You can catch Bryan Miles in Hidden Senses at the Wave Theatre this Saturday. PICTURE: Howie French
A former College of Magic graduate and trainer will put on his one-man magic show at the Wave Theatre on Saturday.
Bryan Miles says Hidden Senses is about what is possible when we combine the five known senses to create the illusion of a sixth sense. It’s an interactive journey through the cracks in human perception.
“I explore the possibilities of these concepts as well as ask the question: Where do you draw the line between intuition and psychic ability – or are they the same thing? The audience will leave the show questioning their own minds' potential, for sure,” he says.
“Does free will exist? Are the thoughts and decisions we make truly our own? Every thought we have results in some kind of action – I don’t read minds; I read people.”
As a child, Mr Miles, of Somerset West, was obsessed with taking his toys apart, wanting to know not only how they worked but also why they worked.
“It was early on that I discovered how easily our minds can be deceived. I studied and read everything I could on magic, hypnosis and psychology. I attended the College of Magic in Claremont and graduated with my Silver Medallion. I love the art of the magician but gravitated towards the magic of the mind. I borrow skills from several different practices - I love exploring the cracks in our reality.”
Mr Miles studied at the College of Magic in the 1990s, and he says he learnt all the skills he uses to this day: sleight of hand; hypnosis; physical and mental dexterity; showmanship; public speaking; respect for the audience; and, most importantly, how to entertain. He later became a voluntary instructor at the college where he taught the art of magic to young children as well as adults.
“I was a full-time instructor from around 2001 to 2005. But I continue to guest lecture and train young students when my schedule allows,” he says.
Mr Miles has starred in his own 13-part SABC 3 TV series, One Day with Bryan Miles, and performed at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.,
“For the past decade, I have been headlining several luxury cruise ships, and I am regularly hired to entertain at corporate events.”
His message to aspiring magicians is to not only practise hard but to also get out there and perform for live audiences as much as possible.
“It is so easy to get stuck in front of your mobile device performing illusions for a camera lens. I encourage you to get out there and perform your magic in the real world. Magic is best enjoyed live.”
Tickets are available from www.tinyurl.com/33fmhn26