Our first interview in our Edinburgh Fringe 2026 coverage features Max Davidson, the performer behind Strangers. The show is billed as “an interactive mentalism show where the audience plays a central role, and no secret—or phone passcode—is safe.”
How would you describe your show to someone discovering it for the first time at the Fringe?
It’s a mind-reading show with audience participation, but not the cheesy kind. I take great care to make sure each show is distinct based on who’s in the room, but that no one is embarrassed or put on the spot without their agreement. In addition to magic and mind-reading, I also tell stories of finding my way when I was single New York, how being a runner has taught me to be a better magician, and I have a finale that ties everything together in what is, I hope, a satisfying and surprising way.
What moment, idea or frustration first sparked this show into existence?
There was never one moment. I honestly think a lot of art gets constructed slowly, and then you look back retrospectively to decide what something is. I’ll say that I finally hit on my ending in November of 2025 after bashing my head against a wall for months. I realized my love of running would give me a unique way to introduce a finale. Without giving too much away—I go on a real run the morning of the show, and various aspects of the run (the time, distance, and pace, for example), ends up tying into decisions that the audiences make that night. It’s been a blast to perform.
How has the show evolved from its earliest idea to what audiences will see now?
It started, as a lot of magic shows do, as just a compilation of tricks. Over time, it morphed into a show about memory, about the importance of paying attention in an era where our brains are constantly scattered, and about the sacred and unique choices we each make very day.
What makes Edinburgh Fringe the right place for this show right now?
I love nothing more than getting reps of my show, and I can’t think of a better place to perform than somewhere with thousands of hungry audience members for a consecutive month.
What does bringing this particular show to the Fringe represent for you personally?
It represents years of work on all these routines, finally culminating in a show I am deeply proud of. If anything, this fringe seems much more like the show’s end point than its beginning.
What has been the most unexpectedly challenging part of getting this show to Edinburgh?
Assembling my team! It’s hard to get the right people together, but over time, I’ve curated a team including a phenomenal PR agent, my producer, and my girlfriend (who’s also doing a show) and is a wonderful sounding board and support system.
If audiences leave the venue holding onto one thing, what do you hope it is?
Our memory is just a function of what we pay attention to—so, in a world with so much chaos and noise, there are a very, very small amount of things that are actually worth paying attention to.
How do you think performing this show during a Fringe run will shape it?
It’s going to be very small, but ultimately quite large, changes. Meaning—every night I’ll tweak a line, or a part of the blocking, or the way I reveal information. And it might seem small initially. But when I look back after the month, I think the show will have changed a lot. So, as that old saying goes, it will change gradually, and then all at once.
Who do you hope this show finds at the Fringe?
Anyone who wants really fun, high energy, non-cheesy magic. It’s also for people who want audience interaction without the stress of being embarrassed. And it’s for people who love mind-reading, memory stunts, and storytelling.
Finally, if this show came with a warning label, what would it say?
There will be audience participation, but it will be worth it. In fact, those who don’t participate will likely leave wishing that they did.
Max Davidson : Strangers runs at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 6th-30th August 2026.