In the Perth Cultural Centre the FRINGE WORLD Festival has come into full swing; the bright pink bunting has been raised and the music echoes through the heart of the CBD. But if you were to step away from the buzz of the amphitheatre—tucked-away behind the carnival-mystique of the Parlour—then you’ll find a small little corner filled with magic and misdirection.

Taking on his ninth year performing at the FRINGE WORLD Festival, world-renowned magician Stuart Lightbody presents a classic magic show heavy with traditional sleight-of-hand tricks from card manipulations to coin vanishes, all performed with infectious energy and a fluidity that makes it impossible to tell what is real and what is misdirect. Like any good magic show, The Man with the Golden Hands is built with audience interaction at its core. Even before the show has begun—when you’re still queued up at the doors of the Chalet—there is a chance that you’ll be asked to participate through small slips of paper and permanent markers. Write down what makes you happy! The results may surprise you.

However, what truly sets The Man with the Golden Hands apart is the connection it draws between magic and spycraft. Throughout the show, Lightbody reframes his simple parlour tricks through recounting of real-world history, telling tales of magicians-turned-Cold War intelligence agents that will leave any fellow history nerd ravenous for more. While it has become common for magicians to “pull back the curtain”—to partially explain their own tricks to enhance the illusions—this little change in context blurs the line between magic and psychology, and you may find yourself thinking about your own personal “tells” long after you’ve left your seat.

Overall, The Man with the Golden Hands is a love-letter to old-school parlour magic and the art of sleight-of-hand. While it could have benefitted from more musical accompaniment to elevate its atmosphere, the show is carried by Lightbody’s immense charisma and skill as a stage magician, and the energy of the audience was electric from start to finish. So take a trip down to the Chalet and keep your eyes on the cards.