Last updated: 29 July 2023
Follow the instructions, this one does what it says on the packet.
Fresh off the stages of the Edinburgh Fringe, these two well endowed Australian men take to the stage in London’s West End for a run at the Trafalgar Studios in various stages of undress to perform a little magic.
Maureen Younger’s self-deprecating style hits the mark for a warm-up and stirs up an already tipsy crowd. She’s a perfect pairing for this show and its audience. A mixture of frank realisations about adult life, sex and bad language reaffirms any doubt that this show is entirely geared to a ripe human audience.
A few introductions and disclaimers before the evening kicks off. Surprisingly, the magicians take to the stage fully clothed. As there’s Naked in the show’s title there’s a few quick quizzical side glances between friends.
First up is a prediction trick. It’s a classic piece of wizardry which still hits the mark. The audience play pass-the-parcel by tossing an enlarged inflatable phallic through the stalls to create ‘porn star’ names from lucky (?) chosen audience members. In case you’re unfamiliar with creating a porn name, you simply combining your pets name and your street to achieve a desired namesake. Predictably, the names received raucous laughter from the audience.
There’s no doubt this show is one clearly directed to the GNO (girls/gays night out) demographic. There’s no place for children or puritanical attitudes as the magicians perform tricks such as escaping a stock standard ‘straight’ jacket with innuendo fueled whimsical nature you’d expect from a pair of competitive Australian males. The lighthearted approach pokes fun at the likes of TV magician Gob Bluth and offers a change of pace to a familiar array of trickery.
Don’t be fooled, this is a legitimate magic show, or so they say. This is no touring troupe of Chippendales stars, Mike Tyler and Christopher Wayne promise magic … and some nudity. But like all good things, you have to wait for it.
Along with some skin, one of the lads showcase a larger than average appendage. No I’m not talking about that, I’m referring to a tongue. Of course, it makes an appearance in more than one occasion sending a flurry of giggles throughout the theatre.
Volunteers are pulled from the audience to provide a hand here and there. It might be to smash your phone into 5 pieces, get a firm grip on a top hat, or simply stand in shock and awe as rope appears and vanishes before your very eyes. The lads choose assistants who clearly going give them the biggest bang for their buck. Should you be chosen, best to play along.
For without these surrogate magicians assistants, the unoriginal tricks wouldn’t hold the attention.
Overall, The Naked Magicians provides an evening of pleasurable adult entertainment. Whatever you do, just be sure to stick around for the colossal climax.
The Essentials | The Naked Magicians
- When: Playing now until 24 September 2016
- Where: Trafalgar Studios, SW1A 2DY
- Nearest Tube: Charing Cross
- Tickets: From £20
