Magic Goes Wrong At The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton Review

Reviewed by Jane Warwick

An appreciative, family audience were provided with a feast of entertainment at the Mayflower Theatre last night with a combination of slapstick humour, skilful magic, and glittering spectacle.  The fun started as the audience arrived, with a couple of magicians entertaining people before they even got to their seats and various members of the cast running about the auditorium chasing an escaped dove and rabbit as well as a camera man getting people in the audience to say funny things and was filming them. Excitement was in the air even before the show started. The play itself follows a hapless group of magicians as they stage an evening of magic to raise cash for charity-the charity being ‘Disasters in Magic’ in memory of all those killed or injured in pursuing magical acts. This format provides the backdrop for a whole range of classic illusions including Sawing a Woman in Half, Knife Throwing, Various Card Tricks, Mind Reading, Teleportation, Contortionism, Escapology, and Making Doves Appear. Although, of course, these tricks do not go as planned!

The cast successfully portray a range of characters associated with classic magic shows. Sam Hill plays the role of Sophistico, the host, who has recently lost his magician dad in an accident involving a collapsing attic full of showbiz props. He holds the show together and plays the flustered compere with skill. Every now and again Sophistico would check to see how much money was raised but by the end of the show they were owing money which a lot of children around us found really amusing though I think the adults were more sympathetic. Rory Fairbairn plays clairvoyant The Mind Mangler with aplomb and is constantly frustrated by a mischievous teleprompt operator who feeds him rude lines. He is supported by his sidekick, audience plant, Mickey ably played by Daniel Anthony in several obvious disguises. Jocelyn Prah (Spitzmaus), and Chloe Tannenbaum (Bar), provide both sparkle in their costumes and fake German accents -although at times I found these hard to follow. Kiefer Moriaty is excellent as The Blade and is the butt of some of the more spectacular magic failures of the show although Valerie Cutko as Eugenia must win this title as she ends up sawn in half! Adam Meggido successfully directs the whole show and helps the performers display their comic and slapstick skills.

Magic Goes Wrong was written by Mischief (Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields), and American duo Penn and Teller. Mischief was formed in 2008 and since then has had significant West End success with the hugely popular “The Play that Goes Wrong”, followed by TV fame with the six-part BBC 1 “The Goes Wrong Show”. All these shows follow the same format of choreographed chaos and bumbling ineptitude and can provide real belly laughs. However, the format must not be overdone as there is a limit to the amount of farce one wants to see. Some of the gags in Magic Goes Wrong were rather drawn out and a reduction in the total duration of almost two and a half hours could be made without losing any of the entertainment value. Having said that, Magic Goes Wrong did provide much amusement interspersed with some genuinely good illusions. I particularly liked the introduction of Health and Safety guidelines for the riskier acts and the brief intervention of Derren Brown by tele link was hilarious. The show has been nominated for the Noel Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play in the 2020 Olivier Awards which is testament to the popularity of this kind of show.

The Mayflower is an excellent venue, a deservedly popular theatre and it is great to see a large audience enjoying themselves after the strictures of lockdown. The staff are all friendly and helpful. and the toilet facilities have been recently furbished and are nice and clean. There is one interval during the show with ice cream, drinks, and chocolates all available to purchase. The theatre also does various food and drink packages such as afternoon tea; VIP experiences; platters and refreshment packs. There is good parking which is free after 6pm and a very good selection of restaurants within easy reach making it the ideal place for an enjoyable evening’s entertainment for the whole family.

Rating: 4/5

On from 26 – 30 October 2021

Tickets cost from £19.50 – £42.50
For more information or book tickets visit here or call the Box Office on 02380 711811 ( 10am – 5.30pm)
Address of the theatre Mayflower Theatre, 22-26 Commercial Rd, Southampton SO15 1GE