4 Stars

TOM BOLTON: GROW UP MAGIC MAN

☆☆☆☆

It would help many people to learn the balance of how much to grow up to function in adult society without losing the joy associated with childhood. Magicians may not have all the answers, but in Grow Up Magic Man, Tom Bolton uses his childhood experiences of magic to try to reintroduce a little bit more of that joy to the adults in his audience, and keep the spark alive for a little bit longer in the children.

Grow Up Magic Man is a family friendly show, and Bolton places an emphasis on inviting the children in his audience to get involved. The shyer children are invited to get involved from their seats while the ones who are visibly excited to join Bolton onstage—even clambering over the seats in a theatre that was clearly not build for magicians—are given roles that are easy to follow and often allow them to be the stars of the routine. One of the most excited children is invited up for the Rubik’s cube trick, which sees the magic happen right in the participant’s hands. The finale trick is exceptional, giving one young participant an experience to remember, and providing a highly visual end to the show.

The way that Bolton presents his magic tends to be fairly sweet, and one of the sweetest is an effect in which he emphasizes the bond between one of the parent-child pairings in the audience. This is a particular effect that is often performed in a way that the participants themselves can’t fully appreciate, which always feels like a shame as they’re the ones putting themselves on display for the rest of the audience to gawk at. Bolton has found a way to remedy this flaw without undercutting the magic of the trick. It takes a little bit more of his stage time, but demonstrates Bolton’s commitment to offering the whole of his audience a magical experience.

A Fringe newcomer, Bolton has not yet built up his Edinburgh fanbase. If the audience of the reviewed show is an indication, Grow Up Magic Man is currently highly under-appreciated. Families with teenage and preteen children may be a particularly good audience for this show, but it has something for everyone. Grown up magic fans will also appreciate the perfect magic and fun story, and maybe even find a renewed belief in magic.

More information on Grow Up Magic Man and its performance dates can be found here.

SEAN ALEXANDER: 1 MOMENT IN TIME

☆☆☆☆

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.

KEVIN QUANTUM: ANTI-GRAVITY

☆☆☆☆

One of Kevin Quantum’s most frequently used pull quotes is that he’s “like a sexy Doctor Who”, which takes a lot of pressure off anyone else who writes a review of his shows. No one could possibly top that (although one must ask, is Doctor Who not a sexy Doctor Who?) Opinions of his looks aside, the Doctor Who comparison is fitting, especially with this year‘s show Anti-Gravity. The lightly educational and plentifully magical show is reminiscent of classic Who-niverse creations, which balanced child friendly history and science with science fiction to make learning fun for its target audience of young viewers. Although in Quantum’s case, the mixing is science with magic.

It will come as no surprise that Anti-Gravity has a focus on levitations in all their forms, it is after all an accurately titled show. Quantum comes out for a pre-show segment that perfectly encapsulates the scientific and magical themes of the show, with demonstrations of Bernoulli’s principle using both science and magic. The levitations build in scale until a final trick that is both completely expected given the theme of the show and also something of a surprise simply as it’s not a type of magic that is often performed.

With Anti-Gravity, Quantum is not just looking to inspire future magicians in his audience, but future creators of all types. Over the course of the show Quantum demonstrates how close an unexplained science experiment feels to magic, blurring the lines between what is currently possible and not yet discovered or invented. It’s the kind of inspirational message best delivered by a hybrid scientist-magician.

There’s a mix of audience types and ages at Quantum’s show that reflects the universality of his appeal. There are plenty of families with young children, but also lots of childless adult couples and adult group attendants. While the inspiring message may land best with the youngsters, the unusual magic performed will be appreciated by all, even the most seasoned magic fans.

More information about Anti-Gravity and its performances can be found here.

1 HOUR OF INSANE MAGIC AFTER DARK

☆☆☆☆

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.

CHRIS COOK: JAZZ MAGIC

☆☆☆☆

Of all the shows to describe as a “hidden gem” it may seem oddest when applied to one of Fringe institution Chris Cook’s ventures, but that is the lasting impression of his later evening show Jazz Magic. Cook has cultivated this aura of secrecy, even going so far as to list the show as “cabaret” so it shows up as a different color than the other magic shows in the PBH’s famous blue book. It’s not really a show, more like Cook’s office hours. While he appears delighted that people show up, the audience gets the impression that he would be equally content to sit alone in the air conditioned basement, drinking tea and practicing tricks by himself if no one visited.

As a non-show, Cook makes minimal plans for the hour and is open to suggestions from the audience. Each show becomes a personal experience for the exact audience that is in that evening. Introverts would be advised to bring their preferred dominant extrovert friend who would feel comfortable making requests, but even when the group is uncertain Cook runs through some of his best smaller-magic tricks that don’t often make it in to the scripted show. Cook is a multitalented showman who could undoubtedly perform an entire hour of card tricks, or make it through the whole hour with no card tricks, or, if the audience asks nicely, even do a handstand or some juggling. The options are endless.

It can be to tell when the magician is genuinely performing their new or unusual tricks for those who have seen that magician fairly frequently. At the reviewed Jazz Magic Cook did indeed perform tricks that he hasn’t been seen to perform before, and even that those who see a lot of magic shows may not have ever seen any magician perform before. It helps that the venue is pretty magical as well.  An unexpected magical moment occurred when Cook broke a wine glass and then fixed it with a few magical hand gestures—no one other than the venue staff knew that the wine glasses had screw-on bases (or did they?)

Cook impressively received a “keep it Fringe” grant to help fund his scripted show, but Jazz Magic feels even more Fringe. No where else but the PBH would a performer be able to essentially hold office hours every day for a whole month to try out new and in-progress magic tricks on a fresh audience every evening.  Audience members may find it helpful to bring suggestions, whether vague or specific, and perhaps a vibrator and a hat if they are so inclined. Cook will take it from there.

More information on Jazz Magic and its performance dates can be found here.

TOMAS MCCABE: 1 MURDER: THE MIND READING LAWYER

☆☆☆☆

Of all the jobs that would be easier for someone who can read minds, barrister must be right up there. Real life future barrister Tomas McCabe has combined his profession of the near future with his current job as a mentalist in 1 Murder: The Mind Reading Lawyer. Between the numerical name to push himself to the front of the Fringe program, the fun theme, and his adorable parents on hand to enthusiastically flyer for him across the streets of Edinburgh, McCabe appears to be having a very successful Fringe. Historically he’s often had a late night free Fringe spot, garnering a huge audience of largely drunk people, but this year he has maintained that success at a ticketed slot in the late afternoon, selling out his venue even on the weekday of this review.

The murder trial framing is a fun structure on which McCabe hangs his mentalist demonstrations. It is, however, primarily in place for structural purposes. This is a mentalism show and not the place to find an accurate reconstruction of a murder trial—hopefully to no surprise, given the clarity of the marketing material—but McCabe does take the time to ensure his audience knows that his show is not intended as an educational experience. Some in the audience may learn the British word for a trial lawyer, “barrister”, but that is the beginning and end of the informational portion of the show.

McCabe’s mind reading is accurate as ever. One of his recurring favorites is to have his audience write down anonymous confessions that he then reads from the minds of audience volunteers to ensure that the anonymity of the original confessor is maintained. It feels appropriate that, of all the mentalists, it’s a lawyer who has managed to successfully integrate mentalist-participant confidentiality into the fabric of his act without undercutting his ability to show off his mind reading skills.

The audience participants themselves who are chosen are for the most part self-selecting volunteers. If McCabe chooses random participants for some tasks, it’s the ones that are the least time consuming or attention grabbing. One of the cutest moments of the show is when he selects one of his younger fans to preside over the performance as his judge. This youngster gets a special experience and positive attention that will no doubt be a lasting memory.

Toward the end of The Mind Reading Lawyer, McCabe reveals that now that he has completed his education he will shortly be taking his talents to a real life barrister role, in an actual courtroom. McCabe will no doubt prove popular with his clientele for his reassuringly unflappable presence and, of course, mentalist abilities.

More information on 1 Murder: The Mind Reading Lawyer and its performance dates can be found here.

DOM CHAMBERS: MAGIC HUNT

☆☆☆☆

Magician Dom Chamber’s Magic Hunt is, above anything else, a lot of fun. Chambers employs an irreverently effective plot line that keeps the audience curious to see what happens next, and the style of his magic and jokes is exactly what his fans will have come to expect.

A sold out venue on a Tuesday evening, even on a 2 for 1 ticket day, is a sure sign that Chambers is catching on in Edinburgh. His style is a fairly specific taste and he seems to know it. Anyone who has ever seen Chambers, in a one man show or cabaret slot, will have probably seen him perform his apparent favorite card-to-wallet trick. It’s the perfect litmus test. While he has a fair range skill-wise, the vibe of his act is the natural continuation of that routine. Those who love it will love the rest of his show even more.

Chambers might tease his audience on occasion, but he knows how to get them on board—alcohol. If future audiences are interested it is recommended that they arrive early and queue up to sit in his front few rows.  Chambers may cheerfully subvert expectations in many areas of his performance, but when it comes to beer he does not mess around.

Magic often requires audience interaction, and that can often prove especially tricky for magicians. It’s impossible to anticipate the sheer variety of ways that those interactions can go differently than anticipated. At the reviewed show Chambers encountered an audience participant for a card trick who revealed that she did not know the English words for playing card names until he asked her to name her card to verify his finding. Luckily with his help and good humor he was able to salvage the situation, and even used the incident to augment the hilarity of his presentation of the trick.

Chambers’s hunt for the perfect magic trick has many twists and turns that would best be discovered over the course of the show. While he is demonstrably able to sell out his venue, he is perhaps not the most widely recognized of the Edinburgh Fringe magicians. He has an incredibly solid skill base, and his presentation style is fairly unusual. For those who like the idea of magic but haven’t found a magician who performs it in a way that speaks to their humor, it’s worth checking out Chambers. For the right audience he’s an instant favorite.

More information on Magic Hunt and its performance dates can be found here.

TOM BRACE: THE RIDE 4D

☆☆☆☆

With a sold out theatre on a sunny Monday evening, Tom Brace’s new Fringe experience The Ride 4D is evidentially a hot ticket. This is all the more impressive with a start time just ahead of 4pm—Brace’s magnetic pull on the young families of Edinburgh is so great that many left work early to make it to his show. It is a family friendly show, and the vast majority of the adults at the reviewed show were accompanied by their children. The Ride 4D takes place in Tomlannd, Brace’s new theme park, and all the magic is perfectly themed to immerse the audience in the experience.

An approachable performer with an audience largely composed of young children, Brace had an ample supply of willing, excited participants for his games and tricks. One of his best participants was a young girl early on in the show to play a fishing style magical theme park game. She looked absolutely thrilled to be chosen to join Brace on stage and really gave it her all, and as Brace says early on, in Tomland everyone is a winner. Brace involves many of his young fans in the show, and when adults are required it’s for good reason.

One of Brace’s regularly used props that makes a welcome return is his leaf blower. On a sweaty Edinburgh summer day in a classically overheated Fringe venue the breeze is a significant benefit to this show. The front rows get the best of it but it can even be felt further back. Later the audience also receives a sprinkling of water too. Brace is a Fringe regular and he has learned how to treat his audiences well.

On entering the venue each person in the audience is given a pair of 3D glasses, hinting at the vehicle for one of the final reveals. Audio cues throughout the show build anticipation for the filmed portion of the afternoon, and it does live up to the hype. Brace sets up several tricks to come to fruition throughout the film, and if there is a brief hiccup he breezes through it with the utmost professionalism. After all, magic is an art, not a science. A cleverly placed final reveal leaves the audience more impressed than not with the tricks.

Brace developed The Ride 4D following a trip to Disney World in Florida, and even with the notoriously rising prices of Fringe tickets, The Ride 4D is the cheaper option—not even including airfare from Edinburgh to Florida. For a family day out that will keep the kids occupied and even the parents engrossed, or a grown up day out for magic and/or theme park fans, you can’t go wrong with The Ride 4D.

More information on The Ride 4D and its performance dates can be found here.

ANDREW FROST: CARDS ON THE TABLE

☆☆☆☆

The show is called Cards on the Table. Upon entering the theatre, the audience sees a mostly empty table with a few books, a lamp, and a deck of playing cards. The first thing that magician Andrew Frost says as he steps on stage is, “I hope you like card tricks”. Anyone who chose to come to this show hoping for anything other than card tricks will be disappointed, and that would be on them.

What follows is, as promised, a full hour of card magic. Frost covers the expected types of tricks in this sub-genre, from fancy shuffling through to trick dealing and card finding. With a whole hour devoted to card magic, Frost is able to delve a little deeper and take common tricks that are recognizable to magic fans that extra step further that more generalist magicians wouldn’t often make time for, especially at a festival like the Fringe with its oft-proscribed time limits.

The unifying feature is Frost’s exceptional skill at card magic and his clear passion for this particular type of magic. If anyone is considering getting in to performing magic (or reviewing it) this is the perfect show to see for an example of what card magic should ideally look like. It’s a classic of magic for a reason, and seeing Frost is a reminder for all who need it of just how impressive card magic can look.  There’s no other theme but the cards and the variety of ways that they can be manipulated, which is all that is needed for Frost’s purposes.

Even at the sold out show that was reviewed, Frost got a decent proportion of the audience onstage for various tasks. Frost is an approachable performer and makes his participants feel welcome. He’s especially helpful in explaining card terminology and even in helping his audience with the most difficult bit of audience participation in a magic trick, remembering which symbol is spades and which is clubs. It’s self serving in that it enables his own show to go more smoothly, but the audience also comes away feeling like they have learned something new and that they can be that tiny bit more comfortable participating in future magic shows.

Cards on the Table is a must see for fans of card magic. Even fans of magic in general who have found card magic underwhelming in the past may gain an appreciation for it in Frost’s hands. Come prepared to be amazed by the entertainment value of the often seen but often under-appreciated type of magic.

More information about Cards on the Table and its performances can be found here.

LEWIS FULLER: UNGENTLEMANLY CONDUCT

☆☆☆☆

There are many ways to surprise a magic fan at the Edinburgh Fringe, and in Ungentlemanly Conduct Lewis Fuller found a new one: the unexpected singalong. The show is a patchwork of live magic and stunts, largely pre-filmed storytelling, and, of course, not just one but several opportunities for the audience to join Fuller in singing popular songs. It’s not the show any member of the audience would expect, even after studying the flyer, but if they’re willing to go along for the crazy ride they’re in for a treat of an hour.

Ungentlemanly Conduct is categorized as a magic show, and in amongst the many other features Fuller does in fact perform several magic tricks and feats, themed to accompany the story that he tells himself and via video. A fun themed effect sees Fuller perform a classic card trick, using credit and debit cards rather than playing cards. The participant involved has no need to sign or otherwise mark their card to personalize it for this effect. Fuller’s flattering, energetic stage presence makes the participants feel comfortable on stage through effects that pose threat to their money and their bodies, a true testament to his personable nature as a performer.

The plot line that weaves the show together combines a fairly standard story of a young magician dreaming of performing at the Edinburgh Fringe with an altogether weirder tale, loosely inspired by a recent Netflix show but with plot elements and twists that make it a fun new experience. Fuller seamlessly weaves the pre-filmed segments of the show with his onstage storytelling, stunts, and tricks. Over the course of the show the plot lines come together to provide this framework for his effects.

No performance is flawless, and at the reviewed show Fuller had to deal with the biggest wild card in a magic show, the overenthusiastic audience member. Fuller successfully managed and contained his enthusiasm by involving him in an effect, giving him the portion of the spotlight that he clearly craved without allowing him to overtake Fuller’s own performance.

Ungentlemanly Conduct is about as far from a traditional magic show as is readily available, which makes it a welcome entry in the fringe magic lineup. The sheer variety of performance genres involved may make it a little more difficult for Fuller to acquire a target audience that will truly appreciate him, but for that audience he’ll be exactly what they didn’t realize they were searching for. 

More information about Ungentlemanly Conduct and its performances can be found here.