Of all the feats of illusion, coins-pulled-out-of-your-ear prestidigitations, playing card sleights-of-hand and "How did he do that?" astounding escapes in the history of magic, Criss "MINDFREAK" Angel has probably pulled most of them off.

Along the way, he's invented several more, ranging from levitation majesty to walking on water to - and this is particularly cool - ripping unsuspecting volunteers in half on a park bench. He's basically set all sorts of attendance records on television, on the Internet and in Las Vegas.

Just two days ago, in fact, outside the Grand Pequot Tower at Foxwoods, Angel pulled off a new and improved variation on the renowned Harry Houdini Death Escape stunt - hanging 75 feet in the air and wrapped in a straitjacket.

Fortunately, Angel survived the trick and, tonight through Saturday, he'll do six performances of a brand-new stage show called "MINDFREAK Live" in Foxwoods' Fox Theater. These presentations mark the first time Angel has performed outside of Las Vegas in six years, and the show contains 90 minutes of all-new sorcery.

Oh, and just because Angel can saw his own head off, don't think you can go home and do it, too.

- RICK KOSTER

Criss Angel, 6:30 and 9 tonight, 7 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Fox Theater, Foxwoods; $65-$125, 1-800-200-2882.