Paul T Davies reviews Illusionati at The Space at Surgeon’s Hall at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Illusionati
The Space at Surgeon’s Hall
Edinburgh Fringe
3 Stars
Book Tickets
My quest to experience different things at this Fringe led me to this delightful, family-friendly, magic show. The Great Baldini, aka David Hoare, attempts to solve a mystery in a show billed as Tommy Cooper meets the Da Vinci Code! There were certainly some Tommy Cooper moments as his props occasionally rebelled, but that added to the fun!
This is good old-fashioned magic, with no Darren Brown attempt to reimagine what magic is. The Great Baldini is a wonderful character, engaging with audience members brilliantly, and the tricks are very impressive.
I did wonder if the story itself was a bit too adult for younger members of the audience, but we all take part in a card trick that is genuinely surprising! A pleasing encounter with a convivial, magic host!
