☆☆☆☆

Billed as the adult version of the performers’ popular afternoon family show, 1 Hour of Insane Magic After Dark is proving equally popular with Fringe audiences. A significant part of the appeal is undoubtedly the opportunity to watch three beloved local showman let their dirty mouths run wild for an hour, but there is also plenty of perfectly performed magic and a couple of guest cabaret spots for variety.

The insane magicians take turns showcasing their tricks solo and in various configurations with each other.  Stunt magician Luke Osey performs the weirdest trick to open the show. It’s not so much a magic trick as it is an odd ability that he has cultivated for reasons known only to himself. Osey does frame his performance with magical jokes, giving it the aura of a trick, and employs a camera to ensure that everyone in the audience can see the action regardless of where they’re sitting.

Resident insane mentalist Cameron Gibson has been described on social media as an international sex symbol, and if anyone in the After Dark audience doesn’t agree with that the moment he steps in front of them in that magic outfit of his, they will have come around after watching him take control of everyone’s minds on stage throughout the evening. Gibson successfully reads audience minds in various configurations using “two truths and a lie” prompts, a clever use of time to allow successive reveals to build in impact.

Sleight of hand artist Elliot Bibby performs a classic of card magic using his tongue, in fitting with the After Dark theme. At the reviewed show Bibby made particular friends with one of his primary audience participants, even sharing a beer. That participant was so impressed by the magic he got to see up close that after the card was located he bowed down to Bibby, in awe of Bibby’s magical skills.

The guest spots at the reviewed show went to the Edinburgh-famous Performing Nerd Tom Crosbie, and an Australian contortionist who performs as Sassy Limbs. They are a fantastic confirmation that the Insane Magicians are able to attract the best of the cabaret performers to join them onstage. While Crosbie is the more magic-adjacent, the contrast between the two of them and with the Insane Magicians themselves works perfectly in the fabric of the show.

Unfortunately the reviewed show came to an end with a lack of a bang. The Insane Magicians had planned to end the evening with a dangerous stunt that their fans may remember from last year, but an issue with the props made it too dangerous to perform. It was a surprisingly wholesome twist ending. In the capitalist nightmare of modern society the old adage that “the show must go on” is often cited to encourage dangerous behavior, but Insane Magic is about the bond between the performers as much as it is about the tricks themselves, and it’s lovely to see Gibson and Bibby correctly choose to value Osey’s safety over an exciting ending for their show. Those who remember last year’s Insane Magic can attest that when it is able to be executed it’s a very cool stunt to see, and it’s comforting to know that when we do see it, it’s being performed as safely as possible. 

With a little bit of everything and a lot of magic, 1 Hour of Insane Magic After Dark is both the perfect start to a night out and the perfect end to a day at the Fringe. It’s tempting to return multiple times to enjoy the boys and their guest stars. Regardless of how the show ends, they will ensure that everyone in the audience has an insane evening.