☆☆☆☆

From big moments, to small moments, to the precise moment of the performance, 1 Moment in Time is, of course, about time. As themed magic goes, Sean Alexander has committed 100% to his bit. Every single trick, story, and moment in the show is perfectly, precisely on theme. The effect is powerful. Even if some of the coincidences that Alexander finds in the show feel like a bit of a stretch, this is still on theme—the magic is there, but you have to look for it. It might not be a unique theme for a magic show but it’s beautifully illustrated over the course of the hour.

Artistic beauty is in fact the first impression that the audience gets as they enter Alexander’s theatre. (That, and the unusually comfortable seats for a Fringe venue.) Alexander has set up his stage with a selection of paper cut artwork depicting famous impactful moments in time. These are available for the audience to approach and admire as they find their seats. The paper cuttings become a minor motif as well, and the ones featured at the start go on to be involved in something bigger.

Each piece of magic is similarly performed with precision. If there is one hiccup due to a stranger not obliging with their time Alexander pushes through professionally to achieve his reveal. An early indication of his skill is a take on a card trick that is both excellently performed and uniquely suited to the show. One data point is not as compelling a coincidence when a magician can create a total overlap of apparently random chance.

At the reviewed show Alexander ends up working primarily with one member of the audience over the course of several effects—a perfect coincidence, he assured the audience, just like everything else in his show. The primary participant seemed comfortable in Alexander’s presence. With so many tricks that all go perfectly, it is difficult to imagine anything going wrong in joining him onstage.

Perhaps due to the life events that Alexander reveals during the show, he places a high value on time, including that which the audience spends with him, and every moment of every visual and magical effect in 1 Moment in Time is in service of the theme of his show. It does, at times, feel like a masterclass in how to write and perform a themed magic show. If the theme is not unique his telling of it is—everyone has a unique story, and Alexander has mastered the ability of telling his in a way that is beautiful and universal.

More information on 1 Moment in Time and its performance dates can be found here.