The Oberons – theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall

This is a show showcasing the talents of a couple called The Oberons – Marc, described as a master illusionist and Emily, described as a mind reader who also happens to be a classical singer.

The show opens gently and fairly classically with the use of magic trick props, which I must confess seem all too familiar, but it soon starts to reach breakneck speed attempting to display an almost bewildering array of magic and mind reading in the time given, using song in its presentation.

There is no doubt that there are elements of this show which are highly entertaining – particularly at the level of competence displayed by the charismatic Marc and Emily.  Individually, they are charming.  They engage the audience with olde worlde ease and experience, inviting them into their glamourous mysterious world.  Together, they are pretty irresistible as they interact with one another with a distinct cheekiness and an instinctive, perfectly timed understanding.

However, perhaps what the audience didn’t need was see is quite so much of what Marc and Emily are capable of.  Just because performers can do a lot doesn’t mean that everything should be thrown at the audience all at once.  In this show, I reckon that less would have been more.

For instance, there possibly could have been a way of slowing down Emily’s mind reading to heighten dramatic effect.  There possibly could have been a way of spinning the narrative so that Marc’s magic was incorporated into the mind reading displays eg. with the props from the audience, with playing cards.  There possibly could have been a way of introducing Emily’s operatic performances differently, more surprisingly eg. from offstage, from behind the audience.

There’s absolutely no doubt that Marc and Emily are a talented pair, but I do believe that if they were to engage a writer, a director – both, even – they could have on their hands a very interesting series of shows.  Think Derren Brown – slower pacing, visual and narrative themes, subliminal engaging motivation for the audience, all the good stuff.

Marc mentioned that he and Emily met on a cruise ship, and I can see The Oberons – polished, charming and engaging as they are – doing well with audiences at sea.  I have to say that I admire this pair hugely for performing somewhere like the fringe.  Not easy as its performance spaces do tend to have a ‘gimme more gimme more hurry hurry hurry up’ feeling to them, which possibly had an effect on this show.

Reviewer:  Susan Elizabeth

Reviewed:  9th August 2025

North West End UK Rating: