Fringe Online 2020
Magic Gareth
Magic Gareth
Genre: Children's Theatre, Fringe Online Performance, Magic
Venue: Online
Festival: Fringe Online
Low Down
Magic Gareth provides an online children’s magic show that has lost none of its luster to provide us with a magical experience that runs through mentalist tricks, disappearing hankies, badly built (by design) balloon animals, a game of higher or lower and the cloak of invincibility. A feast of misdirection and illusion, it takes that which should be close up and socially distances it with aplomb.
Review
I have always thought that to do magic, you need to sell it well. To be successful it needs a big personality behind it to tell the story, drive the narrative and make it all happen, in front of our very eyes. Magic Gareth has it in bucket loads. There is a clear and authentic voice working its way into the magic as he clearly loves the job of entertaining children.
I would perhaps have liked a better overview narrative that would have held it all together better as the holiday choice was good but trying to get away and why would have strengthened the whole process. Having said that, you know what, I am old and wrinkly, and the fresh faced in the audience seemed not to mind one jot! The interaction was well done and the way this was developed as an interactive online experience heightened its effect considerably.
I did like the way that the graphics and Cookie were used at the beginning, the scene behind him gave him the perfect platform and the use of Alexa in one of the audience’s home was a neat way of getting people to be enthralled.
Whilst I do love kid’s stuff, I cannot overdose on them too much in one day, but I shall certainly be looking out for Magic Gareth when the lockdown is finally done. He has a way of keeping children enthused whilst not being condescending but still playing homage to the traditions of his craft.
