One thing Ricky Jay can’t make disappear is the fun

Renaissance magician Ricky Jay pulls many rabbits out of his various hats. He’s an engaging author (“Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women,” “Jay’s Journal of Anomalies”). He’s also an accomplished actor whose impressive screen oeuvre includes some half-dozen films by his longtime friend and associate, David Mamet. In addition to being a noted historical scholar and an ardent book collector, Jay is a sought-after film consultant, most recently on “The Prestige” and “The Illusionist.”

Jay also happens to be one of the best sleight-of-hand artists on the planet. It’s a talent widely acknowledged by his fans and fellow magicians alike -- but not by his peers, for he has none.

First produced off-Broadway in 1994, “Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants” returns to the Southland for the first time in a decade. Now at the Geffen’s Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater through Jan. 27, the Obie-winning show will be cause for rejoicing among Jay’s devoted admirers. For those not familiar with Jay’s work, this is a prime opportunity to learn what all the bally is about.

Mamet, who also directed “Ricky Jay: On the Stem,” helms this reprise production with a sleight hand, but the real draw here is Jay -- every pun intended. Of course, the “52 Assistants” of the title are, quite simply, a deck of cards -- ordinary, unmarked cardboard rectangles that Jay manipulates to stunning effect.

Kevin Rigdon’s cozy, book-lined set and Jules Fisher’s versatile lighting establish a welcoming atmosphere for this most congenial host, whose loving attitude toward all things magical is manifest throughout. Jay’s “tricks” -- and that seems too demeaning a term for these dazzling displays -- are accompanied by rich anecdotes and esoteric chatter of a distinctively intellectual stripe.

Don’t look for glitzy mega-illusions here. A burly, bearded, somberly dressed man, Jay has a dry, offhand manner that jibes well with the stripped-down simplicity of his performance. However, that simplicity is deceptive. Jay can do anything with cards, from “false dealing” to throwing a card so hard that it pierces the shell of a watermelon.

Fittingly, Jay ends the show with a segment called “The History Lesson,” a demonstration of the cups and balls -- an ancient conjuring trick that hails back to the Greeks.

It’s a loving homage to a venerable institution performed by one of its most venerable practitioners. Reportedly, Jay spent much of his childhood sitting in a room, practicing card tricks over and over again. Judging from his enduring artistry, it was time well spent.

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‘Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants’

Where: Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood

When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. Fridays, 8 p.m. Saturdays

Ends: Jan. 27

Price: $75 to $115

Contact: (310) 208-5454, www.GeffenPlayhouse.com

Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes