Edinburgh

RENZ NOVANI: SHAKESPEARE: MASTER OF THE MIND

☆☆☆☆☆

Magician and mentalist Lorenzo ‘Renz’ Novani has crafted a new show that has a bit of something for everyone. Shakespeare: Master of the Mind has the flawless mentalism that Novani is perhaps best known for, augmented with magic and storytelling that keeps the audience entertained while he educates them about Shakespeare. At the Fringe there’s a decent chance that the average audience will know Shakespeare better than the general public, which is to Novani’s benefit as the audience is extra locked in for him. But there’s no need to come with any special knowledge, Novani will provide it.

The magic and mentalist effects performed are perfectly themed to Shakespeare’s works. An early magical highlight is themed on Romeo and Juliet, featuring Novani revealing the connection between two strangers in just a few minutes—luckily a little bit longer than it took for that famous couple to decide that they had their own special connection as that ended poorly. Novani’s effect has a much nicer conclusion, with the participants’ connection being demonstrated through cards, touch, and books. The mentalism is equally flawless and perfectly themed. A slight but clever variation in the timing of a classic magician’s prop for prophecy, the infamous sealed envelope to be opened and read at the performer’s prompting, makes this format feel unusually impressive.

With a very full room at the reviewed show, Novani has ample choice of participants to help him make the magic happen. There are several moments when the entire audience can get involved in the selection process, via Novani’s funny Shakespeare inspired prompts. Audience participants always have the greatest potential to provide an impromptu test of a magician’s improvisation skills, and Novani passes his handily, clarifying any misunderstood instructions with charm and good humor.

Novani may be the artist onstage but Shakespeare’s presence is felt at every turn. The audience will probably learn new things about this famous playwright, and will definitely at least gain a new appreciation of his work and life. It’s a loving tribute that will probably speak most to Shakespeare fans but is easily accessible for those who are less familiar with his work as well. A Fringe regular, at Novani’s reviewed second night of his show he managed to acquire a sizable crowd and earn an enthusiastic standing ovation. The quality that earns him both the audience and their applause is evident to all who are lucky enough to witness him work. Shakespeare: Master of the Mind is a beautiful masterpiece of a magic show and tribute act.

DAVID ALNWICK: OCCULT ILLUSIONIST

☆☆☆☆☆

Busiest magic bee David Alnwick’s midafternoon show Occult Illusionist is as popular as is the norm for him, even on the reviewed weekday afternoon. His fans travelled from as far away as Los Angeles, to visit Edinburgh but also with the specific intention of seeing Alnwick perform. It’s a different kind of show even by the standards of the eclectic range of talent that Alnwick always brings to the Fringe. Here he explores the junction and overlap between magic and mysticism, throughout history and even into the modern era and his own life.

In a show that’s relatively light on distinct magic routines it’s key that the magic included is performed perfectly, and luckily Alnwick handily delivers. One of the more interesting pieces gets the whole audience involved in the set up. It’s notable because this whole-audience involvement element isn’t just set up for an effect, but a genuinely fun and interesting exercise in itself. Each audience member can get something out of the process, in a way that manages to feel personalized even with Alnwick guiding the entire group through the process at once. In the end the output produced is used in a mentalist effect, with dramatic and accurate results. This underlines the “set up” process and makes it feel especially magical and memorable without overshadowing it; both pieces of the puzzle feel key to Alnwick’s point.

In a ritual magic performance participating might feel a little more intimidating, but not so with Alnwick. A veteran magician, he openly values his participants and makes sure they know that he’s on their side. When prompts may make audience members uncomfortable Alnwick gives a clear alternative that would allow them to avoid the discomfort without drawing attention to themselves.

While Alnwick’s Banshee Labyrinth shows have historically been fairly frightening, Occult Illusionist has a calmer, more spiritualist-adjacent energy. Alnwick wants to talk about life, death, and belief, through a magical lens and is appropriately respectful in how he approaches these topics. While naturally the information he chooses to share reflects his own perspective, he does by and large stick to sharing historical examples of the topics that he discusses. It’s a fascinating look at this aspect of the history of magic, from a magician who seems to have thought about it a lot.

Occult Illusionist is ideal for the magic fan looking to dive a little deeper into the backstory of this performance art. Audience members leave with a new appreciation for magicians and even some of their more popular props—and of course for Alnwick himself, who has once again reached into his seemingly endless collection of magical skill sets to create another unusual show.

IGOR LIPINSKI: PIANO ILLUSIONS

☆☆☆☆

Igor Lipinski may not be the only magician to combine his skills in magic and music, but the music and magic rarely feel as classy as in his Piano Illusions. The venue is slightly outside the main Fringe center but he’s worth the venture. Notably on the venue front, St Mark’s only charges their acts to rent the space so the full ticket price goes to the performers, making this beautiful space one of the more ethical venues—hopefully this is working out in Lipinski’s favor. Lipinski combines magic and music in increasingly interesting ways throughout the show, making for especially interesting and entertaining viewing.

As many may have realized from the title of the show, Lipinski is a pianist and uses his piano in both setting up and revealing his magic. A highlight in both realms sees his equally musically skilled wife, flautist Anna Chenoweth Lipinski, join him onstage for a lovely duet that also perfectly sets up and accompanies a romantically themed magic trick. While the trick might start in the expected way, the reveal is unusual, with specifics that may even make it unique at this Fringe. Novelty is rare and not required at magic shows, but it’s certainly nice to see when it happens.

While Lipinski is demonstrably hugely talented, he may benefit from adjusting the angles of his magic at times to preserve the illusion for the full audience. This is particularly noticeable from the first couple of rows when he performs his card finding routine. His sleight of hand doesn’t feel clumsy, it just looks like he may be more accustomed to performing it for individuals rather than both performing for a specific participant plus a whole audience at the same time. That being said, the card finding is a great routine that, at the reviewed show, earned specific compliments from the participant, who was evidently trying unsuccessfully to work out how it was done.

Like all magicians, Lipinski uses participants at times to make the magic more magical. Audience participants are obviously a benefit to the magician, but Lipinski particularly excels at making participation feel like a real benefit to the audience members who undertake it as well. Whether it’s a uniquely magical souvenir or a routine that makes the participant feel like they had a hand in making something magical happen, this is an especially positive show to participate in.

A properly mixed bill, there is a significant proportion of music mixed in with the magic. This is not a music review site, but both Lipinskis are definitely pleasant to listen to. Igor Lipinski in particular, as the primary star of the show, demonstrates his musical art in a way that almost feels educational. Those who come to the show more due to the magic may find a new appreciation for the ways that a pianist as skilled as Lipinski can manipulate a tune to his will.

Piano Illusions has something for everyone. It’s a perfect dual ambassador, bringing magic to the music fans and music to the magic fans, while ensuring that it will be a memorable evening for both. Lipinski is an exceptional talent whose Piano Illusions are a worthwhile addition to any Fringe itinerary.

SEAN HARRINGTON: SLEIGHTLY FUNNY

☆☆☆

Comedy magician Sean Harrington doesn’t even wait until showtime to hit the audience with the jokes, considering his pun-y show title Sleightly Funny. As promised, the show contains laughs and magic. At the reviewed show on a drizzly weekday afternoon the attendance wasn’t huge, but really solid considering. Harrington has a good balance of jokes and magic that keeps the audience entertained.

The magic is nearly all well performed, with just one keynote and unfortunately very brightly colored prop sneaking a peek at the audience behind Harrington’s back before its official reveal. An early coin routine is a highlight, well performed by Harrington and immediately grabbing the audience’s attention. Elsewhere Harrington performed some great magic-themed comedy, as exemplified in a mind reading sequence with a carefully placed audience participant who played along happily to great effect. It’s in moments like these that Harrington really shines. He mentions the similarities in approach of both comedians and magicians in entertaining an audience, and it’s clear that this is an avenue that he is passionate about exploring, and one that he is well equipped to demonstrate to audiences.

With a small audience naturally everyone got involved in helping Harrington with his magic. Harrington is friendly with his audience, and they are happy to join him—as with the participant in one of his magic comedy segments who unquestioningly played along to help Harrington create a funny moment for the rest of the audience. While there is one participation moment that is a little bit more nerve wracking, living in a country with nationalized healthcare takes some of the pressure off of the participant. And of course, Harrington is always in control.

These days everyone could probably do with a laugh break, and for the next few days Sleightly Funny is here to provide it. Harrington is a funny performer and skilled magician. Magic and comedy fans won’t regret spending time with him.

PHILIP NORTHFIELD- MIND READER?: OBSESS

☆☆☆

It can be difficult for lunchtime shows to attract weekday audiences. Phillip Northfield—Mind-Reader?: Obsess did manage to get a small audience at the reviewed show despite the day, timing, and rainy weather. While one friend group had a self-imposed magic ban for this year’s Fringe due to disappointment last year and had come by mistake, even they left with smiles on their faces. Northfield took full advantage of the crowd he had, still delivering a full show.

Obsess is about obsessions, how they make us who we are and should be celebrated. It’s a nice message from a performance art that, like many, calls for some level of obsession from its practitioners if they want to be considered successful performers. Northfield brings some level of non-magical obsession to the show with his demonstration of a Rubik’s cube solve, but this is such a common magic effect it feels adjacent. He shines a light on how hard magicians must obsess to learn the skills that they perform.

The magic that Northfield performs by and large is a tribute to how much he has obsessed over it. His card shuffling sequence is certainly entertaining, with one handed moves that he makes look deceptively easy. While his actual trick ran in to some trouble, with a participant calling him out for switching out the card she pointed to even without her glasses, Northfield recovered the effect for a nice if somewhat undercut reveal. Most of the magic goes to plan, with a series of mind reading effects that see Northfield successfully reading the audience’s thoughts.

With small audiences,  participation is inescapable and building the show can feel like a collaborative experience, as there are times when there are as many or even more members of the audience on the stage as off it. Northfield balanced his participant use well, ensuring that each audience member had an approximately equal time onstage with him.

Obsess is a really lovely tribute to the work it takes to become a working magician. While the reviewed show was perhaps hampered by the weather and time of day, it could easily be a great option for a start of the day show, particularly for Leithers on their way in to town to enjoy the Fringe. Northfield’s perspective on magic gives new insights into the art form.

ANGUS BASKERVILLE: HIDDEN POWERS

☆☆☆

Magician Angus Baskerville has quite a following, at the reviewed date of his Hidden Powers show he managed to get a strong audience on a sunny weekday afternoon. He has a dual mission of educating his audiences about autism and also impressing them with magic, all structured around the story of his own childhood as an individual with autism. It’s gently empowering with some well performed magic.

The magic performed tends toward the modern classics, themed on stories from Baskerville’s youth. If some of the humor comes across as a bit juvenile from an adult perspective, it feels appropriate for a family-friendly show that, at the reviewed date, had a significant minority of children in the audience. There is a clear creative highlight in Baskerville’s bank note routine, which features a particularly unusual reveal, allowing Baskerville to show off a few skills at once. Thematically it’s perhaps a bit tangential to the primary point of the show, but it’s such a fun reveal that the audience hardly notices.

With an audience of mixed ages Baskerville does a great job of balancing getting the enthusiastic children involved with making sure he gets adults onstage with him when required. Baskerville is kind to his participants, often asking for volunteers, and when he does need a random choice for effect ensuring that the participant is chosen via a selection process that is easy to opt out of. Those who do participate are even sometimes rewarded, even sometimes with a cheeky monetary memento.

Hidden Powers is not just a magic show, Baskerville also seeks to educate and advocate for neurodivergent individuals, especially those that share his diagnosis of autism. It’s a theme that’s clearly very close to his heart. The theme does effectively tie the show together, and while there are a few moments where it feels tangential—and, in his final effect, it seems to wholly takes the backseat to a good reveal—by and large Baskerville does a good job of using it to mold the presentation of his tricks.

Well suited for all ages and demonstrably popular, Hidden Powers is a not-so-hidden gem of a show. Baskerville performs his magic well, with plenty of jokes and inspirational conclusions that he’s reached over the course of his life along the way. It’s wholesome, family friendly, and welcoming of all types of brains.

NORVIL AND JOSEPHINE: RABBITS OUT OF THE HAT

☆☆☆☆☆

As the audience filters in to Norvil and Josephine’s venue for Rabbits out of the Hat, their first glimpse is of the wonderfully vintage vaudeville stylings of the stage and costumes. Josephine is on hand to welcome everyone in, chit chatting with the early arrivals while the rest make their way up the stairs. There’s definitely a hearty substance to the show once it gets going, but the stylish backdrop remains, and both sets off that substantive element and even becomes integral to how to unfolds.

Rabbits out of the Hat is firmly and unapologetically a children’s show, geared toward the younger age range even by those standards. The magic is nevertheless creative and impressive by any standards. With two performers there’s more range in what can be done and how it can be presented, which Norvil and Josephine take full advantage of. Even an effect as basic as the linking rings is given a vintage vaudevillian rejuvenation, and becomes hilarious and exciting in their hands. Their big illusion routines are particular highlights, with the presentation shifting in a way that feels natural over the course of the show to bring the themes to life.

With two performers there’s not as much of a need for audience participation. It’s sprinkled in at appropriate moments, with opportunities for both children and adults to get involved. With an audience that skews younger, Norvil and Josephine occasionally have to deal with the unfiltered heckling of children, as at the reviewed performance that featured a young child shouting out her strong preference for Josephine. Norvil and Josephine acknowledged such interruptions when they could without breaking character, and luckily the children’s adults were on hand to get them to save their voices for the times when the performers invited vocalization.

The wholesome theme of being yourself is notable, both for being a great message for children and for how it’s realized over the course of the show. This is a uniquely magical story, it not only makes perfect use of magic in how it’s told, it feels like the performers chose magic to tell it with intention as it’s the right medium for their message. Norvil and Josephine acknowledge the gendered past of magic while forging an egalitarian path forward. It’s a timely message for the art form, which is certainly getting increasingly better, but still has plenty of room for growth. There are other timely implications as well to a story about women’s rights and particularly how they benefit any gender—the adults may pick up on this close-to-the-surface subtext but making it explicit would probably crowd a show that is already brimful with magic and story elements.

Norvil and Josephine: Rabbits out of the Hat demonstrates perfection in both children’s entertainment and magical innovation. At a magic review publication the focus is of course on the magic, but there are also other adjacent art forms on display here, chiefly singing, dancing, and acrobatics, that enhance the performance. It’s ideal both for families with children looking for wholesome entertainment and grown ups with an interest in seeing another facet of modern, exciting magic.

STUART LIGHTBODY: MYSTERIOUS MOMENTS

☆☆☆☆

The popular Stuart Lightbody is worth traveling for. At the reviewed showing of Mysterious Moments with Stuart Lightbody, several audience members from Lightbody’s home country of South Africa reported that they had seen him in that country and loved him so much that when they found out that he would be in Edinburgh for the Fringe, they made sure to take the time to see him again. That level of committed fandom is surely the most impactful endorsement to hear. As soon as Lightbody gets started, the rest of the audience understand how he has acquired such enduring support.

Mysterious Moments may emphasize mentalism a bit more that Lightbody’s fans would usually expect, but they can be reassured that they will still see some of his excellent card work. Plus, the mentalism is equally excellent. One card effect in particular that garners a big reaction from everyone is part of a sequence involved in forging a connection between two randomly chosen participants. Many of the audience members at the reviewed show were on board as soon as Lightbody showed off his fancy shuffle work. The card effect itself earned Lightbody an affectionate expletive, and the subsequent demonstration of the connection forged left all in awe.

Lightbody gets a good proportion of the audience involved, while keeping anything difficult for himself. Much of the audience involvement can be done from their seats, including a highly impactful mind reading sequence that manages to get just about everyone at once. The one mildly disconcerting moment involves a participant whose consent is acquired ahead of the start of the show.

Mysterious Moments functions as a series of stories, sometimes even just vignettes, as a framework for Lightbody to perform his magic. This contributes to the dreamlike quality of the performance that he deliberately curates. It’s a highly effective way to frame and make memorable the mysteries that he demonstrates.

Many will be drawn to Lightbody’s shows due to their previous experiences with him, and those for whom that was not the case this year will find themselves in the same boat by the next Fringe. Mysterious Moments is an excellent primer on perfection in storytelling magic, that will ensure the viewer’s standards are high in assessing other shows. Lightbody’s hypnotically powerful magic perfectly highlights the stories.

ARRON JONES: #1 GREATEST HIT ROCK’N’ROLL MAGIC SHOW

☆☆☆☆☆

Every so often, even the greats get it wrong. Arron Jones was unfortunate enough to fall victim to a rare blunder when he took to the Britain’s Got Talent stage, and in his new Fringe show #1 Greatest Hit Rock’n’Roll Magic Show he’s showing everyone at the biggest arts festival in the world just how easily he would have won the day if he had stayed on BGT. Jones’s inventive magic is always popular, and Greatest Hit is no exception, with a completely full audience at the reviewed sunny Sunday show.

Jones earns the title of the Rockstar Magician by creating a genre-bending show that is a perfect mix of music and magic. It’s accessible enough that even those whose preferences lean heavily towards just one of those genres will have plenty to enjoy. The attention to detail is flawless. Everything in this show is glittery and/or covered in animal print for a cohesive visual experience, including Jones himself, who is easily the best dressed magician at the Fringe. The use of the video screen in the venue enhances the act as well, whether in introducing the show or simply displaying Jones himself gyrating across the screen.

It’s a visually very flashy show, and luckily there is substantive magic to back it up. Jones’s attempts to create a chart-topping magic trick leads him down a winding path, and the audience is along for the ride, with Jones demonstrating a series of effects in his signature Rock’n’Roll meets wholesomely British style. A dramatic card finding routine is an early crowd pleaser, featuring the catchiest reveal ever performed.

There is naturally an element of audience participation, although as this show mixes both magic and music performance elements it’s not as significant as magic fans may expect. Those who do join look generally quite pleased to get a closer look at the excitingly dressed Jones, and they don’t have to worry about attracting much more attention than they would from the audience, with Jones attracting so much attention himself. At the reviewed show Jones also had to deal with some unplanned participation in the form of an audience member’s phone ringing, which he dealt with handily and hilariously. If anyone else had forgotten to put their phones on silent before this incident, they probably did immediately after.

Those who are considering seeing Jones’s #1 Greatest Hit Rock’n’Roll Magic Show are probably already the intended target audience who would get the most enjoyment out of it; the experience of the show is what would be expected from the advertising. It’s a perfect blend of music and magic, delivered by the Fringe’s only rockstar magician. Come witness the superstar himself.

DAVID ALNWICK: SECRET MAGIC SHOW

☆☆☆☆

Probably one of the hardest working performers of the Fringe, David Alnwick tends to pack his days full. This year he has three carefully written shows that he performs every day, plus his roving Secret Magic Show that takes advantage of other performers’ off days leaving the odd free slot in various venues. Not everyone has Alnwick’s work ethic and endless energy! The reviewed show at 10:30AM on a Sunday morning took place in a record shop, and like Alnwick’s shows always are, was very well attended. Alnwick performs a variety of his favorites and the occasional experimental bit.

The magic performed is as perfect as usual for Alnwick—with the hilarious exception of his attempt to demonstrate one of the effects that he invented to sell to other magicians. While this minor imperfection was a nice reminder to the audience that this isn’t TV—when something goes wrong the performer can’t re-shoot until they get it right—it did not have a significant effect on the overall impression that Alnwick is just what he claims, a truly exceptional magician. There is an emphasis on card tricks at the reviewed show, which is fantastic as this is an area where Alnwick particularily excels. He even shows off some fancy shuffles and cardistry, just for fun. A great early moment that sets the tone is a card finding effect that gets many members of the audience involved, with Alnwick successfully recovering the many chosen cards in inventive ways. The audience is also treated to Alnwick’s favorite card trick with the accompanying story. Returning fans may remember this one from prior years’ shows, it’s a strong routine that’s fun to revisit.

A practiced professional, Alnwick treats his audience participants well throughout the show. At the reviewed show he made sure to locate the fellow magician in the audience, and got her involved at the perfect moment. In a small venue there’s nowhere to hide from participation in the magic, but nothing to fear from a performer like Alnwick.

Alnwick’s Secret Magic Show is a slightly more chaotic experience than his fans will be used to, which in this case is a draw. Alnwick navigates the chaos well and it feels like an interesting insight into how his mind works. There’s even the opportunity for greater involvement, he asks the audience if they happen to have cards he could use, giving the truly devoted fan a chance to own a deck shuffled by Alnwick himself and everyone a chance to see a magician perform with a verified standard deck.

The great advantage of Alnwick’s Secret Magic Show is that the timings are so varied, those who want to come will provably be able to find a time that suits. Magic fans, comedy fans, and anyone looking for a random assortment of good times will enjoy Alnwick’s company.