AMAZE is a story-driven magic show combining state-of-the-art technology with timeless conjuring techniques that draws in the audience and makes them feel part of the magic. Directed by Jonathan Goodwin, Co-Created by Tommy Bond, and with Creative Consultant Harry De Cruz, Jamie Allan describes AMAZE as a ‘show about a child who dreams of being a magician,’ adding that he finds it ‘incredibly rewarding to see the magic and my true story connect so deeply with people.’
Globally renowned as an innovative and ground-breaking high-tech magician, Allan has sold millions of dollars in tickets worldwide and smashed box office records. He premiered his brand of iMagic on ITV’s This Morning in 1995 as a teenager, captivating audiences with his original approach. Since then, Jamie has continued to push the boundaries of modern illusions, including holograms, laser beams, 3D video mapping, and interactive social media to engage and amaze spectators. As a market leader in theatrical technical magic, Jamie has performed his signature iPad illusion“Digital Art” to close The One Show live to millions of viewers, an illusion he has also showcased on ‘Grand Cabaret Du Monde’, BBC Breakfast and Penn and Teller: Fool Us. His acts are the perfect fusion of magic with cutting-edge technology.
Allan’s show includes Featured Artist Natalia Love, who began her career as a dancer, performing at prestigious events including the Nobel Peace Prize Awards. After training in all theatrical skills, she transitioned into magic after joining Chicks ’n’ Tricks, the world’s first supergroup of female magicians. Natalia is amember of the London Magic Circle and currently performs her own theatre show, 'Ventrickolis’, which debuted in the USA in 2023. As its title suggests, the show demonstrates Love’s expertise in ventriloquism. Natalia has toured with Allan across the UK and North America and has performed with him on TV shows such as ITV’s Next Great Magician, and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show as Allan’s lead assistant.
Exclusive Q&A With Jamie Allan
1. What inspired you to become a magician?
Firstly like many it was a magic set. But that’s not the real start. That was inspired after a chance visit with my mother to an antique shop that contained the entire estate of a magician. It felt like walking into a treasure trove of mystery and history, and it sparked something in me. Many parts of my show AMAZE are grounded in this moment, and the incredible coincidences that happened afterward. It felt like magic chose me in that moment.
2. What was the first magic trick you learned?
The first trick I learned was a simple coin trick that my dad showed me, but it felt like I’d unlocked a door to a world where anything was possible. I still remember the awe I felt, and that’s what I try to bring to every audience.
3. When did you perform your first magic show?
I performed my first show when I was eight years old, on a tiny stage my parents built in an old pub they had turned into a cabaret theatre. It was a modest start, but from that point, I was hooked.
4. What is your favorite magic act and why?
My favourite magic act is Harry Blackstone’s floating lightbulb, especially the moment when it left the stage and floated out over the audience. Back then, it was pure wonder, but today people might assume it’s a drone - though, trust me, it wasn’t! The sense of magic transcended technology in a way that still fascinates me.
5. Which magician do you most admire and why?
I truly admire Penn & Teller for the sheer level of originality and the unprecedented scale of their creations. Their theatrical framing and the huge thought process behind each item.
6. What advice would you give to someone aspiring to be a magician?
Read books! All the greatest secrets are hidden away there. Magicians often say the best way to hide a secret is in a book because fewer and fewer people bother to look there. By diving into those pages, you’ll find incredible ideas that have been lying dormant for decades.
7. What are your future ambitions in the field of magic?
My biggest ambition was to play in the West End and on Broadway. We're halfway there with the West End, and it’s truly a dream come true. My next step is Broadway, and beyond that, who knows? I just want to keep pushing the boundaries of what magic can be.
Jamie Allan’s AMAZE Criterion Theatre 218-223 Piccadilly, London W1J 9HR
From: Friday 18 October – Saturday 23 November
Performances: Tuesday– Saturdayat 7.30pm. MatineesSaturday and Sundayat 3pm
Tickets: from £25
Running time: 2 hours (inc interval)
Box office: criterion-theatre.co.uk
Website: amazemagic.com
