Now THAT’S magic!

Based on the hit TV show and featuring some of its favourite magicians, Help! My Supply Teacher is Magic is a magic spectacular for all the family. Katherine Mills, James Went and John Archer have been performing to sold out crowds so far with their busy, funny and loud show that has loads of audience interaction and jaw dropping tricks.

It's not the sort of traditional magic show that you'd remember from your own youth but it's not in the style of the new breed of street magicians either. It's probably somewhere in between Paul Daniels and Dynamo. For kids. So instead of a feathered female assistant being sawn in half by a suited male magician, we have a young guy being laser-ed in half by a girl wearing skinny jeans.

If the success of this and the hugely successful CBBC TV show are anything to go by then kids seem to agree that it’s a perfect blend of comedy, entertainment and magic. Mills, Went and Archer are some of the most popular magicians from the TV show and it's clear they have a young following. “Katherine is really cool and orders the boys about but James did the best trick,” Eleanor Smith tells me. Lois Black agrees but her favourite is Archer, “John is the silly one who had a really funny face and made me laugh lots.”

This trio are all well-established magicians and performers in their own rights; Mills represents the contemporary face of modern magic with a naturally laid back style, Went specialises in close up tricks and Archer, well, he's the most experienced member of the team and an established comic and writer; the linchpin of the show who kids seem to be naturally drawn to.

So, did the kids enjoy learning some of their tricks? "I've tried magic before at home after watching Help! My Supply Teacher is Magic on TV but it was great seeeing it so close up and slowly as it helps you know what to do" says Eleanor "But I still don't know they did some of the tricks on the show, some of them were just real magic." 

Being a bit older, it seems, is helpful when learning magic tricks. Phoebe Black, the youngest of Fest's reviewers, struggled to master the pen trick because her hands were so small, "It was really hard and I kept dropping my pen. But it sort of stuck there anyway because my hands were a bit sticky."

All of the magicians agree on one thing, practise practise practise is the only way to get better at magic tricks so the kids will need to keep it up if they're to treat their families to a Christmas day magic show. Lois loved showing her "dad the magic penny trick when I got home. He was amazed. I can't wait to show my friends when I go back to school."