When you review a performance, the intention is to tick a couple of boxes. You need to tell the audience what to expect and to talk about the quality of performance on stage. However there's only one of those things that can be done on this occasion.
Described as a 'mentalist and illusionist', Derren Brown is the person behind a number of incredibly successful TV and stage shows which make you consider the way you interpret things you've seen and process information you thought was apparent. In short, he has this incredible ability to be a master showman and to gives you opportunity to question everything you comprehend as 'normal'.
This evening's narrative - 'Only Human' - asks you to question your future and the choice you make, as well as how your decisions can define who you are.
And that's about all I can tell you, other than it's really, REALLY good!
Split into two acts, the performance see's Brown interact with members of the audience, some of whom are brought on stage, in a number of different scenarios. From what is seemingly simple misdirection, to elements of human conditioning to body language interpretation, there were portions of the show that are still rolling round in my head. Portions I want to understand fully...but at the same time I have no interest in knowing the detail of.
One thing that's in no doubt at all is that Brown is an absolute master of his craft. Whether you believe everything that happened on stage this evening or whether you're the biggest sceptic going, there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the showmanship on stage is second to none.
So often at events like this, you can applaud the showmanship but actually, after a bit of searching on Google, there's some simple explanations to how things were 'done'. As human's, quite often we have an inherent need to do just that - we get a kick out of being able to explain (at least to ourselves) how something happens.
I'm not ashamed to say that I, like so many others, left the theatre questioning our own understanding of what we'd tried to justify to ourselves. Like so many shows in a similar vein, you need to watch everything and do exactly as your told, because YOU are the stars of this show.
This is a world-class performance of a spellbinding piece of theatre. With breathtaking simplicity rolled into exquisite detail...and a whole host of shocked faces when you look around you. And if you think the first three quarters of the show are good, just you wait until the last half an hour!
Derren Brown - Only Human plays at Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 13th June. For more information, or to get tickets, head online to birminghamhippodrome.com.
