The mindbender, Michael Santos, and his assistant / brother, Colin, are seen priming a plant, Raymond, with the answers to tricks that will be posed for him in the course of a 'show'. This allows for hilarious slap-stick comedy (apart from some crude superfluous jokes that nevertheless go down well with the teenage section of the audience) until one of the pieces where Raymond claims to be able to stop his heart for a minute but actually ends up dying. Like the magician Dr Faustus he then strikes a deal with the angel(s) of death that he be ordained with real super-human powers to relive the last half-hour of his life. Some quite unexplainable and impressive magical tricks ensue as a result of these newly conferred abilities and, it turns out that Michael lives on, seemingly having performed the greatest possible trick: escaping his own demise.

The play has something for all ages (but beware of rude jokes!) and is a pertinent observation of modern day conjurers (is stopping your heart like starving yourself to death, David Blaine?). Although some of the scenes drag on a little, when you take into account the costume changes occurring in parallel any procrastination can be forgiven.

Including singing, dancing, miming, comedy and, of course, plenty of magic, this play proves that Peelolykus are true entertainers.

Lucy Moore, 16.10.03