Who is Vincent Gambini? Well, it's me. My name is Vincent Gambini. I'm based in Brighton, UK, and my specialty is sleight-of-hand magic, which I combine with elements of theatre, performance art and spoken word. The story goes: As a teenager in the 90's, ALL I did was study and practice sleight-of-hand magic. In 1998 I won 1st prize at the Italian Close-up Magic competition, and 2nd prize at the International competition in London. I also gained membership to the London Magic Circle by writing a thesis called 'Deconstructing Magic', which perfectly describes what I love doing. Then, in the early 2000's I packed my magic books away, got rid of all my magic props, and chose a different path: for 15 years I worked as a writer and performance artist, presenting experimental theatre across Europe and further afield. However in recent years I have dusted off the magic cape and returned to all things conjuring. In 2015 I premiered This is not a magic show, to critical acclaim. This is an 'intimate' performance for about 50 people. In 2018 I made The Chore of Enchantment, a show for black box studios; it began touring UK theatres in 2020 before being canceled due to the Covid pandemic. In response to the tour's cancellation, in 2021 I collaborated with artist Hugo Glendinning to make the film The Disappearing of Vincent Gambini. In 2024 I will be presenting a one-to-one performance, Close-up, designed for seaside cafés. |
SHOW DATES
2024
27 March, performing in Jo Bannon's film Passing
23 April, work-in-progress, Gothenberg
24 May, Close-Up, Brighton Festival
28-30 June, performance in collaboration with Tim Etchells, St Polten, Austria
5-7 July, This is not a magic show, Live, Newcastle
8 July, Lecture at Newcastle Magic Circle
18 July, Close-Up, Laughing Dog Café, Worthing
19 July, Close-Up, Brew & Bread café, Eastbourne
25 July, Close-Up, The Victoria Café, Brightlingsea
26 July, Close-Up, The Greensward café, Clacton
13 September, Close-Up, Manningtree Arts, Manningtree
14 September, Close-Up, Deli 141, Harwich
5 October, Close-Up, Mac's café Brighton (in partnership with ACCA)
2023
17 May This is not a magic show, Norfolk and Norwich Festival
1 June New work preview, Faversham
27-30 Dec, This is not a magic show, and new work, International Magic Festival, Edinburgh
2022
3 Jun This is not a magic show, private event, Bornemouth
9 Jul This is not a magic show, private event, Kent
10 Jul Extract from The Chore of Enchantment, Community Day, Camden People's Theatre, London
3 & 4 Sept This is not a magic show, and You the spectator (working title), Live Art Festival, Dook 1, Aarhus, Denmark
2021
14-18 Apr The Disappearing of Vincent Gambini (film), online premiere with live Q&A
11 June The Disappearing of Vincent Gambini (film), Festival of Ideas, Brighton
3 Jul The Disappearing of Vincent Gambini (film) + a live performance, Angel Field Festival, Liverpool
17 & 18 Jul (Untitled/new work) Festival of Small Things, Nottingham
9 & 10 Oct This is not a magic show, and Untitled (new work) Pop Out Festival, Lincoln
2020
14 Feb This is not a magic show, The Warehouse Theatre, Liverpool
3 March The Chore of Enchantment, Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, Brighton
11 March The Chore of Enchantment, Colchester Arts Centre
26 March On Magic: talk and video screening event, Live Art Development Agency, London (cancelled)
14-15-16 April The Chore of Enchantment, Camden People’s Theatre, London (cancelled)
30th April The Chore of Enchantment, Dorchester Arts (cancelled)
8 May The Chore of Enchantment, Halifax Square Chapel (cancelled)
10 May The Chore of Enchantment, Slung Low, Leeds (cancelled)
2 June The Chore of Enchantment, Exeter Phoenix (cancelled)
22 Oct The sky from this window (performance via telephone), as part of Dial a spectacle
20 Dec The sky from this window (performance via telephone), as part of MagicFest
2019
17-18 Feb Work-in-progress presentation, In>Time Festival , Chicago, US
1 March This is not a magic show, Anstey Village Hall, Beaford Arts, Devon
2 March This is not a magic show, Atherington Pavillion, Beaford Arts Devon
14 March This is not a magic show (extract), Royal Holloway University, London
12 May The Chore of Enchantment, Norfolk & Norwich Festival
21 May Fake Magic - a night of alternative magic acts, curated by Vincent Gambini Norfolk & Norwich Festival
7 September How magicians train: a presentation, Wellcome Collection, London
23 October The Chore of Enchantment, ARC Stockton Arts Centre
2018
19 Jan The Chore of Enchantment, Cambridge Junction
29 March The Chore of Enchantment, ARC Stockton Arts Centre
5-6 April The Chore of Enchantment, Shoreditch Town Hall, London
16 May The Chore of Enchantment, MagicFest, Edinburgh
2 June The Chore of Enchantment, PULSE festival, Ipswich
1-27 August The Chore of Enchantment, Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
8 Nov The Chore of Enchantment, Axis Arts Centre, Crewe
14 December Lecture-presentation, DAS Graduate School, Amsterdam
2017
13 & 14 Jan This is not a magic show, Theatre Royal Bath
15 & 16 June New work in progress, Rose Hill, Brighton
30 June, 1 & 2 July New work in progress Edinburgh International Magic Festival
7 November This is not a magic show, Kunsthalle Mainz
2016
10 Feb This is not a magic show, Cambridge Junction
4 Mar This is not a magic show, Word of Warning @ Z Arts, Manchester
9 Mar This is not a magic show, Sheffield University Drama Studio
7-8 May This is not a magic show, TIG7, Mannheim, Germany
14 May This is not a magic show, Cambridge Junction
18, 20, 21 & 22 May This is not a magic show, Mayfest, Bristol
24, 25, 26, 27, 28 May This is not a magic show, Camden People's Theatre, London
31 May This is not a magic show, Pulse Festival, Ipswich
4 June This is not a magic show, Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
1-3 July This is not a magic show (plus new work in progress) Edinburgh International Magic Festival
15 July New work in progress, Larmer Tree Festival, (near Salisbury)
25-26 July This is not a magic show, Exeter Bike Shed
7 September This is not a magic show, Norwich Arts Centre
23 September This is not a magic show, Gloucester University Drama Programme
1 October, Presentation-lecture, Tate Modern, London (part of Tate Exchange)
4 October This is not a magic show, Axis Arts Centre, Crewe
15 October This is not a magic show, Winsford Library, CW7 2AS
16 October This is not a magic show, Gread Budworth Parish Hall, CW9 6HL
2024
27 March, performing in Jo Bannon's film Passing
23 April, work-in-progress, Gothenberg
24 May, Close-Up, Brighton Festival
28-30 June, performance in collaboration with Tim Etchells, St Polten, Austria
5-7 July, This is not a magic show, Live, Newcastle
8 July, Lecture at Newcastle Magic Circle
18 July, Close-Up, Laughing Dog Café, Worthing
19 July, Close-Up, Brew & Bread café, Eastbourne
25 July, Close-Up, The Victoria Café, Brightlingsea
26 July, Close-Up, The Greensward café, Clacton
13 September, Close-Up, Manningtree Arts, Manningtree
14 September, Close-Up, Deli 141, Harwich
5 October, Close-Up, Mac's café Brighton (in partnership with ACCA)
2023
17 May This is not a magic show, Norfolk and Norwich Festival
1 June New work preview, Faversham
27-30 Dec, This is not a magic show, and new work, International Magic Festival, Edinburgh
2022
3 Jun This is not a magic show, private event, Bornemouth
9 Jul This is not a magic show, private event, Kent
10 Jul Extract from The Chore of Enchantment, Community Day, Camden People's Theatre, London
3 & 4 Sept This is not a magic show, and You the spectator (working title), Live Art Festival, Dook 1, Aarhus, Denmark
2021
14-18 Apr The Disappearing of Vincent Gambini (film), online premiere with live Q&A
11 June The Disappearing of Vincent Gambini (film), Festival of Ideas, Brighton
3 Jul The Disappearing of Vincent Gambini (film) + a live performance, Angel Field Festival, Liverpool
17 & 18 Jul (Untitled/new work) Festival of Small Things, Nottingham
9 & 10 Oct This is not a magic show, and Untitled (new work) Pop Out Festival, Lincoln
2020
14 Feb This is not a magic show, The Warehouse Theatre, Liverpool
3 March The Chore of Enchantment, Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, Brighton
11 March The Chore of Enchantment, Colchester Arts Centre
26 March On Magic: talk and video screening event, Live Art Development Agency, London (cancelled)
14-15-16 April The Chore of Enchantment, Camden People’s Theatre, London (cancelled)
30th April The Chore of Enchantment, Dorchester Arts (cancelled)
8 May The Chore of Enchantment, Halifax Square Chapel (cancelled)
10 May The Chore of Enchantment, Slung Low, Leeds (cancelled)
2 June The Chore of Enchantment, Exeter Phoenix (cancelled)
22 Oct The sky from this window (performance via telephone), as part of Dial a spectacle
20 Dec The sky from this window (performance via telephone), as part of MagicFest
2019
17-18 Feb Work-in-progress presentation, In>Time Festival , Chicago, US
1 March This is not a magic show, Anstey Village Hall, Beaford Arts, Devon
2 March This is not a magic show, Atherington Pavillion, Beaford Arts Devon
14 March This is not a magic show (extract), Royal Holloway University, London
12 May The Chore of Enchantment, Norfolk & Norwich Festival
21 May Fake Magic - a night of alternative magic acts, curated by Vincent Gambini Norfolk & Norwich Festival
7 September How magicians train: a presentation, Wellcome Collection, London
23 October The Chore of Enchantment, ARC Stockton Arts Centre
2018
19 Jan The Chore of Enchantment, Cambridge Junction
29 March The Chore of Enchantment, ARC Stockton Arts Centre
5-6 April The Chore of Enchantment, Shoreditch Town Hall, London
16 May The Chore of Enchantment, MagicFest, Edinburgh
2 June The Chore of Enchantment, PULSE festival, Ipswich
1-27 August The Chore of Enchantment, Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
8 Nov The Chore of Enchantment, Axis Arts Centre, Crewe
14 December Lecture-presentation, DAS Graduate School, Amsterdam
2017
13 & 14 Jan This is not a magic show, Theatre Royal Bath
15 & 16 June New work in progress, Rose Hill, Brighton
30 June, 1 & 2 July New work in progress Edinburgh International Magic Festival
7 November This is not a magic show, Kunsthalle Mainz
2016
10 Feb This is not a magic show, Cambridge Junction
4 Mar This is not a magic show, Word of Warning @ Z Arts, Manchester
9 Mar This is not a magic show, Sheffield University Drama Studio
7-8 May This is not a magic show, TIG7, Mannheim, Germany
14 May This is not a magic show, Cambridge Junction
18, 20, 21 & 22 May This is not a magic show, Mayfest, Bristol
24, 25, 26, 27, 28 May This is not a magic show, Camden People's Theatre, London
31 May This is not a magic show, Pulse Festival, Ipswich
4 June This is not a magic show, Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
1-3 July This is not a magic show (plus new work in progress) Edinburgh International Magic Festival
15 July New work in progress, Larmer Tree Festival, (near Salisbury)
25-26 July This is not a magic show, Exeter Bike Shed
7 September This is not a magic show, Norwich Arts Centre
23 September This is not a magic show, Gloucester University Drama Programme
1 October, Presentation-lecture, Tate Modern, London (part of Tate Exchange)
4 October This is not a magic show, Axis Arts Centre, Crewe
15 October This is not a magic show, Winsford Library, CW7 2AS
16 October This is not a magic show, Gread Budworth Parish Hall, CW9 6HL