The Real Chicago

Top Menu

  • Home
  • E-newsletter
  • Contact

Main Menu

  • Home
  • The Big City Blog
  • General Features
  • Around Town
    • First Look – Reviews
    • Hidden Gems
    • Inside Scoop
  • Eat. Drink. Shop.
    • Good Eats
    • Signature Dishes
    • A Round of Drinks
    • Shop Around the Corner
  • The Local Angle
    • Chicago Insider
    • The Local Corner
    • My Chicago
  • Interviews
  • Forum
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • E-newsletter
  • Contact

logo

Header Banner

The Real Chicago

  • Home
  • The Big City Blog
  • General Features
  • Around Town
    • First Look – Reviews
    • Hidden Gems
    • Inside Scoop
  • Eat. Drink. Shop.
    • Good Eats
    • Signature Dishes
    • A Round of Drinks
    • Shop Around the Corner
  • The Local Angle
    • Chicago Insider
    • The Local Corner
    • My Chicago
  • Interviews
  • Forum
  • Chicago’s hidden gems: Kiss Kiss Cabaret, Unabridged Bookstore, Lulu Belle’s Pancake House and TNT at The Annoyance

  • New on the scene: Recapping recent restaurant and bar openings in Chicago

  • The Big City Blog: A Chicago summer bucket list

  • Outdoor drinking: A guide to some of our favorite beer gardens and rooftops in Chicago

  • A day at the museum: Exploring the iconic Field Museum in Chicago

First Look - Reviews
Home›featured-blogs›First Look - Reviews›First Look review: Marc Salem’s “Mind Over Chicago” is the psychology, cold readings and nonverbal communication behind the magic

First Look review: Marc Salem’s “Mind Over Chicago” is the psychology, cold readings and nonverbal communication behind the magic

By TheRealChicagoOnline
February 25, 2016
481
0
Share:

Your ads will be inserted here by

Easy Ads.

Please go to the plugin admin page to set up your ad code.

MJS Marc Salem

By Rachel Summerfield

Playing at: Apollo Theater, 2540 N Lincoln Ave., Saturdays and Sundays through March 27. www.ApolloChicago.com

What to expect: The show opens on a sparse set of some props — chairs, a carpet, an old radio, wine glasses filled with Sharpies, some books in bookends, which will pop up later in the show — and a dramatic spotlight on Marc Salem’s all-black ensemble, under which he intones, “Nothing that I do is supernatural, nothing is occult…”

Then the house lights pop up and Salem engages the audience with his randomized — i.e. using the “randomizer,” a ball of paper thrown into the audience to select participators — mind and imagination games. The show ends on Salem, eyes layered with coins, a blindfold and surgical tape that he humorously requests two certified doctors tape him up with, firing guesses into the crowd about a significant vacation they’ve been on while simultaneously guessing audience-provided valuable items.

Your ads will be inserted here by

Easy Ads.

Please go to the plugin admin page to set up your ad code.

What stood out: For me, the best part was Salem’s explanation of his skills in guessing lying, which he demonstrated by having selected audience members draw and then guessing (5-for-5) which belonged to which person by just looking at their facial “tells.” The program to the show includes a little follow-along about how to detect lying, so the show became almost a Mentalist 101, which would be perfect for skeptics or those with analytical minds. Salem’s whole spiel is that he’s not performing magic; the “nonverbal communication” skits were a huge hit with the crowd, which often exclaimed noises of wonderment or a choice, awed swear word or two (kids beware!).

Final thoughts: Beware of this show if you get easily offended. Salem promises not to humiliate anyone, but just by the nature of the show, there’s a subtle flavor of humiliation anyway. A frenetic energy pulses through the audience when Salem selects his next victim, which could be enriching to some viewers but nerve-wracking for others.

However, Mind Over Chicago is suitable for an any-age date night or maybe a night out on the town if you’re visiting Chicago or doing a tour of the many excellent small neighborhood theaters.

Your ads will be inserted here by

Easy Ads.

Please go to the plugin admin page to set up your ad code.

TagsApollo Theater ChicagoMarc SalemMind Over ChicagoThe Real Chicago
Previous Article

Ten for 10: Spotlighting a variety of ...

Next Article

First Look review: Steppenwolf’s “The Flick” succeeds ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

TheRealChicagoOnline

Related articles More from author

  • First Look - Reviews

    First Look review: Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s musical adaptation of “Sense & Sensibility” is witty, relatable, magical

    May 3, 2015
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    Cool treats for summer: Where to go in Chicago for peach pie sundaes, spiked milkshakes, ice cream donut sandwiches and ...

    July 3, 2015
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • Shop Around the Corner

    Shop Around the Corner: Affordable vintage-inspired gifts at Bucktown’s Vintage Charm

    March 30, 2017
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • The Big City Blog

    The Big City Blog: Stan’s Donuts, holiday exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry, The Santaland Diaries, SpinOff and ...

    November 3, 2015
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    Learning curve: Get out and explore some of Chicago’s lesser-known museums

    February 18, 2016
    By TheRealChicagoOnline
  • General Features

    A Saturday well spent in Andersonville: plenty of food, shopping and culture

    April 18, 2016
    By TheRealChicagoOnline

You might be interested

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    Coffee craze: Exploring the best, most unique independent coffee shops Chicago has to offer

  • Around TownHidden Gems

    Hidden gems: Pequod’s pizza, Bottle & Bottega art parties and a Wrigleyville newcomer

  • Around TownGeneral Features

    An ode to good beer: The welcome influx of Chicago craft breweries

  • LATEST REVIEWS

  • TOP REVIEWS

Timeline

  • November 11, 2021

    Inside Scoop: Massive FoBAB beer festival returns to Chicago this weekend, Nov. 12-13

  • July 31, 2019

    Chicago Insider Etienne Padin on obscure museums, shopping in Andersonville and dining at Maple & Ash

  • July 30, 2019

    First Look review: CMX CineBistro provides a fun, fresh take on the luxury dine-in theater experience

  • July 28, 2019

    Finger lickin’ good: Six trusted Chicago spots for a stellar barbecue experience

  • July 25, 2019

    The Big City Blog: Four Friday Night Flights beer tastings remain this summer, including July 26 in Ravenswood

Latest Comments

  • The 14 Best Fireplaces in Chicago | UrbanMatter
    on
    October 11, 2017
    […] Photo Credit: The Real Chicago […]

    Cozy on up: We asked active Chicagoans for their favorite spots to warm up in the ...

  • Why You Should Visit a Museum | FreeForAll.org
    on
    January 16, 2017
    […] Photo Credit: Therealchicago   […]

    It’s cold out there: A few spots to warm up this winter

  • Why You Should Visit a Museum – FreeForAll.org
    on
    October 23, 2016
    […] Photo Credit: Therealchicago   […]

    It’s cold out there: A few spots to warm up this winter

  • The Real Chicago – The Big City Blog: A very Chicago night on the town
    on
    May 31, 2016
    […] up was The Redhead Piano Bar for drinks and live music. I’ve said it before ...

    Friendly, unfussy, and serious about music: Hanging with Marshall Nelson from the Redhead Piano Bar

  • Scouting Logan Square: A Renewed Historical Neighborhood - The Annex, a blog by Casamatic
    on
    March 10, 2016
    […] (cover photo via The Real Chicago) […]

    The rise of Logan Square: Why this diverse area has quickly become one of Chicago’s hottest ...

Find us on Facebook

Originally launched in 2006, The Real Chicago — as a glossy entertainment magazine, website and email newsletter — has consistently provided the very best insider information, features and reviews to help both tourists and active locals get the most out of exploring the greatest city on Earth.
  • Latest Posts

  • Inside Scoop: Massive FoBAB beer festival returns to Chicago this weekend, Nov. 12-13

    By TheRealChicagoOnline
    November 11, 2021
  • Chicago Insider Etienne Padin on obscure museums, shopping in Andersonville and dining at Maple & ...

    By TheRealChicagoOnline
    July 31, 2019
  • First Look review: CMX CineBistro provides a fun, fresh take on the luxury dine-in theater ...

    By TheRealChicagoOnline
    July 30, 2019

Photostream

    Follow us

    © Copyright The Real Chicago. All rights reserved.