Americas Got Talent 8 Semifinals- Colins Key

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Of the four magic acts to make it into the live shows this year, close-up magician Colins Key was the only one to make the Semifinals. But did he continue to impress?

How Did Colins Key Do?

Colins Key did another mentalism trick, utilising the whole audience this time. First, he had them tweet the name of a New York location, then he asked a woman chosen from the audience to come down onto the stage. Before she arrived on stage, Colins had the judges choose Fashion items at random by drawing a ball out of a bag. Howie chose a hairstyle, Mel B chose a dress, Heidi chose shoes, and Howard chose a miscellaneous item (A "Wildcard") . The woman finally came down onto the stage, and Colins revealed that the clothes she was wearing matched those chosen by the judges (The "Wildcard"  chosen by Howard, Polka Dots, were on the Woman's iPhone). He then finished by revealing the location chosen by the audience (Central Park) correctly predicted on his arm. As the above description indicates, it was a pretty elaborate trick. However, there were two big problems. The first of these was pacing. As Leon Etienne and Romy Low found out to their cost a few weeks ago, A magician must not lose the attention of the audience. Colins struggled to keep the audience under control, and took too long to get to the point. The second, equally major, problem is apparent from a quick look at the "Comments" section of the video of the performance on Youtube. A large number of viewers believe that the trick was "fake" and that the girl was an actor. Colins did prove some theories wrong (The balls in the bags were all different), but failed to completely invalidate most of the Skeptic's claims. This will likely cost Colins a lot of votes. In short, his trick was actually very strong, but Colins' lacked the polish and showmanship needed to amaze the viewers and silence the critics. It was not his best performance.

What Did the Judges Say?

As usual, Howie and Heidi were highly positive, with Heidi in particular praising the use of the audience. Mel B was also impressed, but noted that she was torn between believing in the magic and trying to figure it out. Howard, however, was critical, saying that Colins squeezed too much into a small time frame. Personally, I think that Howard has a point. Colins would have been better off removing the choice of location and the red slips that helped him choose a woman in the audience, using the extra time to make the trick more convincing.

What was the Competition like?

On paper, the first semifinal looked highly competitive, but turned out to be a disappointment. One act can be ruled out instantly though- Tone The Chiefrocca sang "B-Double-O-T-Y" again and proved to be a total and utter waste of a wildcard spot. Red Panda, drafted in during the morning as a last-minute replacement for the KriStef Brothers, did OK with her rice bowl juggling act, especially with the little time she was given, but she made mistakes. Balancing Duo Duo Resonance had some good tricks, but they are a little boring. Innovative Force, another acrobatics act, lack the edge needed to compete. I personally found Angela Hoover very funny, but she doesn't seem like she can go much further. Taylor Williamson seems to be more popular, but I dislike his blend of awkwardness and blue humour. Catapult  Entertainment, a Silhouette performance act, are excellent, but their underwater-themed performance was not their best. The singers have a better chance of getting through: Dave Fenley had an unusual song choice ("Say You'll be There" by the Spice Girls), but did a decent job. Cami Bradley has a nice voice, but is a bit bland. Johnathan Allen has talent, but was probably overshadowed by his rivals Forte, another act who performed below capacity. Only two acts (Taylor and Forte) received complete and unconditional praise from all four judges.

What are Colins' Chances?

Fortunately for Colins (And also many of the other competitors), Six acts are going through. Colins wasn't at his best, but, due to his large teen fanbase and the weak opposition, he has a good chance of making it to at least the judge's vote by default.

Americas Got Talent 8-Live Show 3: Leon Etienne and Romy Low

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

How Did Leon and Romy Do?

       

Leon Etienne and Romy Low disappointed with their live performance. Contrary to the rumours on Twitter,  there were no sharks in sight  (Leon and Romy probably lacked the time and money to bring one in), and instead we got a less spectacular trick. Leon and Romy performed the "Backstage" illusion, a classic Lance Burton trick. Leon got into a box which had a large number of canes inserted into it. The twist here was that we saw the trick from behind. That meant that we saw Leon get out of the box through a trap door as the first canes were put through the box, and secretly climb under a covered table. However, by the time all the canes had been removed, Leon was back in the box, and AGT host Nick Cannon had appeared under the table. "Backstage" is a great trick, but it was confusing for both the AGT judges and the viewers at home. One problem was that Leon and Romy used a moniter to show the audience and judges appearing to watch the trick from "The Front". This was a problem, as it was not certain whether we were seeing the same things as the audience and judges were. Furthermore, because this was a performance dependant almost entirely on the twist at the end, the build-up felt too slow. Pacing issues have ruined a number of magicians on AGT before (Such as Brett Daniels from Series 6 and Rudy Coby from Series 7), and Leon and Romy lacked the showmanship to make up for this, despite the modern clothing and upbeat music.

In fact, Leon and Romy were the only act of the night to gain an X, from Howard. He said that the performance bored him and criticised the delivery. Mel B shared his opinion, claiming that the only reason she didn't buzz too was because she enjoyed the final reveal. Howie and Heidi, however, found the trick creative and suprising.  Both arguments are valid, but at the end of the day, Leon and Romy needed to give a knockout performance if they wanted to get through, and they didn't.

What was the competition like?

The third live show was just as competitive as I anticipated, with six or seven acts deserving a place in the next round. Apart from Leon and Romy, only a couple of performers failed to impress. They were: Dog act Kelsey and Bailey, whose tricks were generic and unexciting, and Dave "The Cobra Kid" Weathers, who brought a 15-foot Cobra on stage but did little with it. AeroSphere added more movement to their act, but it was too short and unfocused, whilst Brandon and Savannah did another cover, and were good but not exceptional. This leaves us with the seven top contenders, who would have easily made it through if they had performed on the last two live shows. Mitisi Dance School were precise and unique, but focused on precision rather than excitement. Chicago Boyz made a few mistakes, but overall, their routine was excellent. Jim Meskimen united his improvised impressions under a common theme and did a very good job. Deanna DellaCioppa gave a very strong performance, as did Johnathan Allen, but the two singers could be overshadowed by their more unique opposition. Meanwhile, American Military Spouses Choir are polarising among AGT viewers, but have an obsessive fan base, which, as we saw with Marty Brown last week, can be all that really matters.
Best of all, however, was Kenchini Ebina, who was singled out as a potential winner by Howie for his exciting and creative video game-themed dance routine.

What are Leon and Romy's chances?

Due to their weak performance and their many superior rivals, Leon and Romy's chances essentially amount to almost Zero. They could come back as a wildcard, but otherwise, they're already out.

Americas Got Talent 8; Live Show 3 preview-Leon Etienne and Romy Low

,FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Americas Got Talent is halfway through the first round, and already magician Colins Key has made it into the semi finals. Can Leon Etienne and Romy Low join them?

What should Leon and Romy do?

Over the eight seasons AGT has been on the air, dozens of magic acts have failed because they forgot to heed a simple rule; All the showmanship in the world won't help you if you do a trick we've all seen before. As I noted in an earlier post, Scott Alexander did one of the most lavish tricks ever seen on AGT in Series 6 (Vanishing an entire gospel choir and making them reappear on the balcony), but finished behind an act who had gained 2 X's. Viewers were too familiar with the method behind his trick to be impressed. Leon and Romy have a similar problem- The tricks they used to make it this far have been generic in nature. For their live performance, Leon and Romy need to come up with, and perform, a trick most viewers haven't seen before. I accept that most magicians on AGT have budget constraints, but all you need to succeed is a little creativity. In the same year that Scott Alexander failed so spectacularly, Landon Swank became AGT's most successful magician to date. He constructed all his props at home, but the tricks he did with them were creative and exciting. Leon and Romy (As well as all future magicians on AGT) should keep this in mind when planning and preparing for a performance.

On Twitter, Leon has implied that his performance could be themed around "Shark week" . This certainly sounds promising, but can Leon make a truly amazing illusion from this creative theme?

What is the Competition Like?

Last week, the quality of the acts was so low that annoying "one-hit wonder" Tone the Chiefrocca made the judges choice. This week, however, looks far more competitive. At least seven acts look like serious contenders, and the others are also good:

• American Military Spouses Choir - Viewers tend to be very supportive of acts connected to the military, but American Military Spouses Choir may be seen as bland, despite their talent.  Their live performance is absolutely critical.
• AeroSphere - AGT was created to showcase acts like Areosphere, an act centred around a performer doing acrobatics tethered to a giant balloon. It's certainly impressive, but it is limited in range. Furthermore, the novelty of the act could wear off very quickly.
• Brandon and Savannah - Brandon and Savannah owe their place in the live shows to the judges bias towards bands. In Vegas Week, they chose to sing a cover instead of the original song that got them through the auditions. They got through, whilst Paul Thomas Mitchell, a more talented singer and songwriter who compromised his niche in the same way, was eliminated. Don't get me wrong, Brandon and Savannah are talented, and I have no objection towards them, But they are caught between a rock and a hard place. Should they do an original song and limit their appeal, or do a cover and lose their edge?
• Chicago Boyz - An acrobatics group specialising in jump rope, Chicago Boyz certainly have talent and appeal, but how can they up their game?
• Dave "The Cobra Kid" Weathers- Snake handling is very dangerous and impressive, but as an act, it is limited. Dave "The Cobra Kid" Weathers is the first snake handler on AGT to make the live shows. He has personality and some unique tricks, but can he convince an audience that has rarely voted for danger acts?
• Deanna DellaCioppa - Deanna DellaCioppa is a great singer, but critics will likely feel that they have seen others like her before. she needs to pulls off a spectacular performance if she is to win them over.
• Jim Meskimen- This year, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the fact that several acts (in particular Marty Brown and Forte) have had professional careers in the past. For that reason, impressionist Jim Meskimen could be in trouble. Meskimen has easily the most prolific career of anyone in AGT's live shows this year,  having appeared on TV shows such as Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Friends and lent his voice to a number of animated shows and video games. He is a very talented impressionist, but his audition was great because of his energy and accuracy, and there was little to it beyond the impressions themselves. Can Meskimen turn his talent into an act?
• Johnathan Allen- Johnathan Allen is a talented opera singer, but he has one problem outside his control. His immediate rival, Branden James, is already through to the Semifinals. Many viewers are sick of the opera singers, or rooting for Branden. To win them over, Johnathan will need to give the performance of a lifetime.
• Kelsey and Bailey- Olate Dogs were controversial winners last year, so it's odd that we should see another dog act this year.  Kelsey and Bailey are above average, but they won't be able to top Olate Dogs, and viewers are already sick of dog acts.
• Kenchini Ebina - Since Series 4, there has been one solo dancer every year that has wowed America. Kenchini Ebina looks set to follow that trend. Of his predesessors, Kenchini is most similar to Haspop from Series 5, due to his use of mime and his creative routines. But he needs to keep up the momentum in order to get further than all the acts of his type before him.
• Mitisi School of Dance- A Chinese Folk-dance act, Mitisi School of Dance are precise and unique, but their appeal is limited, especially against more energetic rivals.

What are Leon and Romy's Chances?

Leon Etienne and Romy Low have a small chance of making it through, but it largely depends on how good their trick is. If it is great, then they could be right up there with the favourites. But in such a tough heat, their best may not be enough.

Americas Got Talent 8- Three magicians compete

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

This year, a record three magic acts competed in the first live show. They were: Colins Key, Special Head and Alexanderia the Great. But how did they fare?

What Did Special Head Do?

In his intro video, Special Head promised that he would "Physically alter the matter of [his] body". Based on this claim, I assumed his performance would incorporate some sort of transformation. What we got instead was a modified version of his audition, albeit with a few twists. As in his audition, Special Head levitated into the air in a lotus posture (Although he didn't use a stick to support his body this time) whilst throat singing. He then vanished in a puff of smoke, reappearing on the roof of Radio City Music Hall. I was disappointed by the performance, as I would have liked to see him do something different. Furthermore, the trick was not executed perfectly- We can briefly see his head after he "Disappears". In short, Special Head failed to shake off his image as a novelty act, and gave easily the weakest of his three performances.

What Did Colins Key Do?

As I hoped, Colins Key came up with a trick that "Played big", but stayed within his comfort zone. For it, he had each of the judges tweet a word or name on AGT's Twitter account. Howie Mandel was asked to choose an activity, Mel B was asked to name a city, Heidi Klum was asked to name a celebrity who wasn't  present in the room, and Howard Stern was asked to choose a body part. After the judges had tweeted their selections, Colins took down a box that had been hanging in view of the audience throughout and opened it, revealing a scroll. This scroll outlined a dream which incorporated all the chosen elements. As with his previous performances, Colins updated a popular old trick, and did so in a creative and original way. In his intro video, Colins stated that he wanted to be the first magician to win AGT. If he keeps up the momentum, he might just fulfill that aim.

What Did Alexanderia The Great Do?

                                           
In her intro video, Alexanderia the Great claimed that "Houdini himself" would not have attempted the escape she was about to do. Unfortunately, she failed to surpass the master of escapology. For her performance, Alexanderia was placed in a straitjacket, bound in chain, and locked inside a tank of water, getting out of the tank after seventy seconds. However, her escape seemed to be far too easy. She was out of the chains within twenty seconds, and didn't take very long to get out of the straitjacket either. I think that the escape was difficult, but it didn't appear that way on screen, which is why Alexanderia's husband did a running commentary throughout,. Spencer Horsman did a similar escape in Vegas last year, and his was far more exciting and professional. I don't think that Alexanderia had done enough to win over AGT's viewers.


What was the Competition Like?

Out of all the nine other acts, only two received unreserved praise from all four judges. The two standouts were The KriStef Brothers, whose comedy balancing was silly but surprisingly graceful, and Branden James, who sang "You Raise Me Up" with the power of someone twice his age. Hype are good dancers, but failed to up their game enough.   American Hitmen were very good, but younger viewers may struggle to appreciate  them and vote for flashier acts instead. Anna Christine has a great voice, but made a number of mistakes. Four acts are guaranteed to be going home: Fresh Faces were bland and forgettable. TellAVision were more creative, but they were technically weak, and their routine lacked energy. Kevin Downey Jr. was too vulgar and annoying for my tastes, and Aaralyn and Izzy did a death metal song about stepping in dog poo. Yes, really.

What are their chances?

Special Head's chances of making it through are very slim. He has talent, but his Live performance was a disappointment, and his act is too quirky to gain votes.

Colins Key has an incredibly high chance of making the next round. Most viewers regard him as one of the star performers of the night, and the weak competition makes it even easier for him.

Alexanderia the Great has little chance of getting through. Spenser Horsman didn't make it out of the first round last year, and he was easily better than Alexanderia.

Americas Got Talent 8 - The First Live Show- Preview

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

The Americas Got Talent live shows are about to begin in New York's iconic Radio City Music Hall, and the first live show includes not one, not two, but three magic acts: Alexanderia the Great, Colins Key and Special Head.

What should Alexanderia do?

The comments I made about Spenser Horsman last year also apply to Alexanderia the Great. As Spencer did in his audition, Vegas performance and Wild Card performance (but not his quarterfinal performance), Alexanderia should assure the audience that her feats are for real. Furthermore, she should come up with an original and exciting escape-There are only so many times she can escape from a pool (or tank) of water before viewers get bored. Finally, she needs to up her game and come up with more elaborate escapes and more memorable traps for her to escape from.

What should Special Head Do?

                                          


Special Head's selling point is his novelty value (Which is why he wasn't sorted among the rest of the magicians in Vegas). How many magicians have incorporated throat singing and Far Eastern spirituality into their act before? However, this novelty value will also turn off viewers who will not see him as a serious contender. Special Head should aim to emphasise his unique nature, but make himself accessible to viewers. He should also play on the unpredictablity that made his audition great, but he should also get to the point a lot sooner (He cannot afford to get an X, even if the judges take it back). To put it simply, Special Head is caught between a number of extremes, and has to strike a balance between them to succeed.

What Should Colin's Key Do?

Colins Key, like Special Head, is caught in a dilemma. Should he up the scale of  his tricks for the live shows and risk compromising his niche, or should he stick to close-up and alienate the thousands of people in at the back of the Radio City Music Hall? Colins' best bet is to come up with a close-up trick that is so good that it "plays big" and wows everyone in the audience. However, Colins has one advantage. The majority of the audience will be watching him on TV, and are more likely to appreciate his tricks because of the focus of the cameras. Even with that in mind, Colins still needs to come up with something spectacular, as it can be very hard for magic acts to impress the viewers, especially if their tricks are too familiar.

The Competition

This looks like a very competitive heat. Of the other nine acts, four are serious contenders, and most of the other acts are also talented. Unless a large number of the acts flop, shock eliminations are inevitable.

1. Anna Christine- A 10- year old singer with a brilliant voice, Anna Christine is likely to get very far in the competition, but, because of her age, viewers may be reluctant to vote for her. However, that will not really be an issue until later on in the competition
2. Branden James- Branden is undoubtedly talented, but there are a number of very similar opera singers in the live shows, including Johnathan Allen and Forte, both of whom are probably better and have more enthusiastic support.
3. Hype- Hype are aiming to be the first dance act to win Americas Got Talent, and certainly have the talent and creativity needed to do so. However, they may struggle to up their game as the competition progresses.
4. American Hitmen- A rock group made up of former marines, American Hitmen are another highly talented act, but may struggle to stand out against their flashier and more original rivals unless they put on a brilliant performance. However, the judges, particularly Howard Stern, have been very vocal in their support of the group, which will give them an advantage, particularly if the require the judges vote to move on .
5. KriStef Brothers- The KriStef Brothers mix of hand balancing and comedy is entertaining and unique, but acrobatics acts have never done as well as they deserve to on AGT. Unless they convince the judges and viewers that they are serious contenders, the KriStef Brothers will be going home.
6. Fresh Faces- Out of all the acts in the first heat, child dance troupe Fresh Faces have recieved probably the least exposure so far. Their live performance is absolutely critical, but in such a competitive heat, their best might not be enough.
7. TellAvision- A Dance Troupe who use flat screen moniters to tell stories, TellAvision have a strong gimmick, but lack the talent needed to elevate their act to the standards required in this heat.
8. Kevin Downey Jr. - It's strange that Kevin was passed through automatically whilst better comedians such as Taylor Williamson and John Wing had to compete for their place in the live shows. Kevin's material was mildly amusing, but the main problem with his performance was his hyperactive manner. Kevin's frequent twitches and shrieks before and after he told his jokes  probably put a lot of viewers off him. Furthermore, his lack of screen time wil prevent viewers from getting to know him, which will damage his chances of increasing his fan base.
9. Aaralyn and Izzy- The least talented and least popular act in the heat, Aaralyn and Izzy were included in the top 60 solely for novelty value.Seeing two kids "performing" death metal (Aaralyn screams and Izzy Drums) is mildly amusing the first time, but once is enough, and Aaralyn and Izzy should not have advanced over the numerous better acts in Las Vegas. 

Predictions

I hate to admit it, but Alexanderia the Great's chances of advancing are pretty slim. Last year, Spencer Horsman failed to make it through a weak Wild Card round despite a faultless performance. Unless she does a one-in-a-million performance, she won't be able to better Horsman's results.

Special Head's chances of advancing aren't much better. He probably won't be able to top the shock value of this audition, his tricks are not as impressive as his rivals, and he seems like a goofy novelty.

Colins Key has the best chance of advancing, but it all hinges on his performance. If he performs an amazing trick, he will probably make it through. If he flops, however, he may lose a substantial amount of support.

One thing is for sure, we should expect to see at least one of these magicians in the Wild Card round, and hopefully, we will see at least one in the Semi Finals.

Americas Got Talent 8 - Vegas Week

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

This year, a record 60 Acts passed through Vegas Week and into the Live shows (There are no Youtube heats this year). Among the acts competing for those spots in the live shows (Now held in New York's iconic Radio City Music Hall) were a large number of magicians. How did they fare?

Automatic Decision.

This year, the judges put through half of the top 60 automatically, without waiting for another performance. One of these acts was Alexanderia the Great, the female escapologist. I'm pleased she got to bypass Vegas week and can't wait to see what she will do in the live shows.

Magic Category

Due to the fact that a large number of acts were advanced (And sometimes eliminated) automatically, there was no need to split the remaining acts into "Judges Favorites"  and "Standbys" as in previous series. Therefore, all the magicians competed in one group (Except for one who we will get to later).

R.J Cantu, whose audition was not televised, went first, and performed a standard levitation trick. It was only notable for the poor lighting, which presumably hid the method. I would have liked to have seen a more creative and original performance.

Naathan Phan was next, and performed a set of tricks which were mostly unseen, culminating in him making a bird cage with four birds inside vanish. The final trick was not executed perfectly (We can see a moving feather poking out of the table as he makes the cage vanish). Furthermore, his story line (about him hosting a cooking show) had promise, but the joke we saw, about not being able to use Samuel L. Jackson as a guest, was too vague to work. In short, it was a disappointment, and Phan didn't get a second trick in which to redeem himself.

After two underwhelming performances, it was time for a magician to knock it out of the park, and that magician was Colins Key. He used judge Howie Mandel's autobiography for his trick. Having the judges choose a page from it and memorize the first word on it, he made the page vanish from the book and appear in a sealed envelope, with the memorized word written across it. It's not difficult to figure out how he did it, but the presentation was great, and he made the trick seem unique and original.

Following Key's performance, there was a battle between two conventional illusionists- Ariann Black and Leon Etienne (Whose assistant, Romy Low, was credited as an official partner). Ariann went first, and performed a version of the Interlude illusion, where an assistant passed through her body. I was rooting for Ariann, but she botched her delivery and confused the judges. It was a pity, as I would have loved to have seen a female magician make the live shows.

Leon Etienne was the last magician in the category to perform.He did a trick in which he levitated Romy from the top of a metal pole. He then removed one of the two supports beneath the platform on which he did the trick, making the levitation seem even more impossible. It's a very old trick (In the film "Hugo", this is one of the tricks George Melies performed before he became a filmmaker) , but I liked Etienne's modern presentation.

Variety Category

The most unusual magician passed by the judges, Special Head was sorted into the variety category with other novelty acts, and was easily the best of them. He performed a trick in which he appeared to bend his body over backwards with out falling on the row of candles beneath him. While it is possible to doubt whether or not it was really a magic trick (Did he do it for real or did he lock himself into place?), it was still a very impressive feat.

So who advanced?

Four magicians have made the live shows this year. They are.

1. Alexanderia The Great
2. Colins Key
3. Leon Etienne (And Romy Low)
4. Special Head

Americas Got Talent 8- This Year's Magicians

FOR BRITISH VIEWERS, THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.

With two new judges (Heidi Klum and Mel B replacing Sharon Osbourne), Americas Got Talent has returned for an eighth season. After Olate Dogs' surprise win last year, this series has been dominated by unusual and unconventional talent. The focus on the unusual extends to the magic acts. Of the five shown passing the auditions, only one was a conventional illusionist. Other magic acts may have passed through the auditions as well, but none of the Magic Acts introduced in Vegas  during previous seasons has made the Live Shows, so the five shown below have the best chance of making the live shows. They are, listed in order of appearance.

1. Special Head

Out of all this years magic acts, Special Head was the most surprising. After a terrible start, which consisted of him sitting down on the floor and "Throat Singing" (A strange variety of singing that always gets rejected at the auditions) . Then he levitated into the air, with one hand propped up on a stick, and the rest of his body, still in a sitting lotus posture, horizontal to the top of the stick. It was an impressive, if not completely original trick, but Special Head will be under a lot of pressure to top it. Furthermore, with audiences now knowing what to expect of him, he may lose the surprise value that made his audition so memorable.

2. Collins Key

In the past, close-up magic has never impressed on Americas Got Talent. In series 5, eventual finalist Michael Grasso was initially rejected at Vegas for performing sleight of hand tricks there. But it is a lot harder to figure out then grand illusions, and can be just as, if not more, impressive when performed by a magician like David Blaine or Dynamo. Key's trick, to make a dollar bill vanish and reappear in a sealed bag of popcorn, was very good indeed, but if he wants to compete with the rest, he has to rival the greats of close-up magic with a trick that is both original and amazing.

3.. Alexanderia The Great

Like Spencer Horsman from last year, Alexanderia the Great is an escapologist rather than a magician, but, given that the most famous magician ever is Houdini, best remembered for his escapology, she will be counted among the magicians as Spencer was. Whilst Spencer sold himself on his youth, Alexanderia is a middle-aged mother and wife. That could make her relateable and appealing (Personality counts as much as talent on this show) and give her an edge, but danger acts have never fared as well as they deserved to. Spencer missed out on the Semifinals despite a faultless wildcard performance, and, although her audition was excellent, Alexanderia may fail to get far due to the fact that audiences are uncomfortable with acts who risk their life. (Last year, other dangerous acts such as Ben Blaque and Donovan and Rebecca failed to get as far as they should have, even though they were among the best acts of the season). For this reason, Alexanderia is under extra pressure, as her best might not be good enough.

4. Leon Etienne 

Leon Etienne, the only conventional illusionist whose audition was shown, was seen only in a montage. His main rivals all received far more screen time, putting them at an advantage. However, Etienne made a strong impression during his brief  appearance, performing a number of good, if unoriginal tricks, with flair and energy. To make it far, his tricks need to be more creative. In the series 6 live shows, Scott Alexander teleported an entire choir during his heat, but audiences were unimpressed with the generic nature of the trick, and he finished behind an act that had gained 2 X's. Bigger isn't always better, so Etienne will have to combine the spectacle that has helped him stand out with originality.

5. Nathan Phan

Nathan Phan, like Special Head, initially appeared to be an odd novelty in the vein of the rejected magicians who were shown immediately before him. Escaping from a straitjacket whilst singing Queen's "I Want to Break Free", he initially received 2 X's. Like Special Head, he eventually won the judges and viewers over, in this case with a creative "Sleight-of-mouth" trick performed unrehearsed on the spot. Phan has talent, but from here, there are no second chances. He has to do a clever and creative trick like the one that got him through, or he goes out. Furthermore, he has to up his game. His card trick was good, but it was a lot less impressive then the tricks performed by his rivals. Phan will have to upstage the likes of Colins Key if he wants to succeed.

These are the five magic acts that viewers were introduced to during the audition phase. Next week, we will reveal how they fared in Vegas.