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Jack Delvin's one-man show: Delving into Magic
The King's Head Theatre, Islington, London
Sunday September 11th 2005
Reviewed by Nick Fitzherbert
It
is always refreshing to sit amongst a lay audience when watching a magic show
and particularly so when it s Jack Delvin because they love him!
A complete mix of age groups was attracted to the King's Head Theatre in
London's Islington on the Sunday evening of September 11, each person intrigued
no doubt by Jack's publicity claims to have been performing magic in the style
of Derren Brown and David Blaine since long before they were even born.
Jack more than lived up to the billing, with a wide range of tricks, effects and
illusions, most of which combined a familiar feel with an original twist, all
laced with an engaging sense of humour. He even manages to make Chinese Linking
Rings fun to watch! He fumbles and stumbles a bit between tricks and one mind
reading effect failed, but somehow it all adds to the show rather that detracts.
He had, after all, introduced himself as the most laid back magician in the
business and stated his intention as making friends with every member of the
audience.
Having sent us off for an interval drink with a series of mind reading feats
that ranged from amusing to truly mystifying, Jack returned with the promised
David Blaine-style street magic. Suitably dressed for the role in track suit and
baseball cap, he performed a chop cup routine before being manacled and then
escaping in double-quick time from both the chains and the dodgy suit.
An extended finale was based around the Delvin act-as-known, with two of the
younger audience members taken through a series of highly entertaining
levitation, sawing through and guillotine effects.
It was all a joy to watch, but especially satisfying to study the sheer sense of
delight on the faces of the audience, many of whom stayed behind at the end to
talk magic with Jack. The show is called Delving into Magic and that's
just what it does. I spotted one other magician, an eminent mind reader, who
commented "It's like a complete overview of everything in magic, there's no one
else doing that." Of course there are people who could do that, but Jack
actually goes out and does it. An inspiration to us all.
© Nick Fitzherbert, September 2005