Scott and Muriel

Comedy Magicians

By Dominique Jando

Scott and Muriel learned stage comedy and fell in love at the École Philippe Gaulier in France. Scott Nelson was born in California, and had a keen interest in magic; Muriel Brugman was born in Weesp, in the Netherlands, and had a keen interest in acting, principally comedy. Both thought that magic and comedy were a very good match and, in 1999, they began to work together with a magic show they had created and titled Grand Dellusions.

Success came early: In June 2000, they won the title of "National Champions of Holland" at the Dutch National Congress of Magic. One month later in Portugal, they won the magic world’s highest award, the Grand Prix of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques (International Federation of Magic Societies, or FISM), and with it, the title of World Champions of Magic. They remain the first and only comedy magic duo to have won this prestigious award.

Festivals, Awards, and Television

From then on, Scott & Muriel's career was launched. In 2002 they were featured in the Juste pour rire ("Just for Laughs") Festival in Montreal, Canada, and the following year, they were the first magicians to work with Cirque du Soleil, in their television series Solstorm, which was broadcast in Canada and the United States.

In 2004 they created their first full-evening show, Scott & Muriel's B!G Show with Joe!, together with Joe Dieffenbacher, of the Dutch theater group Nakupelle, which toured The Netherlands for three years. Produced by Kees van Liempt, of Interpresario, it was directed by Pieter Athmer, with music by Kino Haitsma. In 2006, Scott & Muriel took over the production of the show, and continued touring in Austria and Germany.

In 2007, they were semi-finalists in the popular TV show Holland’s Got Talent, and in 2008, they were invited to participate in the 32nd edition of the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo, where they had the rare privilege of a standing ovation and won the Nice-Matin award, and a special prize from the Fairmont Hotel in Monaco. They were the first magicians to appear in the ring of the Festival since Lee Pee Ville in 1978. In 2009, they participated in the 2nd World Clown Festival of Yekaterinburg, in Russia, 2009, where they were awarded the Golden Clown.

Scott & Muriel have delighted audiences with their winning mixture of great magic and hilarious comedy in twenty countries, both live and on television. In Europe, they have been featured at the Théâtre Princesse Grace in Monaco, the Palazzo dinner-show in Amsterdam, and the Royal Palace International Music-Hall à Kirrwiller, in Alsace—among many other venues. In the United States, they were featured in the Big Apple Circus production of Dream Big, in 2011-2012.

See Also

• Video: Scott & Muriel, doll act, in the Big Apple Circus production of Dream Big (2011)