Magic, Thrills, and Tricks, Oh My!
Billed as a “mind-boggling thriller,” with exhibitions of magic, illusions and instances of extreme mental acuity and manipulation, the show features internationally acclaimed Swedish performers Peter Brynolf and Jonas Ljung.Mr. Brynolf and Mr. Ljung do not call to mind the stereotypical image of a magician: someone mysterious, foreboding and seemingly privy to secrets no one else knows. Rather, they come across as a pair of laid-back science nerds, with a love of lingonberries and all things IKEA. They also have a habit of pontificating.
It is these somewhat lengthy and often rambling explanations which slowly draw the audience into their feats of prestidigitation. Their efforts yield results the duo simply could not have predicted in advance and yet, are always able to do so. While it’s possible to pick up on “cues” unconsciously emitted by people when speaking with them, and even to subconsciously steer persons into making certain decisions, the question remains as to just how Mr. Brynolf and Mr. Ljung foretell the outcomes of events before they begin to play out onstage.
Don’t expect a Las Vegas stage show spectacular with “Stalker.” There is not much use of music, lights, or other special effects, although one particular song has a reason for being included. Instead, you get two people just going about their business, which happens to be gleefully astonishing those in attendance.
One of their demonstrations uses a deck of playing cards and lighted matches, another one employs spoons, and a third utilizes a Rubik’s Cube—actually, several Rubik’s Cubes. Other situations make use of a number of framed pictures, several different types of chairs, and a dictionary. The audience even gets to witness an object vanishing right in front of their eyes. But that disappearing act is not nearly as impressive as when and where said object reappears, and its condition upon its return.
A genial duo, Mr. Brynolf and Mr. Ljung share the stage equally, taking turns in the spotlight while also working together when setting up the more elaborate situations. The show also makes extensive use of audience participation, and numerous people get to become part of the entertainment.
The only weak point is when some of the pair’s explanations become terribly long-winded, and you wish they would just get to the point. Fortunately, when the different events do finally reach their conclusion, there is never a disappointment. Director Edward Af Sillen, who does an excellent job in allowing the two free rein, should perhaps have tried to keep their dialogue as succinct and razor-sharp as the magic itself.
An overarching theme of “Stalker” is the idea of being observed and having one’s movements and history catalogued. As the show points out, it is one thing to know that everyone is being tracked in one form or another, but, as is made astonishingly clear at the evening’s conclusion, if only one person is under such surveillance, that definitely changes the equation.
For any true lover of magic, “Stalker” offers a chance to see amazing demonstrations of skill, and an opportunity to actually be a part of them. Just because I couldn’t figure out how Mr. Brynolf and Mr. Ljung pulled off their magical feats is no guarantee you won’t be able to. But you’re far more likely to just end up delightfully flummoxed!
