Esoterica

Dressed in dark, dapper attire and presenting his show from the pits of the earth – the Underbelly Caves – magician Eric Walton appears king of the underworld. He speaks in a deliberately affected manner with a glint in the eye, occasionally breaking his sombre manner to grin devilishly at the audience. It is his style of presentation that lifts the show from an average hour of card tricks to a more involving experience.

Although the intention is to create a mysterious, gothic atmosphere, the presence of a drunken late-night audience strips some of the mystique away, as volunteers occasionally dissolve into fits of giggles and the crowd contributes rowdily.

Thankfully, Walton is a consummate showman with a keen wit, always able to turn the unexpected to his advantage. And he shows strong command, able to hold the audience in silent attention during his recitation of a poem about the encounter between Harry Houdini and card sharp Jack O’Mally.

His card tricks are skilled and slick, while his act builds to a final showstopper that involves three feats of memory occurring simultaneously, and for which the crowd erupts into loud applause. With sleight of hand and humour, Eric Walton’s Esoterica pulls off quite a trick.