Circus 1903 is coming to London's Southbank Centre this Christmas to bring their internationally acclaimed family circus spectacular. Circus 1903 will feature daredevil thrills and a host of dangerous acts which will leave you on the edge of your seat along with acrobats, jugglers and high wire performers just to name a few, there will also be life-sized elephants created by award-winning puppeteers.
David Williamson an internationally acclaimed comedy magician who was recently awarded Magician of the Year, David will be part of the spectacular show as ringmaster Willy, I was lucky enough to ask some burning questions and find out more about David and Circus 1903.
How did you get involved in Circus 1903?
Well, I was born under the big top, my mother was a clown! She wasn’t a clown and I wasn’t
born under a big top but my mother was a very funny lady. When I was a kid I loved magic
and when I was 13 I almost ran away with the circus that came to little town in Zinia Ohio,
they had a magician in the show and a very cute trapeze artist. I just wanted to run away with
them and they invited me – they said come with us to the next city - but my mum said no!
But look at me now mum, I am travelling with the circus. I have been doing magic all my life
and the producers of Circus 1903 also produced The Illusionist which was in the West End
three years ago. When they saw that I would fit in the costume, had a loud voice, look good in
a tail coat and top hat they invited me to be the ringmaster for the show and I said yes!
What’s your favourite circus act?
If I tell you then the other circus acts will be jealous! I have many favourites, one of my
favourites, particularly because I like watching the audience during this act, is the
contortionist. She is from Ethiopia and she literally ties herself in pretzel knots and puts her
body in positions it shouldn’t do unless you had rubber bones in it. I watch the audience
cringe, cover their eyes and drop their jaws. That’s one of my favourite moments in the show.
How long have you been an illusionist?
Since I was 7 years old. I looked at my mother when I was 10 and told her that I was going to
be a magician.
What is your favourite illusion?
The illusion that I know what I am doing! I walk into any room with confidence but really on
the inside, I’m a quivering baby. I am very fearful of life. The best trick I ever saw, was years
ago when I saw a man put two breadcrumbs into an empty teacup and he took the third
breadcrumb, ball of dough that he had rolled up and threw them over his shoulder. When he
turned over the teacup, there were three breadcrumbs in there and then he did again and
again and again, his name was Rene Lavand and he only had one arm and he was the
greatest sleight of hand magician I had ever met.
How does it feel to be awarded Magician of The Year?
It’s quite an honour, I have been doing magic for such a long time so to have received an
award like the Magician of the Year was truly wonderful.
What are your future plans?
Well, Circus 1903 will be coming to London’s Southbank Centre this Christmas, from 19th
December - that’s in the future!
