Forget special effects. Forget battles from far, far away. The Illusionists 1903 is in Canberra this week to dazzle you in person with an extraordinary array of performances that will have you questioning everything you see with your very eyes.

We spent some time with one of The Illusionists – Charlie Frye. Perfectly cast in the character of ‘The Eccentric’, Frye is excited about bringing the show to Canberra following last year’s brief tour through Brisbane and Sydney.

“Australian crowds are great. They know when to clap, they know when to gasp. It’s rewarding as a performer to get up on stage and know that the audience is on the journey with you. I’ve always found Australian audiences to be really generous.”

It’s intriguing that, in this day and age, we are willing to line up to have someone fool us. We think we’re smart and we can be somewhat cynical however, even when armed with this, there’s something about having a magician do the impossible that excites us.

“I agree. Humans are naturally curious creatures. When we’re young we see the world as being filled with potential and wonder, but as we grow older that begins to fade. We’re so used to the fact that, ‘1 plus 1 equals 2’. That’s why illusionists have never lost their popularity – we bring the magic back into people’s lives.”

It’s been a life-long challenge for Charlie to emulate some of the greats of Vaudeville from over the years. Frye references ‘Cardini’ and George Carl who, while his inspiration, became mentors and friends as well.

“I treasure a deck of cards given to me by Cardini. He was incredible – making decks appear and disappear at will. He performed silently – just like I do – and always seemed tipsy. It was a great effect that really exaggerated the skill of what he was doing.”

Frye’s influences go back even further to the 1920s. Think Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. However, for a more modern example of physical comedy, Charlie really admires the work of Rowan Atkinson.

“If you look at Mr Bean, there is so much of the vaudeville tradition in what he is doing. It’s almost silent (Mr Bean almost never speaks) and his use of the body and face for comedic effect is reminiscent of what George Carl would do.”

For those wondering what Vaudeville looks like in an Australian context, Frye explains it simply.

“Australians call it variety – and you had it for a lot longer than we did in America. Vaudeville as I know it died out in the 1930s as the ‘talkies’ proved a cheaper way to fill theatres with people. In Australia, variety lasted all the way through to the advent of television, and people like Bert Newton and Don Lane gave it a place in people’s living rooms.”

While Frye is certainly one of the best magicians in the world (he has some 3,000 tricks at his disposal), he is just one of an exciting line-up that will be taking to the stage of The Canberra Theatre as part of The Illusionists 1903. Charlie joins Jinger Leigh, Dana Daniels and many others for a night of mystery and intrigue that will have you baffled for hours as you embrace the child-like wonder that magic can bring.

Click here to get your tickets to The Illusionist at Canberra Theatre.