Any show with Derren Brown’s name attached must be a winner – especially going by his previous award-winning stage work. However, this time Derren has done a disappearing act of his own and leaves it to a cast of actors and musicians to fool the audience.

It’s a brave concept – teaching the art of magic may be possible but showmanship and audience interaction comes naturally to some performers and it’s clear to see here. The premise is that we all perform magic tricks in our day to day life, presenting the person we want to be rather than who we are on the inside. It’s a nice basis but I’m not sure this theme is followed throughout the whole show.

The production has a beautiful opening, once it gets going that is after a long pre-show introduction from the four piece band. Simon Lipkin, the only performer with any sort of magic experience (and it shows), makes the audience feel at ease immediately and narrates a clever, revealing routine where a punter is invited on to stage to take ‘the best seat in the house’ and then performers gradually appear from a wooden wardrobe. An ingenious way of introducing the cast whilst also showing us the method of how the trick is done; very satisfying.

Unfortunately, this beginning illusion is the best the first half gets. A rather irritating Samuel Creasey gives a James Cordon-esque performance (and we all have our own thoughts on him) of the kind of trick you’d get in a Christmas cracker or kids ‘how to do magic’ box, which he then goes on to say we can all buy in the foyer for a tenner. A cheap laugh for an expensive toy. Lipkin shines in a musical routine where he changes water into alcoholic drinks which are dished out to the audience although it is sadly overly long, repetitive and drawn out. He has a beautiful voice though and is a natural showman, the star of the show by far.

There is a slightly disjointed (in more ways than one) ending to the first act of a magician’s assistant (Laura Andresen Guimarães) being squashed into a tiny box as she beautifully sings ‘There’s No Business Like Showbusiness’ but there’s a nice pay off as the names of many ‘forgotten’ magician’s assistants are roll called throughout the interval.

The second half treats us to a show-stopping opening of a reimagined take on the famous cup and balls trick in which all the performers are beautifully in sync in a cleverly choreographed routine. There’s also a lovely ending to the show which caused audible gasps from the packed auditorium. The closest this show comes to being ‘unbelievable’.

Derren Brown together with Andy Nyman and Andrew O’Connor have directed a slick, energetic piece and there’s no doubt the musicians are super talented. I’m just not sure whether they should leave the magic to the professionals.

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