“In a production that lives or dies by the precise placement of its props, Jasmine Swan’s set design is spectacular and barely puts a foot wrong. The Watford Palace Theatre stage becomes a visual feast, littered with magical memorabilia in a way that will have you searching every object for hints and clues that you likely won’t find until the big reveals. The Mesmerist is a magical marvel of storytelling, mixing traditional trickery with a relatable modern sensibility as each second is more spellbinding than the last.”
“Set and costume designer Jasmine Swan has created a richly detailed set design that sits somewhere between a Victorian séance parlour and a man cave, packed with memorabilia from Gittens’ spurious career. Framed posters decorate the walls and shelves are stacked with vintage clutter, reel-to-reel tapes and stage props. As with all the best magic shows, there are elements that are best left as a surprise to future audiences”
“Jasmine Swan’s cluttered set, all dusty bric-à-brac and bespangled jumble, atmospherically lit by Philip Gladwell, adds to the ongoing sense of seedy showbiz flamboyance and simmering unease. What The Mesmerist certainly is, is a totally delightful yet unsettling slice of pure entertainment. Intelligent, quietly compulsive storytelling and meta-theatricality, coupled with Hound’s chummy, playfully aggressive persona, keep the audience both on-side and on the edge of their seats throughout. There are sections when you can feel and hear the whole crowd breathing and reacting as one, and it’s in those moments that real enchantment sets in. The humour, much of it irresistible, some of it groan-worthy, provides a degree of release, but the tension never truly lets up, and nor does a growing sense of mistrust in what is unfolding right in front of us.”
THE MESMERIST (Watford Palace Theatre)
Director: Steve Marmion
Set & Costume Designer: Jasmine Swan
Lighting Designer: Philip Gladwell
Sound Designer: Emma Laxton
Magic Consultant: Scott Penrose
Choreographer: Sundeep Saini
Audio Video Design: DMLK
Photographer: DMLK