THE CULT OF ASTAROTH

☆☆☆

The Edinburgh Fringe can offer pretty much anything one might be interested in, but even so, you may be surprised to learn that this includes the opportunity to join a cult. In his show The Cult of Astaroth, magician and cultmaster Ash Pryce presents a compelling argument as to why we should all praise Astaroth.

Those familiar with ceremonial religion will be right at home in the little Banshee Labyrinth room where the cult has their inductions. The show begins with the procession of the elders, played by Liz Dooley and CC Massey, and of the cult’s leader, played by Pryce. Attendees are also presented with prayer books, filled with the various prayers that they will need to recite over the course of the evening. It is unlikely that Cult will attract an audience that is not receptive to playing along with some light fictional demon worship, but if one such person finds their way in, there is no penalty and no public shaming for not joining in prayer.

Through a series of parables with an acolyte of Astaroth, we learn the various tenants of the cult’s belief. What’s more, lest we forget, this show is the creation of of a professional magican, and for each tenant there is a corresponding ritual – which you may also recognize as a magic trick. If considered as a whole a magic show, the effects are in a small proportion to the narrative in general. But if seen as a theatrical performance, they exist to highlight appropriate points and make the experience feel that much more immersive and creative. The tricks are well performed and perfect thematic ties to the message of their respective rituals.

The acting over the course of the show can come across as a bit overly hammy, particularily by Pryce and Dooley, but the performance is so intentionally tounge in cheek that it doesn’t detract from the experience dreadfully. Again, this is a show that is reaching exactly the right audience. Anyone who chooses a demonic cult show at the Edinburgh Fringe is likely already someone up for expirimentality and campiness. If this audience expands, it may behoove the cast to sharpen the script and dramatics, but in its current phase of life the vibe is exactly right.

As we learn at the end of The Cult of Astaroth, the Five Wisdoms we have been taught come from theraputic tools that have been beneficial to Pryce over the course of his personal healing journey. Attendees of the performance receive a program of the show at the end that includes more detailed explanations of these tools and how one might utiilize them to their own psychological benefit. The care put into this project is clear, and this knowledge inspires audiences to return again to watch the entire performance over through a more enlightened lens. Praise Astaroth!

KANE AND ABEL: TWIN FEATS

☆☆☆☆

It’s so stupid. It’s such dumb humour. But you know what? Even if against your will, even kicking and screaming, twin magicians Kane and Abel will successfully have you buying in to their delightfully silly magic show Twin Feats. This show is an absurdly high energy from beginning to end, and as ridiculous as it may seem, it will fully charm you all the same.

Kane and Abel definitely cultivate an intentionally goofy shtick for their performer personas, and are consistent with it throughout every show. Therefore, while the purported theme of Twin Feats is them finding the balance of individuality with their twin relationship, and this storyline ties their tricks together, the real theme is them lunging for the cheap laugh at every opportunity. It cannot be more true here though that you have to be pretty smart to look so dumb. These personas are perfectly calibrated to keep everyone laughing and to play off each other impeccably (though they certainly should be able to by this point!)

More importantly, as silly as they act, Kane and Abel are incredibly accomplished and precise performers. At the performance reviewed, this reviewer was seated in the perfect location to catch any possible mishap. Even situated so, even with the knowledge of precisely what to look out for, only one glimpse into the sleight of hand secrets was seen throughout the show, and this would have not been visible to 99% of the audience. What’s more, even where Kane and Abel use the general ideas of familiar tricks – including card tricks and calculator mentalism, they are dressed up in so much original presentation that is artfully dialed into their unique vibe so to seem wholly new.

Kane and Abel’s show Twin Feats is a fantastic example of comedy magic that even the most cynical audience member will have no choice but to fall for.

JAMIE LEONARD: BLINK OF AN EYE

☆☆☆

If you are chronically online, you may be aware of the audio meme that goes: “Want a beer?” “He’s 4!” “I don’t know, what am I supposed to do with him!?” Jamie Leonard is of course not 4, but he is just 18, a fact that will be shocking to anyone who experiences his confident and mature mastery over the stage. He’s 18! What are we supposed to do with him, review him fairly to the same standard of long time adult magicians? That’s apparently all we can do.

Leonard is up front about his age, making multiple references to his recent stint in, well, school, throughout the show. He also is in one of the exact life stages that his chosen theme is more directly relevant to, where the cusp of adulthood that you are falling over reveals that many things that came before it can and will be over in the blink of an eye. This truth is prominent to anyone at a transitional phase of life, so even those in his audience who are long past their school days can and do find it relatable. The magic tricks that he picks are lightly tied into this theme, and are not necessarily anything profoundly original, mostly a selection featuring card and math based tricks. However, his bright presentations keep them feeling fairly fresh, and he performs each and every one to near technical perfection.

When including audience participants in his effects, Leonard finds an excellent balance in being charmingly open and easy with little kids, and gently razzing the adults. He guides everyone clearly and keeps instructions simple, while making the experience enjoyable for all.

Even if you cannot relate to the underlying theme, Leonard has an infectious energy and affable enthuiasm that keep the audience feeling upbeat and engaged. At some points he is literally dancing and prancing around the stage, showing the confidence you might expect only from a much more seasoned performer. The only showmanship facet that really seems to need more experince is enunciation, as occasionally Leonard seems to get a little overexcited and fails to speak clearly. However, these moments are limited.

Jamie Leonard’s Blink of an Eye is an excellent work of a magic show, and his sold out rooms indicate that he is rapidly finding the success he has earned. If this is the level he is capable of performing at as a teenager, his competion should be quaking in their boots at the prospect of what he will be bringing within the next five or ten years.

DAVE REUBENS: MAGIC SURVIVAL GUIDE

☆

If the prospect of a magic survival guide doesn’t much interest you, don’t worry. Magician Dave Reubens doesn’t seem to be interested in it either. Reubens’ current Edinburgh Fringe offering is a chaotic mix of random tricks strung together, proclaimed to be a magic show but poorly accomplished and half (if that) heartedly presented.

The premise of this show is that life is hard, and it would be much easier if there was a magic survival guide (his tricks) to help one get through it. The connections between the tricks and this premise are tenuous at best, and completely nonnsensical at worst. Apparently literal highway robbery and the existence of space are problems we face reguarly in life? This reviewer doesn’t know, but truly doesn’t think Reubens does either.

Due to the lack of commitment to the bit as far as the theme goes, one can surmise that the tricks picked for this show were actually chosen on the basis on being the ones that Reubens is the best at. However, this is unfortunate if true, as he is not even very skillful at these. He presents a mix of standard magical tricks, integrating rope tricks, torn and restored newspaper, and a Rubix cube among then. Through several tricks there is some obvious flashing of items the audience is not supposed to be seeing, and his palming is overt. At one especially notable moment, Reubens gleefully exclaims about the emptyness of a prop…. only for a substantial amount of liquid to pour out in front of everybody and form a puddle on the stage.

Tech issues are generally forgiven by critics during the Fringe, due to the unorthodox venues and limited opportunities for enough on site rehearsal. That being said, Reubens’ tech issue at the show reviewed should have been an easy one to catch ahead of beginning, and even had he not, a professional magican should be better able to roll with issues instead of letting them start his show off on the wrong foot so blatantly. This mishap may be the cause of Reubens’ nervous energy, but we cannot reliably assert that this isn’t just his natural state.

In an effort to convince the audience that he is doing a better job than actuality, Reubens overexplains his tricks to make the seem more impressive, and cheers more loudly for himself than all his audience is doing combined. The desperation is offputting to say the least, with the crowd reception starting lukewam at best and getting colder every minute. At one point, Reubens receives literally zero participation interest for the easiest, least intimidating participation opportunity and has to resort to picking people instead after an extended awkward silence.

Every trick at Magical Survival Guide can be seen done more successfully and entertainingly by one of the dozens of other magicians at the Edinburgh Fringe, and it is our advice that readers take that oppportunity. Reubens does not seem like a bad or mean guy, and he clearly loves magic. His story of his inspiration is certainly touching, particularly for viewers who have experienced parental loss. However, his show requires some significant work in both planning and practice before we can reccommend.

CHRIS COOK: FAKE

☆☆☆☆☆

Who is going to believe a magician? Everything they do and say is fake, after all. Well, audiences of Chris Cook’s Fake need not fear, we did some fact checking, and the story he weaves has truth to it. How much, only Cook could say. It’s up to you if you believe him, and it’s also up to you if it matters. At one point of Fake, Cook quotes Kipling’s “it’s pretty, but is it Art?”. While this line could inspire an enire Fringe worth of shows and never come to any conclusion about the parameters in which we can define art, here at World Magic Review we just go ahead and executively decide that magic shows are indeed art. And Cook’s Fake is not only pretty, not only art, but is in fact a triumph of magical storytelling.

The storyline of Fake is to follow the history of early 20th century art forger Han van Meegeren, who found success forging works of art masters, most notably Vermeer. Within this story, the audience of Fake not only learns a little something about art history, but experiences skillful magic along the way. The test of a solid narrative magic show is how each element would hold up if the other was eliminated. Without magic, Fake is a TED Talk about van Meegeren and the William Ellsworth Robinson, a magician who used falsehood not only in his act but as part of his entire public persona. Cook’s delivery just on these historical truths is strong enough that yes, it could stand as an entirely magicless show.

Then on the other side, without the history of these figures, Cook would be forced to be successful on the strength of his adeptability in creative magic effects and skillful sleight of hand, something attendees of his past shows will know he is more than capable of. During Fake, Cook incorporates a brief linking rings trick, then quickly segues it into something much more personal and compelling to the audience. Later, he successfully performs a memorable bullet catch (believe us, this is exactly what happens. Chris Cook catches a bullet live inside an Edinburgh venue. The participant can even show you the bullet!)

While both the storytelling and the magic of Fake are independantly strong enough to be successful even were they alone, the marriage of the two facets together are the true hallmark of a Cook performance. Cook not only shows off his almost annoying skill at sleight of hand, but he is first in class at making the audience care. And not only care for frivolous, ‘fake’ reasons that only stand up to scrutiny within the confines of his venue, but for actual reasons that we can connect to at personal and visceral levels, whether we were a participant in a trick or just a viewer.

Speaking of participation, this aspect is at a lower level than many magic show or even at Cook’s own historical leve. However, he maintains his ability to interact with his audience in a genuinely respectful way, only targeting people who are comfortable being involved, and only showing them encouragement and support as they step out of their comfort zones to join him.

Fake is not just a magic show but an exploration of magic as an artform. Along the way, attendees get to see some legitimately impressive magic tricks and learn a bit about the art world and Cook’s investigation of it – captivating, engrossing, and maybe just a little fake.

COLIN CLOUD: HOAX

☆☆☆☆

Many magicians at the Edinburgh Fringe yearn to grow their shows to the Las Vegas level. Colin Cloud, rockstar mentalist, is the hometown (adjacent) boy who actually achieved that, and then returned for a victory lap with his new show Hoax.

Cloud may have travelled far and wide since his first appearance at the Fringe, but while has material has grown in flash and glamor, there are elements that he has been true to since the very beginning, and attendees will recognize in this year’s offering. In fact, if his opening intro isn’t word for word what it has been for the last decade, it follow the patter structure at least closely enough to be remembered as familiar. One thing that has been abandoned over the time, however, is his urgent self-classification. Cloud no longer works hard to define himself as the ‘modern Sherlock Holmes’, with the word Sherlock dropped only once in the show, and not even really in reference to himself. He also underplays the concept of mentalism itself, as if intending not to be simply a performer in a certain category, but a category unto himself. And he very well may be correct on this front. Hoax is performed in one of the largest venues at the Edinburgh Fringe, and if it’s not selling out nightly it is surely coming damn close.

Mentalism, which indeed Hoax is whether it’s proclaimed or not, is a difficult sort of magic. The most compelling aspect of it is that instead of working with obvious visual props, it relies on attendees’s convictions of the unpenetrability of their own minds. For the individuals who are used as participants, the amazement is heightened by how personal it feels to have one’s own thoughts accessed. But, this hyper personalization means that the performer has to work that much harder to make each effect interesting to those not involved. After all, we rarely know many of the other 700+ audience members, so why would we care about their thought? Well, because Colin Cloud makes us care, of course. Cloud is a pro at keeping his crowd engaaged every step of the way, employing a ‘jovial aside’ method to directly and humourously address the audience as a whole even when he is in the midst of intructions and interactions with an individal. For the participant experience, Cloud runs a tight ship, letting those he calls upon show enough personality to give him something to play off, but not enough to steal or derail the show. At the reviewed permance, no particpant is particulaly memorable, and that’s how it should be.

While Cloud does follow the trend of having a certain theme per show, with this year’s being of course hoaxes, this is mostly superficial. While a little time and some segues utilize this theme, it appears to exist as a simple skeleton to underly the tricks of the performance. Cloud doesn’t really have anything paticularily profound he wants to share about Hoaxes, he just needs it for the clickbait factor. But once the crowd fills in, his performance is strong enough that no one particularily cares.

There is a good reason that Colin Cloud is selling out show after show with Hoax. He has a winning formula, a charismatic personality, and the skill to back them both up. And more importantly, Cloud has put in the work to grow his act from little rooms in small venues to tour internationally, star in Vegas, and still return home to honor the same audiences that put him on that path in the first place. If you want to see an exemplary mentalism show performed by the most reliably consistent performer in the business, Hoax is the place to be.

JAMES MCDIARMID: THE CURIOLOGIST

☆☆☆

James McDiarmid knows how to put the “bizarre” in bizarre magic. In his Fringe show The Curiologist, he introduces his audiences to a series of curiosities that he has collected in his life, telling their stories illustrated with magic. By design it’s more of a storytelling show than a magic show, but while there are few tricks, they are performed perfectly and are precisely in theme.

When there are so few magic tricks, every trick counts, and errors have that much more effect on the overall impact of the show. Luckily, McDiarmid performs his impeccably. An early card trick is a highlight, featuring an unusual and exciting reveal that is interesting both for its originality and how well it’s integrated into the story that McDiarmid illustrates. McDiarmid also creates little magical moments in between the main stories, most notably with the help of the spookiest magician’s assistant in the business, Emily the vintage doll. These keep the audience engaged through the moments of transition, always on the lookout for the next unexpected trick.

McDiarmid naturally invites a few participants to join him onstage, but a show with relatively few tricks means relatively few participants. Introverts might have an easier time hiding in the back to enjoy the magic without getting pulled onstage than at most magic shows. That being said, McDiarmid has a kindly stage presence and makes sure his participants feel welcome.

The stories McDiarmid tells might be spookily themed, but his natural charm and humor cut through to lighten the energy of the show. The Curiologist is more akin to a camp counselor sharing ghost stories around the fire before the children in his care go to sleep than a horror movie. This is to McDiarmid’s benefit; his act has a wide appeal.

The Curiologist is the perfect nightcap of a show for those who appreciate a creepy theme but still want to sleep well after. The care that McDiarmid has put in to every detail is noticeable and worth appreciating. Every last item has its curio label, even McDiarmid himself. Magic fans and spooky story fans alike will find attending The Curiologist worth the risk of being labeled and added to McDiarmid’s collection.

ANDY BOYD: THE PROFESSIONAL SHOWOFF

☆☆☆☆

Audiences might expect a certain amount of cockiness in the attitude of a performer who would call his Fringe show The Professional Showoff. Andy Boyd isn’t like that. He might know how to do a lot of cool and unusual magic and circus tricks, but his demeanor throughout is friendly and welcoming, expressing appreciation for his audience members. The Professional Showoff is part magic, part homemade machine demonstration, and part juggling, and in all of those categories Boyd is exceptional.

There might be plenty of performance categories included, but the magic in particular is a recurring theme. Boyd frequently uses magic to highlight and punctuate the other elements of his show. A clear highlight is his final trick, which is so worth seeing that it would be worthwhile sitting through the whole rest of the show just for that trick—and Boyd makes sure that the preceding forty-five-ish minutes are plenty entertaining too.

Boyd’s fans may recognize that he has kept the same title for his Fringe show as last year, but he’s brought some new tricks and props. Particularly exciting is a very impressive robot-looking camera. Boyd demonstrates this on the audience and then uses the result for a unusual take on a magic routine. The creativity in his use of magic and its integration with the other skills that he demonstrates keeps Boyd’s work exciting even for magic fans. They might recognize some element of the trick, but Boyd will make sure they view it in a new light.

Much of the audience gets involved in Boyd’s show, in a variety of roles ranging from those that can be performed from their seats to some that are invited onstage. Particularly exciting is the opportunity to operate one of Boyd’s machines at will; audience members are advised to sit in the front row to have the best shot at getting to do this. Boyd might seem increasingly alarmingly talented as the show progresses, but he is evidently self-aware enough to know that not everyone has his skills, and makes sure to give his audience participants accessible tasks.

Boyd is a whole circus in one person, and in The Professional Showoff audiences get to witness some of his exceptional talents. Its lunchtime slot might make it feel like an early morning event by Fringe standards, but it’s worth a watch, whether as a lunch break or a way to start the Fringe day.

BEN HART: LABYRINTH

☆☆☆☆

At the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, magician Ben Hart’s real competition is simply – Ben Hart’s previous shows. Or at least you will believe upon attendance of his latest work, Labyrinth. One of the greatest appeals of the Fringe is the sheer quantity of shows a patron can go to in one day, one city. You could (we at WMR often do) fit in at least half a dozen magic shows in one day, running to venue to venue, gorging yourself on talent. But Hart’s truest showmanship talent is making the competition fully fall away in your mind while you are in his presence.

As always, Hart’s show follows a narrative theme. In Labyrinth, fairly self explanatorily, we are invited to reflect on the concept of following strings through a labyrinth, and the metaphorical implication of that concept as if in our thought processes and how decisions we make are strung together to the next step and overall impact on our lives, leading us through our own personal labyrinths. While a solidly relatable theme, Hart does not lean into it as heavily as may be expected. The opening stage is decorated with a clock face of strings, and the variations on this theme are mentioned to open various tricks, but the cohesion to the plot is not quite to Hart’s norm. It seems to be there more for conveniance than to demonstrate a story Hart wishes to tell through magic.

If we are a bit light on plot, the same cannot be said for enthusiasm of effects. Hart weaves into Labyrinth many tricks magic fans will be delighted to see, from found cards, mentalism, and physical effects. While a move here or there may not be quite quick enough yet for the trained eye, his talent is nevertheless unmistakable. A particulary impactful portion of the show is a shadow puppet interlude, during which Hart demonstrates that his skills and humor are ever growing. And while an ultimate reveal may follow a structure that magic fans will find familiar, the physical facet of this reveal is both unprecedented and highly impressive.

Hart is and has always been a spectacular showman. His persona on stage is larger than life, and the ambiance of his shows is perfected to support them in every aspect. From matching his personal vibe to the grandiose and mysterious venue, employing approrpiately dramatic lighting and sound effects, and designing a beautiful stage, Hart is obviously aware that atmosphere has a powerful impact on how a performance is received. But even more impressive is how adaptable said onstage persona is. At one moment enigmatic and intimidating, Hart can switch on a dime to be a jovial and welcoming everyman, easily bantering with audience participants and easing any concerns they may have about participating, even while lightly ribbing their self consciousness.

The Labyrinth is an excellent example of how Ben Hart has dominated the Fringe magic scene for so many years. It is a wholly accessible primer of well performed magical effects, formed together in a thought provoking narrative concept. A wise Fringe attendee would indeed let the string of this review lead them to Ben Hart this year.

SIEGFRIED AND JOY: LAS VEGAS IN EDINBURGH

☆☆☆

Acclaimed magic double act Siegfried and Joy have made their long-awaited return to the Fringe this year, with their Las Vegas in Edinburgh show. Their local fans may remember their sold out Fringe debut three years ago. This year they are once again sold out, but in a much larger venue. Eager attendees in the lengthy queue to get inside could be heard comparing the Siegfried and Joy queue to a Ryanair boarding queue, there were so many people it was difficult to imagine them all fitting in the venue. But everyone managed to pile in, and Siegfried and Joy kept them all thoroughly entertained for the hour.

Siegfried and Joy have a distinctly silly style and tone that has garnered them their following. Much of the show comprises of magic-themed jokes and occasionally acrobatic dances, all covered in more glitter than it is possible to expect. This is what the audience is here for, perhaps even more than the magic, and Siegfried and Joy do not disappoint. The joke effect that they are most famous for online accurately sets the tone, and is given pride of place in their live performance.

For magic fans, the actual magic may feel slightly underwhelming. In amongst the jokes Siegfried and Joy do sprinkle in real tricks that are performed well, but, especially at an arts festival that attracts such creativity, some of their reveals can feel a bit redundant and even at times basic. It’s worth noting that the reviewed event was just an hour taken out of their proper theatre-length show; perhaps their full show is more well-rounded and polished and would come across differently. Nevertheless, there are magical highlights, most notably a card trick that uses an added element of wetness to make the reveal all the more impressive.

Siegfried and Joy’s use of audience participation is unusual and suitable for their style. While they invite audience members to join them onstage, they “speak for” the participant, which, aside from being hilarious, is a clever way to maintain their quick pace and ensure that the participant can be heard all the way through to the back of the audience. It’s participants as props more than as genuine participants, but it suits the tone of the show.

Las Vegas in Edinburgh may not be the most technically impressive magic show at this year’s Fringe, but it doesn’t have to be. Siegfried and Joy are delights to watch onstage, and their legions of fans are thrilled to witness them in action. They make a very real contribution to magic as an art form in their role as two of its most renowned ambassadors. The Edinburgh Fringe may not have given them the time to perform their full, polished show, but the people of Edinburgh will be grateful for the hour they get to spend with these wonderful performers.