Show: Magical Bones: Soulful Magic Venue Assembly: Checkpoint Time: 4.45pm Dates: 3rd to 28th August (not 16th) Links: Profile and Social Media
Tell me about your 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show, Soulful Magic.
Soulful Magic is a high-energy action-packed magic and illusion show. It’s an evolution of all the stage work I have been performing over the last 10 years. I wanted to continue celebrating black culture by bringing some soul into magic. So, the music and sound are a key part of this show as I want this show to feel like a concert of magic. With Soulful Magic I wanted to bring powerful stories intertwined with a set of innovative illusions that will have my audiences immersed in the heart of the magic. I have poured my heart and soul into these new effects pushing myself to the realms of impossibility, and I believe this is my most ambitious project to date.
I love your live shows. The illusions, married with the narrative, are inspiring. Who inspires you?
As a kid I would always practice magic to hip-hop, RNB and Soul. This was the music I grew up listening to at home. For me, music and magic go hand in hand. Both inspire me and shape my routines. I am a big fan of the late Michael Jackson and Prince. I also love Beyonce, Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar and even Cardi B. These performers are entertainers and they have pushed boundaries. I am also inspired by the regular people I meet out and about on the streets. From the crazy characters I meet at my barbershop to the funny stories I hear at my favorite Caribbean restaurant, Daphanies, in Peckham. I’ve always used magic to share my experiences of street culture & lifestyle and all the heroes that have inspired me, and this show is no exception.
You have already performed in large scale live tours and enjoyed countless TV appearances, including as the headliner, closing BBC1’s BAFTAs. Do you prefer stage or TV performances?
Although I love creating magic for television and it’s a great global platform that’s gives you tons of exposure- I prefer performing my magic on stage. I think there is something really special about seeing magic performed live. I get to engage with the audience on a much more personal level. Being in the actual environment of magic is also a difference and the feeling of wonder in the atmosphere is something a TV screen just can’t capture. There also isn’t a rewind button so you can re-watch and pause the effect a million times, your forced to live in the moment. And as an audience member you experience the magic in real time which makes it easier for you to suspend disbelief.
Do you still like to dance?
I love to dance and many dance styles especially the street styles like Cuban salsa and breaking. Dance is something that features heavily in my shows. Dance is culture and it’s in my heart. Write down the question you wish I’d asked and then please answer it for me
Finally, ask and answer a question of your own.
What sets it apart from other magic shows at the festival?
I think what makes my magic different from any other magic shows is the different combination of elements I incorporate into my magic routines. The way I present magic is very different to most magicians, for example, not many magicians can do a backflipping card trick or solve a Rubik’s cube blindfolded whilst breakdancing!
Tickets: Magical Bones: Soulful Magic
