☆☆☆☆☆

Ask David Alnwick to describe himself, and for at least this Fringe he’ll say Objectively the Best Magician. “What can’t I do”, he exclaims after a particularly impressive (to himself) trick. The ego may in fact be justified. The trick is also genuinely impressive to people who aren’t Alnwick. Alnwick doesn’t try to convince the audience that he is Objectively the Best Magician, he knows who he is and inhabits that role completely, delivering a perfectly scripted, plotted, and performed comedy magic show.

The overwhelming impression that the audience gets from Objectively the Best Magician, aside from the magic, is the energy. Alnwick works hard with his three daily Fringe shows plus a roaming secret show, but the audience can’t tell from the high energy he exudes in this first one of the afternoon. That’s what the audience talks about as they leave the show. It’s not because the magic is underwhelming in any way—it’s perfect, but Edinburgh audiences have come to expect that—it’s that this Fringe veteran on his 15th year has perfected the vibe of his show to such an extent.

Alnwick does of course back up his reputation with perfectly performed magic. His card magic is always a highlight. Alnwick loses and finds several audience cards in increasingly impressive ways, showing off his fancy shuffling skills along the way. He also demonstrates a textbook mentalist escalation series of effects over the course of the show, culminating in a visually exciting reveal that proves his absolute mastery over everything that happens in his show.

A kind performer, Alnwick uses plenty of audience participants and treats them well. He’ll only make a slight bit of fun of his participants if they deserve it. At the reviewed show, a mid-show participant was slightly reluctant to take part, but was egged on and teased by her friends. Alnwick made a point to get said friends involved later in the show, not for anything extensive but for enough that the initial participant got back at them.  If his participants are kind to him, Alnwick will have their back. 

Whether or not Alnwick is truly Objectively the Best Magician is for every magic fan to decide for themselves. But he’s certainly a Fringe institution, particularly for his iconic brand of high energy comedy magic. Anyone who would seek to challenge his claim had better check out this show first.