Derren Brown: Secret NYC Reviews and Tickets

“Two hours of dazzling wizardry. Mr. Brown is self-effacing and enthused, with charm to spare and a sackful of illusions to share. Illusions of the sort that engage us, stump us, and result—each of them—in effusive applause which serves, again and again, as a release from the suspense…Brown has everything under control…So entertaining and so successful—as an evening of grand illusion—that I half wanted to return the next night.”
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"The show is not only very entertaining, but a lot more rewarding to sit through than their last play. It’s better crafted too, with a knockout finale that reveals in a delightful way how tightly structured the entire performance has been...Brown is a consummate performer who quickly has the audience in the palm of his hand...If you like to be amazed and delighted, you will have a good time. Just don’t expect a traditional play."
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"Here’s the secret to his success: you like him. Brown’s stage persona is thoroughly winning and frankly one can imagine him developing a show without a spot of magic and creating a charming piece anyway. But magic there is here...It’s not Vegas glitzy but his new show plays as pure entertainment, wearing its sophistication lightly. Kudos to Brown’s professional partners, which includes his co-writers Nyman and O’Connor, who also co-direct to create an evening that is sneakily well constructed."
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“He showcases his apparent powers of psychological manipulation while carefully earning the audience’s trust...The show develops almost exclusively from interactions with various agog audience members…Though he repeatedly speaks about the human need for narrative, Secret eschews any arc. Brown awes us repeatedly but over the long running time this results in a sense of sameness. Astonishment fatigue can and does set in before we reach the impressive musical denouement.”
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"Brown offers a mystifying and quite fluid presentation of magical and mental acuity...His greatest talent is his ability to put the audience immediately at ease...Being too specific about what goes on would spoil the chance for future audiences to be enthralled, amazed, and downright astonished by the performance...While the show is rather long for one of this type, the entire piece moves briskly...A fascinating and surprisingly intimate experience."
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"This is not theatre! It's pure entertainment—and it's only interesting if you like magic and tricks and being fooled by a con man. Derren Brown is indeed an illusionist. He claims he is not a psychic but then does the things a psychic would do. He's very good at what he does, but theatre this is not, fooled I was not, and entertained I was not. Please bring back real theatre—instead of a circus side show—to the Atlantic!"
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“A show that everybody needs to see live to believe...The audience was in total awe of him as he left many people's jaws on the floor, and rightfully so. His presentation skills were extraordinary…Derren Brown was spectacular…An outstanding one-man show, where he commanded the stage quite well, and he sustained the audience's attention for the whole duration…His eclectic show was filled with suspense, mystery and excitement; moreover, his passion for his craft was evident.”
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