What is Bizarre Magic? This is a very interesting question! In fact, I really don’t like the term Bizarre Magic as it’s not always bizarre… I always looked upon it as theatrical simulations of what people thought “magic” was i.e. replicating sorcery like Merlin, witchcraft from Macbeth, recreations of seances, ghost hunting, mysterious things that try to evoke symbols of the human condition. Unlike poor card magic which one can think “well, its sleight of hand” the magic here tries to make people ponder and think about the reality they live in. It can employ mentalism, card effects, and almost anything from across the field of theatrical magic. However, there is a real strong sense of trying to get the participants into engaging with the simulation, with many story-telling/narratives/atmosphere elements built in. I’ve always employed this style of simulation to help create psychiatric simulations for people to have better insight, empathy and understanding for those who cannot fathom what it might be like to have mental health issues.