Returning to the Central Coast by popular demand, magician and illusionist Jonas Jost brings his award-winning production to Laycock Street Community Theatre on October 1, for a school holiday performance.
When Jost, who is Sydney-based but of German origin, was gifted a magic kit at the age of eight, he couldn’t have known the journey it would set him on – to becoming an illusionist and producer of The Ultimate Magic Show here on Australian shores.
His grandfather brought the kit from his creaky old attic when visiting the family in Zimbabwe, Africa, where they lived at the time.
“My grandparents lived in an old town, and the house had a wizard-like tower, with a big wooden chest in the attic filled with novelties,” Jost said.
I never realised what it was until he gave it to me.”
The kit came with a tuxedo and silk top hat.
After poring over a book of illusions by Siegfried and Roy, Jost staged his first show.
“From there, I was pretty much hooked,” he said.
Now 37, Jost has toured both nationally and internationally.
He has won the Stage Magic Championships for the Australian Society of Magicians and the Geniis, and his production has been nominated for the prestigious MO Club Entertainment Award and the ACE Awards.
Inspired by Las Vegas greats David Copperfield and Lance Burton, he blends classical illusions with top-tier showmanship.
“Burton is one of the rare magicians who work with white doves,” he said.
“Having idolised him when I was younger, I work with white doves too.”
For Jost, the true magic is in the audience’s response.
“At a recent show, I made a dove appear in the opening sequence.
“In the front row, I noticed a father and son had the same expression of amazement and joy,” he said.
“At that moment age was irrelevant.”
Jost describes his brand of magic as classical, filled with laughter and fun, often involving volunteers from the audience.
“This can go any which way, especially when working with children,” he said.
Before choosing participants, he scans the crowd to find the right personality fit.
“Magic reaches into the depths,” he said.
“We all laugh and find amazement at similar things, so it levels the playing field and the audience becomes one.”
Beyond tricks, he aims to build a full theatrical experience, creating different emotions throughout the show.
“If an illusionist performs well, the audience isn’t thinking about how a trick is done; they are involved in the experience,” he said.
For the theatre stage, he pairs the mystique of a solo magician with a special guest on this tour, LED juggler Kenny Cheung, describing Cheung’s artistry as “complementary but different”.
The Ultimate Magic Show promises jaw-dropping illusions, laugh-out-loud comedy, and an unforgettable school holiday performance for the whole family.
Tickets are available through laycockstreettheatre.com
Ivona Rose
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