Americas Got Talent 9: The Grand Final - Mat Franco

For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers

As was the case last year, each finalist performed twice - Their first performance was a 'Repeat' of a previous routine, and the second performance was entirely new. The two routines, as well as the corresponding judges' comments and performances from the competitors, will be examined separately.

The Repeat Performance

How Did Mat Franco Do?

As the only act unable to repeat a previous performance, Mat Franco chose to take the 'Storytelling' theme of his audition and apply it to a completely new trick. He chose to perform the "Cups and Balls" , the oldest and best-known magic trick in the world. Doing such a familiar routine seemed like a problem, but Mat managed to give a very enjoyable performance. The main reason for this was the quality of his patter. As he made the three small balls pass between the three cups several times, he told a humorous story about Howard, Heidi and Howie getting drunk at a bar. He finished by making four tennis balls appear under the cups, to represent all four judges.

Even the youngest and least experienced magicians know how to do the "Cups and Balls", but Mat performed the routine with the flair and energy that marks him out as a professional. Whilst some versions of the trick are more impressive, Mat's spin on it was slick, creative and fun to watch. It was better than his Top 12 performance by some distance.

What Did The Judges Say?

The judges' comments were entirely positive. Howie praised Mat's charisma and presentation. Howard noted how difficult it was for Mat to provide a trick that was both a repeat and completely new, but called his performance "second-to-none" and said he was "a true pro". Heidi claimed that Mat "dazzled" her, and Mel B praised his "slick" presentation.

What Was The Competition Like?

All of the acts gave strong 'Repeat' performances. Quintavious Johnson sang "I'd Rather Go Blind" and provided some amazing high notes, Emily West reprised the haunting version of the Sia song "Chandelier" which marked her out as a favourite during the Quarterfinals, but Howie and Mel B felt that her earlier rendition was better. Miguel Dakota was energetic and enjoyable to watch, but got upstaged by his backing band, whilst Sons Of Serendip retained the emotion and beauty that made their audition so unique. Finally, AcroArmy reprised their Semifinal performance and provided a number of great stunts with precise timing.

The New Performance

How Did Mat Franco Do?

For his second performance, Mat Franco provided a spin on one of the most iconic card tricks of all time, "Out of This World". He used Howard and Mel B as volunteers, and showed them two sets of cards. Howard would be given an ordinary deck, whilst Mel B would be in charge of a 'Human Deck' made up of 52 audience members, each holding a giant card face-down. Both were told to deal their decks, face-down, without looking, into two piles, one made up of black cards and one made up of red cards (In Mel B's case, this meant telling the audience members to stand at either side of the stage), based on what colour they thought each card was. Midway through,the position of the piles were switched, making it harder for the two judges to determine which one their card should go in. Once all the cards in Howard's deck had been dealt, and Mel B had positioned all the audience members, the cards were turned over. All the cards had been dealt onto the correct piles, with one exception, the Three of Clubs, which was in the first set of red cards dealt by both judges.

"Out of This World" is a popular trick because it is simple to do and has a very impressive climax. By doing two versions at once with a matching outcome, Mat made it unique and, by using the 'Human Deck', he ensured that it could be followed by everyone in the audience. Apart from a conspicuous switch between two cards made near the end, the routine was executed very successfully given its elaborate nature.

What Did the Judges Say?

The judges' praise for Mat's 'New' performance was just as enthusiastic as it had been for his 'Repeat. Howard' claimed that Mat deserved to win (although he acknowledged that he had said that about most of the other finalists), Mel B claimed that he made "magic become magic" and Heidi praised his versatility. Howie summed up the judges opinions by claiming that Mat would become a big TV star like David Blaine or David Copperfield.

Was Was the Competition Like?

For the most part, the 'New' performances were better than the earlier ones. However, Sons Of Serendip were disappointing, as they delivered a relatively flat performance of the rock anthem "Bring Me to Life". The other acts were far more successful. Quintavious Johnson applied his vocal skills to the Beatles classic "Let It Be", whilst Miguel Dakota provided an acoustic version of "Billie Jean".Meanwhile, AcroArmy emphasised balancing, and offered a number of memorable stunts such as a four-tier human pyramid. The last act of the night was Emily West, who finished the evening on a high by singing the ballad "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". Her performance revealed that she did not need to belt out high notes to move viewers.

Verdict

Mat Franco's chances of winning Americas Got Talent are high. He delivered two unique and creative performances with some great presentation. His early performance slot puts him at a slight disadvantage, but on the basis of his last two performances, as well as his showing throughout the competition, he would be a deserving winner.