Magician, Lawson Reeves does the impossible

By Jessica Gittel Cornish

Ex-Big Brother housemate come self-made magician, Lawson Reeves entraps even the greatest sceptics as he entertains, jokes and ploughs through trick after trick. Kicking off his debut solo magic show, Genuinely Impossible presented by The Butterfly Club, Reeves gives it his all to win the crowd over – embracing every moment in the limelight with his crude humour and sleight of hand skills.

Lawson keeps telling us it’s not a traditional magic show because women aren’t being hacked in half, but I found it did come close, to be honest. However, Reeves consistently throws in an unexpected and surprising twist on the old faithful standard tricks such as that illusive five-dollar note appearing in the most unexpected places again and again.

The 60-minute performance drew on the ex-reality TV star’s larrikin charm and colloquial Aussie banter which weaved in and out of his illusions. And of course, what magic show isn’t complete without some crowd participation? Reeves had members of his audience literally whimpering and hooting with amazement at his sleight of hand skills and illusions.

I had a great night despite Lawson appearing a little nervous and a tad clumsy with his hands at times, resulting in a card drop or two. Though understandably so, as even the slightest of errors with timing can easily impair a trick. Alas, all can be forgiven in this world and should be. Reeves has great potential and was able to perform some really impressive stunts on the night using only a deck of cards, a sharpie and a tiny plunger.

Overall the show was well thought out and planned and his sleight of hand performances were easily viewable, even for those out in the cheap seats – thanks to a carefully positioned video camera and projection screen. Magic isn’t real, but sometimes when everything goes just right and the genuinely impossible becomes possible, it’s a pretty special moment. Get down to the Butterfly Club and give your brain a run for its money and solve the seemingly impossible.

Dates:  9 – 14  January

Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, Off Little Collins Street, Melbourne

Times: 8:30pm

Prices: $28 – $32

Bookings: https://thebutterflyclub.com/shows