Marc Oberon and Emily Yarrow—performing as The Oberons—don’t just present illusions; they craft a duet of mystery and music that feels like a shared hallucination. The Telepath and the Conjuror, staged at theSpace@Surgeon’s Hall for the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, is a polished, emotionally resonant spectacle that blends sleight of hand, operatic vocals, and mind-reading with theatrical finesse.
Their origin story is pure Fringe romance: Oberon, a world champion magician with accolades from the Magic Castle, met Yarrow, a classically trained soprano with TV and film credits, while performing on a cruise ship. Spellbound by her voice, he proposed. Together, they created a show that’s equal parts cabaret, conjuring, and connection.
The performance opens with a levitating wand—twirling mid-air, untouched—before vanishing in a puff of disbelief. Silver balls multiply and vanish, cards appear on cue, and roses bloom from nowhere as Yarrow sings “La Vie en Rose” with haunting clarity. But it’s her mentalism that truly astonishes: blindfolded and upstage, she identifies audience members’ possessions with uncanny precision, predicting choices and revealing thoughts as if plucking them from the ether.
This is magic with narrative weight. Their chemistry—onstage and off—is palpable, and the structure mirrors their story: two soloists becoming a duo, each elevating the other. Yarrow’s vocals add emotional depth to Oberon’s illusions, while his tricks frame her telepathy as something transcendent. It’s not just “how did she do that?”—it’s “how did they make us feel this way?”
Accessible, family-friendly, and rich with audience participation, The Telepath and the Conjuror is a Fringe gem that invites you to suspend disbelief and lean into wonder. Whether you’re a seasoned magic fan or simply curious, this show delivers astonishment with elegance and heart.
Reviewed by Jacqueline Sharp
