A play incorporating stage magic that explores the eternal question of what lies beyond death, told through the life story of mercurial magician JN Maskelyne.
**** ‘Beautifully written, magical gem of a show’ (Fairy Powered Productions)
**** Magic tricks presented on stage are astonishing (Everything Theatre)
**** A really entertaining mixture of great storytelling, acting and magic (London Theatre 1)
THIS PLAY HAD A THREE NIGHT RUN AT THE PLAYHOUSE IN CHELTENHAM IN 2014 AND THREE WEEK RUN AT THE COURTYARD THEATRE LONDON IN NOVEMBER 2017
ABOUT THE PLAY
JN Maskelyne was known as the father of modern magic in the Victorian era, and 100 years after his death his story is still relevant. He was the Derren Brown of his day, building his career on challenging fraudulent spiritualists and charlatans as well as creating magical illusions that amazed Victorian audiences, and still astonish people today.
He was a man of contradictions, and the play explores his human desire to break through to those in the afterlife whilst clinging to his scientific belief that it was not possible. He also insisted that all he did onstage was clever illusion, whilst encouraging people to believe the myth about his powers being granted by a mysterious gentleman.
