Piff the Magic Dragon brings Vegas show to Canada
(Piff the Magic Dragon is seen in this photo with assistant Jade Simone and chihuahua Mr. Piffles.)
When John van der Put takes the stage at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, he always wants to prove two things: that he’s magic but also a dragon.
Whether it’s talent or magic itself, Piff the Magic Dragon can do both, all while putting on a spellbinding show for the ages.
While Piff the Magic Dragon recently had his Vegas residency extended for three more years, he still likes to take the show on the road.
So last week, Piff kicked off a Canadian tour on the country’s East Coast. No stranger to performing across Canada, Friday marked Piff’s first time in Halifax, N.S.
He pulled a signed card from a sealed can of dog food. He also made a $20 bill appear inside a playing card.
The final act, Dragons & Dummies, culminated in an impressive number matrix trick. A play on Penn and Teller’s gumball trick, Piff managed to create a matrix of 38 combinations that all added up to an audience member’s IQ.
It wasn’t the magic that impressed me the most. Rather, Piff’s comedic skills and top-tier improv ability kept the audience of 500 people captivated throughout the two-hour performance that included a dramatic reading of Michael Jackson’s "Beat It" by his chihuahua, Mr. Piffles.
‘It never feels like work’
John began performing magic as a hobby at 16. But his acts of illusion, along with juggling and guitar-playing, were forced to take a back seat when he went to university to study computer science and design.
It didn’t take John long to realize his heart wasn’t with his studies. That’s when he decided to pursue a magic career full-time.
Over the next decade, John struggled to keep a job. It wasn’t because of his work ethic — John was too grumpy. Audiences couldn’t seem to get past his sarcastic, dry British sense of humor.
That’s when the idea for Piff the Magic Dragon was born.
"One day, I went to a costume party in a dragon outfit, and no one else turned up in costume," John said. "It was just me."
All it took was a good rib from a close friend, and John realized he had discovered how he would set himself apart from other magicians. He’s not just magic; he’s also a dragon.
Next thing he knew, the places John was fired from were calling him to come back.
But it wasn’t until an appearance on Penn and Teller: Fool Us that Piff the Magic Dragon began making a name for himself.
"Looking back, it all made sense," he said.
After spending six months performing in Las Vegas, John found himself in love with the city of second chances. No stranger to betting on himself, he knew that name recognition would be key to securing a residency.
Soon after, he would audition for America’s Got Talent, and the rest would be history.
John remembers fondly his first appearance on the long-running reality television program. After all, he was auditioning in front of one of his idols — Howard Stern.
"He’s rolling his eyes at me when I first came out. Everyone thought I was going to be terrible," he said.
But Piff didn’t receive any red X's from the judges. In fact, he got a standing ovation from Stern.
He may not have gone on to win America’s Got Talent, but the name recognition Piff sought from the show would catapult his career to new heights.
For John, the only thing more interesting than performing magic is the uncertainty of how audience members will react.
"Every time you get somebody on stage, that’s like inviting somebody up on stage with a grenade in their hand, and any minute they’re going to pull out the pin," he said.
It's the audience engagement that keeps Piff’s shows fresh, he added, noting that two shows are never the same.
"Every show is unique," he said, "so it keeps me really engaged."
Tickets for Piff the Magic Dragon’s 2023 tour are available online.