For Hong Kong’s magicians, the trick to being taken seriously is skill and charisma
Being a magician is as much a passion as a profession, and most illusionists struggle to gain credibility in a world obsessed with celebrity
Becoming a superstar illusionist like American David Copperfield does not just happen by magic – years of practice, a flair for showmanship and self-promotion are essential. Oh, and charisma helps.
Skills and presentation are everything for a budding magician, especially in Hong Kong, where, some say, the profession is not taken seriously.
In the West, audiences appreciate and value magic performances as a cultural art form, says local magician Henry Harrius, 27. In Hong Kong though it is commonly brushed aside as “cheap entertainment”, he says.
The government did not help the profession’s reputation when it broadcast a public service announcement in the past year that, Harrius says, demonised magicians. The commercial, which appeared on local television, featured a magician wearing a black and red cloak, and an evil grin. It was made as a warning for Hongkongers to be vigilant for potential fraudsters.
The award-winning magician has been professional for only about four years, although he’s been spellbound by magic since primary school when he used to watch Copperfield’s television shows. The first Harry Potter book had just been published at the time, helping to further bewitch him.
“I used to be a very quiet and boring child who wouldn’t talk or smile,” Harrius says. “Magic changed me forever by teaching me to be confident, sociable and communicative. So magic has become an inseparable part of my life. It’s in my bones.”
