Once I turned 20, it’s hard to remember a time when Penn & Teller haven’t been part of my life. Far before I moved to Las Vegas in 2003, I remember vividly so many indelible moments: First discovering them on Saturday Night Live in 1985; seeing them in the music video for Run D.M.C.’s “It’s Tricky” in 1986; renting Penn & Teller Get Killed in 1989; watching their various appearances on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno in the ’90s; seeing them on television shows like Friends, The Drew Carey Show, The West Wing and Home Improvement; and, of course, seeing them live for the first time at their long-running show in Las Vegas. (They are actually one of the longest-running acts in Vegas history, 31-plus years and counting.)
I’ve since seen the show almost more than any other in town, and it never, ever, gets old. And there’s a very good reason for that. Just as their resume would suggest, Penn & Teller are never satisfied to rest, even though they easily could at this stage of their careers. When they’re not busy hosting Fool Us on the CW (and getting fooled very little by fellow magicians), The Tall One and The Quiet One are always coming with new ways of presenting material, some of it so old that it’s public domain. A great recent example is the “donut on a string” illusion, here expanded to include an inner tube and a piece of rope (and a very hungry Teller).
There’s another reason to be a frequent patron of the fun at the Penn & Teller Theatre: It’s one of the most relaxing, inviting shows in town. As patrons begin filing in, pianist Mike Jones evokes Vince Guaraldi vibes on the ivories while Penn Jillette accompanies him on a bass. You really feel like you’ve just entered someone’s living room, and they’re doing their best to make you feel at home. And boy, does it work.
At their core, Penn & Teller have always been about one thing: Surprising their audience. How they’ve managed to do it as long as they have may be the biggest surprise of all.
Rio Las Vegas, 4+. 866.746.7671 or ticketmaster.com
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