JAMES FREEDMAN: MAN OF STEAL Headed to Trafalgar Studios

Following a sell-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, James Freedman: Man of Steal transfers to the Trafalgar Studios for a limited six-week run due to public demand. He opens his new show on 29 May, with previews from 26 May, and runs until 4 July.

Persuader, showman, thief... James Freedman will steal a whole lot more than you might expect and one member of the audience will lose the most valuable thing possible...

Funny and fast-fingered, Freedman exposes how the bad guys really work, the show reflecting a life-time spent studying hustlers, street criminals and con-men. Fuelled at an early age after falling victim to muggers and further inspired by watching child pickpockets on the streets of Paris, he began a lifelong study of stealth crime and the psychology of thieves. In his words, "It was then I decided to become a pickpocket myself - only an honest one. I want to educate people to help them avoid becoming victims."

Hailed a genius in his field by Derren Brown, Freedman is the only man to have picked the pockets of The Mayor of London, The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Governor of the Bank of England. With his hands having been insured for £1m, his expertise is courted by the entertainment industry with his consulting on the film of LES MISERABLES, and Roman Polanski's Oliver Twist, the BBC's Hustle and as The Real Hustle's 'pickpocket expert'.

As well as an entertainer, he is in great demand from Police Forces and other security professionals as an advisor, speaker and educator on the subjects of crime prevention, social engineering and fraud - particularly the growing areas of bank card fraud and identity theft. He has recently appeared in a regular slot on the Channel 5's series Police 5, demonstrating the latest scams and how to avoid them.

Man of Steal is directed and co-written by Edward Hilsum, the founder of production company Love Variety. At just eighteen years old, he was invited to join The Magic Circle who sponsored him to develop a successful one-man show in Las Vegas. Within three years, his unique talents had taken him around Europe and across America, and he was invited to create and perform magic during the opening ceremony of the London Olympics. Now 23, his new one-man show Edward Hilsum: Genie will debut later this year.