This year’s Adelaide Fringe will see internationally recognised magician Josh Staley return with his award-winning chaos in a family show where absolutely nothing goes to plan, but that’s exactly how the magic happens.
Fresh off representing Australia at the 2025 World Championships of Magic, Josh is best known for razor-sharp sleight of hand and world-class precision. In Wacky Wizardry Goes Wrong, he flips the switch entirely in a fast-paced magic-comedy adventure created especially for kids aged four to nine and the adults laughing along beside them.
What begins as an earnest attempt to perform the “world’s greatest magic trick” quickly unravels. Wands malfunction, props rebel, and an unexpected army of mischievous rubber chickens storms the stage, sending the show gloriously off the rails. The result is a high-energy blend of slapstick comedy, physical theatre and genuine wonder that keeps young audiences and parents happily entertained.
“There is a unique joy in taking years of technical mastery and using it to create a world of playful chaos,” says Josh. “In this show, the audience isn’t just spectators, they are the heroes who have to help me fix the magic when it all goes hilariously off the rails.”
Interaction sits at the heart of the experience, with one standout moment seeing the entire audience work together to create a magical memento every child can take home. It’s a feel-good finale that perfectly captures the show’s message of “we can make magic together.”
Behind the deliberately failed tricks and comic chaos is a performer at the top of his game. Josh’s accolades include Fringe awards, a Guinness World Record and recognition as one of the world’s best close-up magicians, all experience that allows the show to balance silliness with genuine skill and great storytelling.
Wacky Wizardry Goes Wrong returns to the Adelaide Fringe at Gluttony’s The Kingfisher from February 21st to March 22nd at 2:30pm. For parents searching for a Fringe show they can trust, and something that the kids will adore, this playful, polished disaster might just be the most magical mess of the festival.
Wacky Wizardry Goes Wrong
When: Saturday, February 21st to Sunday, March 22nd
Where: The Kingfisher at Gluttony – Rymill Park
Price: $24 to $28
Rating: G
Length: 60 min
For more information, click here.
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