America’s Got Talent semi-finalist Dom Chambers makes his Fringe debut with the magically titled Fake Wizard. There’s some really tough competition on the magic circuit this festival and Dom manages to offer something you won’t get with most others - a highly modernised show with iPhones and beer in lieu of ropes and handkerchiefs.
Dom offers something you won’t get with most magic - a highly modernised show
Chambers is a confident performer who will appeal to a young, hip crowd, with a funny script that at times felt wasted on a disappointingly tepid audience. His stage persona complements his routine effectively, though there is room for further character development. The show would probably be better suited to a later timeslot with a boozier audience that could help Dom unlock his charming/suave/more adult-orientated potential.
In Fake Wizard, you can expect to enjoy some nifty technology scattered throughout, with the main focal point being his relationship with a prerecorded Siri as a running theme. Siri has some killer gags and the two bounce off each other to create some great laughs and magical effects. The idea and execution are absolutely on point, but, again, there’s a sense of underdevelopment that is holding it back from its full potential. Like a newly-formed double act still settling into their optimal dynamic.
Every trick in the show is impressive, most the jokes land well and the Siri-ously ingenuitive sidekick is a mini-Fringe highlight. The finale is a quality callback which demonstrates the range of Dom’s writing and performance skills. He’s missing some killer deliveries that will place the audience in the palm of his hand where they belong, and with a few more shows under his belt, Fake Wizard will probably be looking at a fourth star. A worthy addition to the magic roster this year, guaranteed not to disappoint.
