Loving the magic of entertaining kids

MBOMBELA – “Magic has changed my life and it will change yours.”

These words have stirred a lasting passion in local entertainer extraordinaire, André Bladwell, when he laid his eyes on in his first magic coursebook. Since then he has been hooked on magic and is continually feeding his insatiable appetite for this fascinating art form.

André, also known as Zippy the Clown, is well known in the Lowveld as a full-time entertainer whose blend of comedy, magic and colourful theatrics enthrals and excites both young and old.

“I love performing and seeing how the crowd reacts in amazement to my magic or laughs at my jokes.

“I want them to be entertained,” said André, who has performed at Innibos, corporate events, as well as children’s birthday parties.

His road to the performing arts started in 1994 when he worked for a youth organisation and befriended a member who was into magic.

“He fooled and amazed us all with his magic tricks. He then told me to buy Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic. I then started teaching myself and read anything about magic. My library grew tenfold,” he explained. According to André, the greatest step he took was turning his humble hobby into a passionate profession with the hosting of magic shows.

“I decided to get a clown outfit, as I have always had an affinity for clowns.

At first I was unsure if it would work, but then I went through with it at the launch of the children’s church at Church Unlimited,” he remembered.

This entertainer then received a confirmation when one of the church’s members told him that he should do entertainment for a living.

“That was all I needed and I knew I was on the right track.

“It grew quite slowly from there as I had to buy various props and get my name out into the community.

“The rest is history,” he said with a chuckle and an ever-present beaming face.

Magic is André’s greatest passion, and one can clearly witness this when he explains this often misunderstood form of art.

“Magic has an insane amount of variety. There is close-up, street and stage magic to name a few. I prefer stage and close-up magic with practical application.

“I keep my act small and compact so that I can practise my magic anywhere and any time,” he said. André’s passion for magic shines through his extroverted and friendly personality. A people’s person through and through, he prefers interacting with his audience beforehand to gain rapport before performing his show.

“That way I am comfortable and they are comfortable with my show. They know that entertainment is in the air.”

According to him, kids’ entertainment is starting to gain a lot of attention for its family-orientated shows.

“I go to a number of parties and focus on interacting with the kids. I also try to make it special for each and every child.

“The parents absolutely love it and then book me for further shows.

“Previously it was looked down on, but now magic has become huge in the world.

“Television is filled with magicians and illusionists who enthral audiences.”

This fun-filled entertainer has also experienced his fair share of tense moments on stage, when a trick does not exactly go according to plan.

“This is why practising and a professional work ethic are so important.

“I practise before each show and I have learnt to improvise when the going gets tough. It’s different in front of a live audience than at home.

“Sometimes it feels like I am sweating slush puppies!” he exclaimed.

Another serious problem that André had was learning to walk on stilts after he was asked out of the blue if he could perform at an event.

“I told the customer that it would be no problem.

“How hard could it be? I then had to walk two kilometres in stilts for the day and twist balloons. I could barely walk after the day was finished.

“I realised that it could be adjusted and since then I can do three-hour stints. The biggest danger though is falling,” he added.

According to André, it is important to have a passion and work ethic, as the crowd can easily notice if you do not know what you are doing.

“You have to convince and amaze them each time. That is why my routine is never the same and so rewarding. Magic is my vehicle for entertainment.”

André has but one last golden rule for any magician as he starts shuffling his card deck with precision and creativity during a demonstration.

“Never ever reveal the secrets of a magic trick.”