Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...A curio-shop intimacy and cash bar encourage audience participation, and Watkins, with his Eagle Scout looks, clearly takes a mischievous pleasure in the unexpected. Just let your cell phone go off during the show and see what kind of fun he has."
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NewCity Chicago - Recommended

"...Luckily Watkins, a charming performer, manages both, keeping the audience fully engaged by involving a number of volunteers and insisting that everyone treat the space as their own "parlor"-rising or moving to get a better view of any bit they can't see and getting additional drinks (included in the price of the ticket) when they feel the need."
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Windy City Times - Highly Recommended

"...Dennis Watkins' Friday night show is performed in a wood-paneled, sconce-lit private room (admission price includes drinks) at the Palmer House, whose concourse once featured a shop for amateur prestidigitators, according to Parr. Watkins is a founding member of the award-winning House Theatre of Chicago and himself descended from three generations of illusionists. With the face of a Renaissance angel and the patter of a county-fair auctioneer, he first acquaints us with the basic elements of stage magic-restoration, teleportation, etc.-and then proceeds to illustrate them, one by one, his hour-long demonstration culminating in a dazzling stunt involving a body-sized balloon, a deck of cards and a deadly-looking switchblade knife."
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Stage and Cinema - Highly Recommended

"... At most magic shows, there are one or two audience members who get called up on stage to participate, and that select few always seem to leave more excited than everyone else. In The Magic Parlour, about half of the audience (at least) is called on for participation—though I think just about everyone leaves the room thrilled. At the beginning, Watkins tells the audience it is their show—he succeeds at making it as interactive as possible, getting everyone in on the fun."
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Chicago Theater Beat - Highly Recommended

"...Because he’s so talented, Watkins’ doesn’t need to employ a lot of fuss in order to wow the crowd. There aren’t major special effects or smoke and mirrors. It’s simply him on stage delivering his talent simply and wonderfully. Come enjoy 60-minutes of pure magic and laughter!"