• 
• 
• 
• 

Magicians? Blockbuster? In the age of superstar artists and media hype, how come no one’s thought of this before?

Renee Liang asks The Illusionists creative producer Simon Painter what’s behind the smoke and mirrors.

How did the idea for getting seven of the world's greatest magicians together in one show come about?

In early 2011 Tim Lawson and I started discussing the possibility of creating an Illusion show that truly showcased the very best magical talent in the world today. It occurred to us that whist circus has had a giant face lift with Cirque Du Soleil and its many incarnations, the public perception of magic was still somewhat stuck in the 80’s.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that rather than sequin clad assistants and rabbits in hats, there were some incredibly bold innovators of the art form. We decided that we wanted to produce a show that brought these amazing artists together with state of the art production and sound. What we have ended up with has exceeded every expectation on so many levels! Most surprisingly the show is very, very funny. Something that we didn’t really plan, but there are a LOT of laughs. It’s actually not very serious at all, it’s just a lot of fun.

How has modern technology changed the way a magic show is delivered? It's still all sleight of hand, right?

It may not be sleight of hand, but it’s certainly all skill! It never ceases to amaze me how much practice is put into the most simplest of acts. Never has a truer word been said about a magic show than “It’s not what you do it’s the way that you do it”. Magic is incredibly sensitive and 1000s of hours that go into every act, big and small. The production values have changed dramatically, but underneath it all is a lot of hard work!

As creative producer, what is your role on the show?

I am the person who’s ultimately responsible for the end result on stage (good or bad). I have amazing people that work with me creating the show, and I try to steer the ship in the right direction, creatively, casting, costumes, music, and probably most importantly the marketing as well.

How long have you spent developing this show?  Did you 'start small, grow big' or was this a huge idea from the start?

It was always a big idea, and Andrew Spencer our co-collaborator at the Sydney Opera House was kind enough to believe in it with us and book the first version of the show. The team at the Sydney Opera House helped created a lot of aspects in the show that you see today!

Where are you going on your world tour?

We have been to Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Bogata, (Columbia),Quito ( Ecuador), Panama and we are going to be in NZ, Rio, Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Dubai, London, Manchester, Edinburg, 15 cities in Germany, Prague, Slovenia, and a few other places in Eastern Europe.. before returning to Australia….it’s been a good year!

How do the magicians work together during the show?

With equal parts of admiration and competition... it’s a good combination!

How has broadcasting changed the way magicians are perceived by an audience?

The audience’s expectation levels are FAR greater than they were 20 years ago... but nothing is like seeing it live… ! which is why I suppose this works.

Why do people, in today's modern world, still like old-fashioned illusion?

It’s not old fashioned!  there are elements of illusion that have been done for 3000 years, but I honestly don’t believe most of the audience will have seen 90 percent of the acts in the show live with their own eyes.

Why did you decide to include a live band on the tour and do they perform any magic?

Because they are absolutely DAMN amazing!.. one of the hippest bands in LA, who regularly perform with Nas, Kanye etc etc.. when they’re not with me, they are playing 50,000 people a night with someone famous… they are infectiously amazing, with an incredible sound. Yes they do do some magic..!

Any other shows you are working on?

Yes, Illusionists 2.0! In 3d!... which will begin soon!

We also own Le Noir, which is a very beautifully dark cirque show.

* * *

The Illusionists: Wednesday 22 May - Sunday 2 June - The Civic, Auckland.