Theatre Review: Derren Brown Svengali
Derren Brown hypnotises audiences with new show SVENGALI – or does he?
I left the theatre pondering the eternal Derren Brown question – how much of that was staged?
It was an onslaught of literally unbelievable feats. He repeatedly urged us not to divulge what transpired, but it’s not giving much away to say I saw him suss someone’s profession merely from their stance, hypnotise swathes of the audience, and even dabble with possession and mind reading.
All of this accompanied by his riveting and witty commentary – his trademark habit of providing a superficially plausible explanation for every super human deed.
My morbid fear of audience participation only added to the excitement.
You may also want to watch:
He began by making a point of insisting that no actors, or “stooges”, would be involved and I desperately wanted it to be true. But that was coming from a man whose entire act is based around trickery and manipulation – would it be foolish to believe him?
It dawned on me that it didn’t really matter. I had been thoroughly entertained throughout and I knew the hypnotism was real at any rate – unless my companion was secretly on Brown’s payroll too.
Most Read
- 1 Police search for man who exposed himself on Islington 393 bus
- 2 Tollington Arms landlord relieved at rent moratorium extension
- 3 Appeal to trace missing Islington school girl, 14
- 4 Islington man charged with murder of shooting victim Taylor Cox
- 5 'LTNs are killing us': Hundreds of Highbury traders sign petition
- 6 Letters: Low Traffic Neighbourhoods - more points of view
- 7 'No consultation': Anger Islington cricket pitch could replace park
- 8 Doubling of Covid-19 cases in Islington sparks concern
- 9 Cult restaurant Eggslut set to open third London location
- 10 'It's crippling us': Islington's theatres and pubs disheartened by lockdown extension
* Showing at the Shaftesbury Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2, until July 16.
