Luke Jermay: Sixth Sense at Leicester Square

If you’re going to spend a night having the contents of your mind laid out on stage like a freshly harvested organ, choose Luke Jermay as your surgeon. At his West End opening night he promised not to do anything to upset or embarrass his audience, unless it would be really funny. The mentalist delivered on that promise.

Essex-born Jermay has been an authority on magic since he wrote his first published book at 15. He’s comfortable with his sixth sense, which gives him the patience to make others feel the same. After opening the show with cards and a few one-liners he asked the audience to hold hands and sing “Om” from the pits of their collective stomachs, and stifled the laughter by explaining that they were scientifically increasing their own collective frequency.

Delving tentatively into philosophy, but keeping his head above water with unaccountably, astoundingly accurate mind-reading, Jermay created the ideal atmosphere for a novice mentalist. Watching him read a story straight from someone’s mind was an absolute delight – the participant’s facial expressions and audience reactions were exquisite.

A real respect for the rhythms of language kept the tempo of the show going even when the backing music became a little too obvious. Jermay’s enjoyment of that medium really shone as he brought the show to a close with a recital of Charles Bukowski’s The Laughing Heart, dedicating his encore to a detailed comedy story poached from a nearby mind. Sixth Sense is sure to keep you on your toes, switching between the sensation of shock and the stimulation of laughing.

Jo Eckersley

Luke Jermay: Sixth Sense is at the Leicester Square Theatre until 13^th July 2013. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.