Penn & Teller: 50 Years of Magic - London Palladium - Review

Whilst some shows have showcased a strong sticking power, hanging around for decades with productions that continue to both delight and bring in the audiences, a partnership lasting 50 years is perhaps something less common, but something that equally warrants a grand celebration. And that is exactly what Penn & Teller, world famous magicians, have set out to achieve with their first ever West End residency, celebrating the 50 years that they have been performing together.

In ’50 Years of Magic’, the crammed full London Palladium is abuzz of excitement. This is the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip, transported and dropped in the heart of the glistening West End. Together, Penn & Teller take the audience on a whistle stop tour of their five decades of magic, complete with their signature style of letting the audience in on the secret; something that kept them from The Magic Circle for all this time with the pair only let into the secret society this past week.

Whilst other magicians, think Ben Hart or Dynamo perhaps, could easily be described as story tellers, those who weave a tale with things that are seemingly impossible happening along the way, Penn & Teller’s style harks back to the days of vaudeville. The fourth wall is non-existent, audience members are frequently brought on stage where they become the driving force of the trick and the pair appear fully prepared for things to go wrong, injecting magic with their old school style of comedy and farce. They make it crystal clear that they are performing magic tricks, with each presented as if in a comedy sketch, one after the after with no semblance of an interlinking story.

Penn, with his booming voice and personality that sings and dances all things showman, commands the stage and narrates the piece, whilst the near silent Teller, his bright eyes paired with exaggerated almost cartoon like facial expressions, fizzes with an undeniable energy as he shows off his talents for mime and clowning, sometimes the brains of the operation, sometimes the butt of the joke.

From inviting audience members before the show to guess that number of jellybeans in a jar, and using, perhaps, the science of magic to find the exact number, to explaining the theory of entropy and bringing surreal dreams to life, there is a sense of fun and silliness running through the entire production. Tricks are done that will have you scratching your head in confusion, laughing one moment and wondering just how they did it the next. Audience interaction is high on the agenda, so much so that a big part of the second act is based around the idea that there will be people in the crowd who will question the pair on the use of stooges, it’s up to you to believe whether they do or not though.

There are frequent references throughout to their famous Las Vegas residency, jokes made about the differences in behaviour between American and London audiences and the such, that delight and earn many a laugh. The world knows Penn & Teller as magicians, and as amazing as their magic tricks are, it is their pure talent for comedy and the way in which they interact with an audience that truly makes them shine. The audience are hanging on their every word, and it feels as if every other word sends home a punchline. A clever quip there, and improved drop of genius here, audience members put at ease and even children made to feel like they are the ones doing the magic.

Whilst the pair do indeed perform some incredible feats of magic, there is little reference to miracles and the impossible here. Penn & Teller, as they often state, perform tricks. Sleight of hand and the art of deception take centre stage, and whilst audiences may question how something is done frequently, Penn & Teller expertly walk the fine line of tricking an audience and showing them how it is done, keeping them hanging on for more and hoping for that delicious little glimpse into the true magic.

Overall, this is a production that could be called a variety of different things. Some may call it a magic show, some a comedy, some a tribute to the golden age of vaudeville. It’s all of those things, by the bucketload, by the tonne of confetti, by the pages of magic books, be those found in the libraries of the Magic Circle or the shelves of a joke shop. It is the double act of Penn & Teller themselves that make this production, their West End debut in celebration of 50 years of magic, such a standout. For together they are genius, a wonderful perhaps indescribable double act, a true gem. For together they are magic.