Edinburgh Fringe 2024
The Dreamer – Live
James Phelan
Genre: Cabaret, Magic, Variety Show
Venue: Underbelly Circus Hub on the Meadows
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
The Dreamer by James Phelan is a show about determination. It is a large-scale show that incorporates special effects, audience interaction, comedy, close-up magic and more. It is well-paced to keep the audience fully engaged
Review
Be inspired by James Phelan, who is living his dream through a brilliantly-staged magic and mentalism production. It is a magic show but so much more.
The Dreamer by James Phelan is a show about determination. It is a large-scale production that incorporates special effects, audience interaction, comedy, close-up magic and more. It is well-paced to keep the audience fully engaged – and scratching their heads in wonderment as to how he pulls off the tricks. It is a new production for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. It is presented in a circus tent, heightening the feel of a magic show, with a full video screen as well as lighting effects.
The show opens with a video of Phelan as a baby. Overtop of the images is a message: “surround yourself with the dreamers, the doers, the believers, and the thinkers”. The premise of the show is that we are all dreamers, and that imagination is a very powerful tool. It is a light-hearted show but with a strong message.
Phelan begins the performance by asking three audience members to each choose a card, without revealing the card to Phelan. Phelan uses his mentalism to identify the card – and more (no spoilers).
He invites the audience to call out numbers. He puts those numbers on the back of one of his posters. I won’t reveal what happens next but the numbers reappear in a very surprising way.
He heightens the drama with a segment on the power of suggestion. Everyone is asked to close their eyes and follow Phelan’s prompts. At various points people are unable to move hands or feet unless released by Phelan. He singles out several people for actual hypnosis routines that are both funny and mind-boggling. He even has the volunteers forgetting their own names, then restores their memory and physical abilities with the snap of a finger. Throughout he treats his volunteers with respect and dignity.
Phelan is quick witted and casual. He is charming on stage, and easily relates to the audience as a whole and the individuals who participate in his routines.
This is a “must see it to believe it” show. Each time Phelan comes to the climax of the routine you are left in amazement.
The production goes beyond the predictable magic show lines. This is a very personal story for Phelan. He touches on his parents’ 12 year struggle with IVF. The “dream” was practicing card tricks in his bedroom with an eye to making it to a big stage. The “dream” was presenting his show at the world-famous Magic Circle in London. Beyond the “dream” Phelan achieved notoriety with and an unprecedented 351 date one-man theatre tour of his show ‘The Greatest Magician’.
As he narrates on stage, the dreams have become reality. That little boy trying out routines in the bedroom recently sold out a 12-day run at the Magic Circle, the first in the history of the club. The dream took him to the BBC, where he spent three years at the helm of a primetime radio magic show.
The production is directed by Debbie McGee and Amanda Baker. It is written, designed, and performed by James Phelan.
Be inspired by Phelan, who is living his dream through a compelling magic production. He and his family never gave up on their dream. What seems impossible became possible. His message is one of empowerment for all ages. In his words, “I’ve realised we are all The Dreamer. We all have something we love and aspire to.”
And, of course, laughter and fun with his impressive brand of magic and mentalism.
