Meet the tech magician from Northampton bringing humanoid robots to The Magic Circle
For years, magicians have talked about the future of magic.
David Penn decided to build it.
Currently headlining as part of the Secrets of The Magic Circle experience in London, David’s latest stage show blends mobile phone technology, interactive illusion, theatre, and humanoid robotics into something audiences genuinely do not expect.
At the centre of one of the show’s biggest moments is D4RYL, a humanoid robot appearing live on stage inside the famous headquarters of The Magic Circle.
The result is one of the most unusual magic shows currently running in the UK.
“It’s not just about adding technology into a magic act,” explains David. “The entire identity of the show is built around technology. Every effect involves a mobile phone in some way. That’s what makes it different.”
David, from Northampton, has spent years developing a reputation as the world’s leading technology magician. While many performers introduced the occasional digital trick into their repertoire, he took a completely different path by committing fully to the concept. Mobile phones became the core of the experience rather than a novelty.
That decision helped shape a career which has included standing ovations on Britain’s Got Talent, performances for major corporate brands, and recognition within the magic industry itself. David is a Winner of The Magic Circle Close-Up Magician of the Year, a British Magic Championships winner, and a Member of The Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star.
Yet despite the awards and television appearances, he believes the current stage show represents the strongest work of his career.
“I honestly think this is the best show I’ve ever performed,” he says. “Everything I’ve worked on over the years has led to this point.”
Part of the excitement comes from the audience reaction when D4RYL appears on stage. The humanoid robot is not presented as a static prop. Instead, it becomes part of a major theatrical routine that blends illusion, personality, and futuristic technology.
People do double takes when the robot first appears.
Some laugh.
Some instantly reach for their phones to film it.
Others simply stare in disbelief.
“The interesting thing is that audiences don’t really know how to react at first,” David says. “They’ve never seen a humanoid robot used this way in a magic show before.”
One question David is often asked is whether technology risks taking the humanity out of magic.
His answer is immediate.
“Technology will never replace wonder. It just amplifies it.”
That philosophy sits at the centre of the entire production.
Rather than treating technology as a gimmick, David uses it to create emotional reactions and impossible moments which feel grounded in the modern world people actually live in. Mobile phones become impossible objects. Reality bends. Predictions appear in places they should not. Digital information appears to take physical form.
The show itself forms the finale of the wider Secrets of The Magic Circle experience. Guests begin with performances from world class magicians before exploring the famous Magic Circle building and museum collection. The evening then concludes in the theatre with David Penn’s full Tech Magician stage show.
For David, performing inside The Magic Circle carries special meaning.
“It’s the most famous magic society in the world,” he says. “To headline there with my own full stage show featuring technology and humanoid robots feels surreal.”
Technology continues to evolve rapidly, and David believes magic has a unique opportunity to evolve with it rather than fight against it.
“People carry incredibly powerful technology in their pockets every day,” he explains. “Magic allows you to look at that same technology again with fresh eyes.”
And this may only be the beginning.
David is already exploring new ideas involving robotics, AI interaction, and large scale technological illusions for future productions.
“The goal is always to create moments people genuinely cannot process,” he says. “Not just tricks. Experiences.”
For now, audiences visiting The Magic Circle are witnessing something rare: a magic show that feels less like a tribute to the past and more like a glimpse into the future.
Tickets to see David Penn perform as part of the Secrets of The Magic Circle experience are currently available until the end of July via themagiccircle.co.uk