Scott Silven wants you to question everything — and by the end of The Lost Things, you absolutely will
Premiering exclusively for Australian audiences at the Sydney Opera House’s Playhouse Theatre, Silven’s brand-new show blends mind-bending mentalism with beautifully haunting storytelling.
It’s theatre as séance, illusion as introspection — all wrapped in the velvety accent and easy charm of one of the most compelling performers working today.
The show hinges on a simple childhood memory: a young boy lost in a Scottish forest with nothing but his iPod and his imagination. It’s a story Silven claims as his own – if its true or not – that uncertainty is part of the magic. Are we witnessing memory, metaphor, or straight-up sleight of mind? Probably all three.
Directed by Graham McLaren, The Lost Things is meticulously staged. The set evokes a moody dreamscape – an estate framed by trees, a shattered TV flickering with spectral static, and the hint of stars just beyond reach. It feels like wandering through the past with a flashlight, each new detail sparking a fresh wave of déjà vu.
Silven’s gift isn’t just in the tricks (which are, frankly, mind-blowing – we won’t spoil them), but in how he folds them into narrative. He doesn’t perform at you; he weaves you into the story. Audience members are invited to participate, and somehow – impossibly – he seems to know things he shouldn’t. Intimate things. Lost things.
The sound design deserves its own shoutout: from pulsing, heartbeat-like bass to glitchy jolts of static, it keeps you suspended between calm and unease. It’s a sonic breadcrumb trail, luring you deeper into the forest of memory until you’re not quite sure which direction is out.
Silven says he’s not here to entertain, but to make you think. That’s true. But it’s also a hell of a ride. You’ll leave the theatre questioning how he did it, sure – but more so, how he made you feel the way you did. That’s the real magic.
Whether he’s truly psychic or just impossibly skilled, The Lost Things is an unforgettable theatrical experience. It’s eerie, elegant, and full of heart – a rare reminder that the unknown isn’t something to fear, but to lean into.
Scott Silven: The Lost Things
Playhouse Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Now until June 29, 2025
Tickets from $85 + booking fee
Don’t miss it.
Tickets here.
