With a run of award-winning, sold-out shows spanning five years in a row (2012 to 2016) at the Adelaide Fringe — as well as a secured place as one of Fringe World’s ultimate favourites — Honestly Dishonest (as oxymoronic as it sounds) is as real as it gets.
See, magicians and mentalists are often surrounded by an air of mystery, the latter of which seems to carry elusive connotations.
Yet Australian survivor favourite Matt Tarrant completely shatters this preconception. The acclaimed magician and mentalist is not only a true performer, but also a charming entertainer at that. To keep your crowd on their toes is one thing, but to connect with them is another. With personal flourishes and numerous tricks up his sleeve, Tarrant took to elucidating his own journey with magic; Tarrant highlights the scrutiny of magic in the era of smartphones and blatant technology, and takes it right back to the core. The show centres around an untarnished love for magic, and it is this exact quality that captures the audience wholeheartedly. There’s no sugarcoating or over-the-top grandeur, but rather a kind of sincerity eminent in his performance. Something so illusory as magic is turned into an up-close and personal affair with the likes of the amiable magician. One could tell how much ardency was poured into the affair just by the manner in which Tarrant engaged with the crowd.
Above all, Tarrant’s ability to impart pure childlike wonder — irrespective of the audience’s varying ages — is nothing short of miraculous. I wasn’t expecting outbursts of laughter throughout, but quickly found that such zealous magic teamed with a delectable sense of humour only made for a winning show. From unconventional card tricks and stunts, to logic-defying predictions, Matt Tarrant had read our minds and left us questioning one too many things.
There’s no mistaking that Matt Tarrant is one to watch (and will leave you awake at midnight pondering how on earth he pulled off that trick). It’s the last week of Perth’s 2017 Fringe World Festival, and you’ve got nothing to lose but your doubts. Do yourself a favour and get your tickets to see Matt Tarrant at his finest!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½