ASTONISH Written and performed by Mawonga Gayiya. Directed by Stuart Lightbody. At Alexander Upstairs until January 23. TRACEY SAUNDERS reviews
IN The Boy in a Bubble, Paul Simon sings, “These are the days of miracle and wonder”, and while we do indeed live in a world of ground breaking technological and spectacular scientific achievements, many days there seems little to wonder about and much of human behaviour is far from miraculous. Enter Mawonga Gayiya, who has graduated from copying his brother's tricks at the age of eleven to teaching students at the College of Magic in Cape Town.
Gayiya is not unaware of the singularity of being a young black man creating magic on a stage in South Africa and incorporates the slight scepticism and occasional accusation of witchcraft into his witty on- stage banter. From when he walks on to the strains of big band show music with the confidence of an awards show presenter he assures audiences that despite hailing from Khayelitsha he is no tsotsi.
As the laughter settles down you can almost hear the mental gears in the audience shifting. He sketches the origins of his interest in magic as he describes his brother evading punishment using his magical wiles. A trait that he attempted in vain to replicate. Interspersed between the disappearing cards and reconstituting rope he includes some life lessons and other sentimental reflections on his life.
His decision to pursue magic as a career is based on his personal belief which he shares, “If I had magic in my life I would have an astonishing life.” He doesn't shy away from dispensing life advice and shares his mother’s caution that “It's not about the cars, the clothes or the cash it's about how you live and love.” Lightbody’s directorial hand is evident and lifts the performance from a series of card tricks to something more. Astonish is two parts magic and equal parts of comedy and motivation. This is not magic that makes the audience feel inferior, but rather takes them on a journey of discovery of what is possible.
Yes there are some rough edges and some additional polishing would leave the show sharper and slicker, but there is a charm in his current configuration.
His style of magic is traditional, making use of the ubiquitous pack of cards, sleight of hand and of course several handkerchiefs, but he has several modern twist to his tricks. As he makes sponge balls magically move from his hands to those of his seconded assistant he makes use of an invisible blue tooth connection.
His comedic timing is organic and the humour of the show is as enjoyable as the magic. His rapport with the audience is a strong element of the show and while that dreaded audience participation moment does inevitably occur it is without the usual cringe factor that one so often senses.
Every magic show includes that one trick that rises above the rest and has the audience dissecting the possibilities of it in the foyer after the show and this is no exception.
Gayiya observed a fellow magician in Shanghai extract a card from a lemon and the trick is as impossible as it sounds as he recreates the experience on stage with a flourish. While it is mostly legerdemain that he confounds the audience with, it his ability to predict the future that drew the largest gasps of incredulity.
Once again a willing audience member is called up on stage to assist him in a trick that is truly confounding. It involves an impromptu dance number and a musical repertoire. More than that would be revealing too much, but suffice to say I am still scratching my head and wondering just how he could have achieved the result that he revealed with such flair. In addition to gasps from the audience there were several robust and quintessential South African expressions of “Haai man” expressed vociferously. As much as the inner workings of the Space station seems inscrutable to many of us, so to is the ability of someone to literally make something disappear in front of our eyes.
Although there is a moment where you think you are about to be let in on the secret behind the illusion, don’t be fooled. Even in sharing the mystery of magic he will have you bemused. Gayiya is as capable of making time dissolve as he is of making cards disappear and the hour long show feels impossibly short.
Watching the performance I was reminded of a quote attributed to Flavia. One of those clichés found on pastel coloured greeting cards and motivational memes. Trite perhaps, but pertinent, “It's not always the understanding of life that’s most important, but rather the believing in the wonder of it. Once you believe in wonder, it stays with you always.”
No matter your age or general level of cynicism Astonish is certain to leave you with a sense of childlike wonder, and yes indeed astonishment and a renewed belief in wonder.
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