The Alexandra, Birmingham – until Saturday 10th September 2022
Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh
5*****
Derren Brown brings Showman back to Birmingham with a bang and he does not disappoint. Tweaked and changed so as not to allow the audience to become complacent, he continues to beguile and bewilder you with a multitude of magic and mayhem throughout the night.
Derren encompasses the showman in every sense of the word and commanded our attention throughout the 2 hour and 20-minute extravaganza, including interval, with his combination of theatrics and mesmerising word play. His charisma and charm are not to be confused with the immense skill and thought that has been poured into Showman. Patterns are peppered throughout the performance, which we can follow like breadcrumbs, yet we are still left puzzled and perplexed as to what exactly took place.
The outstanding creative combination of Derren Brown, Andrew O Conner and Andy Nyman deliver a well-crafted and thoroughly enjoyable night. A show filled with the joys of life, connection and huge amounts of laughter. Its quite the task being asked to review a show you’re not supposed to talk about. First rule of Showman and all that, but without giving away any spoilers, this is a truly mesmerising show full of twists and turns and will leave you thoroughly entertained.
The takeaway from Showman is that we tend to lose focus, get caught up in the small stuff and miss out on the important moments as life passes us by and this could be true of how Derren catches us out with his masterful illusions. One thing I urge you not to miss out on is Showman. A showman through and through, Derren doesn’t disappoint as he delivers another hit show