Review – The Naked Magicians

The Naked Magicians, a.k.a. Christopher Wayne and Mike Tyler, have no shortage of fans. Many people get a kick out of their act, which they describe as ‘the world’s naughtiest magic show.’

Your mate Bazza who thinks the height of hilarity is to shout crude remarks at women from his car, for example. He’s probably a fan.

Let me back up. I like magic tricks; I like men, so I expected to like this show more. Problem is I’m not a fan of cocky… err… wankers… I mean… dickheads. As it were.

The magicians’ sleight of hand is impressive but unfortunately their act is so polished; their banter so heavily scripted, that the sense of awe that good magicians invoke was rarely present. Minor oddities, like the audience volunteer who turned out to be an ex-girlfriend and the dice that only ever rolled the same two numbers, served to make the illusions seem forced. I actually found myself feeling bored while watching “steak knives” being thrown at a scantily clad man, so certain was I that his junk would remain intact – and that is a sentence I never thought I could write.

In any case, the show relies more on humour than magic, and how funny you will find the show depends on how hilarious or cringeworthy you find their crass treatment of audience members. I understand that a little forced bodily contact is par for the course in this kind of show, but there was something mean-spirited about way the lads treated some ladies they dragged on stage. Did it really add anything to lean over one woman and blow a mouthful of air onto her face, for example, or to belittle the foreign girl for not speaking good English?

Nevertheless, the boys are blessed with buff bodies and ooze confidence on stage. The end of the show is a so-bad-it’s-good gag that had the audience both groaning and chuckling. If you’re on a hens’ night, a boys’ night or a guilty-pleasures night, the Naked Magicians will certainly entertain.