Shame about the swearing

Frizzle-haired misfit Jerry Sadowitz.

"Paul Daniels ain't turning up." With scowl-factor set to maximum, Jerry Sadowitz, the angry magician with the clenched fist and matching face is on bilious form in his current late-night residency.

His heady mix of comedy and illusion is not for the narrow-minded or natterers - one front-row fan was drenched in his own lager for talking. Welcome to the Sharon Osbourne of stand-up.

This frizzle-haired misfit is so notorious for his foul-mouthed verbiage that it sometimes gets in the way of his brilliant close-up trickery. Either that or he cannily employs misanthropy as a unique form of misdirection. The audience is often so gobsmacked by his bad taste they do not notice him slipping a secreted satsuma or apple into a cup.

Under scrutiny, however, this selfstyled "equal opportunities offender" does not actually seem that offensive. Gags about George Bush are limp and the obvious Michael Jackson jibes lack stop-the-presses urgency. His best line is a typically uncharitable remark about celebrity fundraising: "My idea of Comic Relief is switching Lenny Henry off."

There is something more unsettling about the way Jimmy Carr normalises misogyny and homophobia by throwing it casually into his mainstream act. Sadowitz's patter is such a vivid shade of blue it is impossible to take seriously. It is the magic that makes more of a lasting impact. Forget Derren Brown, this is deception unplugged, card chicanery solely dependent on the nimblest fingers.

Soho's main theatre, with its steep raking, is an ideal venue to witness Sadowitz making his deck dance. Selected cards leap, fly and bounce around on demand. Tone down the four-letter words scribbled on the back of one pack and turn down the volume and this thrilling display would also be scintillating family entertainment.

From 2-7 January then in rep until 11 February. Info: 0870 4296883.

Jerry Sadowitz: Work In Progress

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