David Magus - Reality Check!

David Magus brings his live show Reality Check! to Plymouth Arts Cinema on Saturday 1 August, a night of magic and mentalism that sits more in the theatre category than a standard magic act. It's a new show for him, and he describes it as a blend of psychological magic and storytelling, with the whole thing built around exploring the limits of human perception. He frames it as having "wit, wonder and a hint of metaphysical mischief," so it's as much about the stories he tells as the tricks he performs.

That psychological angle is where the mentalism comes in. Rather than just pulling things out of hats, the focus is on how we perceive things and how easily that can be shifted. It's the kind of show that works best when you're paying attention to the gaps between what you think you've seen and what's actually happening, and it's aimed at adults and young people rather than a family crowd — the suggested age is 16+.

Logistically, it's a proper evening out. The show runs from 19:00 to 21:00, and it lasts about an hour and 45 minutes, which includes a 20-minute interval to stretch your legs and talk through what you've just seen. Tickets are £10, and since it's a special event, PAC Friends memberships, free tickets, and Champion tickets don't apply here. You'll find it at the cinema on Tavistock Place, so it's right in the heart of the city.