The Enigmatist
- Alex
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
If you love riddles, cryptic crosswords or the kind of magic that makes your brain do a little double-take, then The Enigmatist at Wilton’s Music Hall is an absolute must-see — five stars without a moment’s hesitation. This isn’t just a magic show; it’s a cleverly engineered puzzle adventure, and David Kwong has such a deft hand at blending wordplay with wizardry that the whole evening feels like a gentle (and yet very enjoyable) workout for the mind.
Wilton’s itself — that wonderfully atmospheric, lovingly worn East End treasure — sets exactly the right tone. Even before curtain-up, you’re invited to poke at a pre-show puzzle, a tiny foretaste of the intellectual mischief to come. Once Kwong steps into the light, the pace quickens: codes to crack, stories to untangle, ideas to chase. It’s a richly layered performance, stitched together with his trademark wit and understated confidence.
Kwong’s background as a master cruciverbalist — with puzzles in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and plenty more — is reflected in every beat. The show is a treat for puzzle aficionados, code-breakers, problem-solvers and anyone who finds satisfaction in fitting disparate pieces together. What’s delightful is that nothing feels gimmicky or simplified; the clues are subtle enough to feel satisfying but never so obscure that the audience is left floundering.
And the magic isn’t confined to cerebral feats. Kwong also reminds you that he’s an exceptional performer in the traditional sense: he executes some clever physical tricks and an especially astonishing stretch of card magic that feels so clean and precise you can barely believe he's achieved it.. Watching him manipulate a deck with that combination of ease and meticulousness is a joy of its own — a reminder that puzzle-making and sleight-of-hand come from the same love of precision.
His storytelling folds in real history too which forms the background of the evening, including the early days of American code-breaking during the Second World War, drawing a thread from Riverbank Estate’s pioneering cryptologists to the better-known legacy of Bletchley Park. It gives the show a sense of depth, as though you’re being welcomed into a long lineage of people delighted by secrets.
Kwong’s credentials behind the scenes are just as impressive: he was the head magic consultant on the film Now You See Me and has contributed to projects such as The Imitation Game and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. You can feel that cinematic precision in the way the evening builds — the structure is tight, the reveals land cleanly, and the final payoff snaps satisfyingly into place.
Audience interaction is handled with warmth and generosity. People lean in, whisper, scribble, nudge each other when they think they’ve spotted something — it’s oddly communal for something so cerebral. By the end, you feel like you’ve been part of a very friendly, very clever caper and the audience gasps at the final reveal were only right and proper and extremely well deserved on David Kwong's part.
I daren't mention too much for fear of party-pooping anyone's evening but in short: if you enjoy thinking, if you relish a challenge, or if you simply love magic that respects your intelligence, The Enigmatist is absolutely for you. Clever, charming, playful and expertly constructed — it’s an evening that leaves your brain fizzing in the best possible way. Don't delay as tickets are selling fast and time is limited.
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