It’s been a while since Penn and Teller initially brought their mind warping combination of comedy and magic to the masses and to be honest we’ve missed them. The good news though is that they’ll be gracing UK shores for a series of live dates bringing their new show up close and personal, so you can miss the strings, get the gags and find out exactly how they pulled it all off all in front of your very eyes.
You might associate Penn and Teller more with magic than with stand-up comedy, but then you’d be missing out on a big chunk of their mental act. Their shows have got a little stand-up hooked around epic magic tricks, finished off in impressive style with their reveal of the secrets behind them, much to the anger of the magic circle.
They’re a bit like a distorted comedy/magic version of Simon and Garfunkel with shades of Eric and Earnie, Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee, and David Copperfield. The tricks are always impressive, but the best part of their shows it the comedy duo relationship the two have on stage with Penn’s brash all knowing confidence and the shy genius of Teller’s mute style.
Magic has had a bit of a resurgence in recent years with films like Now You See Me, but it’s always got an über serious side that leaves little room for much in the way of self deprecating humour, which misses a trick considering our understanding of magic. However, it’s this brilliant aspect of comedy that makes Penn and Teller such a cool act to watch, influencing the show’s delivery and the reveals at the end.
The UK tour starts in the early summer of 2014 with the first show kicking off on the 13th June at the Palace Theatre in Cardiff and it’s set to take in just Birmingham and London before it disappears. Details for all of the dates are below.
Our favourite two magic tricks that they performed on TV and then callously revealed in the face of Magic Circle ninjas are the Bullet Catch, and the amazing time that Penn ran over Teller in a massive big rig truck. They’re both genius, but they were also both hilarious too.
Penn and Teller 2014 UK live dates:
Friday 13th June 2014 – 8pm, Palace Theatre Manchester, Manchester
Sunday 15th June – 8pm, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
Wednesday 18th June 2014 – 8pm, Apollo, London
Thursday 19th June 2014 – 8pm, Apollo, London
Friday 20th June – 8pm, Apollo, London
Saturday 21st June 2014 – 8pm, Apollo, London
Sunday 22nd June 2014 – 8pm, Apollo, London
