Edinburgh International Magic Festival 2012

Magic is considered by many to be an outdated and tired form of entertainment; but over the last three years Magicfest has sought to make us think again about this age-old craft. This year the Edinburgh International Magic Festival will explore visual theatre with over thirty performers taking part, many of whom are Fringe-fixtures – one conjuror having gained his place after winning Magicfest’s Close-Up Magician competition in its first year.

Performers include the charming and classic card magician Matthew Dowden and Britain’s Got Talent’s acute mind reader, Colin McLeod. However, fingering through this year’s programme and seeing entertainers like Card Ninja amid the usual black-tie clad conjurors, there’s an obvious desire to keep audiences intrigued with edgier and more flashy performances. The Ninja first made himself known around the city at the Fringe two years ago: somewhere between a novelty and an old school close-up magician, he is a representative of a new wave of magicians who have abandoned the stereotype of the top hat and tails for an edgier take.

Elsewhere, the black magic duo Voyageurs Egares look to be a highlight as they explore the absurd and the melancholic with the dark pageantry of the circus. Artistic Director Kevin McMahon says he hopes to "inspire the audience in every show with the art of the impossible." Magicfest has proven popular with kids and there’s a selection of interactive classes on Street Magic, one-off technical workshops and five-day courses where young magicians learn everything from card tricks to levitation. Yet tradition has not been abandoned entirely: the festival starst with a gala variety night. Cabaret is not just for burlesque and the fringe...