It is 1862 and the gaslights are flickering... Welcome to an evening of magic and illusion with the infamous brothers, Willy and Ira Davenport.
Inspired by the true story of the Davenport Brothers, this amazing play promises to be a true theatrical treat. Read more …
Join us to witness the wonder and mystery of the Davenports' dramatic demonstrations. In their presence, furniture dances, bodies levitate and the voices of the dead resonate through the theatre.
Discover the dark undercurrent to their Victorian world as the showmanship and drama of the brothers' onstage presence contrasts with their cruel and curious childhood.
The end result is a production that is great fun. The Infamous Brothers Davenport does have its flaws...but it is rich in atmosphere and theatrical delights.
It's ambitious, it's spectacular, it’s incredibly rich in theatrical texture, and it tussles mightily with some of the great themes of human civilisation; yet it’s sometimes just a little bit dull.
From a frothy recreation of Victorian subterfuge, Arnott and the Lyceum and Vox Motus teams have created a profoundly resonant and deeply human play.
This rings true as magic spectacle but doesn’t quite have enough meat to sustain its plot as theatre. Peter Arnott’s script is clever in its interweaving of seance and story but needs to develop the latter more satisfyingly.
The show dazzles and delights, makes us laugh and jump, but stops short of giving us the insight into mortality it promises. And that may be the point.
The Infamous Brothers Davenport is an ambitious production which mostly hits the magical mark it sets itself.
Vox Motus have created a spine-tinglingly serious treatise on what the imagination might be capable of if we only let our demons out.
It’s a perfect show for Vox Motus to tackle.
The actors, led by neatly cast brothers Ryan and Scott Fletcher, give strong performances, but – even for those in the audience with a strong interest in the somewhat tired subject of spiritualism – one fears this production lacks the dramatic momentum which is the real magic of theatre.
I’s all done with enough wit and technical flare to make it an enjoyably distinctive night out.
As well as delivering theatrical entertainment as we know it, it also provides the sense of awe that always accompanies the unknown.
Writer Peter Arnott and his collaborators have undoubtedly done their research into the phenomenon of the Victorian public séance, but while the production captures the excitement of such stage spectacles the sparseness of the plot makes it rather unsatisfactory as theatre.
The Infamous Brothers Davenport
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Preview: The Infamous Brothers Davenport
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Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh from Thursday January 19, 2012, until Saturday February 11, 2012. More info: www.lyceum.org.uk
Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow from Tuesday February 14, 2012, until Saturday February 18, 2012. More info: www.citz.co.uk
Eden Court Theatre, Inverness from Wednesday February 22, 2012, until Saturday February 25, 2012. More info: www.eden-court.co.uk