Stalker
Peter Brynolf and Jonas Ljung. (Photo: Jeremy Daniel)
By Fern Siegel (Posted April 2, 2024)
Swedish magicians and illusionists Peter Brynolf and Jonas Ljung just debuted Stalker in New York— and their producers are Penn & Teller.
They stumped the legendary showmen on “Penn & Teller: Fool Us!” — achieving their respect and support. It’s also provided off-Broadway audiences at the New World Stages with genuine thrills and wow moments.
The 90-minute magic show features a combination of street magic, illusions and mentalism.
The duo opens by explaining that technology means privacy is gone. We’re all stalked digitally — even if we don’t know it. Brynolf & Ljung have used that reality as the premise of their new show, adding the requisite sleight of hand and some innovative card tricks. There is a truly surprising trick with a Rubik’s cube and a Uri Geller spoon-bending moment. Their mental feats are hugely mystifying.
For example: They ask a volunteer to leaf through a random book and pick out a word only that person knows. Then Brynolf starts guessing the word, sounding out the letters one by one. A similar feat happens when they correctly guess the answers to three questions asked of a volunteer, including self-identifying adjectives, as well as their favorite celebrity.
Stalker is nicely paced and the pair affable. Before the show begins, 25 random audience members are asked to volunteer. One of the twists here is the number of people who gleefully participate — and the hundreds more stunned by the magicians’ knowledge of strangers. They reveal details they could not possibly know — again and again.
Brynolf & Ljung have delighted global audiences for years. They had a standout performance on “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2012 and won the silver medal at the World Championships of Magic.
The piece is co-written and directed by Edward AF Sillén, who also directs the Eurovision Song Contest, aided by colorful lighting by Jamie Roderick, represented on Theater Row by Five. For magic lovers, Stalker is the real deal.