The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Champion act
Rothes Halls, Glenrothes, April 13
Champions of Magic brings together four of the most talented magicians and illusionists in one stage show.
The line-up features illusionists Young and Strange (ITV’s The Next Great Magician), mind reader Alex McAleer, the wonderfully named Fay Presto – and international stage magician of the year Edward Hilsum.
Together they’ll be performing incredible feats of mind-reading, stunning close-up tricks, daring largescale illusions and a death-defying, heart stopping finale.
Mind reader Alex McAleer has been performing for around 10 years.
He says the show could be described as magic’s version of comedy showcase, Live at the Apollo.
“It’s quite a bit like that,” he says. “We don’t have a compere as such, but I’ll come on stage and do some tricks, then Fay will be on, and Edward.
“Then I might be back on again. The audience gets to see a lot of different kinds of magic.”
Alex, 31, is joined on stage by his fluffy friend, a stuffed chimpanzee.
“I call him my ‘chimpeon of magic’” Alex continues. “With mentalism and mind reading the audience always suspects you’ve planted a stooge.
“By throwing the chimp out into the crowd, then getting them to throw it about a bit you can show it truly is a random, real person up there. That makes the trick much more real.”
Alex says he enjoys the camaraderie of touring with other magicians.
“We all have a genuine respect for each other’s acts and what we each bring to the show.
“Every time we go on tour it’s like a group of old friends or family coming together,” he adds.
The magicians are fast friends outside of the theatre and Alex says they’ve had some fun times on tour.
“My favourite memories include Young and Strange gaffer-taping Edward Hilsum to a wall back stage, and Fay Presto saving the day by performing in the street after an errant fire alarm meant the audience had to evacuate the theatre,” he laughs.
This is the group’s together.
Since 2013 they’ve performed in front of nearly a quarter of a million people and their tricks have been viewed online more than 20 million times.
Alex says despite the wonders of modern technology, people still like to be fooled by old fashioned magic.
“I don’t think it ever went away but more recently people have remembered that magic is something to experience live,” he says.
“I think people know that what they see on TV or YouTube might not be the whole picture so the more opportunities they have to see it live the better.” fourth tour