Presented by Scott Stunz Comedy Magician
Reviewed Saturday 3 August 2013
Scott Stunz presented his solo magician act in a one night only performance at the Bakehouse Theatre.
Stunz (Scott Mangnoson) is a relatively new performer so is still honing his skills as a comical magician. The magical work of Stunz centred around mind-reading tricks with a high level of crowd participation. The majority of the tricks were crafted around simple props such as balls, decks of cards, pens and paper. Stunz added his own creative take on selecting audience members by throwing a ball over his head and into the crowd to select the next participant.
The opening and closing sequences were the only ones to include pounding music to act as a ‘clear’ which did add to the anticipation but this was quickly lost in the comedy side of the show and the explanations Stunz used in the lead up to his tricks.
Stunz himself was dressed in a silky number including a bright blue jacket and maroon shirt. The colourful attire was matched by the cheeky personality Stunz presented. The friendly persona felt similar to being entertained by a relative at a family function.
The individual tricks in isolation do have potential for Stunz. Without much work it is easy to imagine him as a roaming performer at many fringe events and in more intimate environments which can be difficult to achieve in a theatre setup. On the night, the small stage of the popular Bakehouse venue was set for a different show, allowing Stunz to perform amongst a 1950’s kitchen and lounge scene. His own equipment was much simpler, consisting of a several small tables and a stuttering CD player.
The use of many audience members, whilst good for participation, stole a lot of time away from the actual performance and became awkward at times waiting for people to follow some instructions. The show was pitched at audience members of all ages but the comedy was more directed to an older audience.
The role of a comedy magician can be a hard one to master and in Stunz’ case a bit more confidence in the sell and timing of his jokes would go a long way.
Reviewed by Alex Dunkin
Venue: Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide
Season: ended
Duration: 40 minutes
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