Rufus Hound takes his audience on a rollercoaster ride of magic, trickery, illusion, and a surprising amount of heart as he takes up the mantle of The Mesmerist.
Directed by Steve Marmion, the show sees Hound share a bit of family history with the Watford Palace Theatre audience, regaling them with the tale of his estranged late grandfather, who dedicated his life to becoming a magician but never got to see his ambition through to its conclusion. In what is a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable production, Hound endeavours to finish the act as his grandfather never could, exactly as he would have, using inherited props, journals, and tricks from nearly half a century earlier, and for the most part, it comes together brilliantly.
What elevates The Mesmerist beyond being an average magic show is its storytelling. It would have been easy to lean into the spectacle of it all, but instead, with every trick and illusion, Hound weaves a facet of himself and his grandfather’s somewhat tragic legacy into the proceedings, imbuing the show with a level of emotional vulnerability that makes it difficult not to get swept up in it all.
In a production that lives or dies by the precise placement of its props, Jasmine Swan’s set design is spectacular and barely puts a foot wrong. The Watford Palace Theatre stage becomes a visual feast, littered with magical memorabilia in a way that will have you searching every object for hints and clues that you likely won’t find until the big reveals. Philip Gladwell’s lighting and Emma Laxton’s sound design also come together perfectly to accentuate all of the moments of mystique, tension, and grandiosity needed to make their audience believe in magic.
Of course, it’s impossible to dissect why this production works so well without talking about Rufus Hound himself. Hound is simply magnificent, effortlessly walking the emotive tightrope of a man humorously sceptical about his grandfather’s magical obsessions, but who can’t help but believe even a little as understanding his life’s work creates a connection and communication between the two spanning 40 years and breaching the barrier between the living and the dead. While there are small fumbles, Hound bounces back from them expertly, making even the slightest mistake feel intentional and delivering each trick and illusion with little trouble but plenty of showmanship. He interacts with the audience with a mixture of warmth and wit that has them hanging on his every word and instruction, and while some dramatic moments don’t hit as hard as they should, Hound’s comedic prowess is on full display here, earning ample amounts of laughter and still tugging at the heartstrings.
The Mesmerist is a magical marvel of storytelling, mixing traditional trickery with a relatable modern sensibility as each second is more spellbinding than the last. While not a perfect show, there’s more than enough here to wow the Watford Palace Theatre crowd and maybe even make you believe in magic.
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