He's a FISM European champion and a French-TV name who chose a 4 p.m. slot at the Laugh Factory over a flashy Strip marquee. Once you watch what Frederic Da Silva does with a room this size, the afternoon timing starts to look deliberate.
Take Me to Tickets
Most mind-reading acts lean on a couple of clever tricks and a lot of showmanship. Paranormal Mind Reading Magic doesn't have to. The man running it, Frederic Da Silva, is a decorated competition mentalist, and it shows in every beat of the 75-minute set at the Laugh Factory inside Horseshoe Las Vegas. If you want the afternoon show that sends people out arguing about how he possibly did it, this is the one.
The resume is the whole difference
Here's what sets Paranormal apart from the pack of Vegas mentalists: Da Silva won the 2011 FISM European Championship of Magic and took the 2010 Nostradamus d'Or as Europe's best mentalist. FISM is often called the Olympics of magic, so this isn't a lounge performer who picked up a few gimmicks off the internet. He built the act on competition-grade technique, then wrapped it in the easy charm you'd expect from someone who's also worked television back home in France. That's why the mind-reading lands as genuinely uncanny instead of rehearsed.
When: afternoons at 4:00 p.m. Where: Laugh Factory, Horseshoe Las Vegas, on the Strip. Run time: about 75 minutes. Da Silva pulls volunteers up throughout, so where you sit is less about sightlines and more about whether you want to end up part of the act. It's rated for ages 5 and up, which makes it a real option for families who want something other than one more animal act or singalong.
Check Paranormal showtimes and tickets
Where it might not land
Two honest caveats. First, it's an afternoon show, so if your ideal Vegas night is a late, loud, drinks-in-hand spectacle, the 4 p.m. slot won't scratch that itch. Second, mentalism lives or dies on buy-in -- walk in determined to catch the method and refuse to play along, and you'll spend 75 minutes dissecting it instead of enjoying it. Bring a little willingness to be fooled and it pays off.
Best way to book it
The 4 p.m. start is the strategic part. It's the rare Vegas show that leaves your whole evening open, so you can pair it with an early dinner and still make a 9 or 10 p.m. headliner afterward. Treat it as the anchor for your afternoon rather than filler, and the rest of the day plans itself around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Frederic Da Silva?
Frederic Da Silva is a French mentalist and the star of Paranormal Mind Reading Magic. He won the 2011 FISM European Championship of Magic and the 2010 Nostradamus d'Or as Europe's best mentalist, and he has appeared on television in France. His competition background is what separates the show from a standard Strip mind-reading act.
Is Paranormal Mind Reading Magic worth seeing?
If you like being genuinely baffled, yes. You're watching an award-winning competition mentalist work an intimate room, not a scripted lounge routine. The catch is that it's an afternoon show, so it won't replace a big late-night production. Go in willing to play along and it's one of the more surprising tickets in town for the time slot.
Is Paranormal a good show for families or kids?
It's rated for ages 5 and up, which makes it one of the more flexible afternoon options for families. The material is built on mystery and audience participation rather than anything edgy, so it tends to hold both kids and adults. Just know that volunteers get pulled on stage, so sit further back if anyone in your group would rather only watch.
What time is Paranormal and how long does it run?
Paranormal is an afternoon show at 4:00 p.m. and runs about 75 minutes. That early slot is one of its quiet advantages: you're finished with the whole evening still ahead of you, which makes it easy to line up dinner and a later headliner on the same day.
How is Paranormal different from other Las Vegas magic shows?
Most Vegas magic leans on illusions and props. Paranormal is mentalism, which is about reading, predicting, and influencing what people are thinking, so it feels more psychological than visual. Combined with Da Silva's competition pedigree, the effect is less 'how did that trick work' and more 'how did he possibly know that,' which is a different kind of unsettling.
By Daniel S.
— Published by
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