Mark Guest discovered a passion for magic at the age of eight and turned professional at the astonishingly young age of 12.
As so often happens, the necessities of life impinged somewhat on the pursuit of artistry, and the need to earn a living took over, with Mark embarking on a long and successful career in corporate marketing.
Following the tragic death of his close friend, Luke, at the beginning of this year, Mark realised that life is short and it is important to follow one’s dream, which, in his case, meant returning to his first love, magic and illusion, focusing on what he describes as “…the fascinating art of mentalism”. His new show, Believe, is a tribute to Luke, with sell-out shows on 22 and 29 September at The Phoenix Arts Club (there is a waiting list for returns already set up). These shows will seek to raise funds for Guy’s Cancer Charity.
This show clearly has great personal significance for Mark Guest, and, in the intimate performance space of the Calder Theatre Bookshop in The Cut, near Waterloo Station, he delivers a warm, engaging and amusing hour of entertainment which occasionally drifts into the realm of the completely baffling…. but in a very good way.
One enters the auditorium surrounded by written exhortations to “open your minds and enjoy the show,” and Mark’s affable geniality creates an ambience of cosy, supportive togetherness. He stresses at the outset that, although there will be some audience participation (it is a magic show, how can there not be?), it will be of a gentle and consensual nature. No one will be held up to ridicule or made fun of. This is a show which attempts to exhibit the power of autosuggestion and psychological influencing in a skilled, yet sensitive and convivial, way.
After some early broad question and answer responses to identify those audience members who may be more susceptible to the effects of persuasive “mind reading”, Guest takes us on a journey signposted by increasingly structured examples of the interplay of seemingly random numerical and word association with subliminal thought patterns and the occasional foray into mental prestidigitation and artful legerdemain.
None of this is unique, of course. The most well-known exponent of such feats of mind manipulation is Derren Brown, and those familiar with Brown’s shows will recognise many of the techniques and tools of effective manipulation that Guest utilises.
Brown’s media fame has necessitated his shows now having to be performed in large West End theatres, of course.
Guest, however, uses the confined intimacy of his own theatrical space to great effect. There is nowhere for him to hide. The audience can see the whites of his eyes, and all is (ostensibly) laid out before us to see and touch. No screens, elaborate costumes, mysterious cabinets, or any other trope of the magician’s art. All we have is Mark Guest, alone on the stage, smiling, asking questions and holding the gaze of his selected volunteers.
This review contains no spoilers and precious little detail of the show, for obvious reasons.
Nonetheless, what is beyond doubt is that Guest’s adroit feats of misdirection and artful illusion are well constructed, precisely measured and adroitly organized, leading through several well-crafted feats of head-scratching reveals to a denouement that is genuinely jaw-dropping in both its conceit and execution. Twenty-four hours after the event, I am still not quite sure how he did it. Which is, of course, exactly what you want from such a show.
At the beginning of his performance, Mark Guest exhorts us to “…allow yourself to believe.”
If you get the opportunity to catch his show, do not hesitate to do so. You will not regret it. Believe me!
Review by Johnny Oxford
Mark Guest discovered a passion for magic at the age of eight and turned professional at the remarkable young age of 12.
Initially performing at children’s parties, his career took a turn when his rabbit died and he transitioned to close-up magic, securing a residency at Michael Caine and Marco Pierre White’s restaurant The Canteen in Chelsea Harbour. He entertained diners at their tables, and captivated guests at prestigious events from corporate gatherings to film premieres – even astounding director Steven Spielberg with his magical prowess at the party celebrating the UK premiere of the first-ever Jurassic Park movie in 1993.
MARK GUEST: BELIEVE
The Calder Bookshop & Theatre
29 August 2025
