‘The Lost Things’: A Mind-Boggling, Poignant Show From Scott Silven

In the opening moments of his mind-bending new show The Lost Things, mentalist Scott Silven is clear that he’s not trying to convince you that everything you see is real. As he invites you to share an instrumental memory from his young life, Scott encourages you to think about the things you’ve lost: things, places, connections. That way, it seems, he’s able to reach into your mind and pluck out exactly what you’re thinking about.

The Lost Things is undoubtedly much more than just a ‘magic show’. Don’t worry, there are plenty of tricks that’ll leave your head hurting wondering just how he did that. But the real appeal of the show lies in Scott’s ability to tap into truths about what it is to be human, and create a sense of connection between the volunteers who step onto the stage and everyone who remains in their seats.

The lights brighten on a simulacrum of the Scottish woodlands, where a young actor portraying Scott sits alone. Soon, the modern-day Scott makes his appearance and explains what’s happening. It’s a moment where he was lost, and in turn lost something – but it was also one of the first times in his life he felt truly free.

From here, The Lost Things is a mix of the introspective and the mind-blowing as the entire room grows increasingly dumbfounded by the illusions on display. Though he employs plenty of props, the most impressive skill in Scott’s arsenal is his seeming ability to mind read audience members and participants on stage.

The level of participation that the audience has in the show is sincerely impressive, given the element of randomness that comes with it. Many of Scott’s predictions and mind-reading skills are preceded by elaborate setups that can often appear on the edge of going off rails, before he reveals that he was in control of the situation the entire time.

The Lost Things beautifully taps into memory and connection

I hesitate to detail too many of Scott’s tricks in The Lost Things, given that the enjoyment derived from watching the show lies in the element of surprise. Nonetheless, it’s difficult to understate how impressive many of the tricks are in the show, as they go far beyond just sleight of hand or basic mind reading.

Indeed, Scott gives the impression that he’s been reading everyone’s mind long before they actually entered the theatre. There are some truly mind-boggling reveals throughout the course of The Lost Things, including letters taped under seats and an uncanny ability to draw memories from audience members.

Even things that initially seem like they’ve gone wrong or been lost are gradually revealed to be all part of the plan. It’s difficult to understate how remarkable Scott is as a showman, switching effortlessly between the theatrical and illusionary elements of The Lost Things while making fleeting connections with audience members as he makes their jaws drop.

Scott is also a master at setting expectations and knowing exactly how to toy with them for maximum impact. His tricks also tie into the theme of the show, giving audience members the space to ruminate on the past and connect with the people that they came with. It’s certainly not just smoke and mirrors; underneath the illusions lies an undeniably real meditation on how the things we lose subconsciously affect us.

It means that you walk out of The Lost Things with much more to chew on than your average magic show. It allows Scott Silven to prove his status as a world-renowned mentalist and illusionist not only with his mind-boggling array of tricks, but through his ability to build a genuinely poignant show around them.

Scott Silven: The Lost Things is playing at the Playhouse Theatre in the Sydney Opera House until June 29th – more information here.