wine or canned beer; hard liquor spirits are an absolute red line. A small corkage fee applies. Showing disruptive signs of intoxication or heckling results in immediate eviction without refund.
Reviews
Positive
- Watching highly humorous close-up magic inside this intimate black-box theater delivers an intense visual impact that lives up to its hype.
- The magician is incredibly witty and charming; the interactive audience participation and sensory setups offer immense, heartwarming fun.
- The admission rates are highly affordable for top-tier intimate performance art; the theater is BYOB, offering unmatched budget value.
- Located in the vibrant north side Lakeview district steps from the CTA train, signage is clear and the venue is kept pristine and orderly.
Heads up
- The actual indoor footprint is extremely tight, housing only about 30 seats; those expecting a grand stage and heavy lighting may find it too light.
- Because seats are sparse and demand is high, trying to secure walk-in tickets at the door without booking online weeks ahead is nearly impossible.
- As a small indie art space, it features zero permanent snack bars, food concessions, or dedicated souvenir gift merchandise nooks.
- The old entrance features historical wooden steps and narrow interior aisles, presenting minor navigation barriers for wheelchair accessibility.