Ben Whiting wrote and performs American Gypsy, a combination of one-man-multiple-character theatre and a magic show. Whitlaw plays three magicians: himself, his mentor Jim Cellini, and Cellini's teacher Tony Slydini. The show consists mostly of "words of wisdom" handed down, along with a falling out between Cellini and Slydini. Its 75 minutes are thin, and Ben Whiting is a better magician than actor. His performance would be improved, I think, if he pushed less, but I suspect that the two wiggling young children in the first row helped neither his performance nor the audience's enjoyment of it. Whiting's final piece of magic, done with two metal rings, was elegant and gorgeous.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Fringe: American Gypsy
Ben Whiting wrote and performs American Gypsy, a combination of one-man-multiple-character theatre and a magic show. Whitlaw plays three magicians: himself, his mentor Jim Cellini, and Cellini's teacher Tony Slydini. The show consists mostly of "words of wisdom" handed down, along with a falling out between Cellini and Slydini. Its 75 minutes are thin, and Ben Whiting is a better magician than actor. His performance would be improved, I think, if he pushed less, but I suspect that the two wiggling young children in the first row helped neither his performance nor the audience's enjoyment of it. Whiting's final piece of magic, done with two metal rings, was elegant and gorgeous.
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