Dynamo: Seeing Is Believing

I appreciate a nifty card trick as much as the next person, but in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I'm no aficionado of arena magicians. To the best of my understanding, most modern illusionists are black-clad and mysterious, bringing a touch of rebellious rock'n'roll to their amazing feats. UK magician Dynamo is somewhat different from that, according to a few of the people I spoke to at his Melbourne Seeing Is Believing gig at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night.

The consensus about Dynamo from his fans was that he was a little more approachable than other magicians, a bit more down-to-earth... which struck me as an amusing thing to say about a performer whose act has him defying the laws of physics, gravity and occasionally reason.

But after an animated prologue, set to the slowly gathering intensity of Aerosmith's Dream On, that played out like a superhero's origin story, Dynamo took to the stage... and yep, he was appealingly average. Charming and disarming, certainly. A polished performer, sure. But pleasingly free of bombast or pretentiousness, even if his red hoodie and dark-blue jacket combo did make him resemble a streetwear Doctor Strange.

The unassuming manner Dynamo displayed proved a great contrast to the fantastic feats he was pulling off, which ranged from predicting information supplied by a few randomly selected members of the 9000-strong crowd to levitating metres above the stage. Speaking for myself, and please remember that I'm no devotee of stage magic, I found that the straightforward, nice-guy charm Dynamo brought to the proceedings was so engaging that I had no desire to figure out how he actually pulled it off.

His pledge at the beginning of the show was to "bring my imagination to life right here on this stage", and he accomplished that with flawless, seamless technique that combined nicely with his modest and likably hokey stage presence. The presentation of the show was equally pleasing, the staging varying between the ethereal and the comfortably cosy, seemingly in keeping with the affection Dynamo has for his grandparents, who first opened his eyes to the fun and wonder of magic and encouraged him to follow his dreams. Indeed, Seeing Is Believing comes off as a sweet and sincere tribute to those who set young Dynamo on his path. It adds a heart-warming dimension to a show that messes with your mind in a wonderful way.

Dynamo: Seeing Is Believing tours Australia to 23 Nov