Michael Neto - UPCLOSE @ The Vault

Beginning his show as a bumbling and unhinged scientist, Michael Neto wanders on stage and with the help of two audience members and a vial of ominous fluid, he transports coins through the table into a glass. The illusion is cute, amusing and finishes with an impressive flourish. Michael will bring this act to the World Championships of Magic next month.

Making his debut in Magicfest’s first year, Michael won the Magic Off competition with a neat coin-disappearing trick and since then has settled happily into his act. Originally from Portugal though now based in Glasgow he has grown into a fine performer, tempering slick sleight-of-hand with confidence, humility and an unusual sprinkling of comedy.

UPCLOSE, it seems, earns its upper-case letters in a fantastic performance at the intimate and haunting venue of The Vault, nestled under George IV Bridge. Gasps and at one point, a cry of ‘No!’ can be heard from the audience as our performer locates cards and flips decks to a chosen number, both blindfolded and using only his tongue. A signed card is even folded up neatly and transported into the empty pack at the corner of the table, an impossible distance away from our magician’s meticulous and sprawling fingers. The show does that rare thing of delivering beautiful illusions with a twist in a flawless performance and with UPCLOSE Michael has proven himself one of the finest magicians performing today.