Desert Island Tricks

On this episode of Desert Island Tricks, we talk with amazing mentalist Luca Volpe. Listen as Luca shares why the Stealth Assassin wallet tops his list of must-have tricks and how it enhances his performances by prioritising the journey over the reveal. But that’s just the beginning. Luca takes us on a journey through his favorite magical tools, including a classic gimmick revamped for mentalism a...

Prepare to be inspired as we spend an hour with the master of illusion, Bill Abbott! Bill's approach to captivating an audience within the first 30 seconds sets the stage for a performance that blurs the line between reality and the impossible. From the mysterious vanishing of a champagne bottle to the beloved trick "Smart Ass," Bill shares the secrets and the psychology behind his...

The likelihood is, you've already had Jack appearing on any number of your social feeds! With millions of views across all platforms, his reach is substantial and his video's are always incredibly clever and fun to watch!  This year, he appeared on Britains Got Talent with a quirky act based on his viral video's.  Jack is now transitioning to more live events and stage performances...

James is a BAFTA Awarding winning performer, star is hit TV show 'Help! My Supply Teacher is Magic!' and consulting on shows on Netflix, the BBC, ITV and Discovery International as well as others!  He is a huge reader of magic books but also indulges in commercially released items which makes his Desert Island List incredibly diverse! With a few hidden gems thrown in for good measure, th...

Chris Congreave is best known for his incredibly commercial magic. Effects like 'Roll', 'Omen', 'Safe' and 'Lie' amongst many others are used by hundreds of magicians daily!  As you would imagine, Chris's list is full on incredibly commercial routines and since he create's for himself, many of his choices are his own.  If you are a magician looking...

Jake Allen is one of the most talented young magicians in the UK and an absolute card ninja! A regular at The Magic Circle, Jake is someone people wan't to sit down with and watch the amazing magic he performs.  In Jake's episode, he show's his passion for card magic with a mixture of classic effects and routines as well as some quirkier choices that you perhaps haven't come ac...

Peter Nardi really shouldn't need an introduction! Founder of Alakazam Magic, creator of countless mentalism effects, producer of some of the biggest tricks in the world and a business innovator, Peter's wealth of knowledge is a deep well to pull from!  In Peter's episode, he has a tremendous mix of older and newer effects ranging from specially produced decks, packet tricks, mental...

Dean Leavy is a good friend to the Alakazam Team and we're thrilled that he's letting us whisk him away to his desert island!  Dean is a multi award winning, former Young Magician of the Year who performs at weddings, corporate events and other functions for some of the biggest brand's in the world. With guest appearances on Bluepeter, BBC and NBC. He is one of the busiest working m...

Roman Armstrong has recently ended his run in Derren Browns West End magic show, ‘Unbelievable!’ He is an award winning magician and comedian who in 2022 took his hit show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to rave reviews! His style of magic is quirky and off beat and he even has magic products released to the community! You’re going to love his truly diverse list of effects and it might just intro...

Liam Montier is a highly respected magic creator with an eye for constructing routines with a multitude of clever methods to get maximum entertainment, for little work. His knowledge of methods and tricks is unfathomable and his Desert Island List will have you reminiscing over some of the effect's you started with early in your career and perhaps forget just how good they are but will also h...

Mark James is a full time working magician and has been for nearly 2 decades! Performing in over 40 countries and even worked as a warm up act on hit TV shows like The Xtra Factor, The Voice, A Question of Sport, Celebrity Tipping Point and lots more!  He mixed commercial routines with his own vaudevillian flair to create diverse, unique pieces of magic that and fun to watch and even more fun to p...

Paul Martin is one of the busiest performers in the UK, working alongside other full time magicians, Paul now teaches the many hours of experience he has accumulated in the industry.  Paul's Desert Island list is full of strong, commercial routines which have been carefully considered. He also includes an interesting 'curve ball' item which many will not see coming but will definite...

Harry Nardi has achieved a huge amount in a small amount of time! Not only is he a vital part of Alakazam but he is a Britain's Got Talent Finalist, perfoms at high end events for some huge companies and his social media posts have amassed ten's of thousands of views.  Harry's Desert Island list is a diverse mix of working routines, mentalism, magic and it shows how someone who is l...

Richard Jones will be best known for being the only magician (to date) to have won Britains Got Talent but he has an incredible amount of experience with close up magic, corporate events and touring a theatre show!  He has had sold out UK theatre tours, headlined the West End and is one of the most highly viewed entertainers on YouTube globally.  As well as a magician, he has served 12 in the Brit...

Andrew Smith isn't just one of the vital cog's that keeps the Alakazam engine's running smoothly but he is also an incredible magician and performer who is well known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of magic.  Andy is a huge book reader so it's no surprise that Andy's choices are heavily influenced by the page as opposed to marketed items. So if you are of an erudite persu...

Dave Forrest is a prolific creator and producer of magic! His production company 'Full 52 Productions' has released some incredible magic and help launch the careers of many top creators.  Dave has an eye for detail and a mind for deviously clever methods. Dave's Desert Island Tricks list is full of phenomenal magic ranging from classic effects and plots all the way up to brand new...

In this weeks Episode, we're joined by Actor, Magician and Director Spooky Nyman! His ultimate 8 are an absolute treasure trove of fantastic effects and what is really lovely about this episode is the sheer enthusiasm he has for one particular creator!  Spooky also sets us a challenge which I have no doubt you will all rise to!  So pop the tray table to it's upright position, make sure y...

As we prepare for the launch of Desert Island Tricks, join co-creators Peter Nardi, Harry Nardi and Jamie Daws as they talk you through the concept of DIT as well as tease who some of the guests are and spill the beans on some upcoming projects!  DIT will be released once a week on a Friday morning so you can listen to them on your way to work!  Find out more about the creators of this Podcast at...