James Phelan
Showman
review by Louise Cannon – Bookmarks and Stages
Live jazz is played, filling the auditorium with music, creating a great, joyous showman type atmosphere to get the audience ready to be entertained.
James Phelan is a magician who is a delight to watch for adults without kids and families with kids alike.
He has a new show, called Showman. He is a great story-teller as he performs his tricks and they are more than just stories, if you really listen and think about it, the information he is imparting is absolutely fascinating and highly compelling. He has a great understanding of tapping into the physiology of the body and what the mind then does with information it is given.
James Phelan is an intelligent and entertaining magician. This isn’t just magic! This is magic with thoughtful and thought-provoking nuggets for every age. There’s a feeling not everything is given away and he still keeps the ultimate secrets to himself to keep the mystique. What is fascinating is how physiology and psychology can all be intertwined in audience participation related shows in the creation of magic on them. He’s a rather intelligent guy. There’s a feeling he has studied further than just a magic trick and has a true understanding of what lies beneath it.
He started off with a card trick with the audience, telling a story about what sort of person or sort of circumstance a certain card would be picked in. He nailed it!
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Magic, it’s all in the believing. The more you believe the more you can get out of it and participate. He tried out tricks on the audience as a whole with eyes closed for some and open your eyes again to see, in wonderment that they worked.
Audiences, they can be tricky with unpredictable, some believe in magic less than others. Tricks like being held fast on the floor so your feet can’t move are fun and very interesting, and work best on those who truly believe. James Phelan is quite the wordsmith and has plenty of ways to create a magic and sees how people take in certain words more than others, so can switch his methodology using words and this is fascinating to see in itself to good effect.
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There are other amazing tricks leaving the audience in awe as he dazzles with a spectacular performance involving a ring, fire and a glass. What happens is something very beautiful and a real gift to whoever he chooses to do this for.
He is encouraging to young people, not just budding magicians but for whatever they want to do when they grow up and has created an awe-inspiring trick around their aspirations that leaves the participant with something unique to take away with them.
The show is beautifully constructed and oozes with heartfelt passion and of course lots of magic!
James Phelan is a showman and one to watch!
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/james-phelan-showman
Bookmarks and Stages by Lou 