A review of Kevin Quantum: Invisible Force, Fringe 2026

Kevin Quantum: Invisible Force is one smooth, slick show demonstrating tricksy rules of science and quantum physics, in ways most of us don’t quite properly understand, and our minds will be blown as a result. Scottish act Kevin Quantum (AKA Kevin McMahon) started out as a scientist, until reality TV changed his life and he was trained by Penn & Teller.

Vibe

Quantum has a really likeable, approachable and casual vibe that feels designed to set you at ease. I find myself in the second-from-front row, but the seats to the left of me are reserved and empty, with nothing in front of those at all. If I wasn’t wearing my Fringe lanyard and media pass (my SHIELD!) I’d probably still have been feeling a little vulnerable.

It’s a well-produced, well thought-out and very professional-looking show. The general vibe is ‘What on EARTH?!’, ‘HOW did he do that?!’ and ‘What the HELL did he do to those chairs?!’. However, we’re eased into it with some very light trickery involving a ping-pong ball, and later a balloon and hairdryer. It’s explained how this works, and that’s cool.

Performance

Quantum’s tricks are all exceptionally well done. Some of them may feel a bit familiar if you’ve been at magic shows before – like the card trick with an audience member he got on stage called Ryan – but that doesn’t make them any less impressive. In fact, there’s an extra bit of entertainment quality provided when, each time Ryan pulls a card that’s revealed to be HIS card, music starts and Quantum dances, looking very proud of himself. It’s all a bit of lighthearted fun at this stage.

Things take a more serious and awkward turn when an audience member called Niall is called up on stage, and is asked to sit on a chair. Just an ordinary wooden chair, as Quantum demonstrates. Only, whenever Niall sits on the chair, he reacts in a way that makes it look like he’s physically repelled from the chair. Niall begins looking uncomfortable, and at one point even starts to walk off the stage.

Another man is called to the stage, and later when he tries to get off a second chair, he can’t. Niall can’t let go of his own chair, either. What on earth did Quantum do to the chairs?! This remains unexplained. Let’s just say, I’m extremely glad this wasn’t me on stage; Quantum seemed to want men for this one so I probably would have been safe either way.

At this stage of the review, I’d like to mention that Quantum has a habit of giving out Penguin biscuits to those who participate in the show. Why Penguin biscuits, and not something more Scottish like Tunnocks caramel wafers? Probably because they easily fit in a pocket, rather than Quantum being sponsored by McVitie’s, but you never know.

Most of Quantum’s tricks look like they work really well – including the one where he took an engagement ring from another audience member and made it appear again in a seemingly impossible place.

However I’m a skeptic and I find myself wondering about some aspects of the quantum entanglement section of the show – along with one particular segment of the show where you see Quantum’s hands on the screen (there’s a camera) doing things up close. To me, the video didn’t look quite in time with Quantum’s motions, making me wonder if it was a genuine delay, or something else. I don’t let it ruin my enjoyment of the show too much.

As we were going in, we were all given envelopes we’re told not to open until the very end of the show. What we get is a nice little visual treat, but nothing mind-blowing that’ll make you leave questioning your reality extra hard compared to some of the other aspects of the show. And, I need to Google that chair thing – there’s got to be an element of suggestion and stage hypnosis going on somewhere.

Overall

Invisible Force was my first experience of Kevin Quantum, and he proves himself to be an excellent showman, along with a skilled and impressive magician. He’s been trained by some of the best, and you can tell. It’s a family-friendly show, and although there’s nothing that seems jaw-droppingly original and out-of-the-box, what’s there is pulled off with exceptional professionalism and panache. Left feeling thankful I wasn’t on stage questioning my reality when faced with a scary chair.