Philip Escoffey’s Six (More) Impossible Things Before Dinner

There’s so much more to Philip Escoffey’s astounding hour of entertainment than just simply’comedy’. 

 Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2010 Presented by: MeadowVenue: Trades Hall  Friday 26 March, 2010
There’s so much more to Philip Escoffey’s astounding hour of entertainment than just simply ‘comedy’. 
To present his show in the midst of a Comedy Festival somewhat denies a full understanding of what it is Escoffey actually does. This guy is an absolute, mind-boggling freak (in a good way). Part magician, part illusionist, part performer – and perhaps part psychic – Escoffey presents six seemingly impossible acts (tricks?) intertwined with amusing anecdotes and hilarious crowd participation. His rapport with the audience is smooth and controlled, creating no reason for us to doubt the undoubtable. His ad libbing skill and ability to bounce off an unpredictable audience is very much a part of his charm offensive – and could actually be one of his biggest tricks of all.  I could debate the content of this show for hours, and this is what I love so much about what Escoffey gives us in Six (More) Impossible Things Before Dinner, his sequel to 2009’s critics favourite Six Impossible Things Before Dinner. Escoffey is essentially some form of trickster – although exactly how he falls into this category is a decision to be made purely by the individual. To that end, I cannot fully describe what it is Escoffey actually does. It really needs to be seen to be discussed in any detail. You’ve no doubt hears snippets of the incredible amount of publicity Escoffey received after his Melbourne debut in this same festival last year. If you haven’t seen Escoffey ‘do his thing’ yet, you just have to trust me – see it. As well as maintaining a perfect sense of good, wholesome, old-school entertainment, Escoffey will have you questioning things as deep as your whole belief system with tricks and stunts that give the impression he’s a damn good psychic. And hey, maybe he is. Whether or not you believe in the concept of human psychic ability is something you should ask yourself AFTER an hour with Escoffey, not before. However, regardless of what you believe, at the very least you’ll have enough material for a damn good debate with your mates about the ideas of illusion, trickery and the validity of psychic ability. As the self-critical performer admits himself at the beginning of the show: this is all about that one moment where we surrender; where we make the decision to either believe or not believe in something. The decision is completely up to you.  Bookings: www.comedyfestival.com.au Until 18 April 2010