In our ongoing Edinburgh Fringe interview series, we are speaking to artists and creatives who are bringing their shows to the Scottish capital this summer.
In this interview, Mason King discusses his show The Mind Spy.
What can you tell me in your own words about your show?
Mason King – The Mind Spy is a live re-enactment of the real-life psychic recruitment testing procedures and remote viewing experiments conducted by the US military during Project Stargate in the 1970s and 1980s.
It blurs the lines between reality, performance, and something else entirely.
Where did the inspiration for this piece come from?
I’ve always had a deep interest in the paranormal, even from a young age, but I’ve also been a long-time sceptic when it comes to psychics and extrasensory perception — probably due to my background as a professional mentalist for the past 15 years.
I’ve always had a deep interest in the paranormal, even from a young age, but I’ve also been a long-time sceptic when it comes to psychics and extrasensory perception — probably due to my background as a professional mentalist for the past 15 years.
This show is the result of bringing those two sides together to create something I hope is genuinely unique.
How have you approached developing the show?
I’ve approached it like building a psychological machine — one that has to feel spontaneous, while being incredibly precise underneath. I started with the core idea: what if we recreated real psychic experiments from the Cold War and let the audience become the test subjects?
From there, it’s been a constant process of writing, testing, and refining. Each preview has helped sharpen the timing, the tone, and the tension.
How would you describe the style of the show?
At its core, it’s a psychological thriller performed live. Stylistically, it borrows from lecture theatre, intelligence briefings, and the clinical stillness of a Cold War experiment — with moments that feel almost cinematic in how they land. There’s no top hat, no flashy reveals. Everything is designed to feel plausible and as real as possible.
That’s important. The more real it feels, the more the audience leans in and starts questioning what they’re seeing — or even what they’re thinking.
It walks a line between grounded psychological demonstration and moments that… well, if you believe the files I’ve been studying, might not be demonstrations at all.
What’s surprised me is that, although I came into this as a sceptic, after six months of delivering these re-enactment-style experiments in previews — and seeing what I’ve seen — I’m actually less sceptical now. And that can make some parts of the show feel a little unsettling… even for me.
Can you describe the show in 3 words?
Psychological. Immersive. Unnerving.
Psychological. Immersive. Unnerving.
How do you mentally and physically prepare for a run like the Fringe?
I treat it like I’m going undercover. Mentally, I stay sharp by rehearsing daily — not just the lines, but the psychological flow of the show. Physically, I keep my routine clean: training, cardio, hydration.
The Fringe is chaotic. The show only works if I remain calm, grounded, and about two seconds ahead of everyone in the room.
The Fringe is chaotic. The show only works if I remain calm, grounded, and about two seconds ahead of everyone in the room.
Away from your show, what are you most looking forward to about being in Edinburgh?
The quiet moments between the noise — early morning walks before the city wakes up, watching performers gently lose their minds in coffee queues, and those post-show conversations where someone tells me what they really saw on stage.
Those are the moments that feed the next layer of the work.
What is one hidden gem in Edinburgh that everyone should visit?
Dunbar’s Close Garden is one of those places you’d walk past without ever knowing it’s there. Just off the Royal Mile, through an unmarked gate, it opens into a beautifully kept 17th-century garden.
It’s quiet, symmetrical, and strangely calming — like stepping into a memory. When I need to mentally reset before a show, that’s where I go.
Are there any other shows at the Fringe you’d like to recommend?
Last year, I was fortunate enough to see a show by a gentleman named Keith Alessi called Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life. It’s an inspirational true story, which I found genuinely moving and motivating — beautifully produced, too.
Last year, I was fortunate enough to see a show by a gentleman named Keith Alessi called Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life. It’s an inspirational true story, which I found genuinely moving and motivating — beautifully produced, too.
Canadian opera singer Melanie Gall is another performer I’d highly recommend. I believe she’s doing two shows this year. She’s a fantastic storyteller and a truly world-class performer, so if you can catch one of her shows, do.
The idea that a few words, planted at the right time, could unravel everything… that stuck with me. Looking back, I think that was the moment I realised how powerful suggestion can be — on stage, and off.
What was the first piece of theatre you saw which had a big impact on you?
The first piece that really stayed with me was Macbeth. I saw it at school, and I remember feeling unsettled — especially by how easily someone could be manipulated into doing the unthinkable.
What do you hope an audience member takes away from seeing the show?
I hope they leave questioning what just happened — and what might be possible. The show isn’t about proving anything supernatural. It’s about perception, intuition, and the hidden forces that shape our choices.
If someone walks out unsure whether they were influenced… or whether they knew something they shouldn’t have — that’s exactly where I want them.
Where and when can people see your show?
Venue 53 — The Space at Surgeons’ Hall, Nicolson Street
Daily at 5:05pm from August 2nd to 16th (excluding 9th, 10th, and 15th)
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/mason-king-the-mind-spy
Daily at 5:05pm from August 2nd to 16th (excluding 9th, 10th, and 15th)
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/mason-king-the-mind-spy
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