Apr 2, 20223 min read

Champions Of Magic Review

Updated: Oct 19, 2023

This week I started planning the live shows that I want to attend this year and I started to book some of the shows. After watching Ben Hart and Magical Bones recently, I decided it would be good to get other shows lined up for 2022 as I only had Derren Brown booked for July.

While planning ahead, I decided to make a last minute purchase to see Champions of Magic at the Nottingham arena. I bought the tickets yesterday afternoon for the evening performance.

The first time that I have attended quite such a large magic show in an arena and I was joined by my family.

Despite the size and scale of the show, it still worked remarkably well. Of course, large scale escape and vanish routines are ideally suited for larger venues. Video was of course also used to project images to assist with close ups.

A nice bonus when researching the show was to discover that one of the artists follows Magic Seats - Excellent!

The show was amazing and a decent length. It featured Young and Strange, Alex McAleer, Hollie England and Fernando Valesco.

An enjoyable night and I really enjoyed Young and Strange in particular with their stage illusions. They performed a fantastic finale.

Other highlights included Fernando performing the Houdini water cell. I had never seen that performed live before and that was amazing to see.

Watching Alex perform his mentalism was also excellent and leaves you scratching your head - how did he know that! An amazing routine. Hollie was also excellent performing though would have been good to see more of her With an expended performance. Loved her Alice section and the madness of it.

Throughout the show, great interaction by the magicians with the crowd. They certainly entertained and to hear about their passion for magic and own experiences made the show more engaging for the magic fans. References to famous performers and effects throughout the ages.

It was always going to be an impossible mission to get any autographs or selfies due to the size of the audience and scale of the production. I had hoped to pick up some decent merchandise including a tour poster. A missed opportunity really and nothing special on sale at all. A shame.

A very enjoyable show that was different from anything I had seen live previously. If you can get tickets, I would recommend. Lots of WOW moments and Las Vegas style magic.

With lockdowns finished, I really do intend to make the most of the opportunities to see as many live performances as possible this year. Seeing the show last night will make me more determined.

The next available show for me to attend is now in a weeks time with Richard Jones and his ”Escape” show in Kettering. While I have seen this show before, I have bought the tickets today. A couple of tickets for my daughter and I. Kettering is quite close and some good tickets are still available.

A definite that I wish to book this year and see is Tony Middleton’s “The Magic Hour” in London. This is quite an exclusive parlour magic show and only about 35 tickets are available per show. Shows tend to be on Fridays and Saturdays. Therefore, if I could get to London and combine a couple of shows, it would make it worthwhile. The ideal situation is that a big West end magic show gets announced like last years Wonderville.

Tony is an excellent magician who has a love of the Golden Age of Magic. It would also be good to get a book that I have by him signed as well.

On my wish list but probably not logistically possible is Noel Qualter who is performing in Blackpool. He is at Russ Browns House of Secrets in mid May. This would be excellent but it is a mid week performance during a working week, so probably not possible.

It would be excellent to see Noel perform. I had the chance to meet him last year and chat briefly and he is an amazing act.

A long shot but if I did get to Blackpool, I would of course need to book “Evolution” with Craig Christian and Elizabeth.

Lastly, I am also keeping an eye on Illusion Impossible with Jamie Raven. The advertised tour date that I am interested in does not appear to be on sale yet. Kettering Light House theatre for an October date.