2010 Edinburgh Fringe
Barry and Stuart review
Two creepy but cool guys in smart suits (complete with fob watches, oh yes) doing magic? Thank you very much, Barry and Stuart. Any self-respecting magic fan knows it's mostly down to the presentation, and these two chaps have got it spot-on - they put the right amount of fear into you, while being lovely with it at the same time.
It starts in the queue when a helper asks you to write down a recurring nightmare. I refused on the basis that Baz and Stu would mess with my mind, so I wasn't having any of it. I was right, of course - this particular mind-reading trick managed to totally freak out two young boys sitting near me, as well as the guy who was in the queue behind me and who I jokingly told would get picked on.
This show is about the spookier side of life. The duo are tied to chairs at the beginning of the show and you are invited to check the bonds. Then the lights go out (and believe me, in a cave, it really is pitch black) and objects mysteriously begin to move. Of course, that's the best thing about this mesmerising duo - they are the culprits for this tomfoolery and show us so. They say from the very beginning that they will lie to us, but not necessarily tell us how, and that is where the fun lies. It's great to be fooled even though you know you are.
There was one drawback for me - at least two of the tricks had been performed previously by Derren Brown, albeit within different set-ups. And even their preamble about the history of spiritualism has been used by Mr Brown in the past, and it all sounded too familiar. I would have liked to have seen them search out something a little bit different, and this is the only reason I've not given a 5/5 mark.
Regardless though, I was fascinated by the show and left with a sense of wonderment, gleefully high-fiving the chaps at the door on the way out. It made me feel like a child - playful and full of awe. Perfect.
Barry & Stuart: 98% Séance listing