Just before setting up his final trick – or as he called it: “just one more thing” – Derren Brown asked the audience at Hull New Theatre not to spoil the show for others, and apologised to those who were there to review it for making their job harder.
But it’s not as if I would be able to explain the mind-boggling oddities that happened upon the stage last night. No, the real trick (or what you may call magic) is how well crafted Derren Brown’s Showman actually is.
The show is a two hour spectacle packed full of light hearted audience interaction, other-worldly illusions, and some moments that really left me scratching my head.
Derren lived up to the show’s title with effortless wit, presenting and executing each illusion with finesse, whilst expertly weaving them together into a beautiful narrative which touched on themes of loss, grief, and appreciation for life.
P. T. Barnum was mentioned in passing, but last night Derren was the greatest showman and this was cemented by his overpowering control over those in attendance. Derren not only had the audience in the palm of his hand, but also up his sleeve.
The combination of Derren’s illustrious aura and a giddy audience – who probably hadn’t been to the theatre in two years – was the perfect storm to make this show an instant success.
Showman played out like a devious pantomime, in which the audience co-starred in a collective role in Derren’s twisted manipulations. And even those who rigorously stayed in the refuge of their seat weren’t 100% safe from the showman’s enchantment.
This audience participation made the show feel like a unifying experience and made for great conversation with strangers on the way out of the venue after the performance had closed its curtains.
Derren Brown’s Showman is playing nightly at Hull New Theatre until 25 September and is an easy recommendation for anyone who is looking to have their reality shifted and mind blown.
