Little Lark of London

“Prepare to be delighted, astounded and amazed”

Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle is “based on a character originally created in Magic Goes Wrong by Penn Jillette, Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Henry Shields & Teller,” giving the character his own show after only having a segment in the original. Directed by Hannah Sharkey, the Mind Mangler, played by Henry Lewis, is joined by The Stooge, Jonathan Sayer. Together, the pair are putting on an act that the Mind Mangler is preparing for his upcoming stint in Las Vegas, paid for by an unknown producer by the name of Bob Kojack. As the Mind Mangler slowly loses his cool, the Stooge desperately tries to help him succeed with some disastrous results. 

The show takes place in segments that allow the Mind Mangler to show off his skills to the audience. These include a part called “Mind vs Machine” in which he plays chess and Minesweeper against a computer, a bit in which he claims he will be “touching the dead” by using a Oujia board and even using a glass vanishing cabinet (AKA a freezer of ice cream). He is usually joined by the Stooge, an obvious audience plant who struggles to fulfill his purpose – as expected from a Mischief show, miscommunication and misunderstandings lead to hilarity.

A majority of the show depends on audience interaction, which works in its favour, as it gives both Lewis and Sayer the opportunity to throw some improv into the script. Throughout the show, the Mind Mangler attempts to read people’s minds, guess their names through his sense of taste, figure out secrets based on an audience member’s name alone and even form a psychic bond with one lucky person. In a particularly hilarious moment, the Mind Mangler is hypnotised to act like an animal when a bell is rung. At first, Lewis gives an impression of “not a very well chicken,” as described by Sayer as they both break, before a different audience member calls out what may be the most unique animal I’ve heard in an improvisational setting – the shovelnose guitarfish (yes, it’s real, I checked!). Lewis impersonates the creature with some stupidly great guitar riffs and mentions of how he is digging a hole with his nose. 

Mind Mangler has a tendency to use quite a bit of video during the show, but it is done in a way that only enhances the show. The video design by Gillian Tan is simple yet great, with some cheesy effects that make it feel like the Mind Mangler has made the videos himself. At times, Percy, the stagehand (Tom Wainwright), brings a handheld camera into the audience, putting the faces of participants onto the big screen so that everyone can see them. The set, designed by Sara Perks, places the video centre stage, with Vegas-like show lights (designed by David Howe) all around. There are also several prerecorded bits (with sound design from Helen Skiera) that are done to great laughs, including a moment when Lewis is reading the minds of audience members and uncovers an affair!

Some of the highlights of the show come from its stupidly brilliant one-liners and callbacks that are spread throughout the show. Some of my favourites include one involving a man named Mike standing up and a microphone stand and the Stooge wearing shirts that say “Audience Member” and “Different Audience Member” throughout the show. My absolute favourite is a segment called “Quick Fire Jesus,” in which the Mind Mangler does tricks like turning water into wine and walking on water. Each bit had me in tears of laughter and wishing that there were more of these brilliant moments!

But, even though it is funny with some purposefully bad magic, there are also some tricks that had me in awe, especially the grand finale! Magic consultant Ben Hart has done a fantastic job and, of course, credit must be given to everyone both onstage and backstage for making everything work as well as it does. There is one scene involving Rubix cubes that still has me scratching my head nearly a day later. 

As the show goes on, it goes into some emotional moments, a pleasant surprise when it comes to Mischief. What appears to be a juicy secret from the audience is revealed to be one of the character’s own, leading to a rift between the Mind Mangler and the Stooge. This sets the emotional tone for Act Two, making for some pretty impactful moments in between the chaotic magic and audience participation. Many moments of tenseness are made even more impactful by the music, composed by the late Steve Brown, who managed to strike the perfect balance between underscoring and emphasising particular moments. 

Ultimately, Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle is a fun show full of magic and mischief that works for audiences of all ages. Whether you’re familiar with the Goes Wrong shows or not, Lewis and Sayer will leave you in fits of laughter and may, quite possibly, blow your mind . . . ind . . . ind . . . ind.

Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle runs from 14 March to 28 April 2024. Tickets can be purchased here.