The Mill at Sonning has a very full programme of other events around its regular play season with tribute bands, comics and magic attracting audiences on Sunday and Monday nights throughout the year. It clearly works for on a dark January Monday night the car park, restaurant and theatre was packed by 6.30 pm for An Evening of Magic. The three acts and host perform on the main stage in the set of We’ll always have Paris and the round thrust stage is hardly perfect for close up and slight of hand magic with around a third of the audience viewing side on as the artists played mainly to those in the middle of the rows. Of course, if you like an extra clue as to how the trick is done the side on view as they dip their hands in their pockets or pick up a prop helps, and the evening demonstrates that magic is 25% about the trick and 75% about the presentation and banter around it.
Dan Hudson, a local magician, hosts the show and warms the audience well with his natural style and chatty engagement as he fills two empty seats in the front row with two people who booked late and are sat at the side walls. He performs a few tricks with cards and then predicting how an audience member will colour in a picture of a Nike spirts trainer. His comedy banter and style sells the tricks well and get the show off to a good start before he settles in the aisle to watch each act he introduces.
