The audience was intrigued from the moment they were approached by an Assembly assistant in the queue outside the venue asking if each individual was a ‘believer’ or a ‘non-believer’ and issuing a red or blue card accordingly. This was a nice touch – bringing the audience together, before they even became a group.
The premise of the show is that it was made for the non-believers, for those who believe in science over magic, the entire audience greeted with the sight of a sparking electrical transformer which stayed in situ throughout the entire performance as a reminder of the show’s narrative. It must be a tall order for a performer to set this kind of show apart from other similar formats, but this angle worked well.
Kevin Quantum emerged on stage in a surprisingly warm, accessible way. This reviewer has become accustomed to stage magicians often presenting themselves as slick to the point of lofty and fast-talking to the point of condescending – but not this one. Kevin Quantum was charming and warm, courteous and thoughtful. Yes, there were a few hiccups in the performance such as a dropped glass which spilled liquid over the floor and a frame that was accidentally kicked over but, in all honesty, that made Kevin seem as if he was ‘one of us’. He felt as if he was our very talented, mysterious mate, not our guru. This made the performance all the more interesting, all the more engaging.
There were quite a few memorable how-on-earth-did-he-do-that? moments, one of which was the instruction of each and every member of the audience to perform their own magic trick. This was no mean feat, keeping them on task towards the point of communal uproarious reveal. Only a performer who manages to establish a strong rapport with a packed room could pull this off.
Ending the performance by tying up all the ‘loose ends’ into a story is something which isn’t new to fans of this kind of show. However, what was new that this story was something personal, something poignant, something meaningful, something relatable. This was surprising and thoughtful, and it transformed a good show into a great show.
Reviewer: Susan Cohen
Reviewed: 24th August 2025
North West End UK Rating:
“Helsinki!” It seems diversion, deception and misdirection are the mainstay of world politics and a…
In the mid-90s the UK music scene saw the explosion of Britpop where bands such…
There is something slightly incongruous about seeing Meursault at the Traverse Theatre. The venue is…
From the duo who brought us Dancing Shoes at this venue before Christmas (and The…
In the week Timothée Chalamet made his ill-advised claim that “no one cares about ballet…
Few venues could host something as gleefully ridiculous as ‘Ancient Grease’, but The Vaults proves…