BBC Stand Up Show Live: Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh, 2008
The Pete Firman Magic Show: Udderbelly Pasture, Bristo Square, Edinburgh, 2009
Udderbelly’s 10th Birthday Blowout: Udderbelly, Bristo Square, Edinburgh, 2009
The Greenwich Comedy Festival: Greenwich Old Naval College, London, 2012
Pete Firman: Scoundrel: Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, 2013
Always Be Comedy (3 shows): The Tommyfield pub, Kennington, London, 2015
Magners Greenwich Comedy Festival: Greenwich Park, London, 2015
Pete Firman: Trix: Soho Theatre, London, 2016
Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe: Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, 2016
Always Be Comedy (2 shows): The Tommyfield pub, Kennington, London, 2017
Always Be Comedy: The Tommyfield pub, Kennington, London, 2018
Pete Firman: Marvels: Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, 2018
Pantomime: Aladdin: New Wimbledon Theatre, London, 2018
Pete Firman: Marvels: New Wimbledon Theatre Studio, London, 2019
Always Be Comedy: The Tommyfield pub, Kennington, London, 2019
Pete Firman and The Amazing TBC: Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, 2019
Always Be Comedy Online: Online: 2021
Pantomime: Jack and The Beanstalk: Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes, 2021
Pete Firman: Bag Of Tricks: Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh, 2022
Always Be Comedy: The Tommyfield pub, Kennington, London, 2023
On a training day at work a few years ago, I had to stand up in front of an office crowd and show one of them how to do something new. I decided to show someone how to do the only card trick I ever knew. I had performed the card trick – known as the story of The Four Jacks – lots of times in the past and when I stood up to show the unwilling member of the audience the trick, I forgot how to do it and the whole thing went wrong. He tried to copy what I had shown him, we both failed and sat down to complete silence. My admiration for comedy illusionists is therefore enormous.
Pete Firman is one of the finest magicians currently in the country and he has been a firm favourite on the comedy circuit for years. I have seen his act many times and am always in awe of his magic tricks. His shows feature dangerous illusions and contemporary and classic tricks.
Firman always appears on stage laden with props ready to entertain an amazed crowd. Citing Tommy Cooper as his hero, he manages to mix up the magic with brilliant comic throw away lines and audience participation. There are nods to Eric Morecambe and Ken Dodd in his delivery and his warmth to the crowd when tricks go right or wrong is a joy to behold. He needs the audience to help him complete his tricks and they are regularly on stage with him. If you are not a fan of magic then he is not for you, but if like me you are, then Firman is one of the best.
In August 2018, I saw Firman’s polished show Marvels at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as I have done many times before. Marvels was an astonishing show from a supreme showman. I was amazed at the scope of his illusions and he did not disappoint with tricks this time around involving a Rubik’s Cube, an orange, a giant pack of cards and a rolled-up sheet of paper. What he did with these objects was amazing. The audience loved him as did I and he seemed genuinely surprised when I stood up and gave him a well-deserved standing ovation at the end of his set.
Firman starred with Paul Merton in the pantomime Aladdin at the New Wimbledon Theatre in December 2018. From the very moment he made his entrance on a skateboard from one side of the stage to the other, he was a delight to watch. Managing to incorporate magic tricks and very endearing to the audience (the families I attended with were full of praise for his performance), he was perfectly cast as the loveable Wishee Washee with Merton taking on Widow Twankey. The two leads had a wonderful rapport and banter which was warm and spontaneous at times going off script or forgetting lines yet clearly enjoying themselves.
I caught the extended tour of Marvels again at the New Wimbledon Theatre Studio in February 2019. Once again, he delivered mind blowing tricks and comedy involving everything from a Coke Can to a Bowling Ball.
Firman performed a preview of his new show in May and July 2019 for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at Always Be Comedy. The audience were in awe at the tricks and comedy – he had five members of the audience on stage at one point helping him perform magic and illusion with total command.
In August 2019, I saw his new full show Pete Firman and The Amazing TBC at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The show again was extremely clever as the magician picked an unsuspecting audience member to be his co-star performing mind-blowing tricks with unpredictability and hilarity.
Firman returned to Always Be Comedy for the online show in March 2021 where once again he demonstrated his brilliant magic skills with great jokes and audience banter.
In 2021, Firman starred with Britain’s Got Talent dance troupe Diversity in the pantomime Jack and The Beanstalk. Playing Simple Simon, he worked so hard to entertain the audience that he was a joy to watch and really delivered the goods with slapstick comedy, great one-liners and brilliant magic.
The comedy magician starred in a new solo show Bag of Tricks at the Gilded Balloon Teviot as part of the Edinburgh Fringe 2022. Sitting in the front row, I could witness some incredible tricks and superb one-liners to keep the crowd thoroughly entertained.
Firman returned to Always Be Comedy in February 2023 where he deservedly got a standing ovation after thoroughly entertaining the excited crowd.
For sheer enjoyment, Firman is a extremely funny man, is a class act and is highly recommended.