Learn more about Alex, in the fourth of a series of interviews leading up to the Champions of Magic World Wide Wonders Tour shows in Kitchener and Peterborough early next year.
- Canadian audiences,
- keeping his performance fresh,
- advice for touring magicians,
[Editor's note: there's some great advice here!]
- non-magic interests,
- pre-show rituals, and
- Broadway dream role!
And the 2018 piece in which we learn about his
- first memory of magic,
- non-mentalism magic,
- creating new effects
- non-magical inspirations,
- our fascination with magic,
- performing in different countries,
- memorable touring mis-adventures, and
- his connection to Canadian magic.
Also, for the past 3 years we’ve had hotel room Christmas mornings, and as fun as they are, it was great to be home with the family for Xmas 2020.
We’d never watched Downton Abbey so we watched it all - from episode 1 right up to the film. Great British Bake Off (it didn’t help the baking skills). X Files. The Simpsons… thank goodness Disney plus launched in the UK when it did. Also I found myself watching very niche things on YouTube… Documentaries about theme park rides, or Adam Savage from Mythbusters making an iron man helmet or a place to keep drill-bits.
Were you able to explore your personal passions (film, art, cooking, gym, laughing, and anthropomorphising)?
I’ve done plenty of laughing.
I’ve cooked lots but baking still remains an absolute disaster.
I got to explore my passion for film by watching nearly everything on Netflix and Disney plus… turns out when you ‘complete’ Netflix, all the film titles bounce around the screen like when you win Solitaire on an old Windows PC.
[Editor's note: Must keep watching Netflix to unlock this bonus!]
I also made a series of short films with my partner Daisy, combining her skills as a circus performer and writer.
I started running/jogging as the gyms were closed. Almost immediately gave myself shin splints but then I got some better shoes.
Did you have to adjust anything in your set to incorporate COVID precautions?
Kelly
and Dave help out Alex McAleer. Photo credit: William Balfour, Spectra Experiences. Oshawa 2019. |
How did you keep your skills fresh and performance ready?
I’ve done a few smaller shows and events over the past 18 months or so, and it took me awhile to get the rhythm back. I felt a little rusty but the energy from an audience brings it all back.
It was strange, mostly because the airport and trains were so quiet, security took no time at all! Also, on the plus side for me, because of the airlines social distancing measures I got upgraded to first class! Strange was absolutely livid.
The show was great, we performed a version for streaming plus some live shows. We had to change certain elements of the show not just because of COVID related restrictions but also because of the language barrier.
There was a panicked moment backstage when the venue staff were using this sort of disinfectant-fog-machine. It filled the whole dressing room area with fog. None of us knew it was going to happen and we thought the place was on fire!
4’33’’ by John Cage.
[Editor's note: Now there's a "pro-tip" I can implement immediately with excellent results!]
Despite how egotistical this may come across, I think it would have to be my own routine, the first one I do in my first set in Champions. It’s a very simple and direct piece of mind reading.
Catch Champions of Magic in Kitchener and Peterborough early 2022!