3 Stars

THE TELEPATH AND THE CONJUROR

☆☆☆

The Oberons, Marc and Emily, make for a very sweet double act. Their introduction in The Telepath and the Conjuror is a retelling of their meet-cute as cruise ship performers. The type of magic performed and their style of performance feels classily vintage, and the largely well executed reveals make for a successful magic show.

The Oberons’ areas of expertise are divided as per their show title, with Marc handing the conjuring and Emily the telepathy. Prior to their meeting, Emily evidently worked as a singer, and while musical analysis is outside the scope of this publication, she does sing at several points in this show. At times she essentially performs a live soundtrack to Marc’s conjuring act, which is a really lovely combination of their skills. A highlight in this is the bottle appearing routine that they perform together, with Emily singing her appreciation and approval of Marc’s provision of her favorite beverage. Much of the magic performed feels old fashioned, with props like floating wands and metal circles, and mentalism performed blindfolded with items from the audience. This is not necessarily a bad thing, the material performed suits the style of the performance.

Several audience participants are used in the act, often chosen from volunteers. Where random participants are selected, the Oberons ensure they give them easier tasks. They have a plentiful supply of volunteers to choose from, with a welcoming stage presence that makes all feel comfortable joining in. At the reviewed performance they had several younger participants, and one in particular accentuated the reveal of the trick she was involved in, with her involuntary gasp of amazement ensuring that the rest of the audience knew that the trick had been successful.

The Telepath and the Conjuror has its niche in those who appreciate the classics of magic, whether as a newcomer to the art form or as a fan looking to be reminded of the roots of the genre. The Oberons have a pleasantly romantic stage chemistry—a good sign for an offstage couple—and are lovely to watch. As both a throwback to a classier era of magic than is often seen at the Fringe, and as a general reminder that love is real, The Telepath and the Conjuror is an excellent choice.

ALEX J BYRNE: MAGIC MIC

☆☆☆

Alex J Byrne may mix in both comedy and magic in Magic Mic, but one form of entertainment that he does not include is striptease, perhaps disappointingly to some who came to his show based on the title. However and disappointment is sure to be short lived. Byrne’s bad jokes and puns keep the audience in good humor, and there is plenty of magic sprinkled in for variety.

With a lunchtime slot in a central venue, and a performer who has clearly earned himself a following, Magic Mic is a popular choice. The reviewed show on a rainy Monday was packed full, with Byrne even having to turn away a few of his fans who weren’t quite quick enough to get there. Those looking to enjoy Byrne’s distinct blend of comedy and magic would be advised to arrive early. As the basement room is a classically hot Fringe venue and The City Cafe which hosts the show sells cold drinks, it would be advisable to even arrive early enough to purchase something cool and hydrating before the show.

Byrne emphasizes the comedy element of his show, with his rapid fire of puns and jokes filling much of the run time of the show. It’s not a bad thing, the Fringe is known for its comedy and Byrne is certainly funny, so it feels justified. The magic, when it appears, is largely well done. If there are moments when it feels like the sleight of hand is a bit clumsy, or the angles of the audience allow them to catch him out on occasion, it’s only because the Fringe has such a high standard for magic. It does feel like a good problem to have, as at least some of the flashes would be fixed if Byrne weren’t so popular that every inch of his room was packed full—and those who are there for the striptease implications of the show title may even welcome Byrne flashing them, even if it’s not the type of flashing they expected. Byrne performs a variety of tricks that range from the more common, featuring cards or handkerchiefs, to less common ones that are great novelties.

Byrne involves many members of the audience in the magic of his show. Luckily for the extra full reviewed show, many participatory elements could be completed from the seats, and the especially enthusiastic members of the front row took care of anything requiring joining Byrne onstage, minimizing potential struggle through the seats. The audience was on Byrne’s side, and the loudest heckle he received was a compliment to one of his jokes—surely a sign of success.

Magic Mic is a popular show for good reason, Byrne is a likable performer who keeps the audience entertained with apparent ease. Magic Mic is a great option for lunchtime fun and magic.

JOKERS! MAGIC SPECTACULAR

☆☆☆

A midafternoon compilation show, Jokers! Magic Spectacular is a solid option for those scouting out family friendly acts to check out while also having a good time. Hosted by the friendly Mr. Frosty, it’s an entertaining frolic through the magicians’ favorite bits that they have plucked from their main shows.

As well as introducing the acts, the host Mr. Frosty also performs a bit of magic in between them. He quickly notices the youngsters in the room and presents child friendly routines that keep the kids engaged. The props are classic and the tricks performed with skill. Frosty’s red ball trick with an adorably enthusiastic child helper is an early highlight. As the host he’s only one guaranteed to be back at every show, and is guaranteed to set the tone for family friendly fun.

The first to take the stage is Adam B, who bonds with the audience over their flavors of “neurospice” and performs a themed series of effects. Adam B is enthusiastic and friendly, bringing up the energy in the room with his knot-themed magic.  At the reviewed show the audience participants for this section seemed particularly pleased with their role, getting an up close look at Adam B’s work.

George Hunt, the introvert magician, is next in the reviewed lineup. Hunt puts the magic in the hands of the audience, with both a child and adult participant each able to take part at age appropriate moments. Each leaves the stage equally impressed with themselves and with Hunt—the introverted tendency to deflect attention works without distracting from the magic.

And finally, the show is headlined by the millennial magician Chris Fleming. Fleming’s double bluff is a fun interpretation of a classic of magic, keeping it fresh for the next generation. He’s a friendly performer and treats his participants kindly, even if they might not realize that until the end of the routine.

The Jokers! Magic Spectacular is a well hosted compilation that seems able to attract a fun variety of magic acts. It’s centrally located, perfect for a family friendly magic break in an afternoon at the Fringe.

MARTIN BROCK: ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE 2.0

☆☆☆

Many magicians claim to show their audiences impossible feats, but Martin Brock is much more honest. If he can do it onstage, it must not be impossible! So he is very candid in titling this year’s show Almost Impossible 2.0. Brock’s show is a visually beautiful performance-collage of the best bits of magic he’s learned and created over the course of his career.

If one skill shines through in particular, it’s Brock’s card tricks and cardistry. His aces finding trick in particular is so perfectly performed that it feels like art, even before the final reveal. While there isn’t a strong conceptual theme to the show, the style of magic that Brock employs is consistently sleight of hand, and it’s clear that this is his strength.

If there is an area of Brock’s performance that could use some work, it’s in the timing of his magic. At the reviewed show he had a tendency to draw out each effect for a bit longer than felt strictly necessary, and this was pervasive enough that it became a drag on the flow of the show. To be fair, for most of the audience, the perfection of execution would undoubtedly easily outweigh such a relatively small issue—everyone exiting the show was clearly delighted by what they had witnessed. Excellent magic has a tendency to speak for itself regardless of subjective issues in the construction of the show.

Brock only involves a few audience participants in his act, and is sure to get enthusiastic consent from them. An especially keen participant at the reviewed show was a ten year old boy who helped with an early demonstration of card magic. Brock set him up for success, giving him ample opportunity to receive applause from the audience, ensuring a positive memory for one of his youngest fans.

As a family friendly celebration of sleight of hand magic, Almost Impossible 2.0 is a great addition to any Fringe schedule. Brock will get the littler audience members involved in age appropriate ways and keep the adults entertained with his beautiful magic.

LIN LU-CHIEH: TAIWAN SEASON: DAZED AND CONFUSED

☆☆☆

Who doesn’t love talking about themselves? Autobiographical magic shows are a classic for a reason, especially for a magician introducing themselves to a new marketplace. Lin Lu-Chieh’s Taiwan Season: Dazed and Confused is excitingly not just his Edinburgh Fringe debut, but his fully-English-language debut, and it’s a memorable introduction. Dazed and Confused is light on magic but big on heart, and Lin is easy to watch onstage.

Lin utilizes the magic in his show in a consistently thoughtful way, the tricks feel well chosen to highlight the story. If there is the occasional moment where the sleight of hand feels a little bit clumsy—maybe a card edge peeking out where it shouldn’t, or a prop that is slightly fumbled—it’s only because the Edinburgh Fringe has such a high standard of magic, and it doesn’t have a huge effect on the overall enjoyment of the audience. There are plenty of magic highlights in the show, most notably a sequence in which Lin demonstrates his enthusiastic performance of the first card trick he learned to all of his friends and classmates. Lin has perfected the balancing act of performing the same trick over and over just often enough for it to feel entertaining each time, making this routine particularly fun to watch.

Naturally following from the light sprinkling of magic is a light sprinkling of audience participation. At the reviewed show, Lin found ample participants in the front row who were visibly delighted to take part onstage. Lin’s personable stage presence made joining in on the act an appealing proposition.

The story that Lin tells about his journey into magic is compellingly relatable. At a time where the concept of finding and staying in one dream job forever is increasingly unrealistic, Lin’s tale of stumbling in to magic as a just one attempt of many to find something that he is both passionate about and able to excel at will ring true for many who are watching. Lin simultaneously demonstrates and pokes fun at the advice he received early on from his father, that miracles aren’t real but are just the result of persistence. With enough strategically applied persistence, he may not yet be a baseball star but at least he is able to create miracles in front of his audience.

With a lunchtime time slot, central venue, and family friendly theme, Taiwan Season: Dazed and Confused is sure to be a hit this Fringe. Lin’s magic-flavored recollections of his childhood easily hold the audience’s attention, and his creative approach to magic performance leaves them excited to see what he does next. 

2 RUBY KNOCKERS, 1 JADED DICK

☆☆☆

Of the professions in which mentalist powers would be most useful in daily life, private detective must be high on the list. The character Dirk Darrow brings that fantasy to life in 2 Ruby Knockers, 1 Jaded Dick. The show had the feel of a comedic one man play with magical elements, certainly a welcome creative angle on the magic scene. It may not be flawless, but it’s undoubtedly a good time.

2 Ruby Knockers is framed as an investigation by Darrow into a series of crimes committed in his vicinity. The overlap in skill set required in creating an effective mystery and performing magic is not insignificant, there’s an element of misdirection required in both. The mystery of 2 Ruby Knockers is both effective and a lot of fun, full of plot twists and surprises. In that respect it’s a fitting tribute to a beloved genre and demonstrative of a level of magic-adjacent skill.

Throughout the investigation, Darrow uses both plenty of intentionally bad jokes and various magical techniques to advance the plot. The magic may seem fairly basic to regular magic show attendees, but it’s performed effectively and deployed sensibly throughout the narrative. As the audience filters in, they see cards on several of the seats to fill in with personal information for Darrow to later magically discover. This segment fits well with the plot and proves entertaining for the audience. A storytelling sequence using a deck of cards is a particular highlight. If some of the bits seem a little forced, it’s easy to forgive—there’s not a whole lot of variety in a standard deck—and it’s a creative use of a classic prop.

As in most magic shows, Darrow frequently utilizes his audience’s assistance. Most of the participation is relaxed, and done without even requiring the participant to go onstage. The occasional audience member is called on to participate a little more significantly in the show, but Darrow chooses well and guides them effectively in fulfilling their roles as he requires them. However, he does occasionally seem to falter when his audience does something unexpected, particularly noticeable at the reviewed show when he receives a funny heckle, although also evident in a couple other instances. Heckling is an often unfortunate aspect of live performance, but in the realm of heckling a funny heckle is the best option. Darrow may benefit from working on reacting more gracefully to interruptions and irregularities—unfortunately he’s in a profession where such a skill is necessary.

2 Ruby Knockers, 1 Jaded Dick appeals primarily as a comedy for those who adore puns. While there may be other performers at this year’s festival who perform magic more slickly and with more creativity in the crafting of their effects, 2 Ruby Knockers has value as a magic show in demonstrating a different type of creativity in presentation. The audience at the reviewed show certainly loved Darrow. His humor and overall performance style is pretty specific, and the right audience seems to have found him.

CHRISTIAN LAVEY: ENCHANTING MINDS – A NIGHT OF MAGIC AND MINDREADING

☆☆☆

Hailing all the way from Luxembourg, Christian Lavey presents his Adelaide Fringe debut Enchanting Minds—A Night of Magic and Mindreading in a pleasantly cool room conveniently in the center of town. As far as show structure goes, Lavey keeps it simple and straightforward. With his engaging stage presence and well performed mentalism, it is certainly an entertaining evening.

The magic that Lavey presents is a series of his favorite tricks, organized neatly to provide an escalating degree of impressive reveals. As a non-native speaker of English, one trick involving a reveal of reciting non-linear lists of numbers stands out as especially well performed. The reveal itself is of course innately impressive, but as any language learner will know, listing random numbers in a non-native language is a particularly difficult skill to master. It is commendable that Lavey not only chose to include this trick in his first Adelaide fringe show, but also that at the reviewed show he presented the reveal without a hitch.

The success of this trick was not a unique feature, Lavey’s magic is well performed throughout. His sock card trick was a highlight, with a fun reveal that neatly led in to the next effect in a slick transition. The venue is relatively intimate and Lavey gets the majority of the audience involved in his show. The majority of the participation is completed while staying seated, saving time to pack in more magic and keeping the level of participation required fairly relaxed. Lavey is welcoming to everyone who gets involved in his show, whether from their seats or with him on stage.

Lavey is evidentially a skilled performer, the smooth delivery of both his routines and patter indicate a wealth of experience. However, as with every magic show, the audience participants are still a wildcard. At the reviewed show one in particular adds flair to the segment she participates in—a classic “dangerous item” routine. She eagerly inspected the items that Lavey uses, and, with equal eagerness, selected and deployed them, risking harming Lavey with each choice, all with zero hesitation. This was not due to indifference to Lavey’s potential harm, but, she explained, due to her trust that he knew what he was doing. Her contribution to the act made for an unusually wholesome take on this classic of magic.

Lavey successfully enchants the minds of the audience of Enchanting Minds. Perhaps the best measure of the success of a show is how the audience gossips amongst itself once they are out of earshot of the performer, and following the reviewed performance of Enchanting Minds audience members could be heard extremely pleased to have experienced such a well performed show to kickstart their evening. Despite the central location, the venue is tucked away a bit from the gardens that the Fringe revolves around, giving Enchanting Minds the feel of a hidden gem of a show. With its great tricks and Lavey’s skilled performance, it can only be a success.

DEE CHRISTOPHER: THE PSYCHIC VAMPIRE

☆☆☆

Scottish vampire hunters have it easy. Dee Christopher openly advertises himself as The Psychic Vampire for any who are so inclined to seek out—during the Fringe, he even has a regular time slot and location where they can find him. Luckily Christopher wouldn’t need to use his vampiric powers to protect himself, as anyone who finds themselves in his show will not fail to be charmed by his hilarious performance.

Christopher structures his show around stories about his long life as a vampire, with each story containing his encounters with magical or mystical events (or, memorably, what sounded like a fairly standard whisky tasting competition—a different kind of magic) that lead in to his display of a magical routine. These stories and Christopher’s dry comedy are a highlight. He’s a gifted speaker and makes great use of vampire pop culture references to keep the audience entertained. Even magic aside, Christopher could undoubtedly find work simply appearing as a vampire at events.

The magical portion of the performance is a bit more mixed. The effects are perfectly vampire themed across the board, and Christopher’s vampire-specific flourishes to build to his reveals are excellent. However, at the reviewed show there were a couple tricks that, while they didn’t go wrong, felt like they could have been performed with more polish. The reveal of a dangerous bag variation fell a bit flat when Christopher struggled to remove a prop from its bag. Similarly, he performed a fun vampire take on Russian roulette only to undercut his reveal by spending a suspiciously long time with the final prop hidden behind his open suitcase before allowing the audience to examine it. There were also plenty of tricks that went well, but the risk of crafting a themed show that’s lighter on magic to make room for storytelling is that the performance of each trick has a proportionally higher effect on the overall impact of the show. Christopher’s theme is a strong point and a draw; regardless of how the magic goes the audience was visibly enjoying the performance.

Audience members get involved in a variety of ways, whether just from their seats or whether they join Christopher onstage. At the reviewed show a highly giggly group comprised the majority of the onstage participants, with Christopher cleverly making use of their energy to enhance the performance rather than risking them disrupting him from their seats. They appeared thrilled to approach Christopher and experience the magic firsthand. Those with an above average fear of needles may be best advised to avoid participating in The Psychic Vampire, but other than that Christopher provides an exciting participant experience.

The Psychic Vampire is one of the especially well themed shows of the Fringe. Magic fans will enjoy seeing such creative presentations of the effects performed. With such a gift for theme and storytelling, Christopher would undoubtedly be even better at a festival that allows for shows of longer than an hour. While some of the magic itself may benefit from a bit of work, whether through practice or reworking, Christopher is such an entertaining performer that his show flies by as though he has enchanted time with his vampiric super-speed.

ALEX KOUVATAS: THE MAGIC OF LOVE

☆☆☆

Alex Kouvatas is back at his venue in the basement of the Burrito’n’shake, an admirably central venue. This year they seem to treat him and his fellow performers a bit better, with a relatively quiet environment. If there is the occasional disruption, Kouvatas is ready and willing to get them to quiet down. This year’s show, The Magic of Love, is well themed and performed, if there is the occasional area for improvement.

Kouvatas is an incredibly likable performer. The reviewed show on a weekday afternoon may not have had the largest audience, but he got everyone involved and engaged with the show. Given a slightly longer time slot he would have undoubtedly transformed the group of strangers into new friends. If there is a slightly juvenile element to his performance, especially at the start of the show, it almost feels like an adjustment period as he code switches from performing his children’s show earlier in the day. Performing two shows for an entire month is tiring, it’s not surprising that it takes him a minute to switch to adult mode, although the effect may be slightly jarring to those who don’t track the Fringe magic schedule so closely.

This year’s tricks have moments of exceptional creativity. There’s an unusual visualization trick that gives the audience participant an especially pleasant experience. While this may be limited to the one audience member, they can share it with their neighbors as they retake their seat. Kouvatas also performs a lovely effect involving a story about his family, with impressive magic and a heartfelt message. As Kouvatas continues to develop his brand of themed storytelling magic hopefully more and more of the show will be this beautiful.

There are moments in Kouvatas’s performance where the experienced magic fan may note a slight clumsiness in his performance of certain effects. It’s not all of them, but even with one like the previously mentioned effect involving his family story, the method of the trick could be better concealed. On the other hand, there are moments like the visualization trick that were perfectly performed. Kouvatas’s magic feels like a work in progress, but hopefully one that he continues, as he is a charming and creative performer.

For a sweet magic show with easy access to burritos, The Magic of Love is the one to go to. Kouvatas is always improving and pushing himself creatively. Every Fringe the audience leaves his show wanting to see what he comes up with next.

More information on The Magic of Love and its performance dates can be found here.

CHRIS DINWOODIE: OFF THE CUFF: STAND-UP COMEDY MAGIC

☆☆☆

When audience members find a magician through the Scottish Comedy Festival section of the Fringe, it does prompt the reasonable hope that the magician in question will be both Scottish and funny. Chris Dinwoodie does not disappoint in either respect with his debut Fringe show Off the Cuff. Dinwoodie has a relatively strong accent, which he jokes about right at the start of the show. Luckily he is understandable even to international visitors (if only just at times), as he is hilarious all throughout the show.

If the magic that Dinwoodie performs is not necessarily unique to him, he does perform it especially well. A particularly impressive card counting trick may seem familiar as a trick usually seen performed with two audience participants, but Dinwoodie’s version with just one is that little bit more interesting to frequenters of magic shows. Even without trying to work out the trick, after seeing the exact same one multiple times it can be difficult not to develop theories as to how it’s done, and it’s refreshing to see a variation that disrupts the more obvious of those takes. Dinwoodie’s sillier interludes, such as his playing with a poker chip, are still exciting to watch just as they show off his manual dexterity skills in a fun, visual way.

Dinwoodie interacts with his audience like a comedian, frequently teasing anyone he can spot in the audience. His association with the Scottish Comedy Festival is a warning as much as it’s an advertisement. While this takes up a fair portion of the comedy element of his stage time, he isn’t mean about it. The only marginally tetchy comment at the reviewed show was directed at an audience member who had been making a habit of heckling Dinwoodie, and thus deserved what was coming to him.

Dinwoodie’s ability to gently tease while maintaining the audience’s goodwill was in fact proved beyond doubt at the reviewed show. One of his friendly targets revealed herself to be a Scottish country dancer, and when invited to show off a couple of steps at the end of the show took him up on it for an unexpected end to the afternoon. After soaking up the spotlight for the hour, it was very sweet that Dinwoodie was willing to share his final moments onstage with a talented audience member.

Off the Cuff has plenty of draws that are no doubt each contributing to keeping his venue so busy. Magic fans will enjoy watching a master of that art. Comedy fans will enjoy Dinwoodie’s wit—at this Fringe he is undoubtedly functioning in part as a magic ambassador for fans of comedy who might not see a magician otherwise, and is doing an excellent job in that role. Scotland fans may also enjoy Dinwoodie’s excellent accent. With so many features of excellence and such a central, well ventilated venue, it’s no surprise that Off the Cuff is proving so popular.