A LITTLE sprinkle of magic mixed with a dash of comedy is promised next month

Award-winning magician and comedian Pete Firman is setting off on tour next week and Swindon Arts Centre is one of his stops.

There'll be a seat-of-the-pants element to his show because each performance will feature a guest who has no idea what's going to happen, because they won't be taking part in any rehearsals.

Pete said: “I’m thrilled to be back on tour with a different style of magic show. I’ll be placing my trust and reputation in the hands of some special guests with buckets of enthusiasm, but zero sleight of hand skills.

“They have no idea what’s going to happen which makes it fun for me. I have to think on my feet and it will be exciting for the audience because they will be wondering what is going to happen.”

The guests and the audience might not know what's what, but Pete will be on the ball.

He said: “It’s really important I know what’s going on I have to be five steps ahead.

“Most magicians are control freaks everything has to be spot on there’s a little bit of it being off the cuff as well.”

Pete was presented The Carlton Award for outstanding comedy in magic by the world famous Magic Circle.

He was the first non-member of the society to receive the award in its 100 years of history.

He told the Adver: “I’m not a member of the Magic Circle but they give out this award for comedy in magic. They thought I was the most appropriate they loved what I do.

“It was very nice - it was lovely to be given that award.”

There’s something about magic Pete has always loved. For as long as he can remember it’s what he has wanted to do.

“The world is smaller now, we have little left undiscovered.

"We have access to everything and magic is a great way to be presented with things which are amazing and it’s a rarity people get to be amazed by things anymore,” he said.

Having comedy in a magic show helps to keep it fresh.

And his talent has helped him land an appearance on many TV shows over the years.

These include The John Bishop Show, Celebrity Mastermind, Monkey Magic and Dirty Tricks.

He said: “It’s all about thinking to myself how do I make this interesting.

“It’s not just something I knew, I had to work on it. I try to make it personal and real as a magician.

"If I mess up I own up to it and make fun of it because people want you to be real.

“I don’t think you should try and pretend it’s not going wrong, you should own up to it. The audience will like that and that you’re being authentic.”

This new tour Pete Firman and The Amazing TBC comes in the wake his hugely successful Marvels tour.

He has also performed at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival and Hollywood’s famous Magic Castle nightclub.

“Magic at it’s best captures a sort of child like quality, like the first time you see an aeroplane and you grow older and see a million of them and then it’s just an aeroplane in the end.

“But magic captures that first moment of seeing something for the first time every time, it is really wonderful.”

It’s a show not to be missed, it’s the first an potentially the final double act performance by the magician and comedian.

Pete will be starting his latest tour in Maidenhead and he's appearing at the Swindon Arts Centre on April 15 at 7.30pm.

For more information and to buy tickets for the show visit swindontheatres.co.uk or call the box office on 01793 524481.