Danish magician Martin Brock has taken time out to talk to me about the magic show he is going to wow the Edinburgh Fringe audiences with.
Where did you get the idea for the show?
I wanted to bring something fresh and different to the Edinburgh audience. I wasn’t interested in doing a string of familiar tricks with new packaging. Almost everything in the show was created from scratch, and this year we gave it a major update. We’ve added new pieces that rotate in and out of the show, and the whole thing has had a full makeover with more magic, original music, and a refined storyline, which I’m really happy with. Some routines I’ve been performing for over 20 years, while others are completely new. I think that balance gives the show a real energy and freshness to it.
The production itself is also quite unusual for the Fringe. People don’t always realise how technical it is. We’re running multiple cameras and computers, and we’ve brought in a massive screen that fills the entire stage. So even though it’s a magic show, we try to make it feel more like a full theatrical experience, and I think that’s something that the audience will really appreciate.
What do you do to relax?
When your day is filled with prep, performance, teardown, and everything in between, it’s important to find ways to switch off. Every day, I go for a run around Arthur’s Seat, hit the gym, and cook when I can. That’s not always easy on tour, so staying in one place for a month at the Fringe feels like a bit of a luxury.
Last year, I didn’t get the chance to see many other shows, but this time I’m making more of an effort. Just being part of the Fringe is inspiring, but seeing what others are creating reminds you why you’re here in the first place.
Obstacles you’ve faced at the Fringe?
The show was originally designed for much larger venues, so fitting it into this space has been a challenge – especially when you only have maybe 20 minutes to set everything up, get the audience in, and start the show.
It’s still a highly technical production. There are more than 500 computer-controlled cues in the show, and we use high-end projection, screens, and cameras to deliver it exactly as it was originally designed.
Getting it all to work consistently here is a big task. But once it’s running and the audience is in, you forget all of that and focus on the moment.
Favourite or worst thing about performing?
Performing is the easy part. It’s everything around it that takes the real work. The show itself feels like 10 percent of what I do. The rest is emails, admin, promotion, logistics – all the unglamorous stuff no one really sees.
I could definitely live without some of that, but then I’d have to give up the part I love most. Stepping on stage and sharing something I built from the ground up is still the best feeling, and that makes all the rest of it worth it.
One sentence on why people should see the show:
You’ll see the most unforgettable magic show at the Fringe! We jokingly promise that or your money back, so hopefully people agree and I don’t end up broke.
Martin Brock
Almost Impossible 2.0 with Martin Brock / Bramley at Appleton Tower
July 30 – August 24 daily at 4:30PM
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/almost-impossible-2-0-martin-brock
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/almost-impossible-2-0-martin-brock
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
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