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Derren Brown - Live
by VampirePrincess
I have been a huge fan of Derren Brown for many years now and this was my first time to see the man live. He didn't disappoint one bit and I certainly had one magical night.
Derren Brown - Svengali:
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre , May 3rd 2012
Keeping anything a secret in today's world is a very difficult ... thing. In this age of being able to type a string of incoherent sentences into Google and yielding an answer within seconds, endless knowledge is available at the click of a button.
How, then, can an art form such as magic survive in today's openly revealing society? Many workers have claimed that online video sites detailing methods have put a dent in magicians' repertoires, and this is obviously very true. An art form which is based on trust in one's peers, and knowledge which was once deeply concealed away in the depths of obscure textbooks; can magic still be what it once was; mysterious, elegant, and deceptive?
I'm afraid I can't answer that question, but I know a man who can.
The mysteriously titled 'Svengali' tour is Derren Brown's fourth theatre production to come to the UK. Over the years, his shows have become progressively more mind boggling, culminating with 2009's Enigma which I didn't think could be beaten for the perfect blend of magic, mentalism and theatrics. Over the course of two hours, we are treated to a wonderful showcase of these abilities, and for one night we are shown what it would be like to see a master magician at work in the early 1900's, when theatre shows were more entertaining than television.
For those not in the know, Derren Brown is a professional magician who specialises in all manner of psychological manipulations. He claims to be a master of hypnosis techniques, neuro-linguistic programming, multiple body language reading techniques and much more. He begins his shows (TV and theater) with the claim that his results are achieved through a combination of 'magic, suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship'.
Derren asks his audience not to reveal anything too specific about the Svengali show, therefore I'll try not to say too much about his individual pieces. Before the show began, the audience were asked to write down their most embarrassing confessions and put them into a box at the front of the stage. Derren has always done a variation of this effect in all of his theatre shows, however the results of this one were quite special for me at least.
Audience participation is a big part of any magic show, and Derren utilizes this like no other performer on earth. For the opening trick, we are treated to a pure magic trick disguised as an act of mind-boggling manipulation. It involves Derren's shoe, a ten pound note, and a very confused audience member. The next trick involves a nod to Derren's first TV appearance ten years ago, as a confused couple were made to play Russian Roulette with paint guns. This was a particular highlight due to the couple onstage being so brain-dead that I don't think they understood the point of the trick. Derren however, seems to enjoy these types of participants, as there suggestibility can be greatly exploited by a master such as himself.
The whole show is encompassed by a frame story regarding a cursed doll made in the 1930's. This, I think, was one of the weakest parts of the show, as this story is a lot less believable than Derren's previous efforts (The Great Prestoni in Something Wicked, The Oracle Act in An Evening of Wonders). It quickly became obvious the doll story was entirely fictional, whereas the claims in previous tours were entirely possible to have been real. I won't reveal any further info about the doll, however there was a particular trick it was used for which was completely mind boggling. Even by using magic logic, I can't come to a conclusion as to how it was possibly done. A true magical masterpiece, the likes of which are rarely seen today.
It is difficult to discuss the specifics without giving away too much, therefore I'll try and give an overview of the rest of the show. At one point, not only does Derren show off his skills as a mentalist, but also his skills as an artist. An amazing portrait of a certain famous person painted in a very unique way. For the grand finale, audience members are picked, numbers are chosen randomly, balloons are dropped and everything comes together in a truly mind-blowing fashion. How Derren and his team arrived at this conclusion makes my brain ache trying to dissect their methods.
All of Derren's techniques are of particular interest to my partner, and he has since (annoyingly) pointed out the methods to many of the tricks in the show. However, he also points out that with this knowledge comes an even more profound befuddlement. It is worth noting that this next point was, ironically, pointed out by Derren on his conjuring instructional DVD (The Devil's Picturebook); to the eyes of the layman (someone without knowledge of magic), some feats are extraordinary. However, to the eyes of a magician, those same feats can be doubly extraordinary if the magician doesn't know how they're being done. For example, many magic tricks will have a simple explanation, and these tricks are enjoyable for their simplicity, and these secrets can usually be summed up in a sentence or two. Above this there are professional magic routines, which involve complex sleight of hand and masterful deceptions.
And even above this, there are the choice few magical pieces. Routines such as David Copperfield's Portal, Teller's Miser's Dream, and Derren Brown's bizarre mind-reading doll trick which he is currently performing on the Svengali tour. These are a few pieces of conjuring which are so elegant and mysterious that for a brief moment, you might think that magic does really exist. And so for these secrets, then, there can only be one answer;
'I don't want to know'.
Price:
£30 per person for the tickets. A small price to pay for an evening of wonderment. Considering there are arena bands (Guns N Roses, Motley Crue) charging £40-50 per ticket in massive venues, £30 is perfectly reasonable for decent theatres. This show is definitely worth it for absolutely anyone, and I cannot recommend it enough. Someone who is unfamiliar with Derren will be mind numbingly amazed by every single feat. Even those who are regular viewers of him will also be left scratching their heads. My partner has spent a great deal of time researching magic, and he claims many of the tricks can be figured out. However, watching Derren perform, I've realised that the secret is not important.
If you can not get to a show near you or the tour has come to a halt I would full heartedly recommend you get the DVD copy when it comes out. I promise you, you shall not be disappointed.
A massive five stars from me.
Thank you for reading.
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Lion King
by eilidhcatriona
ack in 1999, I visited London for the first time. On our way to the theatre to see Miss Saigon, I saw a theatre covered in banners for a new musical - The Lion King. As a fan of the Disney film, I've wanted to see the musical ever since that day. It wasn't a show my partner was keen to see, as although we share a love of musicals, it ... wasn't his kind of thing. But when his mother visited us recently, she said she would take me to the theatre one night. I happened to spot a poster on a passing bus for The Lion King just after she said that, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Lion King is on at the Lyceum Theatre just off the Strand. A lovely old building, like many of London's theatres, it has columns outside and thick carpets and dark wood inside. The closest tube stations are Embankment, Temple and Covent Garden, and there are plenty of buses which go along the Strand. Charing Cross Station is also just a short walk away. Our tickets were bought just the day before, and were around £45 each, for seats in the rear stalls. Booking in advance would probably get you a better price.
Our seats were in the back row, to the left side of the stalls from our perspective looking at the stage. It appeared that the theatre was almost full, with just a few empty seats near us. This was on a weeknight in February, so it seems that The Lion King is still a very popular musical.
There is a bar just outside the entrance to the stalls, where you can purchase drinks and snacks, and also pre-order interval drinks. We bought two bottles of diet Pepsi, and while I can't remember the exact price, it was well over £5 for the two - pricey. There is also a souvenir stall beside the bar.
So, onto the show. From our seats I could see that two of the boxes beside the stage had set ups of African drums and other instruments, which was rather exciting - as a musician I've always taken an interest in what's going on in the pit, so it was interesting to see something a little different.
The opening of the show was utterly breathtaking, there is no other way to describe it. A sunrise was brought up on the back of the stage, two giraffes (actors on stilts) were slowly walking past, and the character of Rafiki the baboon began the spinetingling vocals of Circle of Life. I had goosebumps, and was so blown away I felt close to tears. I've never seen or heard anything quite like it. It's a stunning song in its recorded form, so to hear it belted out live, in perfect tune and with authentic instrumentation, was simply incredible.
But the breathtaking opening didn't stop there. The doors beside us opened, and actors started coming through. The first ones were in bright clothes, with bird on sticks which they whirled in the air. Then came the piece de resistance - an elephant, manned by four actors, one in each leg, along with a baby elephant manned by a little girl. We were gobsmacked, and felt very lucky to be so close. All the animals, even the huge elephant were so graceful. They all made their way down the aisles and gathered on the stage to finish performing Circle of Life. The centrepiece of the kingdom, Pride Rock, rose from the stage with a staircase on it for the actors to use.
The opening of the show was incredible, but the enjoyment didn't stop there. The actors were all wonderful; every single one of them made you forget you were looking at a human playing an animal, and became the animal they were portraying. Rafiki was played by a woman, who had amazing vocal talents. Her African vocals sent shivers down your spine. Zazu, the right-hand man (well, bird) of the lion king, Mufasa, was as hilarious as he is in the film: the actor playing him was dressed in black and white with a bowler hat, while Zazu was a puppet he carried - the actor was separate from the bird, but his costume and mannerisms were so appropriate to the character that I forgot I was watching a puppeteer.
Most of the animal costumes were in what you would call an African style, but the characters who were particularly comical in the film, and therefore most appealing to children, were still rather cartoonish. Zazu was one, as were the gang of hyenas: the actors playing them had the hyena swagger down to a tee. Also in this category were Timon the meerkat and Pumba the warthog. Timon was a puppet of almost human height, which was attached to the front of his actor. Pumba was a huge squashy costume, worn by an actor whose own facial expressions seemed like he could have successfully played Pumba with no costume!
Special mention should be made to the supporting cast. Many of these actors, as in most musicals, played a variety of roles, but they were always so graceful and in tune with the animal they were playing. The actor who played the cheetah was wonderfully sinuous and stalked across the stage; the gazelles (each actor carrying three) were light and graceful; the elephant was heavy and ponderous. In one scene the supporting cast played a field of savanna grass: they had hats on which supported a large flat plate of long grass. The stage was covered in people swaying like grass, with grass on their heads - quite clearly not a field of grass, but that was what we saw. They became that field.
The stand-out actor for me however was the woman who played grown-up Nala. Not only was her singing and acting excellent, but her movements were beautiful, so fluid and reminiscent of a lioness. Grown-up Simba was a close second, with a stunning voice, although I wasn't so keen on young Simba - the boy playing him was very good for his young age (maybe 10-12), but I don't think he had the maturity in his acting to fit with such an excellent company of actors. By contrast, the girl playing young Nala was very good, and is going to grow up to be a wonderful actress - she really looked like a baby lioness surrounded by grown lionesses, full of grace and elegance.
The music of the Lion King is obviously well-known already from the film. Personally I absolutely love it - the variety means there is something for everyone, from the moving and majestic Circle of Life, to the playful I Just Can't Wait To Be King, from the ominous Be Prepared to the ballad of Can You Feel The Love Tonight. There are some additions to the stage show, the most memorable of which is a song performed by the hyenas which I think is called Chow Down. Unfortunately it is memorable for the wrong reasons - it is a rock-style song, and doesn't fit with the rest of the score. It felt clunky and awkward, and although well-performed the style and tone were wrong.
The music was always perfectly performed, exactly the right volume and timing, and I really enjoyed watching the two musicians in the African boxes. It would have been impossible not to have them - the African instruments added an essential flavour to the music.
Throughout the show I found myself laughing, singing, on the edge of my seat with tension and at times close to tears. I know the story so well, yet it was like seeing it for the first time. The Lion King was absolutely superb, and if I had never seen Miss Saigon and Les Miserables, I would say it was the best musical I've ever seen. As it is it stands alongside those greats of musical theatre, holding its own, and hopefully will continue to do so for years to come.
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