Review: EDINBURGH 2024: TOM BRACE: THE RIDE 4D, The Pleasance Dome

Tom Brace: The Ride 4D opens with Brace bounding onto the stage, setting up the premise for the hour of magic and dreams. He introduces us to ‘Tomland’, a theme park he claims is entirely his own creation, with a wink and a nod to certain other famous theme parks.

The centrepiece of this fantastical park is the Tom Ride, a 4D experience that comes with a wait time of just 280 minutes; just enough time for Tom to entertain us with some magic and smaller fun fair-style attractions.

Brace takes us on a journey through various theme park-inspired mini-games, including a classic hook-the-duck challenge and a comically low-budget roller coaster ride, ably ‘ridden’ by a willing audience member. The main event though, the 4D Tom Ride, is the culmination of an hour filled with sleight-of-hand tricks, mind reading and reveals.

While the show is packed with humorous audience interactions and magical feats, it often feels rushed. The rapid pacing doesn’t always give the audience enough time to fully appreciate the tricks they’ve just witnessed. Nonetheless, Brace’s charm keeps the audience engaged throughout, and the final set piece is a clever feat of smoke and mirrors.

The show’s premise, while fun, may also be its limitation. It feels like the structure of the theme park narrative may have restricted Brace from fully showcasing his talents. Despite these minor drawbacks, Tom Brace: The Ride 4D is a family friendly, entertaining show. The audience laughed, the young members of the audience were enchanted, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of magic and lighthearted fun.

Tom Brace: The Ride 4D runs until 26 August (excluding 20 August) at The Pleasance Dome, Ace Dome.

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