Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016 REVIEW : Tom Binns is Ian D Montfort: How to Touch Dead People ****

“I’m not a psychic who gives bad news” proclaims the Tom Binns’ inspired alter-ego Ian D. Montfort, ahead of his ‘Ted Talk’ spoof where he begins to explain how he communicates with the spirits using mind blowing metaphysical magic.

There are certainly a series of surprises in store for the audience throughout the hour long show that delves into to sceptical world of false hope and contact with the dearly departed (don’t forget the animals too). Indeed, Montfort can feel the energy in the room but “it may or may not be you”.

Montfort has the sell-out crowd belly-aching in laughter when he pokes fun at the mediums/clairvoyants and the like with his psychic hits and misses whilst read people’s minds through the power of thought and his frantic scribbling on this paper pad.

That laughter quickly turns into more of a “wait, how did he know that” with his amazing results and accurate insights, including one lady called Kate. Congrats on your bump news!

It was enough to steer the sceptics amongst us on to attentive mode at least. I mean, this guy’s just a parody poking fun at the industry, right? Who knows, but how on earth does he call the random sequence of three dice-numbers spot-on or produce a near replica etching of a willing audience member’s pet drawing.

And who could have predicted the fantastic finale where one male front row audience member, accused of ‘giving off a particularly bad energy’ earlier in the show was invited up on stage to deliver an outcome that left jaws hitting the lecture theatre floor.

Tom Binns is Ian D Montfort: How to Touch Dead People is at Assembly George Square Studios, 20.00h (60 mins)