REVIEW –Underground: Derren Brown, Theatre Royal, Norwich

REVIEW – Underground: Derren Brown

Theatre Royal, Norwich

He’s one the country’s top illusionists and a regular visitor to Norwich – and we still haven’t worked out how the heck he does what he does.

This show is a highlight of some of his best, and favourite, acts and roars along at quite a pace.

It relies on audience participation and you have to work hard to keep up with it all.

You know there is no such thing as the supernatural – he tells you that – and says that much of his production is based on suggestion, misdirection, old-fashioned trickery and a bit of showmanship. Yet, it is still impossible to comprehend how he seems to read people’s minds!

Brown, in his mid-40s, is very eloquent, very likeable and almost shy as he layers deceit upon deceit, wrapping us all up in knots without us minding.

The final conceit is spectacular – the gift that keeps giving and we all, predictably, leave the theatre shaking our heads and muttering: ‘I just don’t know.’

I can only guess that there is a lot of going on backstage, around the building, and that some of these ‘tricks’ take a lot of preparation. It’s great fun!

Sarah Hardy

The show runs until Saturday. Visit www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk