Vinh Giang and Matt Tarrant are two magicians who hold the audience spellbound from the word go in their Fringe show Deception – More Deceit.
They are funny and light-hearted. It’s not a fluke that they have won people’s choice awards at several Fringe Festivals.
The guys are good at what they do – really good – but not perfect. That is what makes this show so charming. Because they fumble slightly at times, but laugh it off, the audience can’t really trust that they won’t put a nail through an audience member’s hand.
Most of the tricks were well executed on the night InDaily attended, and I certainly couldn’t guess them all, but some were tricks that people with a little bit of knowledge about magic could figure out. Most of the time, Giang and Tarrant tell the audience what they are doing and how they are doing it, which is great. My eight-year old found the experience quite tense but he loved that the right card was found when an envelope was opened. Mind reading and a spot of hypnotism, when a poor audience member could no longer read, were my favourites.
Overall, this is a really funny show with plenty of audience involvement. The fact that Tarrant could tell what audience members had in their pockets was impressive.
From the comments on TalkFringe, it sounds like the show has evolved over the years, which is how it should be. For a first timer, I can only say: Deception – More Deceit is the right length, very clever and highly enjoyable for adults and older children.
Deception – More Deceit is showing at Gluttony – The Lotus Palace until March 15.
See InDaily’s 2015 Adelaide Fringe hub for all our reviews and interviews.