The magic in Now You See Me Live is so bombastic it may be visible from space. This new spectacle, which later heads to Las Vegas, spins off from the movie franchise and features a quartet of conjurors identifying as “the Horsemen”. They perform feats of escapology, mentalism, and even time travel amid much son et lumière and self-promotion at the London Coliseum.
A Quartet of Conjurors and Their Showstoppers
The Italian Andrew Basso has arguably the most impressive showstoppers, including a recreation of Houdini’s water torture stunt and another where he extricates himself from padlocked chains while harbouring something very undesirable in his mouth. His French counterpart Enzo Weyne delivers an arresting number with a paper bag and a lightbulb. There’s also a fine audience participation set piece inviting everyone to shred, shuffle, then reassemble the playing cards given on entry.
Pompous Style Undermines the Skills
Does any of this benefit from the noisy theatrics and inflated self-regard? Far from it. On more than one occasion, the estimable skills on display are undermined by smoke and lasers, while the self-aggrandising sets expectations that not all these tricks can meet. MC Matthew Pomeroy boasts that the show is reversing magic’s historic gender inequalities, despite only one of the seven acts being female.
A Seven-Year-Old’s Favourite: Eden Choi
How much more impressive would these feats be if staged sparsely? Just ask seven-year-old audience volunteer Elektra, who cited as her favourite act the ex-Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Eden Choi. Choi’s quickfire cameo, a silent but deadly card manipulation sequence, requires no embellishment. It’s one of several adroit set pieces in a show that proves there’s life yet in the ancient arts of wriggling out of a straitjacket and squeezing oneself into a dynamited safe.
Verdict
Despite the pomp, there are plenty of entertaining tricks to keep pomp-phobes onside. The show runs at London Coliseum until 6 September. Even if the overblown style might make you wish pestilence on the four horsemen, the magic itself remains compelling.
