Type – Magic, Illusions, Deception
If you liked – The Now You See Me films, Penn & Teller, Scott Silven’s The Lost Things
Now You See Me Live!: Shrouded in the guise of the magic heist-trilogy of films, its main trick is to get you to look past this deception
There are three types of audience members who attend a magic show: those that are open to the mysteries of deception and belief in magic, those who are familiar with the formula but aim to be a code-cracking magic sleuth, and those who hate being lied to in any form but are dragged along nonetheless. It’s very clever then that Tim Lawson & Simon Painter, along with the producers of Now You See Me Live!, begin the hoodwinking before the audience has stepped a foot through the doors. Named after the hit Lionsgate films of the same name (and its subsequent films that decay in quality), the link to the films’ premise ends when the house lights initially go down.
Our ‘Four Horsemen’ of magic, Adam Trent, Enzo Weyne, Andrew Basso, and Gabriella Lester, promise a night of illusions, of deception, of thievery of the senses – and maybe of your wallets, but only for those in front row; the nosebleed sections are safe. In fairness, they deliver on these promises, but not in what you may expect when you bought your ticket.
The Four Horseman come armed with each of their own bag of tricks. Trent (USA) works a crowd with a sharp comedic edge, acting as the main host of the evening with close up illusion tricks of his own in which to boggle the senses. Weyne (FR) demonstrates a spectacular deception of time and space, while Lester (CAN) – who is a dead ringer for Isla Fisher – crams herself into seemingly empty boxes, only to appear at the top of the stalls in a flash bang. The real jaw dropping feats come from Basso (ITL) who puts his body on the line for our enjoyment, the highlight being his recreation of Houdini’s Water Torture Cell which is magnificently carried out.
On a side note, the crowd-work from all four Horseman was among the best you could receive at this scale of a show. The use of the live camera work on screen brought an intimacy to the Concert Hall space that went beyond the front row, and with it the laughter. From fitful screams from creepy crawlers, and the bravest four year-old volunteer who’s probably walked on that stage, each of the Horseman encourage = an unabashed likeablility to each of them in their interactions. You feel a connectedness as we all go along for the ride.
There is not really any other adjective to describe Hugo Mercier Bosseny‘s lighting design other than, epic. Bosseny’s use of neon and shadow lead your eyes where the performers want you to focus, whilst also creating an explosive sensory experience in the highest moments. Creative Director, Ash Jacks McCready, quite literally starts the show with a bang setting the excitement – and the stakes – high right from the first ‘big’ trick.
Is Now You See Me Live! Worth Seeing in Australia?
Call it scepticism or blame Penn & Teller’s Fool Me, but there was a lack of flow from the outset that made a good handful of the tricks lukewarm and, dare I say, semi-translucent. Ultimately, there was a question overhanging the piece that I felt answered by the end. That being, ‘No, we cannot restage the events of the NYSM films, but can we still put on an evocatively entertaining show?’, and the answer to that question? Absolutely.
Now, this is where the overall trick of Now You See Me Live! falters. The premise promises to, “transform the magic of the films into a live stage spectacle with never-before-seen feats of wonder”. However, if you have been to any of the other magic shows at the Sydney Opera House this year – Scott Silvin‘s Lost Things or Jackson Aces‘ Beyond Possible – then you will definitely have seen some of the much more commercial tricks before. So it goes without saying that your overall enjoyment will be how familiar you are with magic, or how willing you are to be deceived twice.
Tickets and Practical Info for Now You See Me Live! in Australia 🎟️
The premiere season of Now You See Me Live is currently playing at the Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall until Sunday 4 January. The show tours to QPAC Brisbane (Jan 8-18) and Crown Theatre Perth (Jan 23 – Feb 1).
Tickets: https://www.nowyouseemelive.com/
Sydney Opera House presents in association with Tim Lawson & Simon Painter
Now You See Me Live ®, ™ & © 2025 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. and affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
Cast: Adam Trent, Enzo Weyne, Andrew Basso, and Gabriella Lester
Creative:
Creative Producer – Simon Painter
Co-Creator – Adam Trent
Creative Director – Ash Jacks McCready
Illusion Director – Enzo Weyne
Composer – Evan Duffy
Lighting Designer – Hugo Mercier Bosseny
Costume Designer – Eugene Titus
Special FX Designer – Dale Norris
