Review: The Magician’s Table, 49 Tanner Street

Immersive experiences have become very popular in recent years, some involving technology to take audiences back in time or into pieces of artwork, but this is the first immersive close-up magic experience I’ve heard of. I was intrigued, so I accepted the invitation to the memorial service for Dieter Roterburg at The Magician’s Table.

The audience entered the unassuming warehouse building, where we were greeted, wished a “magical evening” and ushered upstairs into the bar. The excellent waiting staff brought drinks as the guests to the memorial mingled – among them several magicians who had arrived to celebrate the life of the maestro, Dieter Roterburg. I joined some of the guests gathered around Nick Stein and then Harry Ce Cruz as they shared their memories of Dieter, along with a trick or two. This was a taster of what was to come.

We were then ushered to the next floor and seated at semi-circular tables in an elaborately decorated room. Later, we learned that this was Dieter’s private theatre. The design of the room and the lighting were impeccable and they really evoked the right atmosphere for the show we were about to engage with. On the stage, mounted on a plinth was the death mask of the man we had come to celebrate. Music played as the guests took their seats and then Ellis The Musican entered playing an accordion. For tonight’s performance Garance Louis took on this role. She played throughout the evening, adding atmosphere and demonstrating her delightful French wit. 

Enter Calliope The Widow, played tonight by Shea Wotjus. Calliope welcomed everyone and took the lead in following the order of service that her late husband had devised in great detail. Among many things she pointed out was The Magician’s Table, a trick that Dieter had created just before his death, and this would feature in the finale of the show – one that I won’t spoil, but it was worth the wait.

Cocktails were brought to our tables, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, all very delicious, and this was closely followed by the magicians. There were ten in all and my table was visited by seven of them: Richard McDougall, Harry De Cruz, Andrew Frost, Dee Christopher, Gareth Kalyan, Nick Stein and James Went.Each magician had their own unique personalities and we experienced a variety of magical styles, including the use of sleight of hand, illusions, mentalism, card tricks, cup and ball and syringes (trigger warnings were given in advance by Christopher). 

Every act of prestidigitation was exceptional and met with gasps and applause: the room was buzzing with excitement and amazement. The power of live performance isn’t something you can fully appreciate without being there, but this was happening right in front of our eyes and when a trick directly involved you it took the experience to a completely different level. As Kalyan made a coin disappear from my closed hand and reappear under my watch, magic came to life for me personally.

These are conjurors at the highest level and their biographies and the quotes on the website are fully warranted from what I saw tonight. The audience experienced the results of many, many hours of practice and the refining of skills that are mind-bending. I was still trying to work out ‘how they did that’ for hours after the show had ended.

Tonight I had a taste of an experience that is going to become a hot ticket, especially if you love magic, immersive theatre and cocktails. A truly magical night of fun with family, friends or colleagues awaits you.

Produced by: Right Angel Entertainment

Executive Producer: Thomas Greenwood-Mears

Creative Consultant: Sheena Patel

Associate Producer: Natalie Scott

Writer, Executive Producer & Magic Director: Iain Sharkey

Performance Director: Geofry Colman

Writing Consultant: Kevin Hammonds

Sound Design by: Cameron Graham

Scenic Design by: Harriet Darling & Elise Edge

Special Effects Props by: Jen Kewley

Lighting by: Light Me Up

Your invite to The Magician’s Table continues until February 2025. Further information and tickets are available here.