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Magic Steve's Disappearing Act
Verdict: Abra Kebabra
Edinburgh 06 - Holyrood Tavern - 13-27 August 23:00 (00:55)
London - Queens Head, Denman Street, Soho - 3 July 06 - 19:38 (00:48)
Magic Steve's Disappearing Act is comedy about life as a not-too-bright magician's assistant.
Annette Cadabra (Isabel Fay) has a West-Country accent and voluptuous figure. Her pretty hair is tied back with a pink feather. She wears long red fingerless gloves, a diamante-trimmed swimsuit-like costume, and net tights.
Annette remembers her audition at a Malmesbury strip club, her hamster Keith Chegwin, the seminal ad in The Stage that brought her to Magic Steve - and her trick of being able to put her legs behind her head that so allured him. In the world of magic she meets Steve's neighbour, coach company proprietor Welsh Abdul and his cat Stevens. It's the cue for one of several funny lateral-thought routines.
Annette poses the audience for a photo, shows her snaps, discusses feminism - and slips out some sharp asides under the guise of guilelessness (of a charity run: 'Do it for Aids, not on moral grounds'). Her career leaps forward, despite an audition for a play she thinks is called Trolleyless and Cressida. To avoid predicable audition pieces, Annette picks the scene from the Steven Berkoff play in which a mother wanks of her son in a cinema. Annette lusts after Brian from Harrow, who plays in a band called Putrid Thong.
Annette does tricks - and not only in double entendre. Her watch-smashing performance, following taped instructions, is superb - with 'Do not miss this show!' written all over it.
Fondly, she recalls other characters in the Streatham Magic Circle, including Malcolm Dazzle, Conjuring Colin, and lecherous hypnotist Frank. Frank has Annette in trances, putting her under in more ways than one. There's a Magic Circle assistant-swapping party. Wands are dropped in a hat, the snag being that all the wands look the same. And Annette puts her head in the guillotine. Abra Kebabra, as Annette would say.
Annette Cadabra is the latest incarnation of actress Isabel Fay, who in turn is an aspect of the gifted writer Isabel Robinson, who creates gossip writer Crystal Clean, a key feature of Fringe Report's Edinburgh coverage (2005, 2004). This year there's no Crystal, because her creator is live on stage. It's difficult for a review site to review its own writers. Conflict of interest is a slightly over-grand phrase for fringe theatre, in which reviewers may often know someone on stage - they have to strap on impartiality. But suppose the show turns out to be terrible? Oh bliss, this isn't the case with Magic Steve's Disappearing Act. The adorable Isabel Fay as Annette Cadabra is warm, funny - and genuinely fabulous.
Cast Credits: Isabel Fay - Annette Cadabra. Tom Hopgood (cameo role) - Brian.
Company Credits: Writer - Isabel Fay. Director - Matt Holt. Technical Operator - Tom Hopgood. Company - It's Alright For Some.
END
John Park
reviewed Monday 3 July 06 / Queens Head
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2010
