The traditional notion of magic was literally stripped away as The Naked Magicians, Mike Tyler and Christopher Wayne, bared all at The Concourse in Chatswood. This wasn’t a show for children or those easily shocked. As Magic Mike said himself, “If you’re offended by R-rated material, please take this opportunity to fuck off.”

I can assure you that this was no illusion; these boys went balls out in an effort to bring some cheekiness to this age-old form of entertainment. For their sake, I’m glad, because this crowd was particularly rowdy and somewhat reminiscent of a hen’s night. I fear what would have happened to the magicians if they hadn’t revealed their magic wands.

Of course, it would have been quite the anticlimax if they had given it all up during the first trick. The dapper pair was happy to make the audience work for it, much like a date. The clothing count steadily declined as the show progressed, as did the moral compass of the audience. We went from some initial participants who were shy and embarrassed, to one who was giving Mike the old reach around whilst strapping him into a straitjacket.

Despite the show being heavily gimmick-focused, Tyler and Wayne were indeed incredibly talented. (And yes, we are still talking about magic.) Their skill as illusionists was showcased in between the witty, smut-laced banter. Although some of the jokes erred on the side of obvious, the audience loved it. And frankly, I don’t think anyone expected a night involving two blokey naked magicians to avoid a good cum pun.

So if you want to see a magic show that turns up the heat and delivers on the promise of a happy ending, then you should expose yourself to The Naked Magicians. They won’t mind.

4/5 stars

The Naked Magicians played at The Concourse until Saturday May 9.

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