Here’s David Nixon – Review

By @RogerCrow

Sometimes the best viewings are with no prior knowledge. Such is the case with this collection of short magic sketches featuring the eponymous sorcerer. If you’ve read my review of David Nixon’s Magic Box from a while ago, you’ll know I’m a big fan of the engaging entertainer.

Though I’d grown up with his 1970s offerings, the stuff that came before is fascinating. Amazingly it’s from 1963 when Nixon’s series of shorts showcased his skills as an illusionist.

Unseen for more than 50 years, this new release contain all 13 editions of the show, and is gloriously simple. The card tricks are terrific, and the fixed camera format from the era when TV was beautifully simple is a welcome change from the in-your-face visuals that bombard magic shows these days.

“Much missed maestro”

Picture and sound quality is pretty good, and as this was from the era when Doctor Who made his TV debut, it’s nice to think what Nixon himself would have been like in the Tardis.

Obviously considering the brevity of the episodes, none of them outstay their welcome, and while you may get a tad bored after three or four eps, they were never designed to be seen as a binge watch. As a filler they work beautifully, and it’s great to see how a much missed maestro could keep viewers hooked while being the archetypal gent.

In a word: magic (obviously).

‘Here’s David Nixon’ is released on DVD by Network, £12.99