Kevin Quantum ‘Christmas Special’ – Church Hill Theatre

Renowned Edinburgh Magician Kevin Quantum is joined by Taylor Morgan and Rebecca Foyle for an evening of showmanship, finesse, and artistry in Kevin Quantum ‘Christmas Special’ as part of the Edinburgh International Magic Festival.

Founded by Svetlana McMahon as well as Quantum, the Edinburgh International Magic Festival has been around since 2010.  Now being its fifteenth year running, the festival still continues to bring something fresh and exciting from the world of magic for its audiences.

The lineup is certainly star-studded, with Morgan having recently represented Great Britain at this year’s Magic World Championships and Foyle impressing with her versatility, using multiple disciplines to complete her act.  Of course Quantum himself is a highly regarded magician, having been trained by the legendary Penn and Teller, and in 2020 reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent. 

Being named a ‘Christmas Special’ I was rather surprised to find that the only Christmas element of the show was the pre-show music! Nonetheless, the show did not disappoint, I just am not sure if it is justifiable to call a show a Christmas special just because it happens to be performed around Christmas time –  it would have been a nice touch to include at least a few Christmas-themed tricks.

While the audience of the show was largely made up of children shouting choruses of ‘six seven’ the show has something for everyone, with tricks that really had the cogs in my brain whirring as I tried to decipher them.

One of my favourite tricks from the show was in theory one of the simplest.  Morgan simply asked the audience to pick a number between one and a hundred, he then chose numbers at random from audience members, multiplying and adding them together.  When he had finished this routine, he revealed that the number was 2,212,300 – the exact date and time in that moment – this was especially impressive considering the show went up ten minutes late, throwing off any pre-planned calculations.  Although probably basic maths, Morgan’s presentation and showmanship made this seemingly simple trick feel absolutely impossible.

Another moment that really impressed, was Quantum’s flyer trick.  Each audience member was given a flyer that featured four pictures on it.  After being instructed by Quantum to fold, rip, toss, and even balance scraps on other audience members’ heads, we were left with two pieces of paper.  Flipping them over, it was revealed that the two remaining scraps came together to make up one of the original pictures – definitely a gasp-worthy moment for the audience.  Like Morgan’s trick, this is probably explainable using maths, but Quantum has such a natural knack for getting the audience invested in the trick that maths really does feel magic.  Getting us to play games with our seat neighbours and making us laugh, Quantum really opens up the audience, making even the skeptics drop their guards.  While the tricks are baffling, Quantum’s presentation allows us to forget about the how and simply appreciate the moment.

Foyle brings a different style altogether to the show, specialising in visual artistry rather than classic magic.  Originally a dancer, Foyle uses this skill to her advantage, choreographing her routines around a prop, whether it be a levitating light or a hula hoop of fire.  Foyle’s style is expressive, relying on spectacle and performance to give her act impact.

With shows running until the 30th of December, there is plenty of opportunity to see these world-class magicians.  With each magician bringing their own unique flair to the show, from perfectly polished sleight of hand, to daredevil showstoppers, Kevin Quantum’s Christmas Special is engaging from start to finish – the perfect day out for the whole family!

Reviewer: Jessie Martin

Reviewed: 22nd December 2025

North West End UK Rating: