Review: THE ILLUSIONISTS, Shaftesbury Theatre
By: Charlie Wilks Jul. 23, 2019
It's tricky to find the words to describe this show, seeing as the majority of the positive ones have probably been used before. Comments such as 'amazing', 'spectacular', 'jaw dropping' are lathered across social media and posters advertising the event. All of them are correct. All of them are words I would also use when talking about the production.
Straight from Broadway, the sell-out smash hit group The Illusionists land in the West End for a limited run. Featuring a selection of their core members, included in the two-hour spectacle is a daredevil, a trickster, a mentalist, a showman, a manipulator, a futurist and someone who self-entitles himself 'unforgettable'.
The tricks are fantastic, and for the most part, are ones that haven't been seen much before. The unpredictability of the action can be exciting and sometimes keeps the audience on their toes. The technicality of the magic is incredible and the show itself is a marvellous achievement. Unfortunately, it's the music and lighting that lets the side down. It's all rather tacky.
The seven's performances are a tad too over the top, and a bit cringe. The whole point of the evening is to see amazing tricks, however the extreme showmanship distracts from the wonder. There's a lot of exclamatory hand gestures and extravagant poses without much substance to back it up.
Their presentation is rather cheesy and a bit jarring, which is a shame because the tricks are mind-blowingly brilliant. We watch as a woman slaps a man in handcuffs, as a deadly scorpion is taped inside his mouth. He later escapes a cage filled to the top with gravel. The two acts come from Jonathan Goodwin, the daredevil who recently appeared on Britain's Got Talent.
It's him and manipulator Yu Ho-Jin who really shine. Ho-Jin uses no gimmicks and instead relies on his brilliant sleight of hand ability. It's enchanting to witness. Paul Dabek does well to compere the show, offering jokes and quick tricks to keep the action rolling along. And Enzo Weyne proves to be super speedy as he escapes from a box to then magically appear elsewhere.
All in all, if you can get over the cheese, you're in for a good night.
The Illusionists at Shaftesbury Theatre until 1 September
Photo: The Illusionists
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