Chris Cox, the multi award-winning Mentalist star of Broadway and the West End is one of the headline acts taking to the stage of The Palace Theatre in Wonderville. Throughout the run, the headline acts will be joined by a series of guest stars.
The Palace Theatre is the home of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ – and will now host a variety performance like no other, where the audience and their mobile phones play an integral part of the show… with comedy, illusion, magic, entertainment and mystery, Wonderville will be a treat for all the family.
Wonderville starring Chris Cox is at The Palace Theatre 16th July to 30th August 2021.
You’re going to be appearing in Wonderville: Magic & Illusion at The Palace Theatre, what can you tell us about the show?
Wonderville is an incredible show which brings magic to life. A family friendly, hilarious, jaw-dropping magic show which will have you amazed, astounded and will fill your head with wonder and excitement. It’s all about celebrating live entertainment, live theatre and live magic. About bringing people together to experience something impossible – which ironically just a few months ago was an impossible feat on its own! We celebrate everything that makes theatre a magical experience by bringing The Palace back to life with a huge magic show which will delight and enthral.
What is it about the show that makes it so exciting?
It’s about connecting people and in the year we’ve just had, we need it more than ever. We can’t do our show without an audience, they help make the tricks magic. My fellow cast members and I have devoted our lives to performing for and entertaining audiences, and we’ve not been able to do that for a while. So, the true excitement comes in sharing our skills and talents with audiences, and audience members feeling safe in a theatre where they can get lost in a magical world.
This isn’t your first time in the West End, what will be different about this time?
The theatre, for a start! But mainly the dynamic. I was in the middle of a US tour in March last year when everything shut down. I flew home and haven’t performed since. This is my chance to get back to doing what I love, to doing the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do. Show off for an audience! I’m more nervous and excited than I’ve ever been.
What do you think will appeal to audiences about this twist on old-fashioned variety shows?
I think there really is something for everyone. The show will be hilarious and captivating, mystifying and bamboozling. The thing I love about magic shows is they bring people to the theatre who might not normally come, and we get to show them how magical live theatre is. I love looking into the audience and seeing kids, mums, dads and grandparents. Couples on dates, companies on work outings. It really is something for everyone. You’ll see tricks you’ve never seen before and incredible moments from some of the best performers in the world.
How do you go about rehearsing for something like this, is it even possible to rehearse mind-reading?
Ha! It’s a nightmare. I can sort of know it should work but I won’t really know till I get it on stage. Everything I do is about interacting with the audience, so I’m still in the process of working out what our COVID guidelines are for that and what we can and can’t do. It’s all about finding new ways to do stuff. I think of it a bit like being a chef. I have all these ingredients, I know they should make a cake, but till I get it out the oven, I don’t know if it’s a tasty cake. Think of me as the tasty cake of magic!
What other performers in the line-up are you most excited to watch, and share a stage with?
All of them. I mean, I’ve got to say that, but I mean it. I’ve helped pick this cast so that we showcase all aspects of magic and variety and help reflect a diverse society. We have the Magic Circle Champion who will do a modern day take on some traditional magic, two of the best and funniest illusionists around and then three incredible powerful women who will totally blow everyone away. I’m going to be sat in the wings every night watching the show. I’m a bit annoyed I’m in it – I’d like to be sat out the front watching it.
The Palace Theatre is, of course, usually home to another magical production, what are you looking forward to most about performing here?
As the Magic & Illusions Assistant on Harry Potter And The Cursed Child Parts One and Two I know that theatre inside out and know how beautiful it is. I’ve never got to stand on stage and experience what it’s like to play in front of an audience there so I can’t wait to stand there on the first night as the lights go down and bring my magic to an audience.
What would you say to anyone thinking of coming to watch Wonderville: Magic & Illusion?
DO IT! There is nothing more magical than live theatre and this is a magic show! So double magic. It’ll be fun, safe and properly mind blowing. It’ll make you forget your worries and leave thinking I LOVE COX!!
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