An Edinburgh magician has won the city’s most prestigious award for close up magic.
30-year-old Elliot Bibby is a professional magician and member of the Edinburgh Magic Circle, who last night won the Sonny Day Close Up Magic competition.
Bibby has been practising magic since he was ten-years-old. He started it as a hobby before moving to Edinburgh to study Engineering and Sport at Edinburgh Napier university.
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He even missed his own graduation because he was away in Last Vegas working on a show. When he came back from the states, he decided to put his degree to one side and make a real go of being a full time magician.
Since then, he has become a member of the Edinburgh Magic Circle organisation and an associate of the Inner Magic Circle in London, membership of which includes the likes of Stephen Fry, and completing his performance examinations to earn his silver star.
However, this is the first time he has entered into the Sonny Day Close Up Magic competition, despite winning other competitions elsewhere in the UK. In 2018, he won the International Brotherhood of Magicians British Close Up Magician of the Year.
The act that won him this competition involved decks of invisible cards, a packet of fruit pastels and his wooden “mystery box.”
Speaking about his experience winning the competition last night, Elliot said:
“Last night I went in and thought ‘I've got my routine and I’m going to give it 110%’.
“I always do, whether there’s two people in the crowd or two thousand because you never know when your last show is going to be so I always give it my all.
“It’s set up with eight tables with a mix of judges and members of the public. Each contestant goes around and does their ten minute routine. The judges mark you on your technical ability and skill and the public mark you on your entertainment value.
“I was a little bit nervous when they began to announce the awards but when they announced that I had won it was just this overwhelming sense of joy and achievement.
“It was a real honour to know that so many amazing magicians came before me and won this award and now my name is on it as well.”
Elliot is now preparing for his eighth year performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This year's show “Elliot Bibby and the Magic Beachball” will be going on sale soon.
