“The closer you look, the less you see”

 

By Debby Seng Wai I

 

 

You may say magic is all about illusions, tricks and misperceptions. Probably all you want to do is to reveal the secrets behind it while you’re watching a magic performance.

 

However, Matt Tran and Steve Lei, two “magicians” from the Magic Society of University of Macau Student’s Union  (Magic Society), view magic in a different perspective: “Don’t think too much as we magicians are here simply try to make you happy!”

 

The Way to Magic

 

Tran, a Year 2 student and current president of the Magic Society, claimed that he loves doing magic so much, that he somehow finds he has already been fascinated by magic.

 

“I became addicted to magic when I was still a Primary 6 student and had a chance to assist my friend to perform in a magic show,” said Tran. “You can always find a pack of card inside my pocket. No matter studying or eating, I never stop practicing the craft of magic.”

 

Not only practicing by himself, Tran also enjoys very much teaching others magic. It is rewarding to witness a process how a beginner learns and improves magic skills, he said.

 

What is Magic for?

 

Lei, a Year 3 student, said that as a former president, devoted himself more in the organization’s administration work.

 

Lei said, “I learnt doing magic when I was a freshman student, so I’m not as good at it as Tran is.” Nevertheless, Lei focused on the administration work seeking breakthrough for the Magic Society.

 

Starting from Lei’s term, senior members of the Magic Society began to take juniors to perform magic occasionally in E6 Learning Common at the university, and even at Senardo Square. During performances, they meet various people. Lei said, “Like talking with foreigners when you start to learn a foreign language, you have to perform magic in front of strangers, so that you won’t get nervous when you do it on stage.”

 

However, as magicians, they sometimes feel frustrated as they think the audience pays close attention to how magicians do the tricks, instead of enjoying the show. “It’s natural to guess the tricks behind magic as we are all born curious,” said Tran. “Still, I would like them to forget all of this and focus on our performance more because they will certainly enjoy it!”

 

Audience might try to reveal the secrets behind magic, as if magic is a kind of deception. But according to Tran, the difference between magic and deception is that, enjoying magic performances brings you happiness, while being deceived doesn’t as you will end up lose your property, and happiness as well.

 

“For me, magic is a form of art which entertains people. Magic’s the same as other entertainment, such as listening to music,” Lei added.

 

Magicians’ Future

 

It seems good for magicians’ careers devoting themselves in Studio City Macau’s The House of Magic. Announcing itself as a new international home of magic, The House of Magic is a recent attraction for tourists and citizens to enjoy grand magic performances. However, it might not give the duo from the Magic Society many benefits.

 

Lei commented, “The reason why the show received so many positive feedbacks is because they invested heavily in visual effects. That big, glamorous monitor in the theatre costs a lot as I know.”

 

Tran agreed with Lei’s point of view, and added, “I did ever consider of becoming a full-time magician in the future. But I am afraid that The House of Magic won’t include a Macao-based magician, like me, unless you are talented enough, and reached their level of proficiency.”

 

In fact, foreign professional magicians are expertised in various areas, such as physics, electrochemical engineering, etc. Magicians could improve their skills faster with an organized curriculum provided by some magic schools in foreign countries, which do not exist in Macao.

 

“I will try my best to test my limits in the following two years of my university life,” Tran remarked. “Learning magic abroad after graduation is one of my plans.”