Behind the magic: an Interview with Oliver Tabor

Distinguished magician and producer, Oliver Tabor is celebrated for his captivating performances and innovative contributions to the world of magic. His flagship production, West End Magic, is London’s longest-running magic show. This theatrical spectacle combines mesmerising illusions, comedy and a diverse lineup of talented performers. From being president of the IBM British Ring or FISM Champion, in this interview, he shares insights into his journey as a magician, his creative process behind the scenes of West End Magic and responses to some light-hearted fun questions. 


Interview:

How has your approach to creating magical performances evolved since you began your career?

Technology has certainly helped the creative process. I still follow the same process I always have when creating new performances: an idea will develop in my mind, which I’ll then research. For example, I’m currently working on a lit floating candle, so I’ll search up any idea or magic effects that have been done in the past. I’ll then decide on the best way forward, make any props and then go into the practice sessions, followed by months of rehearsal before introducing it to a show or audience. However, what has changed is the ease in recording your progress: any phone can be used to instantly film and give you the feedback that you need to make improvements. 


How has your past role as president of the IBM British Ring influenced your perspective on magic? 

I had one of the best years in the role as president. The greatest part was meeting so many people from not only the UK, but around the world.The IBM is a worldwide organisation supporting, helping and connecting magicians from the around the globe. My year in office gave me a greater understanding of how magic really helps people connect, not only with each other but with audiences from all nations, and how important it is to give time to all magicians, from assisting and helping budding hobbyists to listening and learning pearls of wisdom from seasoned professionals.  


As a FISM champion, what advice would you give to aspiring competitive magicians?

Give yourself a goal: a magic competition creates a deadline to get a magic act perfected and honed in time for the contest. Anything that puts you out of you comfort zone will help you evolve and grow as a performer. If you really want to win, you have to train and rehearse like an athlete, but don’t give up if you don’t first succeed. Perseverance and patience is key, it took me 3 attempts before I became a British Magical Champion and competing at 3 FISM contests before I got an award. 


What’s the most unexpected thing that’s happened during a performance of West End Magic?

Funnily enough, something unexpected happened at a recent West End Magic show: the finale involves the vanish of my partner Vicky, who then instantly reappears dancing through the audience. On this particular night, we discovered half way through the routine that the wrong piece of accompanying music was being played. As we discovered this mistake, my stage manager AJ was assisting Vicky onto a table, where she lies before being vanished. All three of us laughed quietly to each other whilst on stage, as we’d discovered this half way through this closing routine and knew that this particular music track was way longer in length compared to the usual track! All we could do was carry on and make it look like we knew this was normal, even though the routine was much longer than it was supposed to be.  I think we managed to pull it off and extend the routine enough without it becoming obvious or the audience falling asleep!


Your acts often incorporate music and silence. How do you choose the perfect soundtrack for an illusion?

After magic, music is my second love so I’m always listening, whether it be in the car when driving, cooking in the kitchen, at the computer or in my magic rehearsal room. If I hear a piece of music I think may be appropriate for something in the future, I’ll make a note of it or put it into a playlist for future reference. It can take a long time to find just the perfect track for a magic act, but when I can picture performing to it, I know it’s the perfect fit. 


Who is your favourite magician from pop culture (movies, TV shows, etc), and if you could collaborate with them, what kind of act would you create together?

I’d love to collaborate with Gandalf, I think we could put together one almighty show! Nothing would be impossible with him on board and we could create the most immersive show ever by levitating or transporting the entire audience to any location. 


What’s your go-to magic trick when you want to impress someone but don’t have much time or props?

Anything to do with their mind. I’d ask them to think of a certain object, playing card or number and reveal it to them in the most unexpected way. 


Words by Charlotte Hardie-Watts