James Phelan: Showman review – an amazing pick’n’mix of telepathy and magic

James Phelan presented his show "Showman" at the Underbelly Boulevard in London this week, a performance blending telepathy and magic that deeply engaged audience members. During the show, Phelan demonstrated an ability to influence audience participants, causing one individual on stage to be unable to count to 10 or recall their own name. He then proceeded to channel the unspoken thoughts of another audience member, correctly identifying a woman's childhood aspiration to be a "Woolworths pick’n’mix lady." The review highlights Phelan's skill in making seemingly impossible tricks, such as making the number seven disappear from someone's memory or predicting a specific number chosen by an audience member, appear captivating. Phelan, who is the nephew of the late TV magician Paul Daniels, dedicates a significant portion of "Showman" to these mentalist demonstrations. The reviewer notes that despite prior exposure to similar acts, Phelan's performance remained absorbing and skillfully executed, culminating in a dramatic climax involving a number chosen from a range of 0 to 200.