Magic….

People tend to believe that magic is just for children. But that is not the case. While its definitely true that children are more willing to entertain magical thoughts, it is probably not accurate to say that adults do not.

Capella Hotel

Last week, I was performing at Capella Hotel at Sentosa for about 180 foreign delegates from all over the world. What strike me was that, I was performing for highly successful men and women from different countries and all of them are highly educated, they all had an appreciation for magic. Men and women were laughing at something unexplainable and initutively impossible.

So, that got me thinking, what exactly is so special about magic. I have my own thoughts, mostly from the academic understanding of the emotion awe and amazement, but right now, let me share with you what my friends and people around me think.

About 3 years ago, one of my good friend mentioned that magic is an art because as with all arts, it has the power to bring people from one emotional state to another. He made a very good point about magic, it actually isn’t just about the emotion of amazment, some magic pieces pulls your heart strings and make you feel the emotion of empathy, and others makes you feel excited.

An example would be David Copperfield’s Grandpa’s Ace.

But what I think makes magic really special is this, behind all the deception, it makes you think about reality. And I think Senior Minister of State, Mr Heng Chee How, who recently commented on my blog said it very elegantly.

Yes indeed Mr Heng, magic does make you curious and makes you contemplate what is possible. This is the paradoxical nature of magic, it is the deception that makes you aware of the reality.

Let me end with one of my favourite videos of a magician who incorporates elements of humour, suspense and drama in his magic. A wonderful piece by Wayne Dobson.

Signing off,

Alexander

Ps. Stay curious!