☆☆☆☆

Diary of a Magician is marketed as a family friendly show, and for good reason. Even before the titular magician Mu-Syuan Chang steps onstage the show’s support staff are on hand to make family units feel welcome, ushering children to the front row and making space for parents to accompany those too young to sit alone. While missing even a second of this performance is not recommended, children who enter the show slightly late are still made to feel welcome, with staff adding chairs to the front row so quickly and unobtrusively that it’s almost as magical as the act onstage.

Chang is equally welcoming of his young fans, making a point to interact with them to their comfort levels and at one point making his way along the front row to ensure that each child gets a special magical experience. Shorter adults may also appreciate this approach, as it’s easier to see over children’s heads than those of their parents. Like the seating choice, Diary of a Magician itself is appealing to all age groups, with highly visual effects that capture and keep children’s attention as well as theatre and artistry that keeps everyone in the audience wanting more.

The magic is themed on classical poetry, and the lines appear as a pre-caption ahead of each section. Each dreamscape style diary entry is beautifully brought to life by Chang’s magic. Magic regulars may recognize the basic structure of the effects that Chang employs, but they are rarely seen performed with such specific artistic sensibilities that are more reminiscent of the movements of a dancer or acrobat. A particular early highlight is an especially beautiful scene involving a light and a wooden staff that Chang uses to bring a starscape into the room, earning gasps from the youngsters and applause from their adults.

Chang’s excellent staging and lighting choices deserve a mention as well. Simple props turn the stage in turn into such varied locales as the night sky, a train station, and a field of flowers. Chang’s metal hoops routine is an especially strong use of lighting, with the multicolored lights making the hoops look like they’re lighting up as well, enhancing the artistry of this scene.

Magic is known for its heavy use of audience participation, but aside from getting the front row involved briefly from their seats, Diary of a Magician does not use audience participants, with Chang alone in his dreamscapes creating the magic entirely in his own hands. The audience does not feel this as a loss—in fact may only realize that this was the case on reflection after the show—and indeed for some it may be a huge plus. Whether due to youth, shyness, or social anxiety, those who have been put off witnessing a live magic show because of a fear of needing to go onstage can safely enjoy the magic of Diary of a Magician.

With such broad appeal to all ages and all types of audience members, it’s no surprise that even on the sunny weekend day that Diary of a Magician was reviewed it filled out the theatre. After the show children could be heard begging their parents to let them take a picture with Chang on the way out, and was he obligingly just outside the door to fulfill requests. Chang’s physically inventive style of magic is a welcome addition to the Edinburgh Fringe scene.