Jamie Raven is the guy who made Simon Cowell say, “I now
believe in magic”. Jamie Raven is the guy who has now made me (a fellow
illusionist myself) say, “That’s how you make a magic show”.
Raven’s new family show, 'Making
Magic' is currently embarking on a theatre tour across the UK, and you would
be a fool to miss it and not have the chance to be fooled. The content appeals
to children, adults, friends, parents, couples, and grandparents. Basically, anyone
can watch this show.
What tied all of his tricks together was the journey through
his own magical world, which he took you on. If the show was a recipe it would
contain the following ingredients: autobiographical performance mixed with stage
and close-up magic in a theatrical cauldron. The journey deconstructed how and
why magic works, explaining that our hearts are made to believe in something
that our brains tell us can’t be true.
Before the show, we were encouraged to use social media to volunteer
ourselves to come up on stage. I’ve not seen this been done before and it was a
refreshing idea – good for his own publicity too. The video introduction,
showing “Jamie from the past”, provided an effective build-up to when we saw “Jamie
in the present”. It was also a theme for the first stage illusion he performed.
In the video, I particularly liked the school playground style calculator
trick, great for the younger audience especially.
The patter for his tricks was focused, rehearsed, and flexible
to allow for any witty ad-libbing. His performance of the patter was nicely
varied: sometimes speaking quickly, slowly, dramatically, emotionally, or
comically. Sometimes he didn’t speak at all, because after all: “the most
powerful thing you can say is nothing at all”. The show was full of beautiful
one-liners like this. When he talked about things like his own definition of
magic, the seven principles of magic, or the limitations of magic, he would sit
down on a chair in the spot light - similar to what Derren Brown did at the
start of 'Infamous'. These scenes were
moving and mesmerising.
He put his own unique twist on magic tricks that had been
done before, and he showcased his own tricks too. As a fellow illusionist, I
have to say I appreciate this notion. I recognised how refined and polished his
“magical powers” were as well: so many hours of practice had gone into that
performance. He adapted his magic and performance style for children and adults
alike. Most of the time, Raven performed illusions on a one to one basis with
volunteers up on stage, although occasionally he performed tricks which got
everyone involved; he made sure no one felt left out.
Echoing what was said in the show, the real magic was seeing
the reactions from the children to the magic tricks. They were in a state of pure
awe and wonder. Whether you are completely fooled or fooled for a second it’s
still the best feeling. He literally turned a puzzle into something that people
cared about.
With the bang of a spectacular firework, the show drew to a
close. All I can think about is one of the first lines in the show: “For those
who don’t believe in magic, they will never see it”. Sad but true. However, judging
from the audience’s reaction, I absolutely think he succeeded in turning the
most cynical and sceptical in the room into believers of magic. Raven’s magic
is full of heart, sincerity, wisdom, and elegance. A class act.
Reviewer – Sam Lowe
On – 27/9/18
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