However, tonight I was off to see my mystical and magical friend, Neil. Ever since I have known Neil (around 14 years now, yes Neil, we are getting THAT old) he has been a true magician. I have seen him perform magic at school, college, in plays and even on stage with another crazy friend of mine, Owen. So great are they together that their shows at the Edinburgh Fringe were a sell out!
Tonight's intriguing title was 'Around the world in 80 secrets'. So as I took my seat in the teeny-tiny, intimate venue that was the Chesil Theatre, next to Neil's fab Mum and Dad, I was not quite sure what I was in for. It turned out to be a night of secrets, laughter, tricks and musings. As Neil took us through his love of magic and art, entertainment and showmanship, it was amazing to see how his magical mind worked. At some points even I had to gasp for breath as the fast-chattering one-man show led us through the secrets behind many of the worlds greatest, yet truly under-stated, tricks.
Neil's magic is beyond incredible. Even showing us the simplest of tricks, using nothing but a coin and some cleverly disguised body language, I manage to confuse myself, as well as drop my 50p down the back of my chair. I could go on for ages about Neil's clever magic, including a trick involving several razorblades. This was the point in the show where he proceeded to swallow a number of extremely sharp razorblades and then tie them together in his mouth, yep, that's right. Oh, and then he regurgitated them back as he pulled them out of his mouth tied to a piece of string. Needless to say, and it isn't that I don't have faith in him, but I watched through gritted teeth and with only one eye open.
But to me, what I find far more mystical and magical than the pure magic itself, is the way Neil captures an audience, the way his mind works and his art of telling stories. His anecdotes, narrative and jestings leave me in awe of not only his magic but his sheer intelligence. Neil has always been an incredibly bright chap, but I really could have sat there all night and simply listened.
His art of story telling has always tickled me. Whenever I see him on stage I find myself still laughing after everyone else has gone quiet, laughing out loud, too loud in the past in fact. Neil's passion for what he does is infectious. You leave thinking, 'I want more'. A master gesticulator, watching Neil is like watching a child seeing magic for the first time, even though he is the one creating it.
I love watching really creative people at work. And when you are a spectator in his show you get a sense that he is creating magic purely for you, something he has never done before and something he is simply bursting to share with you.
In years to come, when asked which famous people you would most like to attend your dinner party, you will respond with...Neil Kelso.
So, if you are yet to see Neil then I urge you, go have a gander. And if you want to see some traditional pantomime genie-rubbing-magic-carpet-riding, well, magic, this Christmas, then book your tickets for Aladdin at the Theatre Royal Winchester!
