Dave Alnwick wants the crowd to join his cult, claiming to convince even the most cynical of his talents and even teaching his tricks to the audience in order to prove it really is possible to read minds.

It is a low-key opening, the audience unsure whether the performance has even started, but after a tentative and obviously unscripted start the mind-reading skills begin. He knows what shape people will choose from a choice of five, what card will be picked according to personality traits and what numbers in a sequence will be revealed later on in the show.

It is a feat which has been gaining gravitas in recent years, more and more mind-readers taking to stages and attempting to deduce someone’s thoughts and character from just a few simple clues and mannerisms. And no matter how often it is seen, it is still mesmerising to watch it done on unsuspecting members of the public.

The problem for Alnwick is not, as he humorously claims, that there is only ever one famous ginger man at a time (cue references to Britain’s most famous red-headed males: Ron Weasley and Ed Sheeran) but that other magicians and illusionists have taken these skills and perfected them around a more slick format, turning it into a full stage performance. This is not Alnwick’s style. He is a down-to-earth, personable guy who clearly prides himself on being just like every other guy on the street. Only he’s not. What he does is difficult to fathom, impressive and absorbing, the one hour show going too quickly for many.

Alnwick will return to the Edinburgh Fringe with his mind-wizardry in August and no doubt attract full crowds to the Voodoo Rooms, but if he really wants to become the most famous male ginger in the land he might need to think about a more polished script.