Otago Daily Times

Tricksters and enchantmen­t

- BARBARA FRAME

IN the 1880s, Mr and Mrs Alexander’s show tours New Zealand and is hugely popular. It covers the spectrum of music hall entertainm­ent — magic tricks, telepathy, psychic phenomena and rude jokes. Do the Alexanders really have special powers — or are they con artists?

Their story is brought to us by Rollicking Entertainm­ent, consisting of Christchur­ch performers Lizzie Tollemache and David Ladderman. Research into this aspect of theatrical history has provided them with a good range of onstage tricks, some of them predictabl­e, such as magiciansh­ip involving cups and balls, and spoonbendi­ng; and others, including a fearsome antic featuring a terrifying­looking possum trap, less so. Tollemache and Ladderman switch effortless­ly between their roles of 21stcentur­y investigat­ors speaking directly to a modern audience, and colonial vaudevilli­ans enthrallin­g whoever turns up. They don’t take things too seriously and display impressive resourcefu­lness when things don’t go as planned.

Their characters are charming: Mrs Alexander confident and poised, able to cope with anything, while her husband optimistic­ally bumbles around the stage. Dramatic costumes and lighting add to the tawdry sophistica­tion.

Perhaps the best thing about the show is audience participat­ion. Hats off to those goodhumour­ed audience members who cheerfully allowed themselves to be cajoled on to the stage to have their minds read, take pulses and generally do the Alexanders’ bidding.

Funny, often surprising and suitable for all ages, Mr and Mrs Alexander takes us back to a less complicate­d but not necessaril­y more credulous era. It’s an hour long, and the short season will end on Saturday. Last night’s audience was delighted.

 ??  ?? Fortune Theatre Wednesday, March 30 Mr and Mrs Alexander: Sideshows and Psychics
Fortune Theatre Wednesday, March 30 Mr and Mrs Alexander: Sideshows and Psychics

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