James has spent the past 20 years perfecting his skills as a world class magician, pickpocket and hypnotist.

After leaving university in Southampton James began a career in psychiatry in Bournemouth and spent several years developing his understanding of psychology and human behaviour. During this time James became fascinated with perceptional psychology – the way in which people perceive the reality around them and the ease in which they are deceived and manipulated. After seeing a close up magician performing on television James started to look closer at the similarities between magic and psychology.

From this he branched out into performing close up magic for weddings, private functions and corporate events all the while fine tuning his skills as a magician & theatrical pickpocket. James quickly gained the respect of fellow magicians from around the world and the title of the Master of Misdirection.

His unique blend of sensory deception, sleight of hand and con artistry soon made James one of the most sought after performers of both close up and cabaret entertainment in the UK. Probably the first to combine contemporary sleight of hand magic with theatrical pickpocketing and suggestion hypnosis – and still the best! In recognition, the world famous Magic Circle awarded him the title of The Best Close Up Magician in the UK, a trophy he is quietly very proud of.

His work life is divided between consulting on performance and confidence for such institutes as Imperial College London, creative consultancy on TV magic shows like Troy and Beyond Magic with DMC, performing his sleight of hand and close up/cabaret magic at private and corporate events and teaching hypnotherapists advance hypnosis skills. Whatever time is left is spent with his beautiful wife Jo and his two sons Ben and Charlie by the seaside on the south coast of England.

With his business partner Daniele Sicorace, James also runs the company POWA ACADEMY which offers training resources on the art of pickpocketing, hypnosis and magic.