Category Archives: Magic

The Edinburgh Fringe One-Weeker 2015 – Card Ninja

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Time for another mix of comedy and magic with Javier Jarquin’s Card Ninja show. Let’s read the blurb: “Back due to popular demand, multi award-winning comedian Javier Jarquin returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Card Ninja, a riotous and dazzling display of comedy and card stunts. Following his journey from mild mannered card player to silent assassin using playing cards as weapons, Card Ninja is a one-man comedy show with upbeat humour and smooth audience interaction for anyone who’s ever wanted to be a little bit Ninja.”

Mrs Chrisparkle and I saw Mr Jarquin at one of our Screaming Blue Murder nights in Northampton and he was great entertainment – and, loving a bit of magic as I do, I vowed that we would try to see him again when he had his magician’s hat on. So this production, 15:45 at Sin (great name) on Cowgate, is the perfect opportunity. Hopefully after three quite meaty plays we’ll be ready for some sleight of hand hilarity. It’s not a long show, so check back around 4.30 to see if his magic is as good as his stand-up! The next preview blog will also be available to read too.

Update:

Amazing skill and loads of turtle power! Fast and funny and he’s lethal with those cards. Great fun for all the family. Ninja!

The Edinburgh Fringe One-Weeker 2015 – Piff the Magic Dragon – Breakfast at Piffany’s

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So I’m going to copy and paste from the first paragraph of my previous blog as it suits the same purpose, mutatis mutandis! OK so this is another of the productions that breaks my rule about only booking shows in Edinburgh that we can’t see back home in Northampton, because Piff the Magic Dragon has played our beloved theatre in the past and hopefully he will again – but we haven’t yet had the chance to see him, and Piff the Magic Dragon – Breakfast at Piffany’s fitted perfectly into our busy schedule, so it was a no-brainer!

Gosh, writing blogs is a piece of cake. I remember seeing Piff on TV and I thought he was hilarious – it was on that programme where the magician had to fool Penn and Teller. I’m pretty sure Piff passed the test. I love his down-in-the-mouth sullen expression, like he’s really having the most miserable time. Here’s the promotional blurb: “What do Shania Twain, David Copperfield and Penn & Teller have in common? They’ve all had Breakfast at Piffany’s, and this year you can too. Direct from Las Vegas, Piff the Magic Dragon and Mr Piffles return to the Fringe with new tricks, old snacks and sweet, sweet prizes. ‘The right amount of wrong’ (Las Vegas Review Journal). ‘Jaw-dropping … An hour with Piff is priceless’ **** (List). ‘Piff the Magic Dragon steals the show. A stand out act’ (Metro). ‘A complete mastery of his craft’ (Scotsman).”

Shamelessly lifted from his website, this tells you some more about the show: “Part magic show, part game show, part cry for help, Breakfast at Piffany’s sees Piff split the audience into teams to fight for points and prizes, and along the way witness incredible magic tricks, delicious snacks, surprise special guests and epic thumb wars.” Sounds – well – magic, really. The show starts at 22:40 at Underbelly’s Circus Hub on the Meadows, and I can’t wait. If you’re still up, check back around midnight for our instant reactions – and you can also find out how tomorrow morning’s shaping up for us.

Update:

Well I was advised earlier by a friend that Piff didn’t in fact fool Penn & Teller but it doesn’t matter much. He is a great magician and his sullen, deadpan act makes him the Jack Dee of the magic world. I found the structure of the show slightly annoying – being split into teams who gained points in the most random method, and at times the backing music was unbearably loud and distracting. But it’s all very funny and very clever, not to mention highly surreal. A very enjoyable way to end the day!