To talk a little about the ‘other acts’ I’ve been privy to. Wild West had its fair share of sideshows: sculptures, short films, bluesmen, cartooning and Tim Ferguson, you name it and the state has funded it at some point. It was Friday night, and a slice of showbiz has landed on our shore. A magician double whammy of east-coasters Adam Mada and Adam Dean.
I’ll be honest, I was scared. I don’t smoke, and hate mirrors (if you saw me you’d know why). After a nasty side-effect during a hypnotism one fateful Royal Show, I’m also quite gun-shy of audience participation fearing I’ll disrupt the show (if you saw me, you’d know why). My trepidation remained, as yet, unproven. Both magicians used audience members, ones with a little more candy for the eye.
You’re the highlight of tonight’s show, be a bit more flamboyant.
Adam Dean, blowing on a rope
Adam Mada was first and he was the cooler of the duo, all slinky and … well, magic adds a lot to charms. His opener was yawningly predictable, reading a instructional book to the tune of Teddy Bear’s Picnic. He would be great at parties, with his wine, dental floss and ability to throw flames. Shatter some glass with romance then levitate a table and the girls are putty in his hands (maybe literally, he was full of surprises).
Next was Adam Dean, a brawnier, bawdier and a big bit funnier. Hey, this isn’t me sticking to reviewing what I know, yo, the had ‘comedian’ on a banner. In silver, no less. His opener was even more of a cliché. Magic, who could see that coming. With only a possible sacrifice of allure, he had the banter down and the ball rolling.
“Do you want me to hypnotize you, fucking do it’
He was a master manipulator, not only of cards but of people, making them say and stuff up as he liked. He was also great at the non-trick, which is of course a form of misdirection in itself.
‘Pic a card, and show it to the crowd. Everybody sees the card. Including me’
Another act in the festival is local beat-boxer and hip-hop musician Ross Vegas. He does drums, didgeridoos, trumpets…..speaking voices. I don’t want to brag, but I could do speaking voices. Not at the speed or precision he did but…I’m just saying, I’ve got many a string to my bow. His lyrics are also sometimes quite funny, although I’m not sure if they would qualify as straight comedy (like Bono, I’m close to The Edge, Anzac-rap: what’s up my diggers!). He’s happy go-lucky and was able to create a looped tune from a beer bottle (in a song about drinking beer). Apart from that, I can’t review much, I was very much out of my depth.
Which leads me to some small complaints, and it’s not ones directed squarely at them. All these guys were lovely, and are welcome to the space on the bill, but non-comedy in a comedy festival is always an uneasy alliance and can de-value both as a mix-bag. Especially music, because you can’t specify ‘non-funny songs’ on a poster. And I saw many of the magicians tricks at the Gala. Yes, yes, my fault, and comedians recycle too, but can’t they just have a nice advertising illusion, their websites are full of others. I don’t know how they work, so just alter the banter. Or at least don’t say at the start ‘every night is different’, it’s rubbing it in.
But hey, good music + good magic is all good to me.