Review: COULD IT BE MAGIC?, Wilton's Music Hall

Wilton's Music Hall is a fantastic room for a magician to work. The history of illusionists and mentalists almost leeches out of the walls, thousands amazed by hundreds of acts down the decades. But the acoustics are, as usual, unforgiving, so it was unfortunate that the show I saw had problems with the mics and I missed much of the patter (often delivered very quickly) as a consequence - Could It Be Heard? rather than Could It Be Magic?

Paul Aitchison's one-man / four magicians show takes the format of a quadrilateral competition between comical characters who are after the Magic Ring's Annual Prize. It's not a bad conceit and there are times when it works well, but it also presents as many opportunities missed as taken.

A case in point is our host, nine time winner and chippy Northerner, Reg Kettle, who has a bit of The Wheeltappers and Shunters Club's Colin Crompton about him, allied to a defensive bumptiousness that is a little charmless and wearing after a while. Less prominent, but more gracious company, is German magician, Klause Fantastiche, whose illusion may be the worst (it involves identifying sausages - Geddit?), but his camp Emceeish persona. Scorpions haircut and quips about Vegas tigers are endearing and went over well with the matinee house.

Zantos Thorne, a beastly boy from Wisconsin, gets some good visual gags in and Colin, one half of 70s and 80s superstar married couple act, Colin and Carol, is very well observed, owing something to Alexei Sayle's washed up, divorced and depressed Liverpool comic, Bobby Chariots. Like Klause, these guys have their charm.

All-through in 70 minutes, the show should feel pacier than it is, but that's partly because we don't actually get that much magic - but it's good when we do - and partly because the only help Aitchison calls upon are volunteers from the audience. Debbie McGee has other fish to fry these days and such glamorous assistants are incongruous in 2022, but one does think the show would be improved by another professional voice or presence and a bit less "Speak into the mic please?"

The tricks are pulled off with aplomb and self-deprecation is an interesting angle for a magician to take, as they're usually (even the heirs of Tommy Cooper) pretty much masters of their universes. That said, I suspect there are more rounded characterisations to be mined and a broader show to explore, one that can really work a room of this size to its full potential.

Could It Be Magic? is at Wilton's Music Hall until 5 February

Photo Geraint Lewis

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