5 Stars

BEN HART: UP CLOSE

☆☆☆☆☆

One of the more unusual features of Ben Hart as a magician is that his Fringe shows are of late designed to be performed in the round. This is an extra challenge in a performance art known for its reliance on angles to execute the effects properly, and in Up Close Hart ups the stakes even further. The intimate venue and minimalist decor and props are cleverly designed to leave Hart with no space to hide. The magic is, as ever, nothing short of a masterclass. The intimacy of the venue also gives Hart a chance to show off his crowd work skills, to great effect. Even his outfit takes advantage of the venue size, with trouser embroidery that adds an extra element of visual interest to watching his perform.

Up Close is a mix of routines that Hart has performed before, in his larger scale shows, as well as effects that his fans may not have seen in his prior shows. The more familiar tricks in particular serve Hart in a variety of ways. They are, of course, impressive in their own right for newcomers to his act. There’s also an extra interest for Hart’s fans in seeing him execute these effects flawlessly in such a stripped back environment. And, after watching Hart experiment with ways to bring close up magic to the stage in his larger scale shows over the years to occasionally mixed reactions, it’s satisfying to see him find space to fully showcase a genre of magic that seems like a particular passion.

A particularly well formatted bit involves a classic spoon effect, with an extra element of spellcasting that makes it feel distinct to Hart. Hart excels at performing effects that are recognizable classics of magic, adapted so perfectly to his own style that they feel refreshed specifically for his fans. Hart’s Ouija board routine is a recurring success, with two audience participants getting involved who are ready after the show to swear to the others that Hart must have indeed conjured spirits, as there is no other explanation for what they experienced.

The intimacy of the Up Close venue works both ways—not only does the audience get a better view of Hart, he gets a better view of them at the same time. This is not as scary as it may sound. The only audience member who got told off at the reviewed show was on her phone, and Hart’s gentle chastising earned him one of the first rounds of applause of the evening. Hart cultivated the community of his audience, sharing the spotlight at every opportunity. One participant’s especially well mixed shuffle got an especially enthusiastic reaction, as the audience was clearly happy to help Hart celebrate one of their own. The already commanding Hart gained power from the communal atmosphere, at one point successfully holding the audience’s attention for a long few seconds while trying to change the sheet of paper in his little notepad—maybe a more true test of sheer charisma than any magic trick.

Hart’s audiences have come to expect perfection and he does not disappoint. The casual-witchy Up Close even has a suitably casual-witchy theme, developed by Hart in a suitably cheeky manner that is perfect for this type of show. A perennial Fringe highlight across two continents, Hart had a solid audience at the reviewed Tuesday evening show, a testament to the loyalty of his fans. Always changing, evolving, and experimenting, Hart is a rewarding performer to return to year after year. Up Close will only further cement his role as a trail blazer in the progression of magic as an art form.

DAVID ALNWICK: COMEDIAN MAGICIAN

☆☆☆☆☆

David Alnwick’s career as a Fringe magician may have now led him to primarily perform darker, spookier work that increasingly bends the boundaries of magic as a genre of performance, reshaping the definitions of the art form to suit his needs in much the same way that he appears to reshape reality itself in his tricks. However, he first built his Edinburgh fan base on his comedy magic, and in Comedian Magician that is what he celebrates. It’s a throwback to the Dave Alnwick brand that many may still remember, and a retrospective on how Alnwick’s outlook on magic, performance, and his career have evolved over the course of his time at the Fringe.

Many magicians in the past couple of years have performed retrospectives to mark the occasion of their tenth year at the Fringe, however as it transpires Alnwick’s first Fringe was 2010. Those who remember both 2020 and the tentatively sized 2021 Fringe will understand why Alnwick did not take that route—although he did, memorably, comprise a full third of the magic shows that the PBH free fringe hosted at that 2021 Fringe. This celebration of his career is long overdue.

As such, Comedian Magician is made up of classics of Alnwick’s comedy magic repertoire interspersed with vignettes from various points of his career. The magic is, as per usual with Alnwick, flawless. If Alnwick has not written the book on how to perform magic it can only be because he’s been too busy with the creation and performance of his four shows per Fringe. One of the many highlights is a recurring favorite in which Alnwick tells a story encompassing both one if Edinburgh’s primary off-season festivals, the International Magic Festival, and a beloved Glaswegian magician who occasionally makes an appearance there. The vignettes are insightful as well, for example audiences at the Fringe may not have an understanding of the trade offs involved in performing at the PBH free fringe rather than the paid venues.

Audience participation is as frequent as a comedy magic audience would expect. The most involved participant is the one for that previously mentioned card trick, and in recognition of that Alnwick seeks a volunteer for that role. At the reviewed show Alnwick chose the first volunteer, despite his young age. The volunteer looked absolutely thrilled to be trusted and take part. Alnwick undoubtedly played a role in a core memory for him that day.

Alnwick’s fans may be used to the feeling of surprise that they get when they rediscover his seemingly limitless skills at each of his shows, but it’s always a wonderful feeling. His audiences celebrate his talents at every Fringe, and it’s great to see Alnwick himself get in on the party.

DAVID ALNWICK: THE MYSTERY OF DRACULA

☆☆☆☆☆

If David Alnwick is known for anything other than being likely one of the busiest performer at the Fringe, it’s his habit of bringing the same show back to the Fringe for another year, tinkered into something recognizable to returning fans but demonstrably better—even when it comes to his many 5 star shows. This is the case with The Mystery of Dracula, Alnwick’s magical play about the origins of both the story of Dracula and the art of magic, and where they intertwine.

Alnwick’s magic is honed to perfection, a crucial step to creating a show that uses magic tricks so sparingly. Magic is used here as an illustration of the history that Alnwick discusses, although at times the boundaries between academic demonstration and supposedly genuine conjuring (at least, we hope it’s only “supposedly genuine”) is blurred to great effect. The audience’s impression of the effects are often of not the usual assertion that Alnwick, the magician, knows all, but rather to pose the question, “does he really?”

The Mystery of Dracula may be nominally about Dracula and come around to also be about magic. However, other timely themes come through too, of vulnerability of loneliness and the all too realistic possibility of a charismatic voice persuading lonely individuals into self destructive behaviors in search of community. The pressure felt by Alnwick’s timeless character is recognizable to anyone who has ventured into spaces both on and offline offering community in exchange for money, loyalty, or your immortal soul.

As a play with a light sprinkling of magic, audience participation is similarly kept to a minimum.  Several participants may be chosen to take part from their seats, and when a few are called to the stage Alnwick gives clear directions to make their roles easy to follow. The biggest point of participation comes at the end, when the entire audience becomes complicit by default in Alnwick’s performance. The audience does not need to do anything in particular to achieve this, their presence is sufficient.

The Mystery of Dracula is a retelling of history, but in a far more clever, universalized way than the audience might expect. Alnwick perfectly captures the loneliness of both an obsessed academic and the mythic immortal who he’s obsessed with in a dark satire of fandom and the search for community, palatably ensconced in the trappings of dark academia. Alnwick’s own fans will never be disappointed to see what he creates next.

STUART LIGHTBODY: THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN HANDS

☆☆☆☆☆

Stuart Lightbody may come from South Africa, but the story that he tells in The Man with the Golden Hands is recognizable to people of many nationalities: the United States government clutching at straws to gain advantage over its Cold War enemies. Any degree of knowledge of this crazy time in history will make everything that Lightbody says in his show sound feasible, regardless of specific knowledge or ignorance of the matters in question.

Specifically, Lightbody has framed his show as a discussion of the CIA’s use of misdirection techniques during the Cold War. It makes sense on the surface, and it allows him to demonstrate a wide range of skills. Lightbody runs through the range but excels at sleight of hand in particular. Watching him shuffle his cards is genuinely ridiculously impressive, he has such perfect control over his deck it’s like he has 52 extra hands. His card finding trick is perhaps too much fun for even a card trick, with an ending that no one will anticipate. It’s both a classic and completely fresh at the same time, in a way that perfectly dovetails in with his spy theme. It’s well worth the hour even if the rest of the show doesn’t appeal just to watch Lightbody’s card and coin tricks.

The participants in The Man with the Golden Hands by and large look to be having a great time on stage with Lightbody. For tricks like his card routine, the participants have a front row view and are extra flabbergasted by his reveal. In one memorable trick, Lightbody asks for participants first from the extroverts in the audience and then from the introverts. This is clever as well as kind, and in fitting with the theme. The extroverts have the extra moments onstage to bask in the attention, while the introverts are literally instructed to hide behind an extrovert—likely exactly what they would feel inclined to do anyway.

The theme is consistent and constant throughout the hour. Lightbody has put together a show that is both cohesive and highly entertaining. It’s a masterpiece that has deservedly won awards at international Fringes, and is deservedly popular here in Edinburgh. The Man with the Golden Hands isn’t just a magic show, and Lightbody doesn’t just show the audience how spies use misdirection but even teaches the audience how to use those skills themselves. Does that appeal to you? If so, make sure to catch the show before the end of the Fringe. Don’t worry, Lightbody isn’t looking for you.

More information on The Man With the Golden Hands and its performance dates can be found here.

DAVID ALNWICK: NECROMANCER: THE VHS GAME

☆☆☆☆☆

David Alnwick might have gained renown as a magician, but this year, of his four Fringe shows (three daily, still impressive) only half are traditional magic shows. Fans from previous years may remember the lighthearted style of Comedian Magician, the intimate close up of David Alnwick’s Secret Magic Show, and the spooky magical theatre of Dracula. Necromancer is best classed as a magic show only because there isn’t a genre option for “live action video game”. Alnwick, or as he is for the hour, The Necromancer, does use magic to make his game work, and the integration of the tricks into the show is exceptional.

When the audience does it right Necromancer both starts and ends in their own hands. The first throwback of the show is the paper tickets given out as placeholders by Banshee Labyrinth, which have QR codes that can be scanned while queuing for a good seat. The pre-show interaction perfectly sets the scene, and the post-show follow up is the perfect ending.

Once the audience enters the lair of the Necromancer a series of magic tricks are presented as games for either specific participants or the entire audience at once to take part in. These are perfectly chosen from Alnwick’s vast repertoire of magic. Participants are not given especially challenging tasks. Even a mind reading effect requiring the participants to reveal a truth about themselves along with several false statements is done with cards containing the truths and falsehoods to choose from, so no one has to think on the spot. With a relatively niche theme in the context of Fringe magic, the majority of the audience at the reviewed show were especially enthusiastic about participating. When one randomly selected participants revealed that she was only attending as a companion to one of Alnwick’s fans, Alnwick was quick to invite his fan to participate in her stead.

The Necromancer plays to win over those who enter his domain, but will he prevail? A game against the darker half of a master magician is surely more rigged than even the sketchiest casino. For years Alnwick has won over the hearts of Edinburgh with his magic, and this year his alter ego seeks to add its souls to the collection. The Necromancer is scary, not for the easily frightened, but the perfect show for fans of horror, video games, and creative magic.

More information on The Necromancer and its performance dates can be found here.

JAMES PHELAN: THE DREAMER – LIVE

☆☆☆☆☆

This year, James Phelan joins the extra daring magicians who have set their shows on round stages. As The Dreamer skews more toward mentalism and hypnotism, it may be a more achievable aesthetic decision than for a physical magic based show, but still demonstrates a deserved confidence in his skills. That being said, Phelan notably spends a relatively low proportion of his time actually on the stage. He instead fills his time pacing through the audience, trawling for participants to join the show and getting to know everyone who catches his eye. It’s a personal show, and in keeping with that theme, Phelan takes the time to get to know some of the members of his audience personally. However, curiosity about Phelan’s personal life is not the primary draw. His mentalist and hypnotist routines are interesting to watch and engagingly performed.

Straight from the start Phelan gets everyone involved in the magic, with a opening filmed mentalist effect that works on everyone who takes part. Phelan’s attractive and widespread advertising lured in audience members to the reviewed show who had not been to a magic show in their lives, and for them in particular, seeing the universal effect of this particular trick was absolutely mind blowing. Phelan also gets the whole audience involved in his hypnotism warm up exercises, which provide audience-wide entertainment regardless of whether those audience members ultimately participate in the hypnosis.

Both due to Phelan’s friendly performance persona and habit of centering the performance away from the stage, despite the sizable venue The Dreamer is not an intimidating show to participate in. The more involved participation points are in the hypnotism section of the show, and these are on an opt-in basis due to the nature of hypnotism as a practice. Audience members can be confident that if Phelan selects them at random they will not be asked to do anything too confusing to help him demonstrate his skills.

The foundation for The Dreamer is in Phelan’s parents’ IVF journey, in the early days of that science—appropriately enough for a magician, Phelan’s very existence is due to an impossibility becoming possible. While it is not an uncommon message for a magic show, Phelan thus has a personal stake in The Dreamer’s messaging that everyone watching it should follow their dreams regardless of how impossible they might seem. If it weren’t for his parents’ pursuit of their “impossible” dream, he would never exist to create the moments that bring his audiences together in the first place. Phelan’s effective use of hypnosis in particular drives the point home, playing with audience expectations of the movability of mental barriers.

Phelan makes great use of his status as both a magician and real life magic trick for his parents in the performance of The Dreamer. He’s the perfect performer to celebrate the achievability of the impossible. The focus is decidedly on the mind, this is not the right show to go to “see” magic on the stage, but for those who are interested in feeling it, and watching others feel its effects, The Dreamer is the place to be.

More information on The Dreamer and its performance dates can be found here.

AVA AND BEAUX: TALES OF MAGIC

☆☆☆☆☆

When the audience steps in to the Voodoo Rooms for Ava and Beaux’s Tales of Magic, they may look at the magician on stage and think they’re only there to see one performer. However, Ava and Beaux are two magicians for the price of one—with several other characters in the Tales, essentially an entire theatre ensemble and an adorable pet for the price of one magician, or “magish” as she prefers to be called. Tales of Magic is a beautiful, cohesive story composed of disparate elements that come together, by the end, for a satisfying conclusion.

If the audience might come in expecting a magic show, they will be so enthralled that they may not even notice how relatively little of the stage time is spent on magic tricks until they reflect back afterward. The magic that is performed is all in theme and in character and performed with skill and artistry. One of the highlights simply for the oddity of its presentation is a series of rope tricks framed as an informational lecture on intestinal worms. Watching it, it’s difficult to remember exactly how the narrative reached that point, but it also, somehow, feels very Ava Beaux.

The split between Ava and Beaux is present once again in this year’s show, although with the many characters these two don’t always feel center stage. At the start their roles feel fairly well defined, with Ava introducing the show and reading her audience’s minds, and Beaux taking on the more physical tasks such as a beautifully choreographed hoops routine. Over the course of the show, and in keeping with the theme, they gradually collapse together. Their roles become less well defined as the two halves of the one performer resolve into a perfect ending.

As a theatrical show with some magic, this show is relatively light on audience participation. And despite the occasional spookiness of her performance Ava Beaux is one of the kinder magishes. She doesn’t ask the audience to do anything embarrassing or confusing. At the reviewed show her final participant had to step back to her seat for reading glasses, and Ava Beaux seamlessly switched around the order of her finale so that her participant would not feel rushed.

Ava Beaux consistently has one of the conceptually oddest approaches to performing magic at the Fringe, making her a favorite amongst regular visitors. Her act is distinct and her name tends to stick in people’s minds. As well as a unique magic experience, Tales of Magic presents an opportunity for the pet owners of Edinburgh to remember to appreciate their furry friends. Ava Beaux and the ensemble cast that she brings to life are the perfect diversion in the Fringe lineup.

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

PETE HEAT: BOGUS

☆☆☆☆☆

Anyone who has been on social media in at least the past year will have witnessed irrefutable proof that society is ill equipped to handle conflict in a post truth world. There might be a moment of hope when a mutual shares content debunking obvious propaganda, only for that hope to immediately be dashed when they then immediately share equally egregious propaganda slanted in the opposite direction and claim it to be the unbiased truth. This is the foundation of Pete Heat’s Fringe show Bogus. Heat gets all that across in a manner that is very silly, very magical, and very effective.

As per usual in Heat’s Fringe offerings, magic does not make up a huge proportion of the show. Heat is a comedy magician who gives equal weight to both the comedy and the magic. The magic is remarkably slick, even if there are members of the audience who have seen Heat perform the same tricks before it’s by and large impossible to spot the moment that the deception is achieved. Those who take part in especially novel effects may find themselves quizzed by other members of the audience after the show, as they simply can’t believe that the participants are not stooges.

One of the more interestingly involved reveals is to a trick involving made up language, which leaves audiences flummoxed. Heat uses technology in Bogus in an inventive way, creating magical moments unique to this era. Random number tricks are often used as predictive effects, for the magician to show off their mentalist skills, and Heat’s version of this is both extra impressive and extra hilarious.

As methods to dispel the notion of objective reality go, magic may feel like a fairly obvious one. It’s the perfect option for discussing the effect of both deliberate propaganda and social media AI algorithms, as it uses similar principles. However, magic is explicitly for entertainment rather than for the lethal combination of infotainment and deliberate fracturing of the laboring classes often seen in non-magical misdirection. Heat’s other primary prong is, perhaps a little more unexpectedly, animal facts. This is equally effective in its own way, and far more cuddly.

Like any other magic show, Bogus is designed to leave the audience with more questions than answers, but explicitly draws the connection to the outside world. Outside of Bogus, we’re faced with nonconsensual, malicious, and dispassionate misdirection, and we don’t even know how tall the perpetrators are. Inside Bogus, we’re faced with benevolent misdirection from a very tall man—clearly the better option.  The irony of his infotainment approach to addressing contemporary media illiteracy suits Heat’s style.  And even audience members who aren’t in it for the big themes can enjoy the incredible magic and hilarious jokes. 

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

1 HOUR OF INSANE MAGIC

☆☆☆☆☆

In the crowded marketplace of Fringe magic the challenge of putting on a show is often acquiring an audience. Last year’s sellout sensation 1 Hour of Insane Magic does not have that problem, but there are extra challenges that come with success, in their case in performing a magic show to an audience on three sides. Fortunately the Insane Magicians—stunt magician Luke Osey, sleight of hand artist Elliot Bibby, and mentalist Cameron Gibson—were clever enough to put together a flash-free set, it’s an insanely magical show from every angle.

The highlight of watching a performance that contains a whole three magicians is, of course, watching them perform together. Right at the start the Insane Magicians pull an audience participant on stage for them to tag team with a bombardment of their varied magical skills. They take turns playing off each other and joining forces for their reveals. At times, even when just one is taking the lead of the segment, the other two are on hand in the traditional “glamorous assistant” role to ensure that the audience participants and main performer have everything they need to hand.

Gibson is the only one of the Insane Magicians to verbally admit to being a nerd, but it’s obvious to the audience that they are all nerds, and not just because they have chosen magic as a career. The Insane Magicians publicized this year’s show in part by showing off their big new illusion, a table for sawing someone in half. Not only have they gone to the trouble of resurrecting a classic of magic, but they also make it as historically accurate as possible with the help of their secret fourth Insane Magician, Erin McIntyre. In the modern era it can seem difficult to perform this type of magic in a way that doesn’t come across as misogynistic, but the Insane Magicians make it look easy.  They make it clear that in their version of the effect McIntyre is the primary performer and the others are simply her three glamorous assistants, helping her show off the skill that she mastered.

Bibby, Gibson, and Osey have had and continue to have separate careers outside of performing together, and throughout the show they pay tribute to the adventures that have brought them together and at times apart throughout their friendship. They illustrate the beauty of this Insane Magic era of their friendship with a lovely effect involving several audience participants joining in from their seats, giving enough input to make the trick extra astonishing while keeping the attention on the three insanely magical friends sharing the stage.

As with its previous Fringe outing, 1 Hour of Insane Magic has proved insanely popular. Anyone wanting to experience the show who does not have a ticket yet had better buy one quickly, as they regularly sell out over a week in advance. 1 Hour of Insane Magic is the most insane family friendly fun available this Fringe.

CHRIS COOK: THE ART OF TAKING PART

☆☆☆☆☆

Last year, Chris Cook celebrated ten years of performing at the Fringe. This year, promotion for his new show The Art of Taking Part sounds almost like an abdication of his role as a magician, giving the show over to the audience to provide entertainment for each other. In practice this is not the case. The audience does not need to fear that they are being put on the spot to create the show for their peers, Cook’s guiding hand ensures that the show stays magically on course.

On the rainy weekday evening that this show was reviewed, the fact that Cook managed to get any audience at all was very impressive. Those that were there were the ones who really wanted to experience the show, which was actually perfect for the type of performance that it is. Every participant that Cook brought to the stage was enthusiastic in taking on their roles. There is an element of random selection as well, and for two of the elements requiring a very minor bit of physical skill Cook had the misfortune of selecting one of the most physically incapable people in the room, possibly in the world—this reviewer. Even then, Cook managed to keep the show on track with kindness and professionalism.

To celebrate The Art of Taking Part, Cook regularly rewards his participants for joining him on stage. This is not achieved just through physical gifts, although those do appear on occasion, but Cook also places emphasis on tricks that happen in his participants’ hands, or that center the participant as the one taking credit for the magic part of the segment. One trick in particular sees a volunteer member of the audience take over the role of the central performer, and at the reviewed show she really got in to it, fully appreciating her share of the spotlight. Nevertheless it is clear that Cook is pulling the magical strings, there are plenty of skilled reveals over the course of the show.

Over the course of the show, The Art of Taking Part is revealed to be as much a manifesto on the nature of magic as an art form as it is the title of the show—the necessity of interaction with the audience is one of the key aspects of magic that sets it apart from most other performance arts. Cook devotes his show in part to celebrating this feature of magic, which gives the performer a unique ability to connect directly with members of the audience on a personal level. Arguably this facet is the crucial factor that has enabled Cook to create ten years of Fringe shows that are slowly but surely making the world a better place. At the same time, it’s a deeply silly show that gives the audience a chance to embrace the fun of magic, often in their own hands.

Cook’s habitual emphasis on guiding his audience toward self improvement is still very much present this year; regular fans will not be disappointed. For the perfect blend of seriousness and silliness The Art of Taking Part is the place to be.

More information on The Art of Taking Part and its performance dates can be found here.