Magician and comedian Ali Cook has taken more heads off innocent winged creatures than Ozzy Osbourne, writes Mark Charlton.

The only difference is, Ali knows how to put them back.

When the funnyman hits Loughborough this month, he expects to shock, amaze and have crowds in fits of laughter.

The 28-year-old star of TV shows such as Monkey Magic and Dirty Tricks is among a new breed of magicians making the genre cool again by mixing dazzling sleight of hand and street trickery with stand-up comedy.

He says: "As the 80s had alternative comedy, now there is a new breed of magician.

"I'm not on a mission to make magic cool again, I just wanted to do my own thing. I grew up seeing comics like Bill Hicks and acts on Friday Night Live. I wanted to be like those but also do magic."

Inspired by acts such as Jerry Sadowitz and Penn and Teller, Ali has conjured up an act which is funny, shocking and hugely entertaining.

"There is part of the show when I swap the head of a chicken with the head of a duck. Of course I don't really, but its got a real shock factor.

"My show is about lots of styles. It has street magic, I do a bit of mind reading, comedy and the show has shock elements – I swallow razor blades. It is also mixed with pure elements like when I make coins appear from my hands. I don't use props so if I borrow a pack of fags from the crowd it really is a pack of fags."

His appearances at the Edinburgh Festival landed him superb reviews.

Ali, originally from Harrogate, says this show takes in two-thirds of his Edinburgh performance, mixed with new material and tricks.

Info

Ali is at Loughborough Town Hall on Friday, April 23, at 8pm.

Also appearing will be The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre. "Hilarious," says Time Out.

Tickets cost £10. For details, visit:

www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk