Posted on August 6th 2024

“Why do you do tricks on dates?”

A question I wasn’t prepared for. When my date threw this grenade, I was wrapping up a three-phase rubber band routine (one of my most requested tricks for repeat clients and the trick that got me into the Magic Circle). It wasn’t out of disinterest; she was enjoying the trick. But it was the rare occasion where I’d offered to show her something. Usually, people can’t help but ask – or demand.

As a single man (form an orderly line, ladies) my job can easily overshadow my other qualities. I used to hide it from my dating profile but that proved too false. Magic is a massive part of my life so I shouldn’t conceal that. It also helps me weed out those who may not respect what I do. I once received a message from a potential match that simply read: “So, do you enjoy your job?”

I gave up a stable, secure office job for this. I should bloody hope so!

On the other hand, I fear some of my matches have only agreed to meet purely to tick “date a magician” off their bucket list. I once had someone show up, mistreat the waitress, ask me personal questions that had no place on a first date, and then clap her hands as she barked: “Where’s my trick?”

Dance, monkey-boy!

Coming back to this lovely lady asking why I would want to perform tricks on a date, she had asked about how I got into magic so I told her and branched off onto the first trick I learned. I always have rubber bands on me. Why not offer to demonstrate it?

“But isn’t this work for you?” she asked.

To me, magic is never work. But I appreciated her empathy and ability to look deeper.

When self-employed, it’s easy to lose yourself in your work. There’s always something you can be getting on with – a new trick, recording content, editing your website, you get the idea – and it can leave you with little free time. After booking a trip to Greece this September, I still had some money left in my allocated budget. As a result, I took a spontaneous trip to Prague. Did I make optimal use of my 48 hours? Probably not, I’m no travel influencer. But I did find a lovely outdoor pool and some wonderful bars.

It was on my last day that I found an Irish bar and remained there until leaving for the airport. After ordering food, I pulled out my close-up mat and started practising. This attracted the attention of the waitress, Yana. It was a slow afternoon, so she couldn’t resist asking what I was doing. After two days of speaking with nobody, I performed an intimate card set that proved a cathartic release.

For those in the know, I performed Dai Vernon’s Triumph for Yana. This is my favourite all-time effect and, in my opinion, the perfect card trick. It transcends language barriers and is simple to understand.

My friend and fellow magician Daren Rotherham isn’t shy to perform outside of a professional environment. After sharing the stage with him the other week, we hit a local watering hole and it wasn’t long before he was approaching tables with three lengths of rope and entertaining customers with his Professor’s Nightmare routine. I respect his infectious passion for performance. As magicians, I’m not saying we should be performing all the time, but it should never feel like a chore.

That said, if you ever meet a magician outside of a formal performance, don’t be shy. Ask us nicely and we probably will show you a trick. Just make sure you dive deeper when getting to know them. In this age of psychological buzzwords, it’s easy to write magicians off as “dishonest” or “professional gaslighters” but we’re often the opposite. I’m a professional liar who wears his heart on his sleeve. James Blunt with a deck of cards. I’m going to regret writing that, but there you go.

No matter how many awards I win (if any), whom I entertain, or what kind of house I retire in, I am a lifelong student of magic. I will never take it for granted. The moment I don’t enjoy my work will be when I call it a day. Magic is not to be performed half-arsed. This is my pledge to my clients and my peers.