The workshop at Singapore Press Holdings was a huge success. Many thanks go out to the people who made this such an event to remember for the participants - most of them students from the various secondary schools in Singapore. There were a few parents in the crowd as well and they were equally enthralled!
Enrico Varella gave a fantastic presentation and opened the workshop with a bang! He presented a brief history of magic and shared many of his personal life anecdotes with the eager participants. His performance of the Professor's Nightmare was masterful, as was his 'Hanging Coins'.
Bob Chua adopted a more informal approach and entertained questions from the audience about his life as a professional magician. He also gave an impressive performance as he wowed the crowd with his sleight of hand skills during the break.
The student leaders (from St Joseph's Institution, Raffles Junior College and Xin Min Secondary school) chosen to run the workshop each performed a couple of effects on stage - all of them were nothing shy of Aces. It was truly humbling for me: it was almost a fleeting glimpse into the future as I watched the next generation of up and coming magicians at their best. Some of them made mistakes owing to the tremendous pressure and stress (for most, it was the first time that they had to perform under such conditions), but their quick thinking allowed them to extricate themselves out of the unexpected trouble. All carried themselves very well - with dignity and respect for the art and their audience.
Many thanks to SPH for giving us a chance to be a part of this amazing event - I hope we have in our own minor way contributed to the future of magic in this little corner of the world.
Enrico Varella and Bob Chua
Father and son team
Students enmasse
