Tim Motley. Photo by Nathaniel Mason.
6 Quick Dick Tricks: A Dirk Darrow Investigation
by Tim Motley
58 min / Comedy, Magic / PG
“Dick” in this case meaning detective rather than penis. Tricks in this case meaning illusions. 6 Quick Dick Tricks is a show with mind bending acts of illusion performed by Tim Motley. The subtitle of the play is A Dirk Darrow Investigation and in that subtitle lies the shows hook and anchor.
Right off the bat, the illusions in this show are fantastic – I have no idea how Motley is able to guess the name of a person’s childhood pet, or pull numbers seemingly from out of people’s heads. The long illusions are mesmerizing and performed very well. In fact, on the merits of it’s magic, this is the perfect show. Having the opportunity to watch six incredible acts of illusion in one hour is certainly worth the cost of admission.
My only reservation about the show is Motley’s character, the vehicle for these magic tricks Dirk Darrow, I just don’t understand why he’s such a dick. In between magic acts, Darrow weaves together a joke driven mystery that serves mostly to bring the audience down after their excitement from the last illusion. While Motley’s jokes are good, ranging from cringe-inducing wordplay to masterfully crafted one-liner, the detective aspect of show really feels unnecessary and out of place in the face of Motley’s incredible talent.
That being said, the character of Dirk Darrow should not stop anyone from going to see this performance. The sold out opening day audience was treated to a spectacle and in return treated Motley. While local humour fell a little flat throughout the hour, Motley was taught never to over-estimate the politeness of Ottawa audiences when a game of musical chairs (important for an illusion) culminated in a four person chair offering session. “After you.” “No please, I insist.” “No please, sit. I’ll forfeit.” Et cetera.
The opening was a delight to watch, the run is sure to sell out several times before the end of the festival, so get your tickets early.
6 Quick Dick Tricks: A Dirk Darrow Investigation by Tim Motley is playing at Arts Court Theatre (2 Daly Ave) until Saturday June 17, 2017. Tickets cost $12 online and at the door. Visit ottawafringe.com for the show schedule and box office info. Apt613 is trying to see every show on opening weekend of the 2017 Ottawa Fringe Festival. Read more reviews at apt613.ca/fringe.
