Award-winning magic show “Fake” comes to London this September
Chris Cook brings his hit Edinburgh Fringe show to Lower Marsh Arts Club
After a whirlwind year of performances, awards and sold-out shows, magician and storyteller Chris Cook is bringing his acclaimed show “Fake” to London for the first time since 2020.
Running from 23–28 September at Lower Marsh Arts Club, the show will be one of the first productions to take place at the newly rebranded Waterloo venue, formerly known as The Glitch.
For anyone looking for the best shows in London this September, or a unique magic show in London that goes beyond traditional illusions, “Fake” offers something completely different: a theatrical journey into deception, art and the stories we choose to believe.
It’s pretty, but is it art?
What makes something real? What makes something valuable? And what happens when the greatest trick is convincing everyone there was no trick at all?
“Fake” is a story about trickery, fraud and lies, told through a unique blend of magic, comedy and storytelling.
Chris Cook shares the story of a faker so skilled he had to forge his way to freedom, an artist so talented he may himself be a fraud, a magician whose promise conceals a lie, and a mysterious figure who may not exist at all.
It is a story only a magician could tell.
Following a sold-out run at the Prague Fringe Festival, where “Fake” won both the Creative Award and Inspiration Award, the show now arrives in London for its first ever run in the city.
An award-winning Fringe favourite
“Fake” first captured audiences at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it became a Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe 2025 selection and won the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Theatre Award 2025.
The show has received five-star reviews from critics including:
“For a bit of magic, a bit of storytelling, and a lot of heart, Cook’s Fake is the show to see.”
★★★★★ World Magic Review
“A history lesson, a philosophical debate, and a masterclass in storytelling”
★★★★★ Edinburgh Reviews
“It is a true joy to watch a show that is funny and smart and self-aware as Fake undeniably is, but takes this one step further – it aims to be truly, genuinely hopeful.”
★★★★★ The Student
“Clever, naughty and inviting”
★★★★★ Binge Fringe
From Prague to Durham, Edinburgh and London
2026 has been a landmark year for “Fake”.
The production enjoyed a hugely successful run at Prague Fringe, winning the Creative Award and Inspiration Award, before continuing its journey with performances at Durham Fringe Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Now, before heading on to further tour dates, Chris Cook brings the show home to London for seven performances at Lower Marsh Arts Club.
See “Fake” in London this September
“Fake” runs at Lower Marsh Arts Club from 23–28 September.
Whether you are a fan of magic shows in London, looking for something different to see in Waterloo, or searching for the best theatre shows in London this September, “Fake” offers an unforgettable evening of magic, mystery and storytelling.
