What looks like a traditional pub from the outside has a hidden theatre around the back. Smoke and Mirrors is just metres away from the Hippodrome but being tucked away on a side street it can easily be missed.
After a night of comedy, cocktails, magic and music I vowed to return to this hidden gem offering something unique while still just as accessible as any other pub in the city. Mark Bennett was the stand-up magician performing that evening and in the 40-seater intimate mini theatre, audience participation ended up involving almost everyone in the room.
The atmosphere was far more relaxed than your usual theatre experience with everyone having their own table for food and drink. Mark Bennett will have you laughing so hard, there will be tears streaming down your face and just as you think he was simply making a joke you suddenly realise that he’s also done a trick and you're left wondering, ‘how did he do that?’
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While the evening began with drunk hecklers, the comedy magician was able to swiftly put the trouble makers in their place and the group hardly made a peep for the rest of the show.
I don’t generally like getting picked on but when an audience member was offered the chance to win money with very good odds, I’m sure I wasn’t the only audience member wishing I had been picked - it certainly would have more than helped towards the ticket prices.
But like all good magicians, Mr Bennett probably selected carefully and when you are not personally the subject of misdirection, it’s easy to say you would have picked the prize. There are times where he leads you to believe he may get it wrong or slip up, which adds to the excitement and suspense especially when getting it wrong could result in serious injury.
Mr Bennett’s sharpness forms part of his comedy style and the rudeness in which he sometimes addresses people will bring a smile to your face because it is refreshingly honest without overstepping the mark. The magic itself was full of variety; from the standard visual tricks involving cards and boxes, to memorisation, to mind reading and asking members of the audience to direct him in risk-taking behaviour.
But once the show was over it was hard to leave the pub and it soon became packed out for a band that was performing on that busy Thursday night. Although I would definitely like to see another show, a visit to the pub is an experience in itself with the house magicians who will visit you at your table and show you a few tricks.
The décor alone is worth stepping inside for but if you suffer from sensory overload you might need to step outside for some air on the occasion. There is plenty to look at inside once you catch your breath again and it was nice to see photos of so many magicians on the wall which included several of the house magicians that came around the tables, which was nice to see.
The only fair criticism of the pub I can honestly give is that pizza is too expensive for the size available which is only nine inches. Other than that, the drinks are similar in price to most places in the centre if not better value as you get free magic at your table from Thursday to Saturday and live music on select evenings.
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