Billed as a “Kiwi circus superstar,” Jeff Robinson, aka The Quizzical Mr Jeff, blends magic, circus and theatre in a rollicking evening that is a treat for audiences of all ages.  

Mr Jeff has amazing hand eye coordination. Although this is an obvious thing to say about a juggler and performer, it is worth mentioning as he is so very good.  His juggling is more about the intersection between the object, the space and his body than it is about throwing things around.  He is able to make the objects looks like they are floating in space as he moves around them and, although I know that the glass ball/ bottle/ hat is not actually floating, he is so good at his craft that my brain keeps asking whether I am quite sure about what I am seeing.

It must be hard to come up with variations on juggling acts that are unique.  Mr Jeff, however, manages this. The hilarious and beautiful shapes that he makes with multiple hoops are a treat. A sequence in which he uses a mirror would, however, have worked better had I been sitting more directly in front of it.  But the magical intention behind the stunt is obvious. 

The show is not all about juggling.  There is a sequence with a huge orange balloon where audience members blow it up so large that I can feel those of us still sitting all scooting back into our seats in case it explodes.  Not only does it not explode, but Mr Jeff eventually gets into it. And, thankfully, gets back out again!

The venue seems a little too small for the finale: a giant hoop sequence in which Mr Jeff cartwheels and spins within the hoop.  But the small space just adds to the drama and this is an impressive end to a fun evening.

The lovely thing about shows like this is that the audience are an incredibly important part of the evening.  Mr Jeff has that magical ability to choose good volunteers and making them feel welcome to be part of the mayhem.  The miming musicians in the Mozart section were awesome performers, and the chap paying the ‘triangle’ deserves a special mention for having rhythm. A lady sitting on the front row ends up providing the sound effects for an old bottle that has been used throughout to sprinkle magic on the objects and a small child commenting, pointedly, on the show has the audience in stiches.

Mr Jeff will play two more Dunedin shows on November 4^th at The New Athenaeum: a matinee at 3pm and another evening performance at 8pm. Take your kids, this is a lot of fun! 

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I just gave up seeing the first episode of the new Dr Who to see The Quizzical Mr Jeff. If our favourite Timelord could do half of what this guy can make happen, I’d be impressed! 

In the cosy Scruffy Bunny space (in the Reading Cinema complex), Mr Jeff takes over the stage, and I mean all of it! A hatstand bearing several sparkly top hats, an atlas globe on a stand, a mirror draped in harlequin fabric are among the mysterious props present. A stand of tubular bells becomes the sound of magic flowing from a bottle. My ‘plus one’, fellow reviewer Margaret, becomes the ringer for the evening, to much hilarity. 

Mr Jeff certainly has a quizzical eyebrow but I want a more assertive adjective. This is a self-assured showman who loves to show off and we love it when he does! Hats toss and spin across his body, crystal balls roll in his fingers with ease, a cane floats and dances in mid air – hoops form into many shapes… as if by magic? Certainly the illusions are so fast and expertly rendered as to seem such. Clever use of soundscape adds a dimension to the visual humour, all the more impressive for the perfect timing. 

Words have such an insignificant place in the language of circus, it is hard to use them to do such a show justice. But I can report that in a show of just over 50 minutes we are amused, delighted, mystified, moved, and always entertained. Pretty good value that!

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