Now You See Me Live at the London Coliseum Review

Image: Johan Persson

Now You See Me Live is a high-octane, jaw-dropping spectacle that will have you questioning if anything you’re seeing is what it seems. The show features four magicians/illusionists (Enzo Weyne, Andrew Basso, Gabriella Lester, and Matthew Pomeroy) known as the Horsemen, like in the movie franchise of the same name; however, this has no relation to the films; it is really the only reference in the show. There are also three special guests, as seen on Britain’s Got Talent, among other credits: Eden Choi, Fraser Penman, and Rafferty Coope. 

At first, I was sceptical about how an intricate magic show would work on a stage and auditorium the size of the Colosseum, but it was very well executed. There was a large screen which flew in and out, and a camera operator captured lots of the performance live while it was streamed onto the screen. I was sat at the back of the stalls and had a perfect view; however, I do think the front few rows of the stalls would be the absolute best places to sit as you’d really feel a part of the action and get the clearest view of the stage. I would also imagine sitting at the back of the upper circle or balcony may somewhat negatively impact the show as they are quite far away. It is also worth pointing out that only audience members in the stalls and one in the dress circle were picked on by the magicians. 

The staging was reasonably simple, with a mostly blacked-out stage and some portals made up of truss and moving lights. There were also flown ladders with lights and an eye-shaped truss with lighting on it at the back of the stage.

The lighting design by Hugo Mercier Bossney was very atmospheric and effective. There were multiple moments of blackouts, and the light was cleverly used to direct audience attention to exactly where the magicians wanted it to be. The use of music was also brilliant. It helped to create an intense feel, and particularly in the dangerous tricks and escapes, it really took the tension to another level. 

Rafferty Coope opened the show with a card trick to get us warmed up and then got straight to the impossible. He randomly selected three audience members by throwing paper planes at them and asked them to come up with some words. These exact words were then revealed to be written in an envelope that was hanging in the air above the stage. 

The rest of the cast then joined for the first moment of many that had me with my jaw on the floor. Matthew Pomeroy took to the stage to introduce each magician and illusionist who took it in turns to do an introductory trick. To finish this sequence, they made a life-sized helicopter appear on stage in a matter of seconds. This sets the standard for the show you’re in for, and every trick somehow manages to top the last. 

Some of the other feats performed throughout the evening included: a live scorpion being put into someone’s mouth; an upside down underwater escape which required holding a breath for 2 minutes and 20 seconds; magicians disappearing on stage and then appearing in the auditorium; and time travel. To end the first act, the magicians performed an interactive card trick that each and every audience member was able to join in with (as long as they collected four cards on their way into the theatre), which felt like the perfect way to give the act one closing trick needs. 

Overall, I would absolutely recommend going to see Now You See Me Live. It was the most ambitious and jaw dropping spectacle of a magic show I’ve ever seen and was left many times scratching my head wondering how on earth they managed to pull off those tricks. 

Now You See Me Live plays at the London Coliseum until 6th September.

★★★★★

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Reviewed by Georgia, August 2026.