Love your bottom, however wobbly it may be.
Such was the sage and unexpected advice imparted by Romany Diva of Magic at Dreamtime, her dazzling contribution to the 2013 Showzam! line up. There aren’t many shows that can honestly claim to have something for everyone. Dreamtime manages to provide just that. Bedecked in spectacular sequins, fishnets and feathers, Romany adorned the stage with a jewel-like charisma. She charmed the audience from the start, never underestimating their intelligence, and sprinkled a brilliantly funny script with spontaneous humour, innuendo and cheeky allusions.
After scanning the audience for ‘older gentlemen’ who could ‘take an order’ and would tie her up to her satisfaction, Romany offered one of them a bright pink jacket, commenting that it would make him:
Irresistible to women and children.
The show was peppered with laugh out loud comedy. When one of the gentlemen assisting with the rope trick observed that a knot was ‘very tight’, Romany replied that it wasn’t the first time she’d been told that. While the young Sophia assisted her with a barking toy dog on the stage, Romany instructed Sophia to turn the dog off. Romany then smiled innocently at the audience, observing that it reminded her of other things that you turn on and off which involve delving in the undercarriage. It’s as if the spirits of Harry Houdini and Sid James met up in the afterlife and decided to possess Dita von Teese.
The magic was as beautiful as it was beguiling. There were knots in silk handkerchiefs which vanished and reappeared, bird cages which appeared from a chiffon scarf and a diamante necklace produced from a short length of rope. Romany worked with cards, balls and cups, butterflies and flames. Appreciative applause was plentiful and the young woman in front of me gasped loudly at the reveal for the ‘Tunnel of Love’.
The Sands is in many ways the perfect venue for a magic show. The cabaret set up allowed all of the audience, of about 100, to see the stage clearly and the size of the room lent the performance a sense of intimacy. The £10 minimum spend to use cards at the bar was a bugbear for one customer, and does seem a little excessive, but otherwise the staff were welcoming and the beer performed as expected.
Personally, I was sold on Dreamtime when I found out that Romany was the first and only woman to be named Magic Circle Stage Magician of the Year and is the only British performer ever to take first prize at the international Las Vegas World Magic Seminar competition. Knowing these facts I went in with high expectations. This is a dangerous approach to any show, setting one up for disappointment. I doubt that any of Romany’s audiences ever leave feeling that particular emotion. She doesn’t need the remarkable accolades to promote her show (although they are no doubt deserved). Just ask anyone who has seen Dreamtime for their honest opinion and then book your tickets before they’re all gone. 
Romany Diva of Magic is performing at The Sands until Saturday 23 February. The show starts at 7.30pm and tickets cost £12 for adults, £8 concessions or £30 for a family of four. Book via the Visit Blackpool website or at the Showzam! ticket office outside the Olympia at Blackpool Winter Gardens.
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