It has been over a hundred years since the famous magician Henry Houdini performed one of his great escape acts in front of over 4000 people at London’s Hippodrome. This summer the production of Impossible at the Noel Coward Theatre brings back magic to the capital with its attempt to give It a fresh and a contemporary twist.Directed by Anthony Owen the show offers something for everyone. It is a well-rounded and well-paced production with a variety of acts and personalities which allows the audience to “suspend their disbelief” and find their inner child.
There are plenty of spectacular moments in this show, such as a disappearing car, the Chinese torture cell, or the myriad of card tricks. Jamie Allan uses technology in all his tricks, whilst the bubbly, stand-up comedian-like Chris Cox reads the minds of audience members.
Then there is Jonathan Goodwin, a self-proclaimed “daredevil” whose daring performances had me on the edge of my seat.
But it is the smaller and somehow old-fashioned tricks that create a very special atmosphere. Ben Hart opens the show in a storytelling manner whilst making the cards he is holding vanish. The Portuguese illusionist Louis de Matos performs a trick that involves the whole auditorium and Ali Cook performs a famous and spectacular trick whilst explaining to the audience its origin and history.
For someone like me whose only knowledge of magic comes from the Harry Potter books the show was fascinating with all sorts of historical facts and anecdotes incorporated into the action.
Unfortunately, I couldn't help noticing that the women in the cast were reduced to assisting the male performers, whilst wearing extremely tight clothes and extremely fake smiles (even when being cut in half). It seems that despite the fact that the show aspires to have a modern feel to it, there are certain facets of the magicians craft that still remain rooted in the sexism of the 1970s.
Those after a special night out will enjoy a Las Vegas style treat
Despite this Impossible is very entertaining. I suspect it may be of limited interest to regular theatre goers but tourists and those after a special night out will enjoy a Las Vegas style treat.
Despite having lived in the United Kingdom for over 25 years the upper class English male remains for me a somewhat inscrutable species. Dear Lupin, now playing at the Apollo Theatre and starring father and son team James Fox and Jack Fox, goes some way in attempting to reveal how men of this class relate, or rather don’t relate, with their nearest and dearest.