On having ADHD, West End Life & the Moment She Knew She’d Be a Magician скачать в хорошем качестве

On having ADHD, West End Life & the Moment She Knew She’d Be a Magician

To stay updated on future episodes, follow us on: TikTok   / thevarietyshowpod   Instagram   / thevarietyshowpod   If you have any comments about the podcast or are a performer who wants advice please do email info@thevarietyshowpodcast.co.uk Artist bio Laura London is a Westminster-born magician and close-up performer known for sharp sleight of hand, storytelling-led shows, and deep knowledge of magic history. Diagnosed with ADD (now ADHD) as a child, she found focus through performance—first inspired by a kids’ party trick at eight, then shaped by formative mentorships including Hungarian legend George Kovari, iconic British magician Fay Presto, and manager Jenny Dunster. A former youngest female member of The Magic Circle at the time of her admission, Laura works internationally across theatres, private events, and corporate settings, and is passionate about advancing magic through study, practice, and respect for the craft rather than labels or shortcuts. Episode summary In this episode of Variety, Adam Sternberg meets magician Laura London at The Magician’s Table in Bermondsey for a candid, funny, and wide-ranging conversation about how a chaotic childhood in London’s nightlife world led to a life in magic. Laura talks about being born in Westminster, spending early years around entertainers and rock ’n’ roll energy through her mum’s nightclub, and the shock of losing that world as a child. Diagnosed young with ADD/ADHD and told she might struggle in conventional school and work, Laura explains how creativity became her anchor—after seeing the classic “Run Rabbit Run” at age eight and realizing it wasn’t the trick that mattered, but the joy it created. Laura traces the path from magic-shop afternoons at Davenports to meeting George Kovari, across the road, then leaving school and home at 15 and using magic to survive—sometimes literally trading performances for food. She shares what it felt like entering The Magic Circle as a young punk-looking newcomer, and the moment Fay Presto intervened, mentored her, and opened doors to her first serious paid work. The conversation turns to women in magic: the long history of overlooked pioneers, why Laura avoids the label “female magician,” and how representation is shifting through TV, the internet, and changing expectations for what girls can do. They also dig into the difference between close-up and stage magic, why presentation matters more than method, and the idea of “real magic”—not supernatural belief, but the rare performance moment that stays with someone forever. Laura describes performing internationally and how audiences vary by culture, why reading a room matters at corporate events, and how a nightmare Edinburgh Fringe malfunction forced her to improvise in front of some of the world’s best magicians. The episode ends with Adam attempting a card spring under Laura’s instruction, followed by a tease of Laura’s upcoming new show (not all cards this time), developed with Jonathan Goodwin. 00:00 Intro at The Magician’s Table and meeting Laura London 00:03:20 Childhood, nightlife, and an ADHD diagnosis 00:07:06 Discovering magic at eight and early inspiration 00:10:45 Leaving school at 15 and surviving through magic 00:12:45 Fay Presto, mentorship, and joining The Magic Circle 00:16:36 Women in magic, history, and labels 00:21:21 Close-up vs stage magic and presentation 00:23:40 “Real magic,” belief, and performance moments 00:28:31 Performing worldwide and reading audiences 00:37:43 Edinburgh Fringe disaster and Adam learns the card spring