EDINBURGH 2018 - BWW Review, CARD NINJA, Gilded Balloon Teviot

All the way from New Zealand, Javier Jarquin has always wanted to be a ninja. With martial arts lessons proving disappointing and traditional weapons like nunchaku hard to master, Javier instead dedicated his time and effort to adapting playing cards into deadly shuriken.

In this show, he attempts to pass through a series of trials that proves he has what it takes to be a true ninja.

This is not a magic show, instead featuring cards used as projectiles, weapons, objects to be juggled and thrown with accuracy and cutting force.

Jarquin shows skill throughout, elevating the ordinary playing card through a series of impressive tricks. He is a likeable and energetic joker who gets the crowd fired up from the outset, and peppers his routine with gags for both young and old.

The show is well-structured with a great ending payoff. The absolute highlight of this particular performance was, after a request to an audience member to play suitably epic music on their phone to accompany Javier's trials, ninja montages to the Spice Girls and "I've Got A Brand New Combine Harvester".

Tricks do not always land first time, particularly where audience members are needed to assist, but Jarquin is generally charming enough to style himself through these moments and keep the audience with him.

To judge by the number of kids scrambling to pick up cards from the floor afterwards, Card Ninja will likely inspire many to try out truly epic card tricks themselves. With its interactive nature and broad appeal, it;s reminiscent of high-quality street performances though, with even concession tickets nearly hitting ten pounds, it seemed a bit overpriced for its target market of family audiences.

Entertaining and accessible to all ages and interests, Card Ninja takes something ordinary into the extraordinary with a touch of pizzazz and ace showmanship.

Card Ninja is at Gilded Balloon Teviot until 27 August (not 14).

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