You've seen the listing: Tricks & Stuff, Sydney Festival of Magic & Illusion, Regent Theatre Richmond, 8 to 11 October, rated PG, recommended 10+. And now you're doing the thing every parent does before buying tickets: trying to work out what those labels actually mean for your kids.
Fair enough. I'm the magician, so let me answer the real questions directly.
"What does PG mean here, exactly?"
It means silly and a bit cheeky, never crude, never scary. There are no ghosts, no gore, no innuendo your ten-year-old will ask you to explain in the car. The 10+ recommendation isn't about protecting kids from the content, it's about the comedy. The show is built on absurd stories and timing, and that style of humour properly lands from about age ten. An eight-year-old will still enjoy the magic; a twelve-year-old will get the whole show.
"Will my kid get dragged on stage?"
Nobody gets dragged anywhere. Volunteers only, and here's my rule after years of doing this: the volunteer is always the hero, never the punchline. I was a shy kid myself, painfully shy, I've written about it. I know exactly what it looks like when a kid wants to be invisible, and I leave them be. And I know the look of a kid whose arm is about to come out of its socket from raising it. That kid is going to have a great day.
"Is an hour too long?"
The show is 60 minutes, no interval, and it's built to move. Something new is always happening: a blender, a sock, a candy bar, a story that goes somewhere it shouldn't. For the 10+ crowd, the hour disappears. If your kids are well under ten, honestly, the festival's ABRA-KID-ABRA! show is designed for them and they'll have a better time there. I'd rather point you at the right show than sell you the wrong ticket.
"Will I enjoy it, or am I just the driver?"
This is the one I'm most confident about. Tricks & Stuff is a comedy show first and a magic show second. I've spent years playing rooms full of adults at Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe, and the show that goes to Sydney is that show, with the volume knob adjusted. Some jokes sail over the kids' heads on purpose. They're for you.
The Practical Bit
- When: 4:30pm to 5:30pm, Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 October 2026
- Where: Regent Theatre, 145 Windsor Street, Richmond NSW, near Richmond Station
- Tickets: $40 general admission, at festivalofmagic.com.au
- Timing: The Thursday and Friday shows are inside the spring school holidays. Here's how to plan the day.
Still not sure? Watch a few clips on my YouTube channel and let the kids decide.