Magic Show Now You See Me Live Features Four Male Horsemen Despite MC's Claim of Reversing Gender Inequality

At London Coliseum, the magic show Now You See Me Live, spun off from the movie franchise and heading to Las Vegas later this year, features a quartet of conjurors called the Horsemen performing escapology, mentalism, and time travel amid bombastic smoke, lasers, and self-promotion. Italian Andrew Basso recreates Houdini's water torture stunt and escapes padlocked chains with something undesirable in his mouth; French Enzo Weyne delivers a number with a paper bag and lightbulb; and an audience participation piece has spectators shred, shuffle, and reassemble playing cards. MC Matthew Pomeroy boasts the show reverses magic's gender inequalities, though only one of seven acts is female.

Seven-year-old volunteer Elektra favored ex Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist Eden Choi's silent card manipulation. The reviewer notes the estimable skills are undermined by theatrics, suggesting the feats would be more impressive if staged sparsely.