{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Variety Show","title":"On having ADHD, West End Life & the Moment She Knew She’d Be a Magician","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2423,"description":"To stay updated on future episodes, follow us on:TikTokInstagramYouTubeIf you have any comments about the podcast or are a performer who wants advice please do email info@thevarietyshowpodcast.co.ukArtist bioLaura London is a Westminster-born magician and close-up performer known for sharp sleight of hand, storytelling-led shows, and deep knowledge of magic history. Diagnosed with ADD (now ADHD) as a child, she found focus through performance—first inspired by a kids’ party trick at eight, then shaped by formative mentorships including Hungarian legend George Kovari, iconic British magician Fay Presto, and manager Jenny Dunster. A former youngest female member of The Magic Circle at the time of her admission, Laura works internationally across theatres, private events, and corporate settings, and is passionate about advancing magic through study, practice, and respect for the craft rather than labels or shortcuts.Episode summaryIn this episode of Variety, Adam Sternberg meets magician Laura London at The Magician’s Table in Bermondsey for a candid, funny, and wide-ranging conversation about how a chaotic childhood in London’s nightlife world led to a life in magic. Laura talks about being born in Westminster, spending early years around entertainers and rock ’n’ roll energy through her mum’s nightclub, and the shock of losing that world as a child. Diagnosed young with ADD/ADHD and told she might struggle in conventional school and work, Laura explains how creativity became her anchor—after seeing the classic “Run Rabbit Run” at age eight and realizing it wasn’t the trick that mattered, but the joy it created.Laura traces the path from magic-shop afternoons at Davenports to meeting George Kovari, across the road, then leaving school and home at 15 and using magic to survive—sometimes literally trading performances for food. She shares what it felt like entering The Magic Circle as a young punk-looking newcomer, and the moment Fay Presto intervened, mentored her,...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/JHRDqil-H1p__PcBxkFKeWgvmzANKXqZzhsKiqUP0gc/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mODc5/NmZkY2I4Nzk5OWNi/MjFiNDFhNzY5MTNi/NzI1Ni5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}