It’s always a gas to track overlaps between Under the Radar productions.

The 7th Voyage of Egon Tichy [redux] and Wonderful Joe peel back the curtain on how their theatrical sausages are made, putting in plain sight the backstage maneuvers, usually hidden from view, that create the illusions. 

Or, befitting Wonderful Joe, the audience sees how the strings are pulled the entire time, and it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that Wonderful Joe includes characters performing such DIY theater. 

Relatedly, both productions also demand divided attention from the audience. During every moment of The 7th Voyage of Egon Tichy, one must choose between looking at the screen or the stage. For Wonderful Joe, does one focus on the puppets or the puppeteer??

In each, squaring the relationship between the two — and how the illusions are created — is part of the charm.