18-year-old magician Jamie Leonard is returning to the Edinburgh Fringe this year with a new show, Blink of an Eye. Following a 5-day run at Gilded Balloon last year and completing his school studies, the performer will fuse together magic, comedy and audience interaction in a new cabaret and variety piece, that is part of PBH’s Free Fringe for 2026. I recently had the opportunity to ask the magician some questions about the show and also find out how he got into magic.
What inspired you to start learning magic?
I always joke that I was an attention seeker long before I was a magician.
When I was about seven years old, my family took a trip to London and we wandered into Hamleys. I watched one of the magic demonstrators performing to a crowd and was completely hooked. I left with a magic set under my arm and that was pretty much it. From that day on, every spare minute was spent practising, learning new tricks and forcing family and friends to sit through “just one more” performance.
At first I loved the reactions and the attention it brought, but as I got older I realised magic could do so much more than simply fool people. It can tell stories, create emotion and make people feel genuine wonder. That’s what still excites me today.
As a magician based in Edinburgh, to what extent has having a show at the Fringe always been an aspiration of yours?
Growing up just outside Edinburgh, the Fringe has always felt like part of the city’s identity. Every August the streets come alive with performers from all over the world, and it’s impossible not to be inspired by it.
Having my own Fringe show was always something I dreamed about. Last year I did a five day run of my show Wonder Boy. I honestly hoped a few people might come along, but the response completely exceeded my expectations. The run was filled with sold out shows and the show was nominated for Best Show of the entire Fringe (MixUpTheatre.com), which was an incredible surprise.
This year feels like the next step. Instead of five performances, I’m taking on a full Fringe run with a completely new show, which is both exciting and slightly terrifying – in the best possible way.
Blink of an Eye is a story-driven hour of comedy and magic that explores time, attention and the things we miss when we’re not really looking. What can audiences expect from your show?
People can expect plenty of impossible moments, lots of laughs and a show that’s built around a story rather than just a collection of tricks.
Blink of an Eye explores how quickly life passes us by and how often we miss what’s right in front of us because our attention is somewhere else. Those ideas fit surprisingly well with magic, where everything depends on where you’re looking – and where you’re not.
The show is funny, interactive and hopefully quite moving in places too. My aim is for audiences to leave having experienced great magic, but also with something to think about once the applause has finished.
Last year you took a different show, Wonder Boy, to the festival. How did you find the overall experience? What are you doing the same or differently for 2026?
Those five days taught me more than I ever expected. Performing at the Fringe is unlike anything else. Every audience is different, and you quickly learn what works, what doesn’t and how a show grows every single day.
The biggest lesson I took away was the importance of telling a story. Wonder Boy was a show I was incredibly proud of, but Blink of an Eye is much more ambitious. It’s more theatrical, more personal and has been developed over a much longer period. The magic is still at the heart of it, but everything now exists to serve the story.
I’m also much more prepared this year. Last year I was learning what the Fringe was all about. This year I’m ready to embrace the full month.
Blink of an Eye is part of PBH’s Free Fringe and has non-ticketed performances. From your experience performing at last year’s festival, what performances are likely to be less busy and easier for potential audiences to secure a seat?
If people want the best chance of getting a seat, I’d recommend coming earlier in the Fringe and choosing a weekday if possible. Weekends and the final week are usually much busier.
Because it’s a Free Fringe show there’s no booking, so arriving around 20 to 30 minutes before the performance is always a good idea. It’s first come, first serve – and hopefully worth getting there early for!
At just 18 years old, you have recently finished school and are about to embark on a full festival run. What are you most looking forward to, performing again this year?
I’m most looking forward to performing every single day. There’s something addictive about live audiences because no two shows are ever the same. Even though the tricks stay the same, every audience brings its own personality, and that’s what keeps it exciting.
This is also my first Fringe without having school in the background, so I can throw myself into the festival completely. I’m looking forward to seeing loads of other shows, meeting brilliant performers from around the world and spending a month doing what I love most – making people laugh, surprising them and hopefully giving them an hour they’ll remember.
Catch Blink of an Eye at the 2026 festival
I wish Jamie all the best for his upcoming festival run; he certainly sounds like he is ready to throw everything into the experience this summer. Blink of an Eye centres on some really interesting themes, especially with how fast-paced modern day life is. The show is based in the Liquid Room Warehouse space at PBH’s Free Fringe @ Liquid Room (venue 276) from 8th – 30th August (not 18th and 25th). Performances start at 12:30 (50 minutes), with further information available via the EdFringe website.
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