World-renowned Canadian magician and illusionist Darcy Oake (“Britain’s Got Talent” fame) is a champion in magic and in life. He chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about his career, life during the quarantine, performing virtual shows, and he furnished his definition of the word success and offered his advice for young and aspiring magicians.
Walt Disney once said: “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Darcy Oake is living proof of this wise Walt Disney quotation.
Oake has been praised by critical judge Simon Cowell as the “ultimate showman,” and rightfully so; moreover, he described him as a role model that inspires other people to want to be like him. “Every time you come on, it blows my mind, it’s unbelievable,” Cowell exclaimed.
Oake described his tenure on “Britain’s Got Talent” as a career-defining moment. “Before that, I struggled to tell people that I was a magician,” he said. “Once Simon Cowell made those comments and people saw that I was no longer afraid to tell people that I am a magician.”
On life during the quarantine, he said, “I have been trying to stay busy and find new avenues to do what I do. Like everyone else, I am waiting for it to end.”
He revealed that he has done a handful of virtual shows and noted that they are “definitely different.” “They take getting used to, for sure,” he said. “I am making the best of them and they are enjoyable.”
Regarding his daily motivations, he said, “I’m motivated by a lot of things: the feeling of impossibility, not being able to explain things.” “I am a huge fan of ancient archeology and things that we cannot explain. That’s what got me into magic, to begin with,” he said.
Growing up, he was influenced by such iconic magicians as David Copperfield, Derren Brown in the U.K., and David Blaine. “Derren Brown has managed to take magic to a whole new level,” he said. “When I met him, Derren was the most courteous person and the nicest guy.”
Oake had kind words about British magician Jamie Raven. “Jamie is the best,” he said. “I hang out with him with I am in London. We have nothing but laughs.”
On his future plans, he said, “I have a few irons in the fire. I’m trying to get the momentum back and get back on stage. My immediate priorities are different than my long-term goals. I am trying to get back at it, and that’s determined by the current climate.”
For young and aspiring magicians, he said, “Don’t be worried about being bad and don’t let it consume you. Even to this day, when something goes wrong, I can be harder on myself than I need to be and it’s all a part of the process. You can’t be great until you’ve been bad, you have to learn what makes it good and what doesn’t work. You have to go through that process and don’t let it consume you entirely. All you can do is be prepared and go with it.”
“It’s all about preparation, execution, and reflection,” he added.
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “In Development.”
One of this journalist’s all-time personal favorite Darcy Oake illusions was “Levitation, Edge of Reality,” where he pays homage to his late brother, Bruce, within that illusion. “It was an interesting dynamic putting something that personal on stage,” he admitted. “To really connect with people, to a certain degree, you need to touch on those scenarios that other people can relate to.”
“I used magic as a vehicle to share my story and my message, and that makes magic a lot more powerful than just tricks,” he added. “Magic, for me, is so much more than just a trick, it’s the whole overall experience in connecting with people.”
He also opened up about the long-term treatment facility, the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, in memory of his late brother, which is a place for recovery, healing, and a foundation for life. “The first residents are moving in on Tuesday, it has been a ten-year journey,” he said. “Now, we are four days away from the first people moving in.”
For more information on the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre, visit its official homepage.
Within magic, his proudest professional accomplishment is being on “Britain’s Got Talent,” and outside of magic, his proudest achievement is the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre. “From ‘Britain’s Got Talent,’ I got asked to do the Queen’s 90th birthday, and that was a scenario I would have never imagined in a million years,” Oake said.
When asked what commonalities he sees among champions, he said, “The all-consuming nature that is magic and illusion. They are borderline obsessed with magic, and everything always comes back to magic, the show, and the material. There is no off switch for it. That’s a common thing I find among other magicians that are doing the same thing. Magic is both a passion and an obsession.”
If he were to do any track and field event, he revealed that he would do the 100 meter sprint and perhaps the shot put. He listed the butterfly as his personal favorite stroke in swimming, which also happens to be the hardest. “You can stay underwater the longest with that I feel too,” he said.
On his definition of the word success, Oake said, “Personally, success is being able to carve this passion of mine into a living. The fact that I am able to make a living out of something that I love to do and I am still excited about doing it, that’s a success. What more can I ask for?”
For his fans and supporters, that have been with him on his journey, Oake expressed his sincere appreciation. “Thank you. Magic doesn’t exist unless people see it, otherwise, it’s just a guy in a room rehearsing,” he concluded. “I can never say ‘thank you’ enough to them. I am eternally grateful for their support.”
To learn more about acclaimed Canadian magician and illusionist Darcy Oake, check out his official website and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
