Nine lives and counting
By Caroline Fontein
Direct from Europe, German master magician Jan Rouven brings his death-defying illusions to Vegas. Rouven has been mesmerizing audiences around the world with his edgy act. Overseas he's known as “The Man With Nine Lives," a moniker he earned for performing daring stunts where death seems inevitable.
Rouven's show in Vegas, simply named ILLUSIONS, gives audiences a chance to see his twisted mind at work in combination with heart-thumping music and his cast of five professional male and female dancers. The cutting-edge choreography and funky costumes give the show a modern feel, setting it apart from magicians who feature female assistants that are more like show girls, as part of their act. In ILLUSIONS, the macabre dancers set the tone for Rouven's magic.
Several of the illusions in the show incorporate volunteers from the audience. One of the more risky tricks like this is Hand Stab. For this act, Rouven asks a volunteer from the audience to tell him which of several upright bags he should crush with his hand. One of the bags has a large knife in it. Audience members sit at the edge of their seats as Rouven takes a stab at flattening the bags in accordance with the volunteer's predictions.
For his illusion Bed of Death, Rouven lays on a platform with multiple swords hanging above his body. Each of the dangling swords is attached to a string. Rouven puts his life in someone else's hands again by asking a volunteer from the audience to come on stage and pull the strings. The potentially perilous act has everyone waiting in anticipation of which sword will drop next.
Rouven also incorporates humor into his routine. He uses his thick German accent and unfamiliarity with the English language as comic fodder. He's comfortable working the room and has no problem garnering laughs from the crowd.
Before performing in Vegas, Rouvan's daring approach to magic landed him a gig as the opening act for German pop-star Michelle. He went on tour with Michelle performing to sold-out crowds in more than 35 cities. After completing the tour, Rouven started performing in his own show at Europe’s biggest revue-theatre, the legendary Royal Palace in Alsace, France.
Rouven has been honored with some of the most important international awards of the entertainment industry such as the “Magician of the Year,” following magic greats David Copperfield and Siegfried & Roy; “Audience Award Monte Carlo Magic Stars” presented by Princess Stephanie of Monaco; and “Entertainer of the Year” which is selected by more than 37,000 members of the biggest magic society worldwide.
Another highlight in his Vegas show comes when Rouven performs his Water Tank illusion. For this act Rouven is cuffed and chained under water in a clear box. Rouven's taste for danger and penchant to create death-defying stunts are a sure crowd pleaser. He may be a magician, but Rouven's talent is no illusion.
