I'm afraid that you have asked a very broad question. The level of development in children varies greatly. Their personalities are also very diverse. One eight year old may love the show, one may tolerate the show, and one may hate the show and fidget the entire time. My advice to you would be this; look for various videos of the show on Youtube, and judge for yourself according to your son's personality and maturity level. You, as his parent, are the best judge of his abilities. I have been to this show three times, and I can tell you that they do an excellent job from start to finish. How much your son will appreciate my assessment must be left to your discretion.