Step into a world where illusion, belief, and the battle for truth collide into one unforgettable evening. Houdini Speaks To The Living (directed by Beth Burns), arrives just outside Philadelphia for a special weekend of performances on May 28th – 30th at the famed House of Magic.
Originally staged by Austin’s innovative Hidden Room Theatre and praised by critics for being “thrilling, haunting, and masterful” the spectacle arrives in time to honor the 100 year anniversary of Houdini’s own passing. The show debuted at New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center in March and is set for Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival this Summer.
Set in 1924, at the peak of the world’s obsession with Spiritualism, the gripping 65 minute- performance plunges audiences into a high-stakes public showdown between two towering cultural forces: The Great Houdini (Patrick Terry), famed illusionist and relentless debunker of fraudulent séances, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Robert Matney), literary legend and outspoken champion of Spiritualism—who believes this movement represents “a great Philosophy” that will usher in a new era for mankind.
What unfolds is not only a clash of celebrity and faith, but an electrifying debate on the true nature of science, illusion, and the afterlife—with the audience caught directly in the crossfire. Built from original archival material from The University of Texas at Austin’s Harry Ransom Center, the play is performed largely verbatim, drawing directly from the words, arguments, and convictions that shaped a real-world rift between these iconic men. But make no mistake — This is no ordinary lecture.
From the hushed mysticism of séance culture to the grandeur of Golden Age Magic, Houdini Speaks To The Living invites theatergoers into an evening that feels part historical drama and part jaw-dropping magic show — while delivering a striking contemporary relevance in our own era of misinformation. Expect a seamless blend of historical theater and interactive magic to bring these figures to life for modern audiences.
Together, these cultural giants wrestle with the ultimate questions: What is real? What is an illusion? And what happens after we die?
House of Magic: 101 S Easton Rd, Glenside, PA 19038, Smoke & Mirrors Theatre
Thursday, May 28th – Saturday, May 30th
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