I saw the Ben Hart "Wonder" tour last year. An amazing show that has now been proceeded by "Jadoo", that previewed at this years Edinburgh Fringe.
Ben is known for appearing on BGT a number of years back and amazing the judges. He has since successfully packed out theatres nationwide and internationally with crowds keen to see his performances.
Tickets were good value for money for a show coming in at a couple of hours with an intermission. The audience was of mixed ages with some quite young children but I understand that recommended age is 12+. Ben received a warm welcome on entering the theatre.
Ben is successful and draws a big crowd because he is unique - doing his own thing and standing out for being different. An artist who tends to rely on classic magic and their own effects, rather than the latest must have effect to purchase.. Definitely a focus on magic history and in this case, Indian magic.
While not a comic, he is amusing and has a gentle way with the audience, guiding you through the show. Quite the artist who loves story telling.
The simple but effective set serves the purpose well of enhancing the story telling from the lighting through to other props, that appear to take on different meanings and uses. Certainly some bespoke props to enhance the show. One such larger prop definitely being bespoke made by the looks of it for Ben. I sat there thinking, "I would love that in my collection".
The technical teams supporting Ben were all excellent. Great sound/music and lighting control.
Certainly the photos below highlight the stage set up nicely. I had a pretty close up seat as well, just three rows back from the front.
Getting back to the story telling element, Ben narrates with a very descriptive story, taking you on a journey. The story is about India, the Jadoo (travelling magicians), nature and real magic.
Performance wise he is genius, he advertised a new show and it was. Perhaps just the two effects repeated from last years show but you can understand, as they fitted in with the show theme very nicely and were performed on TV as well. No doubt a highlight for some.
Another BGT artist who I will not name toured with a new show name over consecutive years with content that was pretty much 80% the same as the previous year. That was disappointing, so I didn't bother reviewing the show.
During the performance, Ben gave a warning to turn away if you may very a bit squeamish. It was nice that he checked all was okay. Not sure if related but when an audience member took a funny turn, he checked they were okay and whether good to continue before closing for the intermission.
Having seen Ben before, I previously got my copy of his book signed, a photo and signed playing card. A nice friendly chap who cares about his audience/fans and deserves his success A real hard worker.
If you're interested in seeing the show, remaining dates and links are below along with a trailer.
Now normally, I feature much more about the venues and promote them. The Curve in Leicester's main theatre and studio is a great venue for magic. In the past, while I have had positive experiences with this venue, I have issue with a conflicting policy and how I was dealt with, so I will pass up the opportunity to write positives for this visit. I will take up the issue privately with them. A shame, as I firmly believe in promoting UK theatre, which is one of the purposes of this site.
Ben though was amazing. Thank you for the amazing well thought out show with unique and surprising moments. Looking forward to the next show.
If you are interested in attending the "Jadoo" show, 22 remaining dates are below. See the website for the complete up to date list.
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