LIAM Black lives for magic. At just seventeen, this Cowdenbeath magician is fast becoming an established name having performed at The Edinburgh International Magic Festival and on STV's The Hour.

More recently, he was the magic consultant and adjudicator for the record breaking world's largest magic lesson, in Edinburgh.

Not only a specialist in magic he can also build anything from large scale illusions to small props. This month he is the magic consultant for the Hansel & Gretel Christmas panto at the Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline, and has taught some of the actors a few tricks of the trade.

Liam chatted to Times Entertainments correspondent Matt Meade.

Is it easy to teach actors' magic?

It depends on the trick. Sawing someone in half is a bit harder to teach.

Are the cast members you teach sworn to secrecy not to reveal them?

Yeah, I'm really strict about that.

Why?

Because if a trick takes so long to teach and they go about telling others how to do it, that endangers my work.

Does it annoy you when you see TV shows that reveal magic secrets to viewers?

The thing is, they reveal an illusion which has a copyright, and they get into a lot of trouble for that.

You took part in the world's largest magic lesson with Rosyth magician Kevin McMahon. How did that go.

I was the adjudicator and magic expert, so I got to say if they passed or failed...they passed! It was at Fettes College and 2000 plus people came. We had video screens to and it was great fun.

How did you meet Kevin?

I did a competition and Kevin was one of the judges. We stayed in touch.

Where's the strangest place you have performed magic?

I did a show with Kevin's Edinburgh magic festival. He asked if I'd like to go in the window of Jenners. It was really hot. I had all my stuff, including a table and it wouldn't fit. It was a space of about 2ft by 6ft! It was quite funny.

You wanted to perform magic since the age of nine, were you wowing your mates in the playground with tricks?

Yeah, the general consensus was 'How did you do that?' I remember my first performance in Primary 5 in Foulford Primary. I did a performance at Beath High when I was in first year.

You're in your final year at Beath High, studying woodwork, photography, art and drama. Did you choose those subjects to help with your magic and stagecraft?

I think it was more a case of my mum and dad saying I had to stay on at school! So I picked the fun subjects.