The flyer to Peepyolykus' latest production 'Mindbender'
implies that the show will be, topically, David Blaine-eske, with full audience
participation and magical trickery. Refreshingly, the actual performance
unfolds as an hysterical spoof of the illusionist genre.
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
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