Here's a treat for audiences. A magic show. But not just a magic show. Magical Thinking (as in pick a card, show the audience, think of that card, is it the seven of diamonds?) is a piquant showcase of Trevor Poole, close-up magic card manipulator and heavy equipment maintenance man. OK, the latter is his day job. No heavy equipment are harmed or shuffled on stage in Poole's show. Card magic is his passion. And he's got the touch for it. What else he has is a low-key somewhat shy, disarming personality, a ready wit and a stage attitude that presents him as someone just as amazed by the card trickery as the audience is. As is common to all card magic acts, Poole called upon audience members in the show's first half to participate in the prestidigitation - i.e. to select cards. Where Magical Thinking really set itself apart from the average magic show occurred when an audience member volunteered to join Poole at a table set for two on stage. A white table cloth made it easy for the audience to see the cards in play. As Poole shuffled or prepped a deck of cards for his next trick, he, in a hestitant natural style of speaking, related lovely stories about his early fascination with cards and family members who played games with them. And he drew out appropriate card game recollections from his stage guest which, astonishingly, Poole cleverly used to complete a very cool sleight -of-hander. Poole's "accomplice" visibly relaxed under Poole's unaggressive and friendly, inclusive behaviour. With gracious humour, coupled with looks of delighted surprise, the volunteer "took" the rapt and amused audience into the show with him. It felt as if we in the stadium seating were gathered in a kitchen having a swell time watching a regular guy doing some very irregular and nifty tricks with cards. For a first ever Fringe show by Trevor Poole (who also wrote the script) and the first ever time he has performed card tricks before an audience, this outing stands as a quiet triumph for him. (His sister, actress Lee-Anne Poole, encouraged him to try a Fringe show and acted as producer of Magical Thinking on his behalf.) One low-key beef. The show went by all too quickly. Not a dead spot anywhere. Longer next time, please. Great fun.
Showtimes: Thursday Sept 6 in the Khyber 1 at 10:15, Friday Sept 7 in the Khyber 1 at 8:15, Saturday Sept 8 in the Khyber 1 at 5:30 and 10:30 , Sunday Sept 9 in the Khyber 1 at 3:15 and 8:15 $6.00