The Expert at the Card Table

Over the course of an hour, magician Guy Hollingworth recounts the brutal history of the card trickster’s bible, The Expert at the Card Table, and the close friendship of its author Samuel William Erdnase with troubled con artist Milton Franklin Andrews. He intersperses this absorbing and mostly true tale with bewildering sleight of hand and perplexing feats of card chicanery.

As a performer, Hollingworth is urbane, wry and polished – the Hugh Grant of the card sharps. His naturally engaging and self-effacing demeanour contrasts nicely with the dark tale of murder and betrayal he gradually tells.

The stage is perfectly set, with intimate lighting, an elegant card table, 19th-century wooden bureau and a cracked mirror. There is an air of quiet expectation in the audience, and they are not disappointed.

Hollingworth is clearly a master of his craft. It is astonishing to witness him weave a narrative while memorising card placement.

Participation from the audience serves to underscore the quality of the magicianship on display – no matter how carefully attention is trained on his quick fingers, Hollingworth outwits and delights. Who could fail to be impressed?