The NCIS, or the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is a federal law enforcement agency within the Department of the Navy of the United States. It is primarily responsible for investigating crimes involving the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, as well as protecting the interests and promoting the safety of these military branches. The witch hunts, on the other hand, were a dark period in history in which people, mainly women, were accused of practicing witchcraft and subjected to trials and punishments. These witch hunts occurred in various parts of the world, but are most commonly associated with Europe and the Americas during the 16th and 17th centuries.
“We are here to celebrate the grand history of Chicago magic,” she exuded, detailing the dozens of clubs that once spread across the city.
Such taverns as Schulien s, where the bartenders kept cards in their pockets to break out at 3 in the morning for two drunks and a pooch, specialized in so-called Chicago-style, or close-up, magic. The venue features an Art Deco-style interior, original lithographic posters from the Vaudeville era, secret doors, and three performance spaces the Performance Bar, the Harry Blackstone Cabaret Theater , and the 654 Club.
These witch hunts occurred in various parts of the world, but are most commonly associated with Europe and the Americas during the 16th and 17th centuries. The mention of "NCIS witch hunts" seems to be a combination of two disparate concepts. It is unclear what specific connection is being made between the NCIS and witch hunts.
Chicago Magic Lounge: Attention magic geeks and sleight-of-hand fans, your new bar is open in Uptown
Someone hits the spin-cyle button, a panel gives way and then you head into the room for the magic. A very nice 1930s-style, 120-seat salon. Replete with a mezzanine, little cocktail tables for such concoctions as Sleight of Hand, Smoke and Mirrors and How Houdini Died, a mini-proscenium and a mechanical curtain that recalls the odeons of yore. The Blackstone Cabaret room is named for magic royalty: Harry Blackstone — the junior and the senior — who put Chicago on the illusionistic map and, together, pulled tens of thousands of rabbits from their hats.
AdvertisementFor the Chicago Magic Lounge, which officially opened Thursday night with its first main stage show, is all about the history.
This new venue — pinning down the cost is tricky, but we’ll pick a card somewhere between 5 and 10 million bucks — is located at 5050 N. Clark Street, a former commercial laundry space located a block south of the Andersonville high-rent district. The two men who own the for-profit joint, Joey Cranford and Don Clark, said Thursday that they craved a certain level of you-have-to-know-to-get-in chic, but also that they wanted to be in a neighborhood (as distinct from, say, tourist-heavy River North) in order to pay homage to the Chicago-style tradition of magic bars that once dotted the city. Such taverns as Schulien’s, where the bartenders kept cards in their pockets to break out at 3 in the morning for two drunks and a pooch, specialized in so-called Chicago-style, or close-up, magic. Yup. A case can be made that improv was not the only performance style invented here.
AdvertisementThe trifurcated Magic Lounge is doing the personal stuff, too: You can walk in off the street and watch magic in the bar, very crowded on Thursday, or arrive early at the Blackstone room and find a magician doing tricks right at your table (I was visited by the terrific Ryan Plunkett). For a small extra fee — $10 or so on top of the $35-$55 cover in the main room — you also have access to the 654 Club, a muted, theater-style studio designed for hard-core, close-up encounters with cards and ropes. This weekend it’s occupied by Alba, an internationally known illusionist from South America, replete with her grandmother’s bag of tricks and volunteers displaying various levels of happiness at their appropriation. You can’t bring the kids to any of this, except for the Sunday matinees.
The first main stage headliner is Max Maven, a quirky and impressive fellow with a voice somewhere between classic rock and NPR. The featured act — magic generally has a similar host/featured act/headliner hierarchy to stand-up — is the chipper, dapper Arthur Trace, whose best stuff involves auditory illusion in that you don’t see stuff move as if by magic, but rather hear its trajectory.
He’s a cool, bizarre and intimidating customer of the old school and skill set, but Maven seemed delighted with the room. It’s the kind of place that magicians like, since they spend much of their time performing in bars and auditoriums where only half the audience hears or cares. Here will be different. There will be people on dates and magic geeks in sweater vests.
These sacred-to-some rooms are rare — the only comparables, really, are the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, which is much larger, and the Magic Circle in London, where you have to know a member to get through the door. So this memorabilia-filled complex is a big upgrade in magic-dom for our town. Weekend shows will change each week, although the Chicago illusionist David Parr has a regular Wednesday gig (a review will be forthcoming). Mondays and Tuesday will feature jazz music and vocalists, in a retro grab for an early-in-the-week, Mister Kelly’s-style date night, although the close-up magicians still will be lurking, for good or ill.
This is, after all, the Chicago Magic Lounge. And as the ebullient Cranford observed Thursday night, it is opening at an ideal moment for some misdirection in our lives, the real sights and sounds being so painful to watch.
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.
Click here to take a virtual tour of the cabaret.
It is possible that someone is referring to a fictional storyline or scenario involving the NCIS investigating cases related to witchcraft or magical practices. However, without further context or information, it is difficult to determine the exact nature of this topic. It is worth noting that the NCIS is a real-world organization dedicated to real-world law enforcement matters, while witch hunts belong to the realm of historical and sociocultural phenomena. The two do not naturally overlap or have any known direct connection..
Reviews for "In the Shadows of Justice: Examining the NCIS Witch Hunts"
1. Jane - 1 star - I was really disappointed with "NCIS: Witch Hunts". The storyline felt forced and the writing was subpar. It seemed like the show was trying too hard to be relevant and focused more on shock value rather than telling a compelling story. The characters' actions were often inconsistent and didn't make sense. Overall, I found it hard to enjoy and wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Mark - 2 stars - "NCIS: Witch Hunts" didn't live up to my expectations. The plot was predictable and didn't offer any real surprises. The acting also left a lot to be desired, with some performances feeling wooden and unconvincing. Additionally, I found the dialogue to be cringe-worthy at times, lacking the wit and cleverness that I've come to expect from the NCIS franchise. It's unfortunate, but this episode just didn't capture my attention or make me want to continue watching.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I found "NCIS: Witch Hunts" to be quite underwhelming. The pacing was slow, and the narrative lacked depth. The attempts at building tension and suspense fell flat, as the plot felt disjointed and didn't flow smoothly. The conclusion was also unsatisfying, leaving several loose ends unresolved. While I appreciate the effort to explore different themes, this particular episode missed the mark for me and didn't live up to the quality I expect from the NCIS series.
4. Ryan - 1 star - "NCIS: Witch Hunts" was a complete disappointment. The plot was convoluted and far-fetched, making it difficult to suspend disbelief. The attempts at creating emotional moments fell flat, with the dialogue feeling forced and unnatural. The characters' decisions often seemed illogical and driven solely by plot convenience. Overall, I found this episode to be a major letdown and it didn't do justice to the NCIS franchise.
5. Emily - 2 stars - I didn't enjoy "NCIS: Witch Hunts" as much as I had hoped. The story lacked depth and failed to engage me throughout. The acting felt wooden, with some characters delivering their lines in a monotone manner. The resolution of the case was predictable and lacked the usual twists that make the show so compelling. I was left feeling underwhelmed and it didn't leave a lasting impression like other episodes of NCIS.