Review of ‘Amaze’: “Under the right illusion”

Revered magician Jamie Allan returns to the London stage to present his latest show after its acclaimed original run in the United States. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the montage, to let us know if its acts of trickery manage to wave their wand.

We all had big dreams when we were children. I just happened to fulfill them all to remind others that if I could make it, the rest shouldn’t even try. But today is not about me… Yeah, I know – I, myself, can’t even buy it. Yet, it’s always (ish) nice to spare a minute or two a day to talk about the feats of others, especially when you can see a great deal of yourself (that felt better) in them – Miranda Priestly taught me well. There’s two kinds of people in this earth: those who opt to keep those dreams to themselves, and those who are brave enough to share them with the world. And when the latter takes place, no matter what comes next, the only thing that’s guaranteed to happen is as rare and special as the one single word that can ever describe it – and that is magic.

For the rest of the summer, the Marylebone Theatre will offer audiences the chance to dive into a separate realm of fantasy and illusion – as they’re put in the safe (yet ever-shuffling) hands of one of the most charming (no pun intended) prestidigitators ever to tread the boards of the London scene. Jamie Allan’s latest creation, Amaze, has crossed the pond this season all the way from Chicago – bringing along its set of wondrous enchantments, and flaunting its uncanny ability to remind us of that innocent, glimmering sense of fascination we so often push into the shadows when we send those joyful reminiscences of our child-selves into oblivion.

Using his own personal journey as the guiding thread behind every trick, the piece excels at delivering a close, easily relatable narrative – weaving each number with splendid cohesiveness, and introducing us to an engaging storyline which, despite probably being the same background we’ve heard over and over again from every single guy in this field, still manages to compel and regale us with a persuasive touch of intimacy, individuality and one-to-one connection. Directed by Jonathan Goodwin, and featuring an original underscore by Tommy Bond, the montage is remarkably capable of conveying an visually appealing spectacle in spite of its simplicity – relying on dynamic blocking while also structuring its acts with nearly flawless pacing, emphasizing the idea that the true strength of any work relies on the talent that supports it.

With each rendition put together with extremely palpable passion and extraordinary showmanship, the grandest shock comes, once again, through the relative modesty of every moment. You’re not in for any monumental (you had your time, David), pyrotechnic-studded tricks requiring an army of assistants. Instead, just some tiny tweaks on the most classic illusions are all that’s necessary to concoct this not-too-long, but still exceedingly rich jaunt. And when some simple (I like to pretend I’m smart) calculations on your phone can literally make your jaw drop, you realize nothing else is missing not only for it to function, but ultimately soar.

A shivering-inducing ride packed with nostalgic allure and spellbinding force, Amaze returns the glitz and glamour of the old-fashioned magic show by contriving an evening of pure, feel-good entertainment which, though not inventing anything new, is nonetheless able to find its own voice and, eventually, do the trick with its audiences. You may not encounter split-into-halves attendants (which is good, because I’m a definitely-will-try-it-at-home sort of person), but its mystic power will anyhow make the cut.

Amaze plays at London’s Marylebone Theatre until 24 August. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara