A Masterclass in Magic, Mind Control and all Things Mystical
James Phelan provides a mixture of magic, showmanship and mind control in this show. He explores his own journey to get to this point in his career, as he builds a show that must be poignant and a mystifying piece of magic.
Phelan is an excellent performer. From the moment he takes the stage, you do not take your eyes off of him. He has a charisma and warmth that gets the audience on his side, allowing him to then easily sign people up to partake in the show. I suspect this allows for more people to be susceptible to his trickery. He possesses a flair for the show, basking in an aura of mystery that builds through the show, making the last few moments of each trick and illusion truly spectacular.
His ability in magic is brilliant. He manages to achieve the impossible with little effort, clearly possessing a mastery in his art. He must be impossibly quick to achieve what he manages to achieve. Along with the magic, he explores ideas of chance and how to predict a base human reaction to things. He presents three audience members with cards and guesses which one they pick. His explanations are fascinating and provide a real insight into the workings of the human mind. He is also absolutely right in every prediction he makes.
Perhaps most impressively, Phelan pulls off feats of Mind reading through two surrogates in the audience. He places them under a light hypnosis and then is able to help them ascertain information that they could not possibly know before. It is absolutely amazing to watch, and is unendingly impressive. Magic is a wonderful thing to watch and then try to understand the how behind the trick. What Phelan does is beyond this, and points to a collective unconscious linking the audience together. However it may be done doesn’t really matter, because it is sensational to see no matter the process.
Phelan is on top of his game, he builds a show that is both showy and poignant. He gives advice and relays the message that we can achieve our dreams. You leave this show with a little bit more belief in Magic, whatever form that may take.
Show Listing: https://www.edfringe.com/
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Venue: The Beauty at Underbelly’s Circus Hub on the Meadows
Dates: 8th – 29th August (Not 17th, 24th)
Time: 17.15
Ticket prices: £16.00/ concessions £15.00
Fringe box office: 0131 226 0000 / www.edfringe.com
Suitable for 8+ (Guildeline)