FENOMENA (18-19 December 1998)

PRESS REVIEWS OF "FENOMENA" AT THE MANOEL THEATRE

"We saw him at the Manoel in one of those firsts that we are witnessing this year of grace, due to go down in history for innovative ventures and handsome returns from ticket sales. He was every bit as graceful as he always was.... Suggested by the dexterity of the master exuding confidence from every sleeve and pocket and materialising gracious women and grinning apes from padlocked boxes. There were some delightful scenes, little girl and guardian angels, juicy girl in cooking pot, modelling girl bursting through easel, shadowy trees opening to reveal mysterious boxes, eccentric nurses and bloodthirsty surgeons, and girl suspension on the point of a sword that goes through her heart.... The conclusion was a fitting romp.. that had us asking for more." (Times of Malta 23rd December 1998)

"The first solo performance by an illusionist at the Manoel Theatre was extremely well received by packed houses who after almost two hours, left the theatre amazed, bewildered and entertained. Vanni Pule`'s show was a great success and introduced the Manoel management to a sphere of entertainment beyond its conventional avenues.... Some of the more impressive sequences involved the flotation of a small side table, the instantaneous change of Maxine into Mary Anne, and the transformation of a boy into a gorilla, while the former emerged dramatically from the back of the theatre firing a gun. Girls were cut in half and mutilated but emerged smiling. The finale was an elegant masquerade scene...." (The Malta Independent 29th December 1998)

"The chemistry of illusion and dance proved to be a successful compound at last weekend's Manoel fare.....stunning magic.....the music for the whole evening was very well chosen and timed, and represented aptly the mood of each scene......At this point I had given up trying to figure out how the magic was done but I was further amazed....the final black and white masquerade scene was very spectacular, the costumes were superb and the magic unbelievable. The floating of Mary Anne and the dancing of the whole troupe with bubbles and silver confetti fluttering from above was a very impressive, moving sight. No wonder it brought the Friday audience to their feet." (The Sunday Times, 27th December 1998)

a scene from captives in the jungle A little girl turns her dreams into the reality in a sequence of surprises where her little doll becomes life-size after undergoing various changes. The chauvinistic oppression of a group of native results in a series of escapes and transformations. The artist’s inability to draw his love from memory ends with a spectacular yet short-lived unexpected turn and an eventual disappointment. A medical crank does not take any mild measures to cure his patients’ complaints but resorts to the most extreme methods. A fancy dress party in black and white turns into a fantasy of appearances, disappearances, metamorphoses and levitation

(Photographs by Darrin Zammit Lupi)

"....It was a spectacle that the audience seemed to enjoy immensely and it was obvious that a lot of hard work had gone into the production of this show. The costumes were superb, the lights were very atmospheric ....Most importantly, however, the Magic was well executed and blended very well with the dancing. But it was mainly an illusion show and there was plenty of Magic which left a lot of amazed expressions on people's faces, including mine. Vanni had a great rapport with his audience and he presented his magic skillfully and with great panache." (Abracadabra 9th January 1999)