All I knew about the ‘Proust Effect’ before going was that it would involve magic and had Eden Choi (the magician in the show) had been on Britain’s Got Talent this year. I had intended to look up the audition but time ran away with me (as always) and it turns out… I didn’t need to have seen it anyway. He is so so much more than having that familiar show as a claim to fame. From very first trick, were were completely pulled in and regardless of whether you enjoy audition-style TV shows, this one deserves your attention.
The show begins with the piece that wowed the BGT judges, and watching it live, close-up, you immediately understand why. Seeing it performed just a few feet in front of me, with nothing to hide behind, only made it more impressive. Eden Choi’s sleight-of-hand is so smooth, so astonishingly clean, that it seems effortless. Tricks that should be impossible unfold right in front of your eyes. There’s no fumbling, no delay, just pure execution. It looks like magic because he makes it feel like magic—but that kind of mastery doesn’t come easily. Whilst being in total awe at the tricks themselves, I could help but think it must have taken hundreds, if not thousands, of hours to make something so difficult look so natural.
The show is framed as a journey around the world, each country tied loosely to a different illusion or moment in Choi’s career. It’s not a story that draws you in or lingers afterwards—you won’t walk away quoting lines or remembering much of the narrative. But that doesn’t matter. The charm of The Proust Effect lies in the warmth, the humour, and the generosity of the performance. There’s an easy, sincere energy to Eden’s style that makes the show feel intimate and welcoming.
Audience members are drawn in throughout—picking cards, calling out numbers, solving maths puzzles—which makes it feel like a real Fringe experience, low on spectacle but high on connection. My 10-year-old son was absolutely hooked. He gave it five stars as soon as it ended and said he didn’t want to see anything else because “nothing will beat that.” My 13-year-old daughter, a long-time magic fan, was equally impressed but also looking to other shows we’re seeing this week (phew!)
The venue, The WU on George Street, is actually a restaurant—which initially felt unusual but quickly added to the atmosphere. We weren’t eating ourselves, but others were, and once the show started, I hardly noticed. In fact, the idea of pairing that kind of magic with a meal is genius. If anything is going to get kids off their phones and quietly focused at the dinner table, it’s close-up magic of this calibre.
Eden Choi is a magician to watch. He doesn’t need a grand theatre or special effects to make an impact. Just a deck of cards, a cloth, a few clever props—and suddenly the impossible seems to unfold right in front of you. He’s already operating at a seriously high level, and it’s exciting to imagine what he’ll do next.
Edinburgh with Kids rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Disclaimer: Eden invited us to see the show, but all thoughts are our own and we didn’t have to write a review.
Tickets for The Proust Effect – he’s part of the 2 for 1 on Mondays and Tuesdays!
🎟️ Venue: The WU, George Street, Edinburgh
🎭 Fringe Tags: Magic, Family, Close-Up, International, Sleight-of-Hand
Just in case you do want a preview – I’ve subsequently looked up some of his BGT clips… worth a watch too!