Returning to The MC Showroom in bustling Prahran, a friend and I were excited to see “It’s Who You Know” hosted and performed by Michael Pope. Billed as a mentalism based show with a difference, our curiosity led us to this show and the adventures to be had within.

Upon entering the theatre, we noticed a wide assortment of curious items on stage. Some of these items were on tables, others on stands and there were all manners of different items that weren’t the typical items you’d find at a magic show. Michael’s show was highly engaging right from the start and he used a multimedia slideshow in a clever way to enhance his show. Michael himself mentioned he’d been in showbiz for 32 years and it showed via his energy, enthusiasm and razor sharp wit / comments which appeared regularly during his show. He’s a natural entertainer and comfortable with his audience.

I enjoyed the question of how we get to meet the people in our lives (ie through school? through work? through chance itself?) and this broad theme was explored well. As the show progressed, I felt like I had learned a little about some of the audience members at the show and I enjoyed that. It felt like we were on a fun journey together. The way Michael signified his connection with particular audience members was clever and lighthearted too. This show is one that involves a fairly high level of audience participation – at one point it seemed like a third of the audience had helped out in one way or another! Audience reactions were largely of amazement. There was quite a bit of disbelief at exactly how Michael knew as much as he did! Other reactions involved people muttering “No way!” and others slowly shaked their head at times – seemingly unable to process the ‘all knowing’ power of Michael Pope.  Show highlights for me were a fun effect with cards / predictions and a lottery prediction. The course of the evening reached a crescendo with the final sequence which was highly entertaining and well put together.

VERDICT: With “It’s Who You Know” with Michael Pope – you know you’re in capable hands for a highly enjoyable and action packed show that will leave you bemused and entertained!

*Disclaimer: I attended this show as a guest of the festival