One magic show, six magicians
Sold-out in the UK, Impossible Live is coming to Singapore next month
From death-defying stunts to grand illusions, you will get to watch six performers work their magic in a two-hour show.
The sold-out magic show in the UK will have a Singapore run from March 10-19 at the Kallang Theatre.
Impossible Live In Singapore 2017 promises to take the audience through the history of magic by tracing its origins in the 16th Century to the present day.
The show's executive producer, Mr Marcus O'Donovan, 33, told The New Paper it will involve "more story-telling rather than a variety show performance".
He said: "Many magic shows involve just one magician who brings his act. This is more a combination of different acts."
The six acts are Magical Bones, the street magician; Chris Cox, the mind reader; Sabine Van Diemen, the conjurer; Josephine Lee, the grand illusionist; Ben Hart, the boundary breaking magician; and Jonathan Goodwin, the daredevil escapologist.
The production company, Jamie Hendry Productions, initially spent £1.1 million (S$1.95 million) to produce the show.
Mr O'Donovan said: "We had a very good first run, so we were able to make most of that money back and then we have spent more money as we go.
WORTH THE RISK
"It is expensive to produce a show on this scale, but it is worth the risk. It has been a good journey."
Since the show premiered in London's West End in July 2015, it has sold more than a quarter of a million tickets, he said.
"We played four weeks in the West End, then we did a UK tour, then we did eight weeks in London again and we took it to Beirut and then to Dubai."
Mr O'Donovan then wanted to bring the show to an Asian audience and Singapore will be the first to hold it in the region.
He said of the Republic: "Very mixed culture, a variety of people from all over the world - that seems like a good place to start to introduce it."
He spent two years working on the magic show - a first for the production company.
Said Mr O'Donovan: "We spent a long time figuring out how to put it together and bring it to life. A lot of rehearsals, a lot of rewriting and finding the right people.
"It is not like creating a play or a musical, something we have done before. You can always change the performers because there's always another actor or singer.
"With this, these skills are their own skills. We don't know how they do some of the magic."
That is, except for the big illusions, which require a lot of rehearsing, machinery and purpose-built structures.
He said: "We have to build things specifically to make it work. Some of (the magic tricks) - we don't know how they are done. But some we do. And we would never tell anyone.
"We have to keep it that way because we have to have the respect for the magicians as it is their trick, their craft, their living. We have to allow them that privacy.
"It's magic, remember."
FYI
WHAT: Impossible Live in Singapore 2017
WHERE: Kallang Theatre
WHEN: March 10 to March 19, 7.30pm on Friday and Saturday, 2pm on Saturday and Sunday
TICKETS: $38 to $168 from Sistic (6348-5555 or www.sistic.com.sg). This month, enjoy a 28 per cent discount off regular ticket prices when you purchase a minimum of three and up to eight Cat 1 or 2 matinee tickets in a single transaction.
He break-dances the rules of magic
Magical Bones, an English hip hop dancer and magician, did his signature back flip card trick, which is a variation of the pick-a-card routine.
During the media preview here in November last year, Magical Bones, whose real name is Richard Essien, 34, also burned a $50 note from an audience member, and made it reappear inside an unopened bar of chocolate.
He is one of six performers in the magic show, which is making its Asian debut here next month.
Speaking to the media after the preview, Magical Bones said he started dabbling in magic tricks at the age of 10, when his mother gave him a children's magic set for Christmas.
"I practised with the toys in the magic set and when I got older, I started reading books," he said. "I got to meet up with some other magicians, learnt tricks together and it developed from there."
Doing magic tricks was just a hobby then and he became a professional dancer.
Said Magical Bones: "While I was dancing, I would show my friends some magic tricks during the show. Eventually, I put the two ideas together."
He is inspired by many things, including music, films, and famous magicians.
STYLE
"I come up with my tricks myself. I might see an idea and change it, improvise it. But it is my own routine, my own style," he said.
Magical Bones practises every day for two hours with props such as cards and coins.
While I was dancing, I would show my friends some magic tricks during the show. Eventually, I put the two ideas together.Magical Bones, whose real name is Richard Essien
He said: "I like everyday objects because I can just put them in my pocket and practise."
What sets a magician apart from the others?
He said: "You need to be very disciplined, understand people and strive to be original."
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