In Penn & Teller’s show there are a surprising number of references to religion, but that’s okay because now, after seeing this show, I’m a believer.
At one stage these modern magicians even do a sketch that involves a Bible. You don’t see that much in the Concert Hall at QPAC.
Penn Jillette, the spokesman for this world-famous American duo (his partner Raymond Joseph Teller is largely silent throughout the show) alludes to religion, metaphysics, even some advanced maths and quantum physics. There’s even a sketch based on the word entropy. Don’t know what that is? Look it up. But let me just tell you entropy is something that’s happening to our solar system and, on a personal level, to you and me. There are days when I feel entropy more than others.
I was surprised by the intellectual content, which is neatly packaged in Penn’s patter mixed with jokes, occasional audience reprimands and explanations, although much of what we see cannot and should not be explained.
These guys are in Australia on their 50th anniversary tour, which is quite amazing. They are arguably the world’s most famous magicians and have redefined the genre of magic. They have the longest running headline act in Las Vegas alongside hit TV series such as Penn & Teller: Fool Us and they have guested in plenty of shows in the US including The Simpsons and The West Wing. Their fans include the likes of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and just about anyone one else in showbiz you care to name.
At the end of the show, you get a slide show of their career, which sees them rubbing shoulders with celebrities – which impresses me.
After the show I got to meet Penn Jillette fleetingly. I told him how impressed I was that he knew Bowie. He then blew my mind by telling me has was also close friends with the late great Lou Reed. We are not worthy!
From beginning to end Penn talks nonstop – one hour and forty-five minutes of patter and showmanship with impressive sets and complicated tricks, which are often convoluted and don’t make sense until the end. Then the amazing resolution has you scratching your head wondering how what just happened, happened. Penn explains that these are tricks, not illusions, and they perplex us and amaze us and, in particular, they entertain us. The show is also very funny.
There’s audience participation – a lot of audience participation – and that’s like herding cats but Penn manages it adroitly and cleverly contains some unruly folk in the audience. Because when you involve the audience, you’re asking for trouble. Penn is a past master at this, however.
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He strides the stage like a carnival barker and uses preacherly language and exhortations at times. He is the consummate showman while Teller is his loveable and mostly mute companion and a bloke who is obviously a master magician of the old school. We see that briefly in his handling of cards. I would like to see more of his card tricks, actually.
I have channel surfed past their show on TV many times but now, having seen them live, I will channel surf to their shows in future. These guys are the real deal, entertainers of the highest order. Their show is completely engaging and you should take the opportunity to see these masters of their craft while they are here because who knows when and if they will come again.
Penn & Teller 50th Anniversary Tour, Concert Hall, QPAC, until February 7.
qpac.com.au