This article offers an historical analysis of the emergence and development of Asian magicians on the British stage. Sarah Dadswell charts the trajectory of this phenomenon from the arrival of the first recorded Indian magicians in the UK in the early nineteenth century to the internationally renowned figure of P. C. Sorcar in the mid-twentieth century. In doing so, she illustrates the dialogue that took place between East and West, recording the ways in which both sides recognized and adopted the other's modes of performance and marketing strategies to suit their needs and satisfy public demand. Sarah Dadswell is Research Fellow to the AHRC-funded project ‘British Asian Theatre’ at the University of Exeter. This article forms part of the project's investigation into the history and development of modes of performance by Asian theatre practitioners in the UK.