MANY performers will tell you their show is magical but the West End smash Impossible which comes to Manchester next week is just that.

The show features six of the world's leading illusionists who perform a spectacular series of tricks, stunts and death-defying acts.

For Richard Essien, known as the world's leading hip-hop magician Magical Bones, the show's success has come as no surprise.

"I think everyone needs that element of wonder in their lives," he said. "This show allows people to escape their daily lives and for a couple of hours to be entertained and at the same time left mystified. They are there in the theatre, they are watching what is happening and yet they cannot understand how it was done."

Magical Bones contributes his own sense of wonder with a series of illusions including an astonishing back flip card trick.

"Everybody in the show brings something different to the tour," he said, "Everyone has their own style and way of performing and this all comes together brilliantly."

Many of the routines are based on classic magic tricks, some of which date back to the early music hall days but how those tricks are done is still kept a closely guarded secret.

"In this show we will not be revealing how anything is done," said Richard.

"Once you reveal the secret of an illusion you lose that sense of wonder. I think that an audience prefers to try and work it out for themselves, but the chances are that they can't."

Among the keenest observers of the various illusions are the performers themselves.

"Magicians are always watching other magicians," said Richard. "Even though you know the mechanics behind the illusion, it is how they present it and how they put a twist on it which you look for,"

In Impossible some of the illusions are dangerous, particularly those performed by the show's daredevil escapologist Jonathan Goodwin.

"There have been a few shaky moments," said Richard, "but that adds to the excitement."

Richard's own transformation into Magical Bones could be something out of a magic show.

A talented hip hop dancer, he has performed with the likes of Madonna and the Black Eyed Peas.

"Ever since I was a child I'd been interested in magic and I used to do a few tricks backstage when we were on tour," he said.

"People kept telling me I should do something more with my magic and creatively I liked the challenge of combining hip hop and break dancing with magic."

Magic is undergoing something of a resurgence thanks to street magicians and illusionists such as Dynamo and David Blaine and Impossible is capturing the imagination of a younger audience.

"The show is brilliant for kids," said Richard, "and what's been even better is the number of them who have come down afterwards and shown us their own tricks. Some of them are really good."

Impossible, Palace Theatre, Manchester Tuesday, March 22 to Saturday, March 26. Details from 0844 871 3019