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The newest entry in the time-honoured tradition of magicians debunking the methods of false spiritualists is Séance Live by Sam Lupton. In this interactive show, Lupton showcases staples of mediumship, but all with the caveat of his own disbelief and in the stated interest of encouraging skepticism among attendees.

Lupton is a charming and compelling performer, and it would be easy to believe that had he chosen to peruse mediumship as a career, he would have no shortage of devotees. He divides his show into two parts, one composed primarily of hot and cold reading audience members, and one more focused on spirit phenomena like slate writing and pendulum dowsing.

Lupton is conscientious enough to assure participants, in the first half of the show, that he has had no legitimate contact with loved ones on the ’other side’. In some ways, his ethical standards here are to his detriment. Professional fake mediums are often extremely creative and invasive in their zeal to uncover personal information on audience members that they can use for their readings. Likely due to the absence of this, Lupton’s ‘hits’ of information on audience members are sporadic and somewhat underwhelming. He does use the excuse of this being an educational experience, but that falls a bit flat considering what he is theoretically trying to achieve. If it is shocking perceptiveness that causes people to fall victim to fake mediums, a show debunking it should be able to reach equal levels of this otherworldly-but-not-really skill.

As mentioned, stage magicians criticizing the methodology of fake spiritualists is no new practice. It has gone on essentially as long as the two groups have coexisted. However, one thing magicians typically do not mention is that this debunking was done not just out of a sense of justice for the general public or a fight in the battle to be the most honest liar. It was also because magicians and mediums often do use the same tricks, and through this, mediums posed a risk to magicians’ control over their secrets.

This begets the unfortunately innate weakness in Lupton’s show – as a working magician, there is only so far he can lead the viewer without giving away useful skills he and other magicians use in their careers. He wholeheartedly states his own disbelief in the supernatural, and indeed presents this entire show in the theme of disproving the beliefs of others. However, many phenomena within the show are left underexplained or unexplained for the purposes of dramatic appeal.

Séance Live is a fun and intriguing way of engaging in the concept and methodology of fake mediumship. While it may not change your belief one way or another, it is a worthwhile experience and a great way to learn more about the history of spiritualism.