Many of our Twisted Followers may not realize that our very own Paul Reaume has been dabbling in the magical arts. That’s right, his schooling may not include a stay at Hogwart’s, but our resident artist has found a way to make a name for himself as a local magician. In the spirit of shining light on talented Windsorites, we decided to put Paul through the interview regime and learn a little more about his mystical moonlighting…
DAVE: So Paul, how did you first get in to performing magic?
PAUL: Well I’ve grown up around magic, really. My dad and uncle are magicians. I had my stage debut probably around the age of five when I walked out to bow for the audience before one of their shows on Bob-Lo Island. Fast forward; I’m all grown up, but something’s haven’t changed.
DAVE: How long have you been performing now?
PAUL: I’ve been performing real ‘gigs’ for a couple years now. I’ve done birthday parties, picnics, stage shows, and corporate events. Before that I was practicing magic for my own personal amusement.
DAVE: What’s the name of your show?
PAUL: My general show is called “The Fantastical Feats of Paul Reaume”. But I do a number of themed shows as well. These give me the opportunity to develop fun new characters, and add a new twist to some old favourite tricks of mine. I’ve been a pirate, a leprechaun, and a transdimensional, time-travelling doctor of sorts.
DAVE: Sounds like you could have an identity complex! Is any one of these characters your favourite?
PAUL: The Peculiar Pirate Paul has always been my favourite. I dig pirates, and Pirate Paul was the first themed show I developed. I actually give the character a lot of the credit for helping me build my confidence as a performer.
DAVE: I’m sure many of us have seen a magic show of some sort. What makes yours different?
PAUL: Well there’s certainly some overlap that will happen when it comes to specific tricks that I and other magicians perform. I try to really connect with my audience. I put the magic in their hands whenever I can. My shows and performances are always fun and engaging. I often tell my audience that if everything works out perfectly we’ll have a fun magic show. If it doesn’t work out, at least we’ll have a comedy act! It’s all about creating a memorable experience, I think I’ve succeeded at that.
DAVE: It sounds like something you are very passionate about. Can you share with us a story about your magic experiences?
PAUL: Absolutely. I was finishing up a performance at Devonshire Mall when a young boy approached me and said “Your show was too quick”. Apparently he had shown up late, and missed the majority of the show. I stopped what I was doing and kneeled down beside him. I told him that we were going to do some magic, just the two of us. I performed a coin trick that actually left him with a little souvenier to bring home. People who had seen the show and then saw this little mini performance told me afterwards that the coolest thing they had seen was the time taken in giving this young boy his own magical moment.
DAVE: Well I think that about covers it, Paul. Do you have any shows coming up?
PAUL: The next date that I can think of is some Friday Night Fun at Devonshire Mall. I’ll be there August 14th between 5 & 8 doing some up-close acts and some strolling magic. It’s one of my favourite ways to meet and interact with people.
There you have it Twisted Fans. Paul Reaume; Twisted Studio founder, resident artist and wise-crackin’ magician. Check him out at Devonshire Mall August 14th, and stay tuned with us here at TwistedStudio.ca for more updates and insights.