He's been buried alive, trapped in ice and suspended in the air while sealed
inside a box for 44 days. But in his new series,Do Not Attempt, Blaine is the one who's left speechless as he
travels the globe taking in extraordinary feats by some of the world's
greatest masters.
"It's an amazing chance to highlight these performers or these experts,"
Blaine tellsQ's Tom Powerin an interview. "Being able to meet the most incredible
people that have worked for thousands of hours on these skills that are, to
me, as close to magic as it gets because they've put the invisible work in —
the countless thousands of hours to be able to do this thing that shouldn't
be possible."
in 2024 the Montreal Trio performed at Blackpool and Magifest (please, no
spoilers!)
in 2023 they appeared on European television (again, please, no spoilers!)
We're very pleased that Yannick, Marc, and Michel made time to answer our questions
ahead of their appearance on the March 25th episode of
Canada's Got Talent!
Who inspires you that is not a magician?
Yannick: My spouse whom I adore, who accompanies
me and supports me in all my magical projects.
Marc: I
love getting inspiration from other fields. I visit museums, listen to music
and podcasts, read books from all genres, watch masterclasses, and more.
Michel: Charlie Chaplin, Brian Tracy, Gary Larson and my girlfriend who runs 2 businesses with 30 or so employees alone
What is your first memory of magic?
Yannick: I attended a superb stage magic show by the magician
Reveen in Montreal. I was sitting in the front row and I was 8 years old. It
was amazing!
Marc: I remember watching David
Copperfield on television and playing with a magic kit when I was a child. I
was probably 7 or 8.
Michel: Well the first time, I was 10 years old and it was Mehdi who pulled a gum of my ear but THE moment was when I was 23 and André Bouchard was performing close-up magic...it changed my life.
Who from the magic community inspires you?
Yannick: First, my 2 magician friends: Michel Huot and Marc
Trudel who are part of the Montreal Trio. But Gary Kurtz (Canadian magician)
has always been a great inspiration and he has made me the magician I am
today.
Marc: Too many to name, but a lot of my
inspiration comes from reading books. Books not only provide knowledge but
also force you to imagine the routines in your own unique way.
Michel: Lately, someone i am touring with at the moment inspires me...Raymond Crowe! All the small details. Others include David Acer, Mac King and David Williamson.
Was there anyone or anything instrumental to you becoming a magician?
Yannick: The Magie-Marcis school with my teacher Maurice
Choquette taught me magic in the mid-80s. I then started teaching with him.
Following his death, he bequeathed me his school which became mine:
MagieStrale.
Marc: Probably Juan Tamariz, for the
way he studies audience energy. I have also been working with Stéphane
Bourgoin, who has been a great mentor to me. Stéphane is probably one of the
most creative minds in magic, yet he remains a well-kept secret among the
magicians lucky enough to work with him.
Michel: The booklet Leading with your head by G. Kurtz still has a great impact on me as well as the book by Eberhard Riese called Foundations. I have always been amazed also by people who can really drive a crowd. Do lots with less (Colombini, Doc Eason, Bob Sheets, Eric Leclerc). At the beginning of my magic adventures, my pal Yannick also sparked a flame.
Yannick Lacroix, Michel Huot, and Marc Trudel 📸 : CGT
Did you ever get discouraged and think about quitting
magic?
Yannick: No, I've always been passionate
about magic since I was a kid and I've never stopped.
Marc: Not really. I’ve always been fortunate to find new projects that
keep me engaged.
Michel: Only once; September 11th 2001. I felt useless 'finding their cards'. But the next day a spectator told me that I just made him forget about what was going on for 15 minutes. That was it. Oddly enough, our job is to make them forget!
Do you have any tour or pre-show rituals you’d be willing to share
with our readers?
Yannick: Michel, Marc and I have a little ritual before
presenting our act. We walk as if nothing had happened around a magic
accessory and suddenly we start dancing around it, each improvising our
own choreography. We really look crazy, but that's us!
Marc: We have lots of crazy patterns and rituals, but one of them is
“fighting” a playing card using invisible karate. You get the idea…
Michel: Oh yes. I have on with the boys that they already explained. On my own, I do a breathing technique in the dark in my dressing room (called Prana Yama).
How did the three of you meet?
Yannick: I have owned a magic school (MagieStrale) in
Montreal since 1992 and Michel and Marc were my students in the
mid-90s.
Michel: Taking a pause now, go see Yannick's answer haha!
How did the three of you come to work together?
Marc: Over the years, we became friends and started
collaborating on shows, lectures for magicians, and more. Eventually,
the Montreal Trio was born!
Yannick: We created
this issue in 2013 to present it at a prestigious FFFF magic congress in
the USA. And since then, we have presented it for magicians and the
general public in Quebec, Canada, the USA, England, and very soon in
Europe.
Michel: I first pitched an indea to Yannick many many moons ago. We did an act called The Human Deck of Cards. Then, many years later, another idea popped and we figured we had to be three. Marc was an obvious choice.
Why is now the right time for you to be a part of
Canada's Got Talent?
Yannick: We were invited to participate in CGT and we thought
what a chance to show our act on Canadian television on the biggest stage
in Canada!
Marc: Our individual schedules are
always a little crazy, so whenever we get the chance to work together, we
take the opportunity. For CGT, the stars aligned!
Michel: See above!
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Yannick: The Montreal Trio is not limited to this issue, we
hope to be able to show you all our creativity, sometimes a little crazy, in
the near future!
Marc: Simply that there is a lot of
great magic happening in Canada right now—not just with our trio. Magicians
should be more curious about it!
Michel: Just shut up and do it!
Thank you Yannick, Marc, and Michel for making the time to answer our
questions! Break a leg on CGT!
Have a read of the excellent interview in One Ahead, where Chris talks about the new online demonstration category in FISM 2025 and the future of magic in general.
The process involved much brainstorming to understand what the online shift would look like, and Ramsay credits FISM organiser Walter Rolfo for being receptive to the idea.
But the question naturally follows: Does an online FISM category translate to higher levels of attendance, and more importantly, a longer-term desire to upkeep and cultivate the event for future generations?
Ramsay believes this can only happen if changes are made to the fundamental structure of the event:
Resilience should be my middle name! I’ve built a successful entertainment career, only to be knocked flat to start again from scratch – FIVE times. I must really love my work, because I cannot give up, I don’t know how, but after every setback, I’ve always pulled up my socks and bulldozed forward.
My first love was dance, and at age seventeen I won a full scholarship to train with the National Ballet of Canada.
Gore, a skilled magician who has captivated audiences around the world with his mind-bending illusions and performances, knows that his profession is often met with curiosity, wonder, and a healthy dose of skepticism.
He sees magic as more than just a performance, but a chance to offer people a brief escape from the stress of their everyday lives.
“Everyone’s got stuff going on in their life. Everyone’s got problems. But for a moment, we’re going to forget about all that and just enjoy a moment together,” Gore explained. “After the show, you can go back and you can pick up that weight that you once had, but it feels so freeing just to just be like, ‘How is that possible?!’ That’s the power of magic.”
Joe Schwarcz has made it his life's work to debunk misinformation and snake oil salespeople in the scientific world. Now, the director of the McGill Office for Science and Society has been named to the Order of Canada.
He hosts the longest-running radio show on CJAD 800 on chemistry, writes a weekly column and has authored best-selling books, educating people about true, evidence-based science and promoting critical thinking.
In this deeply moving episode, we sit down with Gabriella Lester, a renowned
magician and escape artist, to discuss a crucial and delicate topic: mental
health and coping with loss. Gabriella shares her harrowing experience of
losing her boyfriend to suicide, just weeks after their breakup, and the
subsequent emotional turmoil she faced. She also bravely opens up about her
own past suicide attempt at the age of 16, offering a unique dual
perspective on both losing someone and surviving after a suicidal attempt.
Gabriella reflects on the importance of living and grieving, the impact of
one's decisions on loved ones, and finding balance amidst the chaos. This
episode delves into life, loss, resilience, and the critical conversations
we must have around mental health. Gabriella Lester is a well known Magician
x Escape Artist.
For more on Gabriella Lester:
https://www.instagram.com/thegabriellalester/?hl=en
In this engaging conversation, magician Carisa Hendrix shares her journey from
an introverted child to a celebrated performer known for her character Lucy
Darling. She discusses her early inspirations, the challenges she faced, and
the pivotal moments that shaped her career, including her world record for
fire eating. Carisa reflects on the evolution of her performance style, the
importance of character work, and the impact of social media on her success.
She also delves into the current zeitgeist of entertainment, exploring the
concept of meta-modernity and how it influences her art. The conversation
concludes with Carisa's future plans and her commitment to creating meaningful
connections through her performances.
In this engaging conversation, Dr. Todd interviews Eric Tate, an award-winning magician and comedian, who shares his journey into the world of magic, his experiences performing at various venues, and the impact of television on his career. Eric discusses his role at Penguin Magic, the process of creating and producing magic products, and the importance of teaching magic effectively. He also highlights memorable moments from Penguin Live and shares exciting upcoming projects, including a new book and a unique magic effect.
October 4th, 2024 @ 2:00pm EDT | (Judy Dawson interview). A Life In Cards With
Judy Dawson. A Playing Card Legend Takes Her Final Bow.
Judy Dawson
has been a cornerstone of our playing card-collecting community for decades.
Her passion, dedication, and enthusiasm have enriched our club and inspired
countless collectors worldwide. Listen to her share her extraordinary
journey in card collecting with her beloved partner, Tom. More than just a
presentation, her words celebrate a legacy shaping our playing card
community.
Be captivated by Judy's tales of discovery, rare finds,
editing Clear The Decks, and the evolution of the Dawson's remarkable
collection. Thank you for being part of our community and celebrating Judy
Dawson's amazing journey with us.
I did an UNO REVERSE episode with @magic4yourbrain where he interviewed me. And it’s shaping up to be the most popular episode of the year.
We talked about performing, coaching, what magician need, podcast highlights, and he even pre interviewed my parents to learn about my upbringing and how this all came to be.
Probably the most popular episode of the year. Link in bio to hear it!
Join us for an exciting livestream with the incredible Lee Asher! Lee is a world-renowned magician, creator of the iconic Asher Twist, and president of the 52 Plus Joker Playing Card Collectors Association. We’ll dive into his latest project, "The Card Magic & Playing Card History Timeline" and hear a few stories from his lifetime of magical adventures. Don’t miss this chance to learn, laugh, and get inspired by one of the top names in magic and playing card collecting!
My first memory of magic is on my fifth birthday, at the Magic Castle, on
stage with the one and only – Ireland’s Largest Leprechaun, Mister Billy
McComb. I believe he did the vanishing birdcage that day. He eventually got
me on stage as a volunteer and I was in heaven. I thought he was the bees
knees. And as I got older, he just got funnier and funnier. One of my
favorites ever. Rest in peace, Billy.
Other than your family, who were the first professional magicians you
remember seeing?
I was lucky enough to see the Siegfried and Roy show as a young kid,
and that show was truly mesmerizing, larger than life. It felt like being
in another world. I remember the electricity in the room. It was thrilling
and kinetic, and they were so graceful. They seemed to have walked onto
the stage from the clouds.
By what mechanisms did you begin learning magic?
I learned magic at Magic Camp as a kid (that’s right, folks!) in Idyllwild,
California. I also learned from dear family friends, and from books.
Liberty Larsen
Who inspires you that is not a magician?
Outside of
magic, I’m inspired by Joanna Newsom, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen (two
very special Canadians who almost dated!), Jesca Hoop, Martha Graham,
Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, Peter Brook, Carmen Amaya, Kate Bush,
Harry Nilsson, Tom Waits, Remedios Varo, Robert Moss, on and on… I love
people who make worlds out of their dreams and stubbornly insist on living
inside them.
Who inspires you magically?
I’m inspired by Rob Zabrecky, Michael Carbonaro, Jared Kopf,
Voronin, The Swedish Monkey Opera, René Lavand (rest in peace) and many
other gems.
In addition to performing magic, we understand that you are also a
musician. Have you studied anything else magic-adjacent? How have these
studies informed your magic performance?
Though I can’t say I’ve officially studied art, film or photography, I’ve
definitely been influenced by my own rogue education in all of those realms.
Everything that inspires, everything that lights up the circuitry,
everything that gives goosebumps, can translate into magic, I think.
I
draw from music more than anything else, because I look to magic to create
strong feelings. I’m not really drawn to cerebral stuff, or puzzles, it’s
not how my mind is wired. I can appreciate them but they don’t motivate me
to get on stage.
On stage, I don’t want to be clever. I want to
feel connected to people When I’m in an audience, I want to feel like the
performer is cracking my heart open like a walnut, and melting me. So, I
look to music for how to do that, because that’s how I’m wired. So I often
sing, because it’s a quick cheat to shift things from intellect into
feeling. But even when I’m not singing, the same elements of music – rhythm
and pacing, tone and resonance, harmonics and dissonance, dynamics and flow
– all these things go into good theater, and satisfying magic.
What, if anything, makes you nervous about joining the Champions
family?
Giant theaters! Exciting, but not something I’m used to. I’ve
performed in a lot of very small, cabaret style venues. This is a whole
different ball of wax.
What are you most looking forward to about joining the Champions of
Magic family?
The adventure of it! I love the electrical current that’s running
through this project. It’s got a strong pulse. It seems like I’m hopping
on a train that’s changing platforms and going to a whole new dimension.
This is such a fantastic group of people, and it’s an ambitious risk we’re
all taking together, which is a truly exciting challenge.
If you could go back in time to study (magic or otherwise) under
anybody, who would you choose to be your mentor?
I think I would go back in time and study dance with Martha Graham. I devoured
her autobiography and am so inspired by the way she lived her life. She was a
genuinely magical person, and a profound teacher. I feel like what she taught
could translate beyond dance into just about anything. She taught people how
to be deeply in their bodies, truly themselves and radically open to their own
source of inspiration.
Liberty Larsen
If you could prevent other performers performing an effect forever, what
would it be?
I read a truly terrible “gag” in an antique magic book about having
your Thanksgiving turkey get up and walk off the table. It involved using a
real chicken, plucked, and doing some terrible things to force it to be
still, and painting it brown as if it was roasted. I would outlaw that
turkey trick, punishable by tarring and feathering.
If you could only perform one effect for the rest of your life, what
would it be?
I am not sure I could ever be up to that challenge. But if I could
shapeshift into a bird while singing, and land one someone’s shoulder,
maybe deliver a secret message that only they would understand and that
would inspire a huge gasp, it would be that.
What’s your go-to Karaoke song?
“Get it While You Can” by Janis Joplin. Not because of the lyrics,
necessarily, but because her emotional range is just so great to sing.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about
performing in Canada?
From the October 31st Instagram post by Young Hollywood, Liberty Larsen, and Fernando Velasco (one of her Champions of Magic co-stars) are interviewed about the Magic Castle:
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I just learned that, “The first reference to throwing rotten
vegetables at bad stage acts came in an 1883 New York Times article after
John Ritchie was hit with a barrage of tomatoes and rotten eggs by an
unpleasant audience in New York. A large tomato thrown from the gallery
struck him square between the eyes and he fell t the floor just as several
bad eggs dropped upon his head.” The more you know…!
Thank you Liberty, for making the time to answer our questions!
The cat's out of the bag. 
