STYLISH
That's Magik
But the surreal brand of magic that new-wave illusionists Barry & Stuart perform isn't about pulling rabbits out of hats or sawing people in half. Theirs has even stranger twists - including one that involves the New Corsa.
Words by Brian Laban pictures by Steven Bicknell
The first time the curtain rises and we, as the audience, see Barry & Stuart, they are sitting in what appears to be another audience. That audience is watching our one - which itself now seems to be on a west-end theatre stage, looking out. Barry & Stuart have brown paper bags over their heads, with eye holes; and they are applauding us.
It is the first twist among many, which is what you might expect from the young stars who became famous (or possibly infamous) for their recent Channel 4 series presenting 'Tricks from the Bible' - including turning water into wine, which will be just one part of this spectacular live show. In the meantime, as the lights have faded and come up again, Barry & Stuart (still under their bags) have reappeared - sitting in the other star of the show that has appeared on stage, the New Corsa.
Getting out of the car, they are plunged into darkness again, to be joined first by the C'mons, who have a special Vauxhall connection (more in V Pulse too). As their brown paper bags grow smiles, they remove them to show their real faces, to perform some of Stuart's unique magical origami, and to show why people stare at Barry when he smokes in bars.
Even the opening moments climax with the production from nowhere of a real 10kg bowling ball, but there is far more to come, and the New Corsa is at the heart of it all.
There are twisted card tricks, more madness from the C'mons, and the sight of Barry spectacularly passing right through Stuart's body to retrieve the Corsa keys that he has hidden from the C'mons in his stomach.
All of which leads into a kaleidoscope of items from the stage levitating, changing shape right in front of our eyes, or simply disappearing completely. And finally, a member of the audience is invited to try and win the New Corsa - simply by answering five 'true or false' questions about the car. Which again naturally ends with a twist - and a smouldering skeleton lying on a table.
No-one really meets their doom of course. But as with all the best tricks, we can't reveal the real ending. Let's just say, whatever happens, New Corsa is really magic.