This is my first time watching a Dom Chambers show, though it’s not my first time writing about Dom Chambers. I’ve been a fangirl of the Fake Wizard since his appearance in Strut & Fret’s sultry variety show, The Purple Rabbit, a few years ago, and this year I decided to dedicate a full hour of my Fringe season to watching his lastest solo show, aptly titled Dom Chambers: Fake Wizard.

There’s always an element of risk for both performer and spectator during shows that are reliant on audience participation. Chambers’s show is no exception, and my audience hosted two particularly dense attendees in the second row who had an uncanny ability to weaponise their incompetence by forgetting their cards and failing to follow instructions. For a lesser magician, the whole trick falls apart, but thankfully, Chambers not only handles these anomalies with witty banter, but pulls off the trick seamlessly. In the end, I felt fortunate that I was able to witness his audience improv to a higher degree.

In fact, bantering with the audience is woven carefully through Chambers’s whole set. He remembers who’s in his audience and isn’t afraid of making callbacks and inside jokes that craft the semblance of a narrative, with these lucky few as our side characters. It creates a sense of intimacy with the whole audience, and even when there were hiccups in a couple of his tricks (through no fault of his own, I should add), he was able to play it off and talk to us like we were all close friends. While I fully believe Chambers should be performing in Copperfield-sized arenas, I'm thankful that I could see his show with an intimacy that only the Adelaide Fringe can offer  

I had an action-packed weekend at the Fringe, watching over 5 performances over the 3 days, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Dom Chambers was my favourite by a landslide. His magic evokes the same giddy, nostalgic awe that you felt as a kid (though, don’t make the mistake of bringing your 9 year-old daughter as the gentleman in front of me did) while having a distinctly adult feel. The magic is gasp-inducing, awe-inspiring, and performed with equal parts comedy and charisma. It’s impressive to note that this is a solo show with a very small production crew (read: Dom Chambers himself) because it feels like a large scale production with its use of lights, technology and music. The props are simple, but it’s amazing to see how he turns the most basic and classic of magic aids into jaw-dropping illusions a la a magical MacGyver.

The tricks are on another level and I’m hesitant to give anything away, though I will say his opening act and classic ‘card in wallet’ trick - which were both featured in Purple Rabbit - are still standout favourites despite me having seen them performed in the past. The rest of his show is captivating, mesmerising and garnered raucous applause from the whole tent. He very well may make you believe in magic all over again.

It's unfortunate that these smaller shows rely so heavily on word-of-mouth to advertise and garner the attendance they deserve, without a hefty publicity budget like some other Fringe headliners, but don't let this draw you away from it. Tickets are a steal for the experience you'll walk away with, and you'll be supporting a local act that deserves all his acclaim and then some.