Magic Fest Director wins Magic Circle competition

Magic Circle ‘Sonny Day Close-Up Competition’

MagicFest’s Kevin McMahon was named the winner last night at The Edinburgh Magic Circle’s annual ‘Sonny Day Close-Up Magic Competition’.

Kevin trained with Penn and Teller in Las Vegas during his appearance on Channel 4’s ‘Faking It’ which saw him fool Paul Daniels on national television. Now one of the UK’s most successful magicians, he is also the Artistic Director of The Edinburgh International Magic Festival which casts its spell across the Capital once again this summer.

Performing his trademark modern, mind-blowing form of magic, as well as a few sleights by the late great Scottish magician John Ramsey, Kevin became the 19^th winner of the trophy. Money appeared and disappeared into thin air, before a French themed finale to the song ‘La Vie En Rose’ (Louis Armstrong) when a coin was transformed into rose petals! Past winners include Doctor Peter Lamont, Paul Wilson (BBC Real Hustle), Lewis Barlow and Professor Richard Wiseman.

Kevin said:-“I’m delighted to have my name on the trophy alongside so many other amazing, revered, magicians, it really means so much to me. It was an absolute honour and surprise to have a relative of the late great Scottish magician John Ramsey in the audience, especially as I included some of his magic in my performance.”

Held at Myreside Pavilion, the competition is named after Sonny Day, a former member of the Edinburgh Magic Circle. It is now an annual competition and has been going since 1990.

Here is Kevin in action at the Magic Fest launch.