Now You See Me Live has officially arrived at the London Coliseum for an evening of breathtaking magic. Critics agree the tricks are impressive, but the show’s production elements tended to overshadow the wonder.
Now You See Me Live brings the hit blockbuster films to life onstage, with high-tech illusions, solo stunts, and jaw-dropping spectacles. Starring as The Horsemen, a name pulled from the films, are internationally acclaimed illusion designer and performer Enzo Weyne, leading escapologist Andrew Basso, rising star Gabriella Lester, master storyteller Matthew Pomeroy.
Overall, critics found the magic elements to be enjoyable, citing several tricks that fooled the audience and were utterly captivating. Less so was the music, described by several critics as ‘bombastic’ and the use of flashing lights and smoke which seemed to distract from the magic.
The verdict: The magic sure to delight audiences, and there is plenty of variation, but critics felt the plot is thin and some of the production elements detract from the production.
Critic’s comparison
| Publication | Rating | The Key Takeaway |
| The Stage | ★★★★ | A fast, funny, Hollywood-style magic show with heart. |
| TimeOut | ★★★★ | Very impressive, despite having almost nothing to do with the hit films. |
| The Guardian | ★★★ | Fine feats of escapology and mentalism that are undermined by smoke, lasers and pomposity. |
| BroadwayWorld | ★★ | Individually, the performers shine, but the production overall doesn’t. |
The reviews: what they loved about Now You See Me Live
- Andrew Basso: Basso’s performance was a high point among critics who enjoyed his escapoloist set. Brian Logan of the Guardian stated that his act was full of ‘the stoppiest showstoppers’
- The tricks: The critics agreed that there was plenty of impressive magic, though each critic had their own favourites. The different skills on show certainly seemed to wow the audience.
The reviews: what fell flat for Now You See Me Live
- The music: complaints about the music appeared in a couple of critics reviews. Andrzej Lukowski of TimeOut said that ‘the bombastic, repetitive music’ was not to his tastes.
- The lack of connection to the film: several critics commented that the link between the films and this production were tenuous at best, with the similarities largely in name only. The production uses the films more as a springboard. It’s not a criticism of the production but something to be aware of.
The back story
Now You See Me Live arrives in London, following a string of sold-out international performances, including a record-breaking run at the Sydney Opera House.
Inspired by, and borrowing the name from the blockbuster film series, this production brings a mix of grand-scale magic and immersive storytelling to the stage with plenty of tricks and illusions for audiences to enjoy.
The show currently stars:
- Acclaimed illusion designer and performer Enzo Weyne
- Andrew Basso, one of the world’s leading escapologists
- Rising star and magician Gabriella Lester
- Award-winning British magician and master storyteller, Matthew Pomeroy.
Joining the cast as special guest acts are manipulation artist Eden Choi, stage hypnotist Fraser Penman and 17-year old musical magician Rafferty Coope.
Where to see Now You See Me Live
- Venue: London Coliseum, booking until 6 September 2026
- Age: 5+
- Runtime: 2 hours (including interval)
- Full details on Now You See Me Live
What are the critics saying about Now You See Me Live?
“A slick, smart, superbly paced show.”
“There’s also an unexpected abundance of human heart.”
“There’s muscly Italian escapologist Andrew Basso, who performs dangerous, “very stupid” stunts, setting the audience on edge early.”
“Sassy 22-year-old Canadian Gabriella Lester breaks out of a safe loaded with explosives without so much as scuffing her black leather jacket.”
“Brit magician and storyteller Matthew Pomeroy manages to dispel my distaste for endless card tricks.”
“Coope’s fellow Britain’s Got Talent contestants Fraser Penman and Eden Choi turn in stylish sets.”
“Perhaps most magical of all, is a final, moving sequence in which the performers show video of themselves as small children performing their first, faltering prestidigitations.”
“At best, the magic on display here is jaw-dropping.”
“There are three tricks that are astonishing, none of which I should really spoil, plus there’s a tribute to Harry Houdini from Basso that is utterly nerve-wracking to look at.”
“A couple of slightly mawkish ‘magic changed my life’ moments feel antithetical to the source material’s cynicism.”
“This family-friendly magical spectacular is very impressive, despite having almost nothing to do with the hit films”
“It could scarcely be more pompous – but happily, there are plenty of entertaining tricks.”
“Andrew Basso has arguably the stoppiest showstoppers, including his recreation of Houdini’s water torture stunt, and another where he extricates himself from padlocked chains while harbouring something very undesirable in his mouth.”
“There’s a fine audience participation set piece inviting us all to shred, shuffle then – as if by magic! – reassemble the playing cards we were given on the way into the theatre.”
“Packed to the brim with illusions and disillusionment.”
“All of them are as skillful as they are photogenic. The main quartet — labelled The Four Horsemen after the film characters — each bring something different to the table.”
“Frenchman Enzo Weyne impresses with a teleportation illusion which fools us not once but twice.”
“Individually, it is hard to fault any of them. Together, though, this adds up to less a horse race but more a muddy trudge.”
London Coliseum, London
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