[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/theatre-of-magic_9643.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"You have the magic!"]]

->'''Announcer:''' "The Theatre awaits!"

''Theatre of Magic'' is a PhysicalPinballTable designed by Creator/JohnPopadiuk with art by Linda Doane. it was released by Creator/WilliamsElectronics under its Bally label in 1995, and went on to become the best-selling pinball machine of the year.

The game casts the player as an aspiring magician performing a show in the theatre. With the help of the spinning Magician's Trunk on the playfield, you must pull rabbits out of hats, escape from a strait jacket, saw assistants in half, instantly transform into various animals, and perform other illusions. Particularly skillful players can enter the basement and invoke Midnight Madness, but only a Master Magician will be able to perform the Grand Finale and leave the audience mesmerized.

''Theatre of Magic'' remains popular with many players today, though some think there's too much emphasis on shooting the Magician's Trunk. Pinball fans often get into heated arguments when comparing it to ''Pinball/PinballMagic;'' ''Theatre'' fans praise its non-linear gameplay, fast action, and player-friendly rules and design.

A digital version of the game was formerly available as part of [=FarSight=] Studios' ''VideoGame/ThePinballArcade'' collection until their license to all Williams and Bally tables expired on July 1, 2018. Another digital version is currently available for ''[[VideoGame/ZenPinball Pinball FX3]]'', along with a remastered version that includes the typical Zen Studios flair.

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!!"The next performance is about to begin!" "Shoot for the magic Tropes!"

* AlmostOutOfOxygen: The "Trunk Escape" illusion, which locks the magician in an underwater trunk, then gives the player a limited air supply (time limit) to complete.
-->'''Announcer:''' "The air pressure is building!"
* AmbiguousSituation: while the player's role is a StageMagician, their actual position is ambiguous. The woman on the backglass and speaking during the game is referred to as "the assistant" in the rules sheet, and during the escape tricks she tells the player "''You'' must break free"; yet if the mode is completed, the DMD shows that she was the one escaping. So are we her, or are we helping her, or vice versa?
* AmusingInjuries: Get a Secret Lock shows the announcer/instructor falling down a ''very'' tall staircase.
* {{Animorphism}}: The "Metamorphosis" illusion, where the magician turns into various animals, such as a dove, a tiger, or a cobra.
-->'''Magician:''' "I am only an illusion..."
* AnnouncerChatter: Very excited chatter, at that.
* AntiFrustrationFeature: In addition to a ball saver, hitting the "Hocus Pocus" target enables two magnetic ball savers near the outlanes, which catch any wayward balls. They're one-time usage for each drain, but they're easy to relight.
* BoringButPractical: Shooting the left orbit ad nauseum is arguably the best strategy for getting a high score - It is a very safe, repeatable shot that does many things that synergize with each other. It advances towards and starts the Theatre Hurry-Up, whose value is built up by the jet bumpers which ''also'' get fed by the left-orbit shot. The T-H-E-A-T-R-E letters themselves are worth points in bonus, and the same shot ''builds the bonus multiplier'' as well. And once the bonus multiplier is maxed out, further completions of the Bonus X lanes are worth a non-trivial bonus as well. To top it all off, there's a gate toward the right orbit's exit that ensures the ball safely returns to the right flipper, ready to - you guessed it - shoot the left orbit again.
* {{Bowdlerise}}: The ''Pinball FX'' version gives the magician's assistant a more modest dress that covers up her cleavage.
* {{Combo}}: Scoring bigger combos prompts excited exclamations from the Announcer.
-->'''Announcer:''' "Amazing!... ''Marvelous!''... MAGNIFICENT!"
* CompanyCrossReferences:
** During "Hat Magic", the third item produced is a telephone, and the person on the other end yells, [[Pinball/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon "MOVE YOUR CAR!"]]
** During "Metamorphosis", one of the animals the lady turns into is [[Pinball/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon a snack bar attendant who says "Here's your hot dog."]]
* EscapeArtist: The "Trunk Escape", "Safe Escape". and "Strait Jacket" illusions.
* InUniverseGameClock: The clock is advanced by shooting the right orbit or as a Skill Shot award, but WhenTheClockStrikesTwelve, it will run backwards.
* LargeHam: The announcer.
* MagiciansAreWizards: although the game's art is themed around stage magic, the tricks are described as performed using actual magic.
* MatchSequence: The magician produces two doves from her hands, which fly off and produce the final number.
* MsFanservice: The magician on the backglass has a prominent cleavage. [[{{Bowdlerise}} She gets a higher neckline]] in the ''Pinball FX'' version.
* PinballScoring: This table played fast and loose with seven- or even eight-digit rewards. It wouldn't be uncommon to see a [[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Replay at ]]
value cross the ''billion'' point threshold...or more.
* PullARabbitOutOfMyHat: The "Hat Magic" illusion, which produces rabbits, doves, and a telephone.
* RandomDrop: Occurs when shooting the Secret Basement.
* SawAWomanInHalf: The "Tiger Saw" illusion, which cuts a woman in half, then a pinball machine in half.
* ShoutOut: The padlocks on the sides of the cabinet are from the "Joos Lock Company", a reference to longtime Williams' mechanical engineer Joe Joos Jr.
* ShowWithinAShow: The "Video pinball" VideoMode.
* SignatureStyle: ''Theatre'' has all the hallmarks of a John Popadiuk pin -- a magic theme, prominent use of magnets, a captive ball target, out-of-the-way pop bumpers, and a spinning Magician's Trunk toy.
* SkillShot:
** Hit the trunk after launching the ball to receive one of three player-selected rewards.
-->'''Announcer:''' "Amazing skill!"
** When you lock a ball or make a ball vanish, hitting the captive ball after launching the ball will advance the clock.
* SpellingBonus: Shoot the ramps to spell MAGIC to enable the multiball locks, and spell THEATRE for a ten-second opportunity to shoot the trunk and collect the Theatre Bonus. The Grand Finale requires spelling MAGIC THEATRE in 60 seconds.
* SpikesOfDoom: During the "Strait Jacket" illusion, the magician must escape while trapped between two spiked walls closing together.
* SpinningClockHands: Midnight Madness has the clock hands moving backwards towards noon.
* StaircaseTumble: Getting a Secret Ball Lock shows an animation of this on the display.
-->'''Announcer:''' "This ball is ''full'' of magic!"
* TimedMission: All of the illusions, the Theatre Hurry-Up, VideoMode, and the WizardMode are timed.
* VideoMode: One of the random options in the Basement is Video Pinball. You play for 30 seconds, trying to hit all six targets for an extra ball.
* WallCrawl: One of the sides of the Magic Trunk allows the pinball to cling to it.
* WhenTheClockStrikesTwelve: Advancing the clock to midnight starts Midnight Madness; the clock goes backwards from midnight, and each shot to the Magician's Trunk scores 2 million times the current hour.
* WizardMode: "Grand Finale", which is only available after performing all eight illusions, spelling THEATRE, advancing the clock to midnight, and playing Theatre Multiball at least once. The Finale itself gives you one ball and 60 seconds to make 12 major shots and spell MAGIC THEATRE. You get 50 million points per letter, and another 500 million if you pull it off.
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