Full of 'magic' and laughs, here's why the most important part of 'Mind Mangler' is you

Meet the Mind Mangler.

He can read your thoughts. (No he can't.)

He can discover your darkest secrets. (Not true.)

He can do illusions. (He does a few tricks.)

He wears a medallion. (It sort of reminds you of Dr. Strange's amulet.)

"Mind Mangler: A Night of Tragic Illusion" is a fun, interactive, family-friendly show playing a limited run off-Broadway at New World Stages. This mix of minor magic and folly is from the British team that brought "The Play That Goes Wrong" and "Peter Pan Goes Wrong" to the Great Bright Way.

Now this reviewer laughed uncontrollably at those earlier productions, and was expecting much of the same this time around. But this is a much smaller affair. Seeing all the wackiness and mayhem from a cast of eight or 11 as they stumble about and the set falls apart is hilarious. With "Mind Mangler," the focus is on this not-so Brainiac (Henry Lewis) and his assistant (Jonathan Sayer).

The audience, though, plays a key role. If you have a spirited crowd, chances are you're going to have a good time.

Lewis and Sayer wrote this with their Mischief Production partner Henry Shields. It takes some time to get going, but once it does, the chuckles come fast and furious. That continues in Act II, when at a recent performance kids from 8 to 13 were begging to be called up on stage. The Mind Mangler's faux anger and annoyance at their enthusiasm was hilarious.

No question about it, the deep-voiced Lewis is at his best when he's thrown for a loop or when he hears a comment from the crowd. At one point, thanks to a clever audience suggestion, he impersonates an angry red-lipped batfish. Now I admit, I never knew such a creature existed — and it's safe to say Lewis did not either. But it was priceless seeing the Mind Mangler take it on.

As the mentalist's lovable stooge, Sayer is wonderful, especially when he does bits wearing an "Audience Member" T-shirt. While he doesn't have Lewis' bluster, he's charismatic and entertaining. There's just something about him that makes you smile.

Tom Wainwright is the stage manager, and helps the audience with the Rubik's cube trick that opens Act II. Hannah Sharkey directs, and Helen Skiera's sound design takes the humor to another level.

If there is a criticism, and I'm sure the Mind Mangler knew this was coming, it's that the show should be 80 or 90 minutes without a break. Keep the energy going, right? Just something (and I can't resist saying this) to keep in mind.

Regardless, the brains behind this silliness know what they are doing. Keep 'em laughing, and they'll come back for more.

Go: "Mind Mangler: A Night of Tragic Illusion," through March 3, 2024, New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St., $39 to $150; 212-239-6200, mindmanglernyc.com. Note that "The Play That Goes Wrong" is also at New World Stages. More information is at https://newworldstages.com.

Bill Canacci can be reached at bcanacci@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Mind Mangler off-Broadway is wacky show with magic, laughs