The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureTheatre

Real Magic at Platform Theatre

Real Magic at Platform Theatre | Theatre review
15 November 2017
Stuart Ross
Avatar
Stuart Ross
15 November 2017

Forced Entertainment are an experimental performance-art troupe, who have been appearing together for 30 years. According to their website, their work “tries to explore what theatre and performance can mean in contemporary life”. A bold statement; they are clearly not out to entertain the masses. A blend of surreal comedy and frustration, Real Magic is typical of their work, but far from typical output.

Three performers are on stage in an uncomfortable, looping game show. It’s all very dark, though to talk in any detail about what actually goes on would be to ruin it for anyone who hasn’t seen it – but the butt of the joke is definitely the audience. The repetitive nature of the show, the laughing tracks and intentional overacting leave theatregoers exhausted and confused at times. There are scattered laughs throughout, some of the spectators pleased to be in on the joke, some moments are genuinely funny. It’s the typical mixed bag of responses earned during performance art. For long stretches, the reaction of the audience is silence, they are quietened by strangeness.

The piece is edgy on that level where one needs to be interested in seeing something different. Do not come and see this show after a bad day at the office, you will be annoyed. There is no swearing, no nudity, no violence, no references to anything that is unsuitable for children, but this is unsuitable for younger audiences.

Forced Entertainment are famous within their scene, more or less unheard of outside of it. This small run has sold out already, from a devoted fan base, made up of people who know what they’re letting themselves in for. This kind of devotion can often lead artists into woeful areas of self-indulgence and it’s difficult to say if that’s what this is. It’s too self-aware to be accused of complete self-indulgence, but too indulgent to be called entertainment. It’s interesting, daring and brave, but fundamentally it’s too painful to be enjoyable.

Real Magic can’t be compared to most shows, it’s not escapism, relaxing or funny in the conventional sense. It plays to an audience in an art school theatre, almost all of whom are excited to a see a cast they’ve probably studied – so unsurprisingly it goes down well.

★★★★★

Stuart Ross
Photo: Hugo Glendinning

Real Magic is at Platform Theatre from 14th until 18th November 2017. For further information or to book visit the Platform Theatre website here.

Watch the trailer for Real Magic here:

Related Itemsreview

More in Theatre

The End of the Night at Original Theatre Online

★★★★★
Mae Trumata
Read More

The Throne at Charing Cross Theatre

★★★★★
James Humphrey
Read More

Flamenco Festival 2022 at Sadler’s Wells

★★★★★
Jessica Wall
Read More

Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium

★★★★★
Cristiana Ferrauti
Read More

National Theatre’s Connections Festival 2022 showcases young theatre talent across the UK

Sophia Moss
Read More

Evelyn at Southwark Playhouse

★★★★★
Jim Compton-Hall
Read More

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World at Theatre Royal Stratford East

★★★★★
Natallia Pearmain
Read More

King Lear at Shakespeare’s Globe

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

This Is Not Who I Am/Rapture at the Royal Court Theatre

★★★★★
Jessica Wall
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Theatre review

Stuart Ross

Real Magic

★★★★★

Dates

14th November - 18th November 2017

Price

£10-£22

Links & directions

TwitterFacebookWebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Paolo Nutini – Last Night in the Bittersweet
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Brian and Charles
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Viagra Boys – Cave World
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Black Bird
    ★★★★★
    apple
  • The End of the Night at Original Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Throne at Charing Cross Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • “We really wanted to create a cabbage gun”: An interview with David Earl and Chris Hayward stars of Brian and Charles
    Cinema & Tv
  • Flamenco Festival 2022 at Sadler’s Wells
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Black Bird
    ★★★★★
    apple
  • Paolo Nutini – Last Night in the Bittersweet
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Viagra Boys – Cave World
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Adele lights up Hyde Park for BST Festival
    ★★★★★
    Live music
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Good Time | Movie review
Son of a Preacher Man at New Wimbledon Theatre | Theatre review