Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Low Down
Ben Hart presents a ‘greatest hits’ show, drawing on tricks from his decade at the Edinburgh Fringe. Interspersed with new illusions, the show takes the audience on a journey that includes bouts of comedy and horror, and of course, magic.
Review
Magic shows are all about three things; what you see, what you don’t see, and what you think you see. It’s the third part that I find the most interesting. The most amazing moments of Ben Hart’s tenth fringe installment surround the idea that the audience thinks they know what will happen next. Ben started each trick with essentially a show and tell. He outlined every prop that was to be used, and often, how it was going to be used. Even with this seemingly transparent (you’ll understand the pun if you see the show) showcase, every tick received an audible gasp from the audience, a reaction Hart made clear he prefers over applause.
The Palais de Variete in George Square is an incredible and unique venue. From the outside, you don’t get the sense of the scale and grandeur of the tented room. From the moment you walk in, you can see why it would be perfect for a cabaret or drag performance, but one key piece of the layout keeps it from being perfectly aligned to magicians — it is partially in the round. Hart overcame this challenge, at some points even using it to his advantage. The more angles an audience has to view a magic act, the harder the illusion is to pull off. Following that same logic, however, the payoff from a successful trick is even larger. The audience surrounding the performance is what elevated Hart’s magic from good to great.
Although the tricks were superb, the show struggled a bit in its flow. The stories of dark witchcraft and comedic audience interaction often felt disconnected, making the show feel like a series of tableaus, and less of a cohesive presentation. An improved flow will come with time (I saw an early performance of the show), and a tightening of tech timing could make a noticeable impact. Despite these downfalls, and a few flubs here and there, Hart pulled off impressive magic in a challenging setting.
A quick tip for future audiences, although seeing magic from a new angle is exciting, I would recommend sitting in front of the stage as opposed to around it. Hart played most of the show to the audience in the middle, at times leaving those furthest around the sides out.
