Stage review: Combination comedy and magic, ‘Lucy Darling’ is the delight we need

The world needs more laughs. And comedian-magician Carisa Hendrix, as Lucy Darling, knows how to deliver them.

If you’re like me, you’re probably chronically online, which means you may know the stage show “Lucy Darling” and the same-named stage character from video clips circling TikTok and Facebook reels.

Hendrix’s Lucy is best known for her crowd work, selecting audience members braving the theater’s front row with a playful and comedic back-and-forth. Accompanying Lucy onstage is an improv pianist who provides additional comedy and tunes.

Going into a performance that’s hyped online can come with risks, with entertainers cherry-picking clips for best online engagement. Rest assured, Lucy’s online presence is as authentic as the live show.

Donning a red wig and elegantly dressed, Hendrix, who hails from Canada, commanded the stage Sunday evening at the First Interstate Center for the Arts.

Hendrix and her accompanist arrived well-prepared with knowledge on the Lilac City, giving shoutouts to the Red Wagon, Garbage Goat, The Spokesman-Review and Gonzaga.

No time Sunday was wasted working the crowd from the moment Hendrix entered the stage. Engaging with the audience was critical to the performance, as throughout the show, Hendrix re-engaged with attendees for additional jokes or assistance with her magic tricks.

The crowd at a show like “Lucy Darling” becomes the comedian’s tool. Throughout the act, Hendrix returned to the audience, not just for jokes, but as an extension of the performance. Audience participation went beyond the one-on-one interactions to include a “Dear Lucy” segment, a singalong, dancing and more.

The comedy played well with the magic, with the latter half of the show delivering an impressive trick involving a glass of whiskey and several whiskey bottles that continued to materialize from the same two containers.

Hendrix is a performer who can do a lot with a little, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a future Vegas residency for the talent.

While the show could have used one or two more magic tricks and perhaps a final round of one-on-one audience interactions in the shorter second half, in what feels like a difficult-to-navigate world, a show like “Lucy Darling” was a much needed belly of laughs for this attendee, and I’m sure for many others.