The Mesmerist at Watford Palace Theatre

In 2020, Rufus Hound learnt of the death of his estranged grandfather. The last five years have been a dizzying journey of discovery for Rufus, which culminates in the headline production of Watford Palace Theatre’s spring season, The Mesmerist.

The production is a collaboration between Rufus and Watford Palace Theatre, as he takes his family history and weaves in the discovery that his grandad had been a magician with the stage name The Mesmerist.

Old boxes Rufus inherited were filled with illusions, journals and props from his grandfather’s final magic show, previously performed in its entirety only once at Watford Palace Theatre in 1983. Intrigued, fascinated, out of work during lockdown and looking for a new project, Rufus learnt the show. This is that show. That labour of rediscovery and reinvention is uncovered and ready to be shared, as The Mesmerist is born from a legacy, resurrected from a forgotten past.

Prepare for magic, mystery and unforgettable theatre as multi-talented actor, comedian and presenter Rufus Hound (One Man, Two Guvnors, National Theatre; A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story, Birmingham Repertory Theatre) takes centre stage.