Charlatan: Secrets of the Victorian Psychics

Uninspired, and a retread of previously worn ideas, like a high school student's interpretation of "Play Dead."... full review

Interesting premise, but it fell a little flat. I either wanted it to stay consistent with the performer staying in character as a speaker at a Society for Psychical Research seminar or present as a dissertation. It was somewhere in between.... full review

The guy is short on interpersonal skills but some of the tricks are fun. ... full review

Total show was 40 minutes of mildly interesting history with the emphasis on mild! Not quite the show whose advertising captured my attention. Dr Mark Gasson, more informally dressed than his audience, talked briefly about the blooming of 19th-century English psychics, involved the audience in some tepid tricks and did his showpiece, hypnotizing a pretty girl from the audience with whispered instructions which were inaudible to the rest of us! ... full review

I kept waiting for the host to explain what was happening. For instance, after seeing an audience member's "psychic ability" perhaps details on how the trick was actually done or why the lady he hypnotized did what she did. Even hearing what he was whispering to her would have been better than trying to imagine what was going on. Since the title told me these were tricks which had been performed by charlatans, the tricks themselves did not amaze me and I was waiting for an explanation of how these tricks were successful, to be the pay-off. That never came because he would just proceed on to the next trick. Then the show just ended abruptly without even a wrap-up. I wasn't even sure it was over until people started to walk out.... full review