When you’ve been performing for half a century, the expectation is high. However, Penn & Teller are no ordinary magicians. Their 50th Anniversary Tour, gracing the iconic London Palladium for a couple of weeks, is not just a celebration of their extraordinary career, it’s a stunning reaffirmation of their mastery in magic, comedy and the art of entertainment itself.

The Palladium is packed with their excited fans eagerly awaiting their magic heroes on this rare trip to England from their residency in Vegas. As we await the start of the show, a live pianist plays pre-show music to set the tone of the evening ahead. It’s a relaxed, cabaret feel yet there’s clearly no expense spared. Large LED screens displaying close-ups of the tricks, as well as the ever-changing scenery and many stage crew seen throughout, show just how grand a production this is.

Penn and Teller stroll onto the stage, without any support act, and give two hours of mind-bending magic, blending their unique style of comedy and entertainment into the show with ease. This signature mix of humour and mystery is what makes them so popular to all ages and the wide demographic they attract in the audience clearly shows this. With Teller being a mute, it falls to Penn to break down the fourth wall and engage with the crowd throughout. His quick wit and ability to think on his feet with crowd work is as impressive as ever.

The material is as amazing as you’d expect and each trick varies from the last making it constantly interesting and engaging. They admit it’s all new material, never seen before in London with the exception of the start of each act. Notable highlights include finding a literal needle in a haystack, Penn & Teller performing a card trick whilst in large balloon suits filled with air and a jaw-dropping, hugely satisfying finale which is less of a magic trick and more of a cleverly crafted and choreographed feat of ingenious performance.

As the famous duo take their applause at the end of the show, we are left watching a video montage of their 50 years together. I just wonder whether this would have been better placed at the beginning of the performance, getting us hyped up for their entrance, rather than us left watching a video at the end of the piece and not knowing if Penn & Teller are going to reappear afterwards or if the show is over. However, it’s a mere gripe in an otherwise perfect production.

Penn & Teller’s 50th Anniversary Tour isn’t just a show, it’s a love letter to the art of magic. A huge testament to their legacy and the pair clearly remain right at the top of their game. Here’s to another 50 years of brilliance from perhaps the best magicians out there.

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