Illusionist and escapologist Paul Cosentino on growing up 'shy and introverted'
Cosentino: Decennium – The Greatest Live Magic Show Is Showing From 24 August To 3 September 2023. Grab Your Tickets Today!
From a “shy and introverted boy” to an internationally-recognised illusionist and escapologist. Who would have guessed that the chatty Aussie Paul Cosentino, who was facing learning difficulties, only learnt to read at 12 thanks to a pictorial book on magic?
The stories of magicians’ grand escapades before bedtime sparked his lifelong interest in performing magic. From his first magic book, the 12-year-old Cosentino took it upon himself to decipher the step-by-step guide and created a magic trick that wowed his engineer father.
“Finally in my life, I was good at something. And when you are good at it, you like it and you begin to practice, and you become very good extremely quickly.” Cosentino revealed his learning curve as a 12-year-old mastering his first magic trick.
Nothing gets easier. You earn more but expand your crew… that creative process and stunts don’t get easier. You are adding more locks, diving deeper, and holding your breath for longer.Cosentino
Surmounting the odds
With an engineer father and a school principal mother, brothers in engineering and marketing, plus school friends who are architects, lawyers and doctors, Cosentino faced numerous obstacles in pursuing the less-trodden career path as a magician. Having no blueprint for him to follow, Cosentino ‘had to lay every single brick to create the path’.
Despite naysayers, Cosentino put on ‘blinkers’ and believed in himself, taking each step bit by bit. “I really believed that if I worked hard and I had discipline, I knew I had something unique and special, that I would eventually, with time, make it.”
And made it he did. Cosentino has the honour of being the first Australian magician to have his own prime-time TV shows, and these TV programmes are now being broadcast in over 40 countries. Hailed by his peers as the 'International Magician of the Year', Cosentino's success is the result of dogged persistence in challenging himself by putting himself out there and seeing possibilities in a world of impossibilities.
I just had this blind faith that one day I’m going to make it.Cosentino on how being naive had helped him be where he is today.
Starting at the bottom of the rung
And move up the ranks he did, bit by bit. He recalled how he started at the bottom of the ladder, working his way up by performing in schools, then shopping malls, cruise ships to theatres, national TV, and finally, touring internationally. Cosentino’s motto to keep pushing himself has served him well. Hear him out if you think magic acts are all fluff and illusion. “Nothing gets easier. You earn more but expand your crew… that creative process and stunts don’t get easier. You are adding more locks, diving deeper, and holding your breath for longer.”
His inspiration comes from everywhere; from movies, books, and music. While many acts take years to perfect, Cosentino shares that, on average, each illusion takes around three months, an escape six months to prepare every detail, including methods, sets to sound and effects. The ability to think and stay calm in all situations can be a life-and-death moment for him. As such, Cosentino also practices five times a week and continues to hone his physical fitness and mental grit. Besides rehearsals, the magician’s training includes working out in the gym, lowering his heart rate, and meditation.
Near-death experiences cannot stop him
Throughout the interview, the passion Cosentino has for magic is evident. He had near-death experiences during his fourth TV special, in which his eardrum ruptured and blood was all over his face when he was 10 metres deep underwater in a perspex, and all chained up. Through sheer determination, he managed to unchain himself, get himself out, cancel the stunt and do it a year later on TV live. Another scary moment was when he mistimed an act that involved 18 knives and saw him having 12 stitches on his chin. Performing magic has never been the same for him ever since.
For the aspiring magicians out there, be passionate, be unique, experiment, draw inspiration from others and be yourself.Cosentino feels there's room for all types of magicians and appeals to everyone to be kind to them.
He has come to realise that he cannot be overconfident. He also learned that such stunts are dangerous and take time to craft. Since then, he has learned to say no to people who rush him into an act that has yet to be perfected. The magic we see can be dangerous, and Cosentino also cautions about how other escape artists' careers have ended in horrific magic acts.
So what keeps him going? “Magic is a very creative process, it's very hands-on. I love seeing audiences surprised faces, and inspiring people. I’m an actor playing the part of a magician. I love the play in it and learning new skills.”
So what does he hope to bring to the Singaporean audience? "I would love the audience to go home with the belief that anything is possible, that we don’t understand all the secrets of the universe, and we don’t need to. Sometimes we just need to accept things for what it is.”
As for aspiring magicians, Cosentino reveals something close to his heart, “It’s hard to do what I do. For the aspiring magicians out there, be passionate, be unique, experiment, draw inspiration from others and be yourself. But be kind towards other magicians. There’s room for magic in everyone.”
Bring your whole family. Magic needs to be experienced live.Cosentino promises to put up a great show for the Singapore audience.
Should you see Cosentino live?
“Seeing it live is far more powerful and potent. Expect the unexpected – people levitating, predicting the minds of people, death-defying escapes, burning ropes, comedy and my interpretation of it. It's part theatrical, part comedy, it's edgy, like a great film.” The great magician hopes everyone experiences the same thrills of illusions as him.
I would love the audience to go home with the belief that anything is possible, that we don’t understand all the secrets of the universe, and we don’t need to.Cosentino hopes Singapore audiences can suspend their belief once in a while.
Cosentino: Decennium – The Greatest Live Magic Show shows from 24 August to 3 September 2023. Grab your tickets today, now on discount!
Anything Is Possible by Cosentino
Cosentino, Australia's premier illusionist is a man who constantly challenges our notions of what is possible. Read his thrilling and inspiring story.
