Feb 6, 2004
THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS
He's cooking up magic
CHRIS CLAY
Jan 30, 2004
He calls himself "a bamboozler."
He is also known as a conjurer, illusionist
or, more commonly, a magician. When
James Harrison is performing, he wants
to amaze you.
For the past year, Harrison has plied his
spellbinding trade at bars and restaurants
throughout Mississauga. While patrons
dine, the magician performs a series of
sleight-of-hand tricks right at the table.
A quick flick of his trusty wand and Harrison
makes balls...or lemons...vanish into thin
air. Solid tin cups suddenly are riddled with
holes. And, he's always ready to pull out his
trusty deck of cards.
Harrison, 26, has performed at local Boston Pizza
and Smitty's Restaurants and now has a regular
gig at two Montana's Cookhouse Saloons,
Wednesday nights at the Dixie Rd. location, at
Hwy. 401, and Thursdays at the
Hurontario St./Eglinton Ave. location. He performs
during the busy dinner rush.
When working his magic for diners, an audience ranging from working class families to business people out for a meeting, Harrison ensures they leave feeling amazed, rather than confounded.
"I refuse to fool someone to the point they feel like an idiot," he said. "I help the people along, giving away the ruse, bit by bit. The goal is to laugh with the audience, not at them."
His favourite crowd is an inquisitive one.
"Magic is taking something people don't see in everyday life and making it happen," he said. "The best audiences are the ones who want their disbelief suspended."
His favourite performing act are con games. The Three Shell Game is a personal favourite because people refuse to believe the game is rigged in the dealer's favour.
"You won't win, that's what a con is," he said. "The game is designed for you to lose. People always try and bet money on the game while I'm doing it but I never take their money. I have to wake people up to the truth."
The employees at the Dixie Rd. Montana's say they love having a magician of Harrison's talents come and perform because it gives customers something to do while they wait for their meals.
