Edinburgh Fringe 2025
The Telepath and the Conjuror
The Oberons
Genre: Magic, Mind Reading
Venue: theSpace@Surgeon's Hall
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Marc Oberon and Emily Yarrow combine sleight of hand, illusions, operatic singing, and mind-reading to deliver an impressive show that brings gasps from the audience and then certain applause. There is lots of audience engagement and some funny moments, producing an entertaining experience for all ages.
Review
Gasp, silence, applause (repeat), gasp, silence, applause (repeat). That is the soundtrack of the show The Telepath and the Conjurer. A stunned audience, then the laughter and applause. Marc Oberon and Emily Yarrow truly create those memorable experiences.
Magic is…well, magical. It is the temporary suspension of disbelief. It is that ‘aha’ moment when you think you figured out the trick only to be fooled – again. Add mind reading and you are completely shaking your head. That is what you will encounter at The Telepath and the Conjurer – awe and amazement.
Magician Marc Oberon and soprano Emily Yarrow have teamed up to deliver a complete presentation that goes beyond the traditional magic show. He is known for his illusion work and she is an acclaimed vocalist. The resulting collaboration takes magic beyond the realm of simply deception. It blends classical illusions, sleight of hand, mentalism, and live operatic performance into a packed production that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Oberon and Yarrow met while performing on cruise ships. Oberon was a well-honed magician and mentalist with accolades from the World Champion of Magic and the Magic Castle. Yarrow was a classically-trained singer with TV, radio and film credits. One way for them to stay together was to create a collaborative show with mind-reading and magic. That developed into an act that has been honed on cruise ships and is now at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Oberon begins the performance with a long wand. This is not an ordinary wand held in the hand. It is suspended in the air, manipulated, twirled around, all with no physical contact. And then poof, it disintegrates. That kicks off the ‘wow’ experience ahead.
Illusions are accompanied by dramatic music that sets the mood. One silver ball becomes four, then two, then one, then four…all while we are mesmerized. There are a variety of playing card tricks using audience members. Each time someone is asked to call out a card, Oberon produces that exact one from a deck. His sleight of hand manipulation is flawless.
Yarrow enters and the show elevates with her smooth vocals. She sings the Edith Piaf classic “La Vie En Rose” as Oberon produces rose after rose after rose. But wait…there’s more! She goes beyond the singing to mystify the crowd with her mentalism. An assistant collects random items from the crowd and delivers them on a platter to Oberon, who is at the front of the stage. Yarrow is upstage, blindfolded. Oberon displays the items to the crowd, one at a time, and Yarrow correctly identifies them. There is a driver’s license. She identifies the name on the license. There is a set of keys with a cute little teddy bear. She gets not only the keys but the bear. It is impossible for her to see the items, and yet…
The show is filled with these mind-blowing spots and lots of audience interaction. They are truly entertainers. And it is charming. There is a lovely connection between them. Yarrow and Oberon banter back and forth, throwing in some funny bits, and then, boom, it’s another magical moment. As he proclaims, “real magic can’t be rehearsed”.
Take an hour out of your busy Fringe day to experience the supernatural through the lens of this very talented duo. You will leave shaking your head, and probably never figure out the tricks. But then, that is why is it called magic.
