‘Now You See Me Live’ review — this magical spectacular is fun for all the family

Read our review of Now You See Me Live, now in performances at the London Coliseum to 6 September.

Summary

• Now You See Me Live comes to the London Coliseum
• The high-tech illusion spectacular is inspired by the popular film franchise
• Acts include escapologist Andrew Basso and illusionist Enzo Weyne
• Britain’s Got Talent stars Rafferty Coope; Fraser Penman and Eden Choi are guest performers

As parents look to fill the long summer holidays, magic and illusion are always popular family entertainment choices. The latest West End offering is ‘stage illusion spectacular’ Now You See Me Live. After touring Australia and Singapore, the show inspired by the popular film franchise has landed at the London Coliseum for a limited six-week run.

Now You See Me Live’s biggest illusion might be using the name of the franchise at all, since this isn't a version of the film onstage. The main four performers call themselves the ‘Horseman’, but the only reference to a bank heist is a video animation where one performer presses buttons and opens doors on a screen. What you get instead is a slick and family-friendly magic show with good lighting effects and an atmospheric soundtrack. Cameras and a big screen mean that everyone in the audience can see the all the action up close.

Matthew Pomeroy is an amiable and charming compere, with a very natural stage presence and some very decent card tricks of his own. Escapologist Andrew Basso reenacts Houdini's famous Water Torture act. Illusionist Enzo Weyne and rising star Gabriella Lester (the only female magician out of seven) perform teleportation trickery, and the quartet also come together for communal stunts.

Alongside the four Horsemen are three guest performers, all from Britain’s Got Talent and none of whom are given enough time to really show off their skills. Finalist Rafferty Coope has contagious enthusiasm, but is little more than a warm-up act, and visually impaired hypnotist Fraser Penman’s stage time is fleeting. But despite the fact he only has moments on stage, the standout of the whole show is Eden Choi, who manipulates cards and small balls with such astonishing sleight of hand you really can believe he is creating magic.

The main illusions are glitzy and slick, but strangely without much jeopardy. When Lester has to escape a box filled with explosives in seconds, we never believe the danger is real. When Basso holds a live scorpion in his mouth while an audience member slaps his face as he tries to escape handcuffs, it feels tame. When the four Horsemen appear to travel back in time, it’s all too clear how the trick is done.

More successful is when the whole audience is involved: a card trick that involves throwing torn playing cards around the auditorium before a clever reveal brings shouts of delight. Another mind-reading episode is very enjoyable, even though you can see the upcoming result early on.

An awkward section towards the end of the show features home videos of the performers as children as they each relate their ‘journey’ to the stage. It may be inspirational to children in the audience, but is rather mawkish for adults.

These tricks have been done before and done better, which dampens the overall excitement. But, if perhaps not one for deeply knowledgeable illusion fans, many families will have a great time at Now You See Me Live. It’s fun, flashy, and has magical moments.

Now You See Me Live is at the London Coliseum to 6 September. Book Now You See Me Live tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Now You See Me Live (Photos by Johan Persson)