What Missing a Magic Show at the Edinburgh Fringe Taught Me About Live Events
- brian storey
- Aug 29
- 3 min read
Magician off-duty, but always ready for action.
I’ve just come back from the Edinburgh Fringe, a city that’s bursting at the seams with creative energy, packed shows, and people queueing for everything (seriously… everything).
As a magician, I always learn something new when I go to live shows. This year was no different. I saw some brilliant performers, soaked up the atmosphere, and left feeling even more sure of what makes live entertainment actually work.
Weirdly though, the moment that stuck with me the most wasn’t a magic show I saw. It was one I didn’t see.
The map was inaccurate. The venue number was duplicated. The queue and bag-check were long.
I booked a show using the official Fringe app, gave myself loads of time, and followed the map like a good audience member does.
The map pin took me to the wrong place. The venue number I had? Already in use by a completely different building.
This was the signage for Studio 3, but Venue 3 was actually elsewhere (red X). No wonder I was confused.
Eventually, I found out the actual venue was hidden inside a street food courtyard nearby, which had security checks and a queue halfway down the street. By the time I got through it all, I was five minutes late.
I wasn’t let in. And yes, I did my best "But I'm a magician!" face. It didn’t help.
It wasn’t the missed show that got me, it was the missed feeling.
The dodgy directions. The identical venue numbers. The bag check queue. All tiny things. But together, they took the magic out of the evening.
And it reminded me how fragile a live experience can be.
As performers or event organisers, we’re not just responsible for what happens on stage. We’re responsible for the whole vibe. The welcome. The flow. The atmosphere before the first word is said or the first card is picked.
It’s something I think about in every show I do.
Whether I’m performing at a wedding, a corporate do, or someone’s birthday in a back garden, I try to see things from the guest’s point of view:
Is it relaxed and friendly?
Do they feel looked after?
Am I bringing good energy into the room — not just clever tricks?
Because let’s be honest — magic isn’t about being the cleverest person in the room. It’s about giving people moments they’ll talk about later, or maybe for years, with a smile on their face.
It’s about responsibility, not blame.
Whether the map was wrong or I just cut it too fine, the result was the same: I missed out.
And that feeling, confusion, frustration, disappointment, is one I never want someone to have at an event I’m part of.
Because I’m not just there to do a few clever tricks, I’m there to help people feel something memorable, something warm, something magical, from the moment they arrive.
I understand that during a festival, turnaround times can be very tight. But if I ever have to hold the show five minutes for someone to get through a bag check queue, or someone is a few minutes late but happy to pop in quietly and sit at the back... I’ll try my hardest to accommodate.
After all, the show is about the audience, not the performer.
📸 I’ll be posting a few Fringe highlights and photos soon over on Instagram @brianstorey_magic (Yes, there’s one with a playing card. I couldn’t help myself.)
If you’re planning a party, wedding or corporate event and want more than just tricks, let’s connect. I bring close-up magic, mind reading and interactive entertainment that works for all ages.
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