Taking Magic To The Fringe Without Losing Your Mind

So you want to bag yourself a fringe festival slot. Maybe it's Edinburgh, maybe it's Adelaide, maybe it's some weird micro-festival in a muddy field where someone might throw up on your props. 

Whatever it is, the first step is to commit and I promise you’ll walk away a better performer, with a sharper act and maybe even a small profit in your pocket.

I’ve been a successful regular at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the last three years with my ensemble show Insane Magic (alongside Elliot Bibby and Cameron Gibson), plus solo shows like Drunk Magic and this year’s The Magic Hangover.

Here’s a few things I’ve learnt that will make your Fringe debut a success. 

Start with the vibe, not the tricks

Don’t get bogged down thinking about which tricks to perform, instead focus on the vibe. When we started building Insane Magic we began with the name. It sounds like a show people want to see. Something fast-paced, high-energy. A bit wild. 

The name should set audience expectations. If your show is called Mind Dust, no one’s coming unless they already know you — or you’re Derren Brown.

From there, write a synopsis and use it as a creative anchor. Our one-line pitch is: ”a fast-paced family magic show where every trick should make you go, “That was insane.” This helps us to filter our material. If a trick won’t make people say, “that was insane,” it’s cut.

I used to overthink titles by trying to be clever. But clever doesn’t sell. Clear does. Clarity should bleed into everything. People won’t choose your show out of 5,000 others unless the title and flyer tell them what they’re getting. 

A good flyer must pass the two-second test and instantly explain what your show is. If it doesn’t, rethink it. 

Bold titles like Drunk Magic or Insane Magic, tell the story upfront and attract the crowd you want. I have quite a rowdy audience at my solo shows, but Insane has a lovely family crowd. 

We tried a spin-off, adults only show called Insane Magic After Dark. We thought it would attract an edgier late-night audience but it ended up being our normal crowd looking for a nightcap. We’d misjudged it completely — always be clear about the audience you seek..