SINSATIONAL SENSATIONALISM OR,
WHAT HAPPENS IN TIMES SQUARE,
STAYS IN TIMES SQUARE

Escape artistry emerged as a formal performance art in the 1860s, when the Davenport Brothers popularized their rope-escape act—paving the way for Harry Houdini, whose name became nearly synonymous with the craft by the 1890s. Carrying on this proud, magic-adjacent tradition is Lord Nil, whose 7 Deadly Sins spectacle opened last Sunday at Stage 42.

Steph Payne and Lord Nil

As we enter the theater, Erik Ventrice‘s spooky ambient music plays while fiery emblems of the sins — Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Sloth, Wrath — are projected onto the curtain and shown on two large displays on each side of the stage (video & screen content designer Dan Mitrea).

When the curtain rises on a giant guillotine-like blade ticking back and forth above a glass tank filled with water, it’s immediately clear what kind of show we’re in for: high-risk feats of escape and physical daring.

Thomas Caruso‘s art design evokes an urban post-apocalyptic style, complete with an orange sky and half intact buildings. The concept and script by Marta Lucata and direction by Alberto Olivais are pretty straightforward: Our MC, Vice (Steph Payne), is intent on trapping Lord Nil in various contraptions themed on the deadly sins, while the headliner is intent on escaping them in dramatic fashion. Every sin is a dash for freedom by Lord Nil. That’s all you really need to know.

Steph Payne

Nil, a quarter-finalist on season 13 of America’s Got Talent. sells each escape well, but the evening is more than that. We are treated to some banter and crowd work from our villain, Vice; some shredding on electric guitar; and Stefano Alessandrino‘s sultry dance numbers from the ensemble — all ten of whom are quite fluid, easy on the eyes, and dressed by Guiseppe Magistro as if they raided a West Village kink shop. A show like this wouldn’t be out of place in residency at a casino or hotel in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. In an Off-Broadway theater, however, it is a little out of place. To a trained eye, or at least an eye that has seen a lot of theater, the tricks seem a little rudimentary, although I certainly could not do them.

That illusion doesn’t take away from the inarguable corporeal prowess required by Nil to pull off these escapes. When he is locked in a giant rotating ant farm-style maze filled with fog, he’s truly working through the maze to the finish. The core strength necessary to hold himself over a hot stove while wriggling out of wrist and ankle bindings is not easy to maintain. His contortions inside tight spaces are impressive. Next to me, a gentlewoman frequently had her hands over her mouth in shock and suspense, waiting to see if the Lord would dodge the swinging axe, or slip out of the cage before the spikes reached the floor.

7 Deadly Sins throws a lot at the audience (and Lord Nil). For some, it may be entertaining and awe inspiring, and it’s nice to see something different to the usual New York scene. For the seasoned theater goer, however, you may feel trapped by a swing and a miss, so, at the very least, when you bring your out-of-town friends, grab a drink or two at the bar and pay for your Sins.

photos by Jeremy Daniel

Lord Nil: 7 Deadly Sins
Rainer Hackl, The Artist Management
in association with Impossible Escapes LLC
Stage 42, 422 West 42nd St
75 minutes, no intermission
ends on August 31, 2025
for tickets, visit Lord Nil or Telecharge