Quantum in BGT semi

Sep 26 2020 | By Thom Dibdin More

Kevin Quantum in BGT semi-final this Saturday

Edinburgh magician Kevin Quantum has made it to the semi-final stage of Britain’s Got Talent where he promises “Tesla-inspired electrical craziness” on the show airing on Saturday 26 September 2020 from 8pm on STV.

In March this year, just before lockdown, his audition had the judges on their feet as he went from a sleight-of-hand table-top opener involving a burning rose, quickly working up to a full stage trick involving a blindfold, fire and a harmonic pendulum of cannonballs. Yes, burning cannon balls.

Kevin Quantum.

Unsurprising he made the cut from the 300 live audition hopefuls to being one of 40 semi-finalists – and one of only two Scots left on the show.

For Saturday night’s show he promises a trick inspired by Scots magician Walford Brodie, a friend of Houdini, who became internationally renowned in the early 20th century as the “Electrical Wizard” with an act that combined illusions, hypnotism and ventriloquism.

electrical craziness

This will be “Tesla-inspired electrical craziness” he says, adding: “I didn’t make this act for the virtual studio audience. I didn’t make this act for the judges. I didn’t even make it for the BGT producers.

“I made this for the home audience. For folks sat in front of their telly on a Saturday night. For you!”

Kevin Quantum was always a magician, but came to magic as a participant on Channel 4’s Faking It in 2005, as a mild-mannered scientist by the name of Kevin McMahon.

Challenged to pass as a magician after just four weeks training, he not only pulled it off but went on to style himself as the scientist/magician hybrid.

He and wife Svetlana founded Edinburgh’s MagicFest in 2010, building it up to respected and successful annual event while he honed his own act, often incorporating scientific principles into it.

mind-blowing

Speaking of this weekend’s adventure on Britain’s Got Talent, Kevin says: “Performing visually astonishing magic, inspired by Science, was my dream – now it’s my job! Getting to the semi-finals has been mind-blowing.

“BGT is a massive opportunity for me to demonstrate my skills on the biggest stage in the world. It’s such a privilege to be compared to TV legends such as Johnny Ball, Brian Cox and other exponents of cool science – I’ve been blown away by the support and interest in my science-magic combo.”

All of us here at All Edinburgh Theatre wish Kevin the biggest possible success on Saturday night. We’ll be glued to the show – and if you’ve seen his audition piece, you’ll know why!