Before the curtain opens on The Elephant Room, there’s an announcement asking that everyone in the audience recite a very long and convoluted magical oath. This little display highlights two elements that make TER such a success not only as a magic show but also as theater. This production has an unusual sense of humor and places emphasis on audience participation.
When the curtain is raised we are treated to what looks like an overgrown boy’s clubhouse raised on cinder blocks with a clearly defined roof (no obvious places to stash the obligatory trap door!) The Sorcerers Guild is frequented by three guys in fantastical hippie-retro-slacker outfits and crazy hair to take us on a psychedelic, periodically mesmerizing, and always hilarious tour of the mystic arts.
Our three performers Dennis Diamond, Louie Magic, and Daryl Hannah, hold one-sided conversations with the Dalai Lama, levitate themselves, produce beer bottles from thin air, swallow three foot long balloon animals, regurgitate strings of scarves, and much much more. Each performer is absolutely mesmerizing on stage, but Daryl Hannah is perhaps the most wondrously absurd, never more so than when giving one female volunteer from the audience (who deserved a good sport award) his hilarious “first date” speech. Food’s a major theme; warm milk is conjured up as a snake bite remedy and an omelet is assembled from the egg stage (with a unique spin on the classic shell game) to being fully cooked as well. In between all the broken eggs, spilled milk, and streamers I felt more than a little sorry for the stage crew responsible for cleaning up the mess.
Mesmerism plays a role too, and yes the volunteer process was truly random so no chance of audience plants. (Also be forewarned–you might be drafted as a “volunteer”). We are also treated to the spectacle of angels and demons fighting for a man’s soul to the sounds of Aerosmith and a final stunt where the show lives up to its name.
Some people find it frustrating not understanding magic tricks or are offended by the whole concept of “tricks.” These people obviously shouldn’t see the show. But for the rest of us, TER has the ability to show us real wonder. Some stunt seem just all right; we can sort of see how they might do it. But then, that stunt is followed by something that leaves our mouths gaping as we wonder: “What the…” Unlike Penn and Teller, the boys here do not bother to let you in on any of their secrets; the whole spirit of the show is about tossing reality and the natural laws of physics into the rubbish heap and good riddance. Throw in good melodies and some truly wonderful absurdist humor and we have a great crowd-pleaser for a night out.
Just be sure not to muddle that opening chant.
Photos by Scott Suchman
The Elephant Room
Arena Stage
1101 Sixth Street, SW
202-554-9066
