The Enchanted Ballroom at Fantasia (Perth Town Hall) was a pleasant place to be on a Sunday afternoon, where one could enjoy the sold-out Sacred Riana, produced by Magic Nation in Indonesia. It is a family performance, albeit a bit eerie and difficult to follow at times.

Riana, the "Magician," walks slowly onto the stage that is filled with smoke and red lights with howling noises in the background. They are dressed as a schoolgirl complete with the pinafore, white tights, and black Mary Jane shoes and speak in a low, staccato voice.

Their thick black long hair covers one eye and half of their face, and there is a creepy doll as an assistant, adding to the foreboding ambience. Riana, with the doll, announces "Leave now if you are scared." I was not scared, so I remained seated. They point to particular audience members demanding that they stand up and answer certain questions such as naming someone in their lives who has died or naming someone important to them who is still alive.

Through various tools like tarot cards, small chalkboards, and a Ouija board, Riana is able to conjure up personal information, surprising and amazing the participants on stage. Luckily, there was a large screen behind the stage that projected all of the activity; otherwise, it would have been challenging to see much of what was transpiring.

This was an intriguing production that is not easy to categorise, but perhaps it's best to just call it a Magic Show. This event continues at Fantasia each Thursday-Sunday through 18 February.