DERREN BROWN: ONLY HUMAN
Lowry, Salford Quays
Until Saturday 13th September 2025
Two years after the culmination of Showman – a deeply personal and reflective show that explored our most deeply held thoughts and feelings – master of psychological illusion Derren Brown is back with his latest live stage production, Only Human.
As always, reviewers have been sworn to secrecy to avoid revealing any twists, turns and surprises that may unfold – which of course makes compiling reviews like this rather challenging.
Only Human is a production that opens with a slightly lighter and more convivial tone that might be expected. In fact, much of the first half is lighthearted and fun. Brown touches upon historical concepts and sets up key elements that will come into play at a later time, but there’s a real playfulness about it all. After the interval, however, things soon take a much darker turn.
The centrepiece of act two is pure Derren Brown. It is exactly what audiences have come to see. The type of show-stopping theatricality we’ve been waiting for all show. It’s an unsettling and at times sinister set piece that will have audiences long debating the execution, legitimacy and the ethics of the mind-blowing set piece that has just unfolded before their very eyes.
Brown’s shows are always at their strongest when delving into the past and taking on a darker and more psychological tone. Act two is certainly proof of that. While the first act may feel weaker in comparison, the impact delivered in that second half is all the more effective and all the more striking for it.
There’s a powerful sense of pathos as Brown explores the nature of fate and what we want from our lives. How can we be better? How can we appreciate others? What do we want to be now – not in the future? All questions are examined with real sensitivity and depth.
In true Derren Brown style, the show relies of audience participation, and there is certainly plenty of it. That said, nobody is forced to get up on stage. If there are moments where you feel uncomfortable or uneasy, simply stay seated and enjoy watching everybody else!
Brown remains the ultimate showman and a magnetic master of his craft. His show’s are always highly polished and incredibly slick; Only Human is certainly no exception. A new Derren Brown live show is absolutely must see entertainment, as this once again proves.
Sceptic or not, the overall craft and the quality of the production cannot be denied. Enter with an open mind and a willingness to believe the unbelievable, and you will most definitely leave questioning your own reality and beliefs.
Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes (approx.), including one 20-minute interval
Final Performance of Derren Brown: Only Human at The Lowry, Salford: Saturday 13th September 2025
For more information on Derren Brown: Only Human at The Lowry, Salford, and to book tickets, please CLICK HERE.
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