Fire, spikes and levitation on your stage

This is a proper illusion show, not a magician with a table and a few props. Jay & Joss (Jamie Docherty and Lewis Joss) work with lasers, projections and fire, hang upside down beneath spiked rigs and get locked into water against a clock. Below is what goes into it, what your room needs, and where it sits on the night, so you can tell quickly whether it fits your event.

What's actually in it

Every booking gets its own running order, agreed with you once we know the room and the audience. But these are the kinds of pieces Jamie and Lewis build their stage work from, and the ones people tend to talk about on the way home:

• Levitation. A body rising off the stage with nothing holding it up, close enough that the front tables can see there's no trickery in the lighting.
• The water box. A box full of water sealed over a head, with a countdown running on screen. Nobody in the room is looking at their phone during this bit.
• The spiked rig. Hanging upside down beneath a giant rig of spikes, which is exactly as uncomfortable to watch as it sounds.
• Fire and sparks. Flames and sparks coming from their hands, timed with the lighting.
• Lasers and projections. Light and video used as part of the illusions rather than as decoration around them.
• Volunteers. People from your audience brought up on stage, so the room has someone to cheer for.

None of this is a fixed package. If your crowd is mostly families, the fire might come down and the volunteers go up. If it's a black-tie dinner, the spikes and the water box usually earn their place. We'd rather build the set around who's in the room than run the same thing everywhere.

A touring illusion show, scaled down for events

In summer 2026 Jay & Joss took their own theatre production, It's Not a Game, round 28 theatres for twenty-nine shows. It was the biggest thing they've made: a story about artificial intelligence set in a glitching, futuristic world, with a video wall, a countdown clock and a finale where the pair of them dangle in straitjackets under a mechanical bear trap on a timer. There's more on the tour page.

Before that came three years of family audiences at Butlin's, from 2022 to 2024, at 250 shows a year across all the resorts. That's where the timing gets sharpened. A family crowd at a holiday park will let you know very quickly if a moment drags.

So when you book the illusion show for a private or corporate event, you're getting material that has been run hundreds of times in front of paying audiences, then cut and shaped to suit your night.

Where it sits on the night

It works best when people are sat down and there's a point in the evening where the whole room turns to face the same way. Awards nights, gala dinners, company celebrations and big birthday or anniversary parties all have that moment built in.

A common slot is straight after the meal, once plates are cleared and before the band or DJ starts. Everyone's settled, the room is warm, and an illusion show gives the evening one big shared moment before people scatter to the bar and the dance floor. Our after dinner page goes into that format in more detail.

Award ceremonies are another good fit. The show can open the night, or break up a long run of trophies so people aren't flagging by the last category. Tell us your running order and we'll suggest where it lands best.

The showreel

What your room needs for an illusion show

Fire, lasers and larger props mean we need to know a bit more about the venue than you'd tell a magician doing card tricks at the tables. You don't need a theatre, though. A stage helps, but clear floor space with good sightlines can work too.

When you enquire, the useful things to tell us are:

• Whether there's a stage, and roughly how big it is
• If not, how much open floor there is at the front of the room
• How many people, and whether they'll be seated at round tables or in rows
• Any venue rules on naked flame or effects (some hotels and historic buildings are strict, so flag it early)
• Photos of the room, even quick ones on a phone. They save a lot of back and forth

Built around your brand, if you want

Jamie and Lewis don't just perform illusions, they design them. The 2025 theatre tour The Void credits them as illusion designers and consultants; one of their pieces had a performer seemingly drifting in space. That year they also built Stephen Mulhern's big Butlin's moment: Stephen on a motorbike, gone in an instant, then back among the crowd at the rear of the room.

That means a piece built around a product, a company milestone or a particular person can be discussed. In February 2025 they made Merlin, Wicksteed Park's train, disappear while staff and visitors watched, and ITV News ran it as a single unbroken take. If you've got an idea along those lines, talk to us early so there's time to develop it properly.

Pair it with close-up magic

The illusion show is the big moment, but there's usually a drinks reception or a gap between courses before it. Jamie and Lewis also do table-side sleight of hand separately, so guests can meet them up close first and then watch them on stage later. It's a nice way to warm a room up.

Have a look at Jamie's and Lewis's solo sites if that sounds useful, and mention it when you enquire so we can plan the evening as one.

Who's on stage

Jay & Joss are a married couple and have been a double act for over a decade. In 2024 The Magic Circle gave them the title Champions of Stage Illusion, and each of them holds the AIMC with Silver Star. That same year they got four yeses on Britain's Got Talent with a wedding-themed routine that pulled in all four judges (more on our television page).

These days they're also performing at sea, as part of the first Got Talent show on a cruise ship. Their Wikipedia entry covers the rest of the story.

Questions about booking the illusion show

Do we need a proper stage?

Not always. A stage makes the bigger illusions easier to see from the back tables, but clear floor space with good sightlines can work. Tell us how big the area is, with a few photos, and we'll say honestly what will and won't fit.

Is the fire real, and is it allowed indoors?

Yes, fire is part of the act, along with sparks and lasers. Whether every piece suits your room depends on the venue and its rules, which is why we ask about them up front. If your venue is strict on flame, we'll build the running order around that rather than leave it to the day.

How long does the illusion show run at an event?

That's agreed with you once we know your running order. The 2026 theatre production was a full evening of around two hours with an interval, but an event set is shaped to fit your night, whether that's a single headline slot after dinner or something that breaks up an awards ceremony.

Can our guests get involved?

Usually, yes. Volunteers from the audience come up on stage for parts of the show, and it tends to be the bit people talk about afterwards. If there's someone you'd love to see dragged up there, a boss or the birthday person, mention it when you book.

Is it suitable for children?

The material has been tested on family audiences for years: three seasons at Butlin's and a theatre tour pitched at teenagers, families and magic lovers of all ages. There are dangerous-looking stunts with spikes and fire, so tell us about your crowd and we'll pitch it right.

Can it be split across the evening?

It can be discussed. Some events like one big headline slot, others want a shorter opener to get the room going and then the bigger illusions later on. Send us your timings, including speeches and food service, and we'll tell you what makes sense for the illusion show and for your guests.

To see if Jay & Joss are free for your illusion show, [check a date](#enquiry) with the form on this page or go through our contact page. Let us know when it is, where it is, the head count, and whether there's a stage. Photos of the room help a lot. The team will come back to you with availability and the next steps.