Dirk Arthur’s, "Xtreme Magic," is playing inside the Tiffany showroom at the Tropicana Resort and Casino. This afternoon production includes a large variety of tricks, a chorus of dancers, good music, and an entire array of big and beautiful cats. There is a little bit of something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

Dirk Arthur and his show have been a bit transient in recent years---performing at several venues with both his own show and as an act in other shows. The move to the Tropicana was facilitated by the move of Rick Thomas’s show to the Stardust. The venue was great for Thomas, and there is the hope that it will do the same for Arthur.

The title, "Xtreme Magic," seems to be at odds with the production. Arthur is not the embodiment of extremity. He comes across as a very nice, soft spoken individual that enjoys performing and enjoys working with and raising big cats. There is really nothing "extreme" about him, though, and when he advocates the "extreme," we just don’t buy into it. The music within the production is great, and it has a bit of a retro feel to it, and with that, the dancers perform light, happy, and fun dances---again...it does not foster that "Xtreme" feeling.

Arthur is a prop magician--meaning that he presents the illusion, but the assistants and the machinery do the trick; and I say that to simply define the type of magic being performed, not to make a judgment on the quality of the show. Some of our best magicians are and have been prop magicians, i.e. Siegfred & Roy, David Copperfield, etc. This type of magic, though, does all come down to one important element...showmanship, and it is here that perhaps Arthur is still in need of some work.

It is difficult to really define exactly what was missing from the production. All of the illusions went well. The pace was good, and Arthur did his best to keep the energy high. There was, however, something missing from the production. Perhaps it was the fact that, in some form or fashion, we’ve seen most of these tricks before. Or perhaps it is simply that Arthur’s charisma is not a match for the type of production that is being marketed.

Dirk Arthur’s family of exotic cats is the largest collection of performing animals in Las Vegas, which include White Striped Bengal Tigers, Orange Bengal tigers, spotted leopards and Black panthers. He currently owns 14 cats and selects eight animals daily to perform in his production. His most unique cat is the rarest tiger of them all, the Pure White Snow Tiger, one of only 15 in existence and the only one to appear in any magic show in the world. Every animal was and is lovingly raised and handled personally by Dirk Arthur, including many that were born in his own endangered species breeding program.

All the animals in the breeding program, and in the illusions used in his show, were born in captivity, meaning that the limited numbers of animals remaining in the wild were not affected. Dirk Arthur hopes that one day, where and whenever possible, he can assist in re-populating these very rare creatures in their natural environments.

Along with his Bengal Tigers and African Leopards, Dirk Arthur’s White Bengal Tigers and Snow Tigers are indisputably one of the Earth’s most striking and noteworthy species. It is this fact that helps him greatly in his endangered species education efforts, as he diligently strives to increase public awareness.

All of his animals are under strict veterinary care, and lead healthy, happy, productive lives, receiving abundant exercise including running, playing, and swimming. You too can help by supporting the wildlife conservation laws of your state and federal government, and by supporting international programs that are working to preserve the forests, jungles, and animals of the world.

Arthur’s endangered species preservation program is highly respected, and we send him tons of lauds and praises for it.

The Tiffany showroom at the Tropicana is great. It is one of the great showrooms on the Strip. It is comfortable, a good size, well appointed with technical equipment, and overall, just a good space. There are still rumors of an impending implosion of the property, and that would be a sad day for all of Las Vegas.

"Xtreme Magic" is a fine show, but other than the big cats, there is nothing that really makes it stand apart from other magic shows that are out there. It’s a great show for families, and it is a very nice way to spend an afternoon.



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