By BRUCE DENNILL
The Magic Of Rob Lake / Teatro, Montecasino, Fourways
Though not yet a household name in South Africa, Rob Lake is a celebrated illusionist in his native US where, as well as being a consistent and popular stage performer himself, he is at the top of the list for Disney, Broadway and chart-topping singer Adele when convincing illusions need to be designed for their productions and concerts. So on his first visit to Johannesburg, nobody in the audience was expecting any shortfall in talent or professionalism, and nobody was disappointed on either count. What was unexpected, however, to anyone who had not seen Lake perform before, is his extraordinary unpretentiousness.
Magic shows, particularly those featuring large-scale illusions, generally include at least as much drama, fanfare, distracting lighting and self-tan as actual performance material, but Lake – though he has a phalanx of assistants who, in tight pleather for much of the time, will certainly take part of the audience’s attention momentarily off the magician’s hands – looks like a crew member in black jeans and black top (with sleeves pulled up, mind; no room to hide anything there) and chats in a laid-back, comfortable way with his audience.
There are some traditional illusions here (sawing a woman in half; displays of mentalism where answers from random audience members tie into the solutions already written on a piece of paper before the show) and some less traditional stuff (a disappearing motorcycle; a levitating ball of paper; making volunteers’ wedding rings become links in a jewellery chain), but there is one consistent element to each part of the show: Lake’s magic is exceptionally clean. Audience’s see enough – they think – to cynically speculate about the what mechanical mechanisms might make each outcome possible, but there is always a point at which there is simply too much mystery to account for and, with Lake making executing his work look almost casual, you’ll be more inclined to share that relaxed attitude and simply delight in something happen that’ll make you gasp, furrow your brow and laugh nervously (the latter perhaps most acutely in the several volunteers that become part of the act over the course of the show).
Part timeless entertainment formula, part inventive ideas delivered with practiced ease, this is a show that should please both curious newcomers and afficionados.
