Cosentino twists reality
By Arlyssa P. Supangkasen
Photos courtesy of BEC-Tero
Did you know
Cosentino won Dancing With the Stars in 2013.
Cosentino, the daredevil Australian illusionist, became famous by winning Australia’s Got Talent in 2011, and has been performing mind-bending tricks internationally since then. He has even been compared to the legendary Harry Houdini by the LA Times.
His new show, Twisted Reality, will be held at Bangkok Convention Centre, CentralWorld on June 13. The show features death-defying escapes, stage illusions and cutting-edge street magic.
Student Weekly recently caught up with Cosentino and asked him about his magic.
Student Weekly: Why did you start doing magic?
Cosentino: I was a 12-year-old boy who was very shy and introverted. But that gave me a skill which is unique. Instead of going up to people and talking to them, I could perform a magic trick, and then they asked me questions. So it was really about building confidence.
Student Weekly: How did you feel when you received the Merlin Award?
Cosentino: The Merlin Award is the Oscar of magic. The previous winners were very famous magicians like David Copperfield. So it was a huge honor to be put in that category and I just hope I keep progressing and keeping the standards up.
Student Weekly: Is it difficult to keep the tricks secret?
Cosentino: Yeah, I have a really great team that work with me, and not everybody in the team knows every trick or illusion. They know the part they need to know. But people always want to know how it’s done, so it’s like a cat-and-mouse game. People work it out, and all of a sudden we switch it and change it.
Student Weekly: Tell us about the concept of Twisted Reality.
Cosentino: It’s really about altering people’s perception of what’s real or what’s an illusion and blending both. In some parts of the show there’s an illusion when I appear and disappear. But if I escape, I use real locks, real chains and I’m really picking the handcuffs. So it’s about blurring those lines and letting the audience decide, and that’s how I’m twisting reality.
Student Weekly: What suggestions would you give someone who wants to learn magic?
Cosentino: It’s a great art form, but you need to be passionate about the craft. In magic that’s very important because it’s not easy, so it takes a lot of practice and a lot of perseverance. Also, believing in yourself and your individuality is what makes you different.
Vocabulary
- daredevil (adj): enjoying doing dangerous things
illusionist (n): an entertainer who performs tricks that seem strange or impossible to believe
introvert (n): a shy person
perseverance (n): continuing to try despite difficulties
