Bullet Catch

Rob Drummond has slowly built up a reputation as one of Scotland’s most interesting artists and performers. In this piece, presented by acclaimed Glasgow arts centre The Arches, he adopts the character of William Wonder, a magician who wants to attempt a ‘bullet catch’ – a trick in which he will catch a bullet in his teeth after it has been shot into his mouth by an audience member.

Drummond really does pluck a volunteer for this task from the audience, so don’t raise your hand at the start of the show if you’re not up for shooting a gun at him. Through the story of another magician, William Henderson—who died while performing the bullet catch stunt—Drummond considers ideas of belief and nihilism, and whether free will really exists. He’s an earnest but very likeable performer and goes to great lengths to make his chosen volunteer and the audience comfortable with what he’s doing.

But there isn’t enough focus here to make Bullet Catch truly gripping. Drummond's constant reassurance that what he’s doing is safe is comforting for anyone whose nerves are feeling a bit frayed, but it also means he breaks character too often, losing momentum in the process. His character, William Wonder, isn’t well realised either, and too easily interchangeable with the performer himself. Still, Drummond creates a convincing atmosphere and the audience is palpably uneasy when the ultimate trick—which is bewildering and impressive—is finally executed.