5 Stars

BEN HART: WONDER

☆☆☆☆☆

Edinburghers fear not: an obligatory goth magician remains stationed at the Pleasance Grand to guard the night. Ben Hart’s Fringe show Wonder was all but sold out on a rainy Monday evening, a testament to the work he has been putting in to building his local fanbase over the past few Fringes. And as always, Hart does not disappoint. With his warehouse-chic costuming and staging, Hart is in turn funny, unnerving, and magical, but never dull to watch—the whole hour is entirely captivating.

To quote an insightful fellow reviewer, Hannah Risser, “magicians fucking love putting money in oranges”. It’s about as cliché as finding a card from a shuffled deck. This Fringe is lucky enough to see two re-imaginings of this classic effect that genuinely make it feel fresh, and one of them is here in Hart’s show. Similarly, a classic restorative effect is here woven in to a story with a fantastic fully immersive conclusion. This creativity keeps even those who go to multiple magic shows excited to see more.

Some of Hart’s magic happens on a smaller scale, and Hart has employed a live stream camera to beam his hands up to two large screens above his stage. He makes great use of this, he is excellent at playing to both the audience and the camera, and for bigger effects he uses the live stream to give the audience new perspectives from which to appreciate his magic. While his participants get the super close view—and despite Hart’s well constructed eerie, disconcerting air no one is harmed—this ensures that the full audience feels included. When the camera is not in use he’ll casually flick the buttons and lean on it, making it feel like a natural part of the show.

Hart manages to end Wonder on a note that is both uplifting and darkly comic, the perfect combination for his show. He warns the audience early on that he loves a plot twist, and the semi-meta nature of the one employed is wonderfully creative. The incredible Hart is well worth a ticket, and a return visit next Fringe as everyone who sees him will definitely want to see him again.

More information on Hart and his performance dates can be found here.

DAVID ALNWICK: NIGHTMARE MAGIC

☆☆☆☆☆

As a reviewer it can be a little bit annoying when a performer reworks a show that previously merited five stars and makes it even better—of course we’re happy for them, and pleased to be able to watch such a great show, but it’s hard to contend with how to rate an already perfectly rated performance. David Alnwick’s Nightmare Magic is similar enough that returning fans will have an idea of what they are getting themselves in for, but different enough to come across as a distinct play/magic show. Alnwick is exceptional, as ever, and is possibly even scarier than before, but that’s why the audience chooses to attend this show.

An immediately new feature this year is the playbill that each person is handed on entering. It features Alnwick’s usual list of recommendations and social media details—the food recommendation section may be new—as well as, more excitingly, a short story written by Alnwick that he asks the audience to read before the show. Nightmare Magic previously bridged the genres of theatre and magic, but now includes literature as well. Alnwick’s vision is matched only by his skill, every aspect of this ambitious project is executed to the highest level.

The acclaim is of course due to Alnwick, but the realized ambition of Nightmare Magic is also a testament to what can be achieved within the PBH Free Fringe. The PBH is better known for its accessibility for less-well-known artists to put on their first Fringe show or two, but here we see it equally well suited to a seasoned performer at the height of popularity creating bold new work.

The magic of Nightmare Magic is perfectly executed and perfectly woven in to the narrative. The most satisfying is watching the final moment of the show slowly revealed over the course of several effects. Alnwick hasn’t just used magic here, it’s fully integrated and necessary to the narration of his plotline—a truly magical ghost story. Audience members and participants in particular may feel lightly terrified of Alnwick’s scary character, but no more than is called for.

When promoting Nightmare Magic in his other shows Alnwick is keen to emphasize that it may not be the right choice for the full range of his fans. It’s certainly a departure from his classic magic style. Nightmare Magic, however, is perfect if you don’t mind the fright, for when you want to see a wider range of what the incredible Alnwick is capable of.

More information on Alnwick and his performance dates can be found here.

CHRIS COOK: REFLECTIONS

☆☆☆☆☆

Chris Cook is a Free Fringe institution, now returned to his perennial late afternoon slot in the ballroom of the Voodoo Rooms, a PBH magic hub. Like many of us, Cook has done some reflecting over the course of the pandemic. Unlike most of us, he has transformed his ruminations in to a thoughtful and inspiring magic show, Reflections.

For the repeat attendees in his audience the tricks and themes of Reflections may feel reminiscent of Cook’s past shows. A few strong magical and emotional beats from 2017’s Control come through in particular. Fans of Cook’s more meta work will also not be disappointed, as the show develops to touch on the unacknowledged energy that we share in in-person interaction through the lens of the relationship between a magician and their audience.

The magic in Cook’s shows is always flawless. A highlight of this year is a mentalist effect featuring a multicolored cube. The first half of this is often performed in popular late-night mentalist acts, but here Cook adds a magic twist that keeps the audience on their toes. The segment leading in to this, that began with a full audience participation, is a highlight as well. This got several individuals fiercely competitive for the chance to join Cook onstage. At the reviewed show Cook dealt with an unusually lively audience, but had little trouble maintaining control of the room.

Cook’s brand of emotive magic is invariably an absolute delight. His late afternoon shows are an invitation to consider your life, regardless of the title (“Reflections” of course openly encourages this), while watching some magic and listening to some stories. If you’re open to it this will be a comfort—a sort of guided meditation with plenty of jokes and a sprinkling of magic. Cook is gradually making the world a better place one audience at a time. While he talks about how his audience can show their appreciation for his magic tricks, this is his biggest effect and it’s a shame that there’s no defined moment for him to appreciate it.

It’s difficult to review Cook without sounding like a member of his cult, and perhaps it only makes it worse to say that if you attend his shows you’ll understand. That being said? This is definitely one to see. His always are.

More information on Cook and his performance dates can be found here.

AVA BEAUX: WHICH WITCH

☆☆☆☆☆

Ava Beaux makes a name for herself as a rare female magician, or “magish”, as she prefers to be called. For reference for those who may be unfamiliar with the gender balance of magishes, out of a total of over fifty magic show listings in this year’s Fringe just two feature a female magish. Percentage-wise this year is sadly probably one of the better ones, post-pandemic overall numbers are down and regardless of the total number of shows usually only two or three feature women as magishes. If memory serves Ava Beaux herself was the only female magish at last year’s Fringe, participating virtually over youtube. That being said, while she mentions this in Which Witch, this is not the point of the show nor why it is worth watching.

Which Witch creates two characters out of the one performer, Ava and Beaux, and features their struggle for control. Ava is the one who is recognizable as a conventional magish, while Beaux likes to wear extravagant hats and has trouble communicating with the default world. In both personas Ava/Beaux performs excellent magic. Appropriately, Beaux has a weirder take on tricks, which was wonderful to see—although it is perhaps worth noting that ethical vegans may prefer not to be Beaux’s audience participant. Ava/Beaux relies primarily on sleight of hand, but it was Ava’s mind reading trick that got the biggest reaction on the evening of this review.

Ava and Beaux each charm the audience in their own way. Ava has her hilarious stream of stories that keep the audience laughing while marveling at her tricks, while Beaux’s unfettered delight at finding herself in the audience’s presence immediately wins us over, in spite of the warnings. Neither one makes her audience participants feel unsafe in her presence; while Beaux is less predictable any potential for destruction is focused on her own props.

The finale of the show is visually gorgeous, it is worth sitting through the show even if you hate magic for the chance to see the last few minutes. The theme of finding the power to take control of your own healing from trauma caused by others is unexpectedly heartfelt, and appropriately timed for a world where both global events and political elites cause suffering that is often impossible for any ordinary individual to stop—but we can take control of our narrative.

Ava Beaux’s longer term fans may have a different appreciation for Which Witch. She has always been a storyteller, but here we see her put down literary inspiration and step in to her own story. It has been a privilege to watch her grow in to her talents and hone her skills. Those finding Ava Beaux for the first time this year may have to settle for a perfect, stunning magic show, but surely everyone who sees her will be excited to see what she does next.

More information on Ava Beaux and her performance dates can be found here.

CHARLIE CAPER: MAGICAL

☆☆☆☆☆

The simplicity of the show title “Magical” perfectly reflects Charlie Caper’s 2022 Edinburgh Fringe show. He doesn’t bother with an overarching plotline for the show, the closest we get is his recurring bowtie magic motif. However, he is a master of the street magic style that he performs. Everything bumbles along perfectly in keeping with his slightly scatterbrained character, without him ever losing control of the stage.

The highlight of Caper’s shows is never the magic, as perfectly performed as it always is. Caper always brings a selection of the robots that he creates to join in his show, to play the assistant role in a few of his tricks. It’s the marvel of these robots and the delight of his adorable interactions with them that really sets his shows apart. This year we only get two of them (Caper’s fans may remember that he devoted his show to introducing us to hundreds of them a few years ago) but they are as delightful as ever. The most memorable one is given a little bowtie to match Caper’s own.

The magic that Caper performs may be recognizable to those who attend a lot of magic shows, but here we see it performed flawlessly. His brief coin trick uses an extra large coin, which is helpful for those seated toward the back of his venue, and his card tricks similarly involve a signed card to make it easier for the whole audience to follow along with the action. A veteran street magician, it’s evident that Caper has honed his act in front of large crowds and easily avoids any of the usual pitfalls of performing sleight of hand to such a big group. He is especially charming when he invites a young child on stage to participate in a trick, indulging her curiosity about his props without letting it break his flow.

In Magical, Caper’s effects are always perfect and often beautiful. Though he is not especially well advertised, his reputation alone gets him a decent crowd early in the Fringe, which can only grow as word of his current show’s quality spreads. Fringe goers interested in excellent magic would do well to spend an hour with Caper.

More information on Charlie Caper and his performance dates can be found here.

DAVID ALNWICK: NIGHTMARE MAGIC

☆☆☆☆☆

The first nightmare of David Alnwick’s Nightmare Magic is trying to get a ticket – he is still part of the PBH Free Fringe, but is so popular that placeholder tickets are given out an hour before the start time in an attempt to reduce his usual hours-long queues. This has effectively shifted the massive queuing to an hour earlier, and turned it in to more of a scrum in the bar area of his venue. This publication has said it before and it bears repeating, Alnwick is wildly, ridiculously popular. Nightmare Magic is framed as a demonstration of his mysterious objects’ powers, but what it really demonstrates beyond doubt is that Alnwick more than earns his reputation with every show that he performs at the Fringe.

Alnwick goes light on the actual magic here. Nightmare Magic is as much a one man play as it is a magic show, and he easily holds his audience’s attention without it. As much as Alnwick establishes that he doesn’t need magic to be an effective performer, being a magician he did of course create a show that uses magic to bring his stories to life. His variety of mentalist and sleight of hand tricks are performed perfectly. Between the perfection of his execution and the well thought out props, the magic blends seamlessly into the plot of the show.

The show is scary, especially for the easily frightened like this reviewer. Alnwick’s participants are not spared from the frights, but it is nothing out of the ordinary for show billed as a horror story. For those who might be worried, it’s more of a creeping sensation of impending doom than anything like jump scares. You might want a comforting cup of tea and an episode of your favorite sitcom before bed.

Alnwick has reached a point in his career where he could coast on the formidable skill set that earned him his reputation and probably still cause daily stampedes for a spot in his shows. But Nightmare Magic shows that he has instead chosen to innovate, pushing his own boundaries and the boundaries of magic as a genre. In watching a range of magic shows it is often evident that Alnwick in particular is a source of inspiration for many young Fringe magicians, so it’s especially nice to see him modeling a wide range of approaches to magic across his portfolio of shows. This year the cult leader has gone a little bit mad, and is more interested in discovering his audience member’s names than hearing them chant his own. Next year could be anything, but knowing Alnwick it will at the very least be well worth a watch.

More information on Alnwick and his performance dates can be found here.

CHRIS CROSS: A PANDEMONIUM OF PARLOUR TRICKS IN A PANDEMIC

☆☆☆☆☆

For those of us who haven’t heard of or seen him before, it is too easy to underestimate Chris Cross. From the wacky name and monogrammed belt buckle, the aggressively arranged alliteration of his 2021 show title A Pandemonium of Parlour Magic in a Pandemic, to the line in his show description advising “NOT for the easily offended”, it’s easy to assume that he must be overcompensating for something. Fortunately for his audience this is absolutely not the case. Cross brings the magic to back up the swagger of his over the top character in a funny and interesting performance.

Perhaps more impressive than any of the magic is how skillfully Cross manages to playfully poke fun at the audience without coming across as a bully. It’s a tough thing to balance, if the many performers who are unable to do so are any indication, and Cross makes it look easy. Of course in magic shows the audience is generally called upon to take a more active role, and Cross’s participants on the evening of this review were well chosen. A cadre of Canadian students in particular rose to the occasion to perfectly match Cross’s energy on stage and enhance the show with their participation.

Magicians often claim that they’ll show the audience tricks that they’ve never seen before, but his claim typically leaves those who have seen many magic shows feeling disappointed. Cross, on the other hand, genuinely follows through with a series of tricks that this reviewer at least hasn’t seen before (and we at World Magic Review have seen a fair share of tricks). This part of the show that is a bit of a history lesson is exceptionally fun to watch. Cross’s enthusiasm for these weird old tricks that have long since fallen out of fashion breathes new life into the old props. His style seamlessly blends the more standard card and escapist material with the tour of historic props, in a one man demonstration of the range and development of magical performance.

Cross’s Pandemonium of Magic is a necessary stop at this year’s Fringe for anyone who has ever considered themselves to be a fan of magic, even if for no other reason than the historical interest of the old-fashioned props that he has brought back to the stage. That being said there are plenty of other reasons to see his show, between his comedy, sleight of hand skills, and perfectly choreographed escapology. It’s as difficult to pigeonhole his act as it is to keep him in a straitjacket, and his show is all the better for it.

More information on Cross and his performance dates can be found here.

DAVE ALNWICK: ACTUAL MAGIC

☆☆☆☆☆

Dave Alnwick uses a quote from one of this publication’s past reviews on his flyers this year, that lets prospective audiences know that Alnwick’s shows are notoriously busy and that they will have to arrive early to get a seat. This reviewer initially failed to heed her own warning when trying to review Actual Magic. Luckily it is worth the wait (and the return trip to the Voodoo Rooms).

The stand out feature of Actual Magic is how smoothly the threads of its story are woven into the performance as a whole. Alnwick expresses fear that if he allows himself to put too much of his personal life into his performance it will just come across as emotionally manipulative. Actual Magic drops hints and teasers throughout the show, so by the time he reaches the emotional heart of the story it comes across as genuine. It is more than the one moment, in hindsight the entire show is composed as a memorial—and in a way that is uplifting and inspirational rather than incapacitated by grief.

The magic is incredible as well. Alnwick emphasizes his mentalist tricks in this show without limiting himself to them. One of his sleight of hand tricks excitingly makes use of his flyers rather than normal props like coins or cards. All are perfectly performed to Alnwick’s usual high standards. While Alnwick spends more time telling a story at this show than usual, the magic does not feel forced, but is an essential element of the narrative.

Alnwick mentions that he has been coming to the Fringe for a decade. Those who have seen his comedy magic shows, in past years or even earlier in the day at this year’s Fringe, will see Actual Magic as even more exceptional. Alnwick may come across as insecure in other shows. Past themes of trying to convince everyone to join a cult to worship him, or prove that he is literally the best magician, build an inherently defensive relationship with the audience even by magic show standards. It is an act that clearly works for him, as he is consistently incredibly popular. Actual Magic, on the other hand, feels built on trust in his abilities as a magician and performer to connect with his audience, which is so wholesomely lovely to see. Audiences seeing Alnwick for the first time at Actual Magic may not read this over-analysis in to it. They will just have to settle for a perfectly constructed and flawlessly performed magic show.

More information on Dave Alnwick and his performance dates can be found here.

CHRIS COOK: CONSEQUENCES

☆☆☆☆☆

Chris Cook regularly tests the boundaries of what can be defined as a magic show, and Consequences, his new and most meta show, is no exception. It is less of a “magic” show and more of an exploration of how magic shows, or at least Cook’s shows specifically, are made. There might be the initial fear that, due to this subject matter, Consequences risks becoming self-absorbed and bogged down in the individual problems of this one performer. Fortunately the other regular feature of Cook’s shows is his inspirational take on audience participation, at which he is almost uniquely effective—and in this Consequences is again no exception.

Those who have seen Cook previously might recognize many of the tricks used in Consequences as his dependable standbys. This makes sense in the context of the show. In a scene where he pretends to be performing at a children’s birthday party it makes sense to see him perform a card trick with an especially sweet ending. In a show with an overarching theme of struggling to come up with new ideas this recycling of tricks is simultaneously cleverly immersive and cheekily self-referential.

Cook’s magical abilities are superb. Perhaps in part because Consequences uses so many recycled tricks, Cook performs each one essentially flawlessly. This is particularly important in a show such as Consequences, as a less skilled magician complaining about the trials of successful show-writing might come across as bitter and resentful. Cook’s undeniable expertise bolsters Consequences’ implicit claims to genuine self reflection.

Many magic shows end with the magician revealing that they had predicted the audience’s behavior from the very beginning, turning the entire show into one big mentalist trick. The ending of Consequences is almost exactly the opposite. Cook attributes the success of his final magic trick to the power of a chosen audience member’s aspirations rather than his own skill, and his final “reveal” is nonsensically circular in a way that somehow still supports Cook’s ultimately inspirational message.

Consequences is an interestingly constructed and heartwarming magic show with a lot of character. Cook’s onstage persona might be seen to struggle with creating an inventive new show, but the effectiveness of Consequences is evidence in support of Cook’s imaginative talents.

More information on Chris Cook and his performance dates can be found here.

AARON CROW: FEARLESS

☆☆☆☆☆

In Fearless, Aaron Crow performs an entire hour of dangerous magic, with few breaks for less scary effects. It is in part a master class on the types of dangerous magic tricks that the audience might recognize as having been performed by other magicians, here done with Crow’s exemplary skill and distinctive style.

Through all of the danger, Crow is courteous to his audience participants. They might briefly worry that they could cut themselves on the glass that he scatters on stage, the sword that he wields, or his perfectly chiseled cheekbones, but the vast majority are asked to take more supportive roles as Crow manipulates his dangerous props. The few who are given more active roles look comforted by Crow’s quiet encouragement.

Crow fully commits to the aesthetic that he has chosen with his costume changes, set design, and clever use of lighting. He has even perfected a characteristic style of movement to match and accentuate this. Crow’s performance is almost dance-like as well as being magical.

Where such a show might falter would be in taking itself too seriously, leaving the contrived danger open to ridicule. Luckily Crow embraces the inherent ridiculousness of his genre. He performs silently to music, but his sly sense of humor shines through in his movements, especially in his direct interactions with his audience members. This maintains audience engagement without relying on simply escalating the danger of the performance. Crow certainly does this as well, but the multidimensional nature of his performance allows the danger escalation to come across as a choice rather than a transparent attempt to keep the audience’s attention.

Fearless is fantastic, but it is a very stylized take on a specific genre, which may limit its appeal. That being said, even those who are not a fan of dangerous magic will see the delight in Crow’s wit and the flow of his movement, and could not fail to be touched by his charming finale.

More information on Aaron Crow and his performance dates can be found here.