Keeping Secrets: Compelling Performance Brings Magic and Storytelling Together To Tell Story Of Complexities Of Abuse (Fringe review) 4 Stars ****

Warning: Discussion of Child Sexual Assault

Jim Vetter, from the age of six, had a fascination with magic. By the age of 13 he had joined the International Brotherhood of Magicians where he came into contact with a much older mentor, Baron Von Libby (Dave). Vetter became employed in a local magic shop, succeeded eventually by another up-and-coming magician, who was behind a Young Magicians’ Club, David Oliver. Oliver gained international prominence and ended up on the cover of Newsweek. 

Vetter conveys this story with all the cosiness of a fireside chat until the story turns to Oliver being arrested for child sexual abuse. Vetter then revisits his own story to tell of the massages he got from Baron Von Libby and retells this story with his own dark and deeply disturbing experiences of being abused. 

Vetter begins the show with magic tricks, before he gets to the tricks of an abuser. Having to keep secrets, as the Magician’s Code tells you to, is ripe ground for keeping mum if being abused. Until the revelation over Oliver, this is a nice cosy tale. The clues for the twist, however, are constantly referred to; he says he would never tell secrets: initially about magic, eventually about abuse.  

When Vetter realizes he is gay, this complicates matters and his feelings, and he talks of ‘this is what I want, but this is what I don’t want’ as a mantra. This dilemma is well explained and explored. 

The boldness and honesty when he describes using his abusers’ tactics to try and seduce another young boy is compelling; realising what he was doing was wrong, he ceased it quickly.

As a one-man show this is compelling not just because Vetter is a very good magician, but he is also a great storyteller. It has the authenticity of a man telling his tale, but also theatrically it tonally shifts from the light to dark with ease. With a few props, lighting, and projection, it manages to convey its own bleakness. It is difficult at times to view and hear. 

Keeping Secrets is at Space at Surgeon’s Hall until 29th August