Produced by Simon Painter and Tim Lawson. The Canberra Theatre Centre. 8 Dec 2015
With today’s cynical, post-modern audiences, it is surprising that anyone would even consider touring a magic show. But, the team behind The Illusionists have thrown caution to the wind, bringing their unique brand of entertainment back to the stage once more.
Rather than razzle dazzle with an edgier type of nouveau magic, The Illusionists instead pay tribute to the ‘golden age of magic’; the period between the late nineteenth and early twentieth century when the popularity of magicians was at its peak and the public was much more gullible.
With great conviction, the audience is promised at the very beginning of the show that they will see things they have never before witnessed on the Canberra Theatre stage, or any other stage for that matter. However, without having seen every magic show ever performed on the planet, this claim is difficult to verify.
Hosted by the charismatic Mark ‘The Showman’ Kalin, The Illusionists does feature a highly talented and diverse bunch of performers from across the globe. There’s Jinger ‘The Conjuress’ Leigh; Charlie Fry the eccentric juggler and acrobat; Krendl the escapologist; Thommy Ten and Amelie van Tass with their clairvoyancy routines; the outrageously funny comedic magician, Dana Daniels; and The Grand Carlini with his charming marionette.
The show is split into two acts, with both starting off light and breezy with card tricks and the like, and gradually building up to ‘the prestige’ each time around – with the able assistance of the live musicians to the sides of the stage punctuating each act.
Audience participation is also a strong feature throughout The Illusionists, with quite a decent number of apprehensive Canberrans plucked from the crowd to partake in various acts – some of them even coming close to stealing the show.
In defiance of the great challenge to thrill a contemporary audience with tricks that date back at least a century, The Illusionists is filled with captivating moments. When Thommy Ten sends Amelie van Tass levitating metres above the stage, one can’t help but feel a sense of child-like wonder – despite one’s adult brain whispering that there is a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Temporarily taking leave of your senses is actually crucial for being able to get maximum enjoyment from shows like The Illusionists. Of course there are secret methods behind each trick, but most are devised and executed so well that the illusion is fascinating enough in itself.
However, not all acts are based on illusion – that heart stopping moment when Krendl is in that Houdini-style water tank trying to escape after nearly four minutes is very real. Likewise, so are the magnificent juggling talents of Charlie Fry and the whimsical magic marionetting by The Grand Carlini.
What is equally enjoyable about The Illusionists though is the tongue in cheek moments that poke a bit of fun at the magic game, with the cast refusing to take themselves too seriously. This helps greatly with putting the audience participants at ease, as well as generating an overall spirit of light-heartedness – especially in those rare moments when the magic is briefly killed by a subtle mishap.
This is a fantastically entertaining show for young and old alike, with enough variety to tickle anyone’s fancy. It’s a wonderful opportunity to put the cynical part of your brain on ice for a couple of hours and just enjoy the pleasure of being marvelled – or even take part in the magic if you’re lucky!
Deborah Hawke
When: 8 to 16 Dec
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre
Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au
