We're delighted to interview Sam ahead of his Canadian
Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour dates!
Have you studied any magic-adjacent disciplines?
It really highlights the scam that being a magician can be sometimes. So many
magicians, including myself, hide behind the tricks/illusions when there is
little talent outside of that. When I was in my 20s I did learn to partner
dance (modern jive) and you could argue that gave me some coordination.
However, I think honesty that would be very generous to say that it helped
inform my balletic movements during the final Las Vegas parody sequence.
In retrospect are there skills or knowledge that you wish you had prior
to pursuing magic full time?
Certainly there are a host of skills that would have been so helpful. Being
good at video editing and photoshop would be so useful. It would mean you
could produce online content quickly and easily without the cost of using a
professional.
Red light, green light!
Do you remember the specific moment when you knew you could or wanted
to perform magic full time?
I do remember actually with some clarity.
When I started to
‘gig’ (a few kids parties and events for friends), I was about 18 years
old. Simultaneously I joined the ’Thames Valley Magicians Guild’ and would
go to the weekly meetings there. After a few weeks I was kindly asked to
cover a residency at a restaurant in Oxford, England. I did that on Friday
and Saturday evenings. At that point there was a simple and clear
connection between my magic passion and an income, of sorts. I knew at
that point I wanted to be a professional magician.
What is your most memorable performance misadventure?
There are so many to mention, which is both a sign of experience and flight
time, but also unprofessionalism. (Richard) Young and I did the Edinburgh
(Fringe) festival for 4 consecutive years and at that point new material is
being worked in and lessons are being learned!
Lesson 1. Never
leave the Master Prediction Tube inside the actual box. Especially when
hanging that box (and ultimately the show’s finale) in full view of the
audience. Lesson 2. Always remember the key to a locked box with a
spectator's watch inside. Lesson 3. Never commit wholeheartedly to
the gender of an audience member. Lesson 4. Never perform magic on a
stage at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, on New Year’s Eve in 2019, in
the wind and rain. Ever. Lesson 5. Never perform an under-rehearsed Table of Death.
All
of the above had no outs.
One of the most haunting experiences might not sound at all a problem, but
knocked my confidence for years afterwards. I remember going out on stage
for the show opening and having a complete mind blank. I genuinely didn’t
know what I should say or how to start saying my script. Fortunately being
in a double act means that essentially you have a script advisor standing
next to you. But the fact that can happen means it might happen again and
standing on a stage with nothing to say or nowhere to go, is a lonely and
embarrassing experience.
What sets Champions of Magic apart from other touring ensemble magic
shows?
Although Champions of Magic does contain 5 magicians each performing in
their own style, from their own discipline of magic, the show does feel very
cohesive. It shouldn’t feel like a Magic Convention line up but without the
MC. We perform together onstage throughout the show and because of that it
hopefully feels like you’re watching a team of magicians, rather than
segmented acts. That unifying aspect makes the show memorable, rather than the
individuals within it. Coupled with the humour and no ability to take
ourselves seriously, means it should be distinctive enough from the show's
competitors.
That's a lot of money
Do you have any guilty pleasures while on tour?
At every venue we go to there is a well stocked fridge and Coke
(both Zero and full fat) is always on offer and display. When it’s always
there, I will most likely choose it over the bottled water. It’s not a vice I
suppose, but I know it’s probably not good for you in large quantities and I
do love it.
One imagines that it’s sometimes hard to leave the comforts of your home
for a lengthy tour. Do you bring a special something from home with
you?
Leaving home for longer tours is an emotional challenge for sure. However,
that challenge comes with the territory and it’s not like I’m down a mine shaft
for weeks on end or on the front line in Afghanistan. I’m not sure if there is
a front line in Afghanistan anymore, but you get the sentiment.
I
do carry a couple of photos of my family, which feels very old fashioned and
probably crazy considering I have my iPhone’s camera roll with me at all
times. I’m sure that if I printed out all of the iPhone images of my kids and
put them into a flicker book, you’d essentially get a live stream since birth.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of
Canada’s Magic?
We STILL have a large quantity of shot glasses available on the merchandise
stand. You would think dropping the price to $15 would have helped shift
them, but it did very little for sales overall. It’s the worst business idea
we have ever had. Please can your readers buy them when attending a show?
After a lot of trial and error (and critically the right room humidity) the
Young & Strange logo CAN be scratched off with a box cutter.
The
shot glasses are versatile and I’ve provided some ideas for their use
below:
- Candle holders. - A Crockery Smash stall at a local
fundraising event. - A Glass Walking routine you are working on. -
A lecture for a business studies group on 'Loss Leaders'.
Young and Strange "One More!" shot glasses 📸 : Kidlet, Kitchener, 2022
Thank you Sam, for making the time to answer our questions!
We're delighted to interview Hollie ahead of her Canadian
Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour dates!
Through social media, we've watched your act change and grow over time. When
you have an audience tested, well-received show, what drives you to modify
and advance your act?
I originally joined the show with the least experience as a magician with these 4 other performers who had developed and perfected their acts over many years. I guess, coming to be a magician later in life, I felt like I was ‘catching up’ at the beginning and so I was very motivated to try things, see what worked and what didn’t and make my acts bigger and better as fast as I could. I just wanted to be GOOD more than anything in the world. Every iteration of my acts have got closer and closer to being more ‘me’ and that’s what makes it fun to perform and also makes the audience connect and relate more.
I try to stay inspired by seeing shows and movies, watching other performers (not necessarily other magicians) and listening to Pandora stations that introduce me to new music (still within my preferred styles). I’m always trying different lines here and there when I get an idea for something funny.
Ultimately, I’ve always had this desire to create and sometimes what I create ends up being a completely new routine or it flips an existing one or it just adds elements.
Some changes have come about through dealing with venue challenges. For example, when there were theaters on the tour that didn’t allow fire, I found a way to create a similar effect but using water instead. Both versions are custom made and so they also tick the very important box of being completely unique and ‘me’.
Performing in smaller shows in Vegas and Nashville has helped me grow exponentially as a performer. From altering, tweaking material for an adult-only, small venue, late night, 'Vegas' (sometimes very drunk) audience to getting to play with crowd work (and sometimes control), interacting differently with the rest of the cast onstage in my routines and theirs in terms of finding characters plus just being able to perform so consistently in the same venue (5 mins away from my house) and develop new routines- being able to try new things out in front of a real audience. I've also been able to get hired as a 'featured act' and ‘headliner’ in other shows and it's allowed me to see how different audiences have very different reactions and how I can adapt my acts without a video camera feed.
I've been able to create my own 20 minute set and then 30 minute set, which I'd never had to do before as my acts were always broken up throughout the ensemble magic shows. I constantly needed to add routines to meet the required length of the show or alter some elements to meet the needs of the style of venue/ type of audience. I created 2 new acts and now they are some of my favorites to perform.
You come from a professional dance background. Have you studied anything else magic-adjacent?
I studied musical theater (dancing, singing and acting) at college and also performed in musicals across the UK, USA and Dubai. I took art A-level in school and have always like to paint just for fun. Although now I get to design my own merch on thehexclubstore.com.
I truly believe everything I learnt from being a dancer, singer, actor, director, producer, artist and even an office assistant has made me a better performer. It is show BUSINESS after all- being a good performer is only a small percentage of the job!
Tea Party with Hollie
Do you remember the specific moment when you knew you could or wanted
to perform magic full time?
Magic has been the thing that has kept recurring in my life. It’s like the universe has been gently nudging me towards being a magician since I was a kid, when all I wanted was to be a dancer on the West End. Maybe that’s why I was able to achieve that goal early on (in a magic show no less), so I was then forced to find a new and bigger dream/ goal!
I always loved being the assistant or at least somehow assisting in the ‘magic effect’ as a dancer since I was on tour with Hans Klok back in 2008. I loved seeing ways to enhance the magic on stage while I was associate directing The Illusionists tours and Illusionarium.
I was originally asked to be a magician when I was producing but, at the time, felt like I had no business standing next to these giants in the industry that I hugely admired and had perfected their craft over decades. However, it definitely ignited a desire in me to at least consider the challenge. When these magicians were the ones telling me I should be a magician, I finally started to take it seriously (although it wasn’t until years later that I actually started to work on it).
I had some permanent injuries from being a dancer but I still very much wanted to perform. Everything about magic just felt right- I already had a pool of the best magicians, producers and directors in the world as close friends and colleagues, I had worked on ‘both sides of the table’ and so I felt the most prepared and abundant with resources. When I finally put out clips of me performing magic, the response was overwhelming.
What is your most memorable performance misadventure?
I feel like there have been many... Young and Strange leave a small puddle of water at the front of the stage in the one of their acts before mine and I happened to walk straight into it one show and completely fell over like a cartoon character.. with the closeup camera right on me. I think I naturally just bounce up again, but as I get older, it's harder to do!
What sets Champions of Magic apart from other touring ensemble magic
shows?
Our producer comes from a stand-up comedy background and also used to run a pyro company so… the show is very funny and as one article said ‘has more pyrotechnics than a KISS concert!’ We also all perform some acts together ‘Now You See Me’-style, we interact with each other, we all have very individual characters and personalities that feed and bounce off each other in the show. We don’t take ourselves too seriously!
Hollie striking a pose
Do you have any guilty pleasures while on tour?
Normally I have an ongoing D and D app game to stay connected with my partner. I watch a lot of the true crime YT channel ‘That Chapter’ if we are on the tour bus. I’m known for my morning ritual of making a bagel with a cup of tea. In Canada, I just have to go to Timmy Horton’s of course!
One imagines that it’s sometimes hard to leave the comforts of your home
for a lengthy tour. Do you bring a special something from home with
you?
My backpack is always full of British tea because that is one daily ritual that is mandatory! I also bring a blanket for travel- you never know when you’ll want is as a pillow on a plane, plus the company gets very divided on the optimal temperature on the bus!
Every performer experiences some level of post-show blues. Post-tour blues, we expect, are on a whole different level. Do you have any tips for touring entertainers with respect to re-entering one’s non-touring life, after an extended time away from home?
Try to maintain a routine and daily habits on tour and off. Eat healthy. Get good sleep. Take your vitamins and ashwagandha and magnesium. Get a massage. Go for walks. Exercise or do something active that makes you happy. Invest in self-care (cut your hair/ get a facial etc) If you can afford it, invest in a therapist. Journal. Meditate. Read. Allocate time to spend with friends/ family. Schedule things to look forward to.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Canada’s
Magic?
Regardless of how many shows, or billboards or how much money I'm making, I ultimately just want to be creative, and weird and me. I'm trying to do things like no-one else does. As Marilyn Manson once said, 'The key is to change what is popular. That's why rather than submit to the mainstream, you have to become it- then overcome it.'
Thank you Hollie, for making the time to answer our questions!
Additional rumoured locations include cities in BC and NS! Check the
Champions of Magicwebsite
for updates.
We're delighted to interview aerialist, and serial big box illusion victim, Michelle Mazzarella ahead of her Canadian
Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour dates!
What is your first memory of magic?
Growing up, my father was a Magician Member at the Magic Castle in Los Angeles, so we would occasionally head there for Sunday brunch and a show. While I was really young at the time, I still remember details like the secret bookcase entrance, the portraits whose eyes would follow you, the iconic owls, the red velvet showroom curtain, and of course, all the stairs.
What surprised you most about touring with magicians?
This one’s hard for me! Alex, Young, and Strange did a really great job of managing my expectations before I joined the tour. I knew that every day was going to be so wildly different from the next, and I really appreciated their transparency. It helped me figure out that I really wanted the job, and it has been quite an adventure!
Michelle on the Silks
What is the most annoying thing about touring with magicians?
I would call it more fascinating than annoying, but everyone talks about magic… a lot. Coming from a non-magic background, I often have no clue what they’re talking about, but I’ve been enjoying piecing things together over the months, and I’m learning a ton.
Have you learned how to do any magic since you joined Champions of Magic?
Ha, yes, but only the basics… I actually have a silly secret goal of learning at least one trick per tour leg, and all my friends at home are enjoying the results.
How do you keep your skills fresh and performance ready?
In every new city, if time allows, I make an effort to connect with the local circus community. Sometimes they have open gyms, or I’ll even teach workshops. When we’re in hotels, I try to take advantage of their Fitness Rooms, or I’ll do a little workout on a yoga mat in my dressing room. Unfortunately, it’s hard to train Silks without actually being on a Silk, so the skills do ebb and flow a little bit, but they always come back.
Michelle preparing to descend
Do you have any guilty pleasures while on tour?
I actually went to boarding school in British Columbia, and I really miss some of the old snacks I had, like poutine, Aero Bars, Sour Jubes, and Beaver Tails. I try to grab some whenever I can, but really any delicious food will do it for me.
One imagines that it’s sometimes hard to leave the comforts of your home
for a lengthy tour. Do you bring a special something from home with
you?
I actually had a friend attend one of my first shows with Champions of Magic. She asked me the night before what my favorite colors were, and she crocheted me a little jellyfish! I named him Squort and he has stayed in my crate ever since, often hanging on my dressing room lights or sitting nearby.
Michelle and Squort
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Canada’s
Magic?
Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at a show!
Thank you Michelle, for making the time to answer our questions!
his mentalism offerings (under the name Alexander Marsh and available at
The 1914
as well as other magic shops including
The Browser's Den of Magic), or
We're delighted to interview Alex ahead of his Canadian
Champions of Magic Worldwide Wonder Tour dates!
We were fortunate to see Champions of Magic in three times in the
past five years. Your part in the show changed significantly from year
to year. In fact the 2022 experience was almost completely different
from the first time we saw you in Toronto in 2018.
When
you have an audience tested, well-received show, what drives you to modify
and advance your act?
It’s very tempting to just do the tricks and lines you’ve been doing for
years, and the temptation is even greater when you’re waiting in the wings
about to go on stage and do a new routine. It’s very rewarding however to keep
things fresh, in my own act there are sections that are brand new every night
so I have to think on my feet.
I think what drives me to make changes is not wanting things to
become stale, and it’s always fun to tinker and improve each performance of a
new routine.
Have you studied any magic-adjacent disciplines?
I’ve studied various other skills that have all informed my performances.
Theatre work when I was younger and performing in plays, readings, even
panto! I’ve also studied a bit of comedy writing and physical comedy. I also
went to Art School so that's given me an interest in aesthetics.
Alex on stage with an audience member keeping Alex's eyes shut
Do you remember the specific moment when you knew you could or wanted
to perform magic full time?
I think it was probably after my first “show” - I did a twenty minute show
on stage in between some one-act plays in my hometown. The show I did was
dreadful in hindsight but the audience really responded to it; this shy
young man they all knew could now apparently read minds and hold a room’s
attention.
What is your most memorable performance misadventure?
Probably when a prop we were using in Champions malfunctioned and the
‘big prediction moment’ I had been teasing throughout the show just didn’t
happen. Foolishly, there was no out. I just had to move onto the next, much
smaller and less significant, part of the prediction.
What sets Champions of Magic apart from other touring ensemble magic
shows?
I think it’s probably that you’re seeing a full show, not just a series of
different acts doing their own thing. There are multiple moments when we are
all working together on stage, or involved in another performer's act.
Alex on stage
Do you have any guilty pleasures while on tour?
Vegan junk food. Vegan Poutine is always a highlight for a trip
to the true north.
One imagines that it’s sometimes hard to leave the comforts of your home
for a lengthy tour. Do you bring a special something from home with
you?
As silly as it may sound but having a VPN on my iPad means I can enjoy the
comforts of UK television.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Canada’s
Magic?