Show stands up to its magic tag

Pete Firman: Flim-FlamThe Stand****

NONSENSE. A deception. A swindle. That's what a dictionary makes of the phrase flim-flam. When you consider that, pretty much all stage magic is about sleight of hand, and that comedy is often about deceptive observations, then Pete Firman's show more or less does what it says on the tin.

Thing is, that only covers about the first few minutes of his set and, as anyone who has ever seen the humorous prestidigitator for themselves would tell you, that's not nearly enough.

On this occasion his venue was the comedian's haven, The Stand, but in the past Firman has not only trod a variety of bigger stages, he's also graced the nation's screens courtesy of Channel Five and Sky, spreading mirth and magic to the masses in his inimitable way.

He neither looks nor sounds quite like any of the few others that tread a similar path. His manner, though, had a strange familiarity about it.

His occasional comedic vocal outbursts channelled much more than simply the spirit of Eric Morecambe: while there was no attempt at an impersonation, the unintentional influence was clear.

Similarly, Firman can't help how he looks, but there were a few moments where he bore more than a passing resemblance to 90's pop star Prince – his hair, at least, sometimes copyright-infringing so.

Tommy Cooper, most people would agree, was something of a genius. Pete Firman is a young man with a blisteringly bright future and the mantle of genius would be too heavy for him to bear, even if it wasn't yet quite appropriate.

Suggesting similarities with Cooper might be going a little far. Nevertheless, given the right encouragement, he may yet have to learn how to carry such responsibilities.

Deliberately botched magic of any description was always going to require some kind of comparison with the master, and Firman, given the freedom of an extended show, genuinely stood up well to it.

Then again, if it remains a part of his set, his maggot gag is destined to become his own spoon/jar/jar/spoon albatross, but he could do worse.

It was a great trick/physical feat and it served to separate him from others with lesser physical weirdness.

His body is clearly able to withstand certain kinds of punishment, whether having a 4 inch nail battered into some bizarre nasal cavity, or his infamous ability to ingest at least eight lit cigarettes along with a quantity of paper and water, it's clear that he's likely to at least become pretty good mates with Jim Rose.

That he is an expert and capable magician (not to mention half decent Carney geek) then, is not in question. Given that he was appearing at the Stand, perhaps the more pertinent question is, is he funny?

Judging by the audience reaction, the answer is a resounding yes. He may have had to ask for applause occasionally, but that was only because most of the crowd were too busy sitting open-mouthed to actually clap on cue. Sometimes, silence really is golden.

In the end, was Pete Firman any good? Yes. Utterly Magic.