Meet the Man of Magic

I was watching It's A Guy Thing on Studio 23 when I saw Erik Mana.  So I stay tuned to watch him.  Erik is my all-time favorite Magician….

A DVD is now out featuring his show at ABS-CBN (Studio 23) last July, entitled Mastermind, The Magik Of Erik Mana.

      

Bewitched, bothered, bewildered.

Erik Mana leaves you gasping for more. Enter a world where things aren't what they seem, where everything you thought impossible is now happening before your eyes. Its a world where your mind encounters delirium, your senses are defied and reality bends all through the mystifying magik of Erik Mana.

Erik mana takes viewers to the darker realms of the unexplainable- exploring the mysteries of supernatural forces, mind manipulation and more shocking magik never before performed by any other magician in the world.  (From KabayanCentral Website)

'Mastermind:' The darker side of Erik Mana
From: Manila Bulletin  | Date: May 9, 2006

Byline: Walden Sadiri

Not all magics are suitable for children.

However uncanny, the statement above holds true in the case of renowned street magician (a performer who does his illusions with people he meets on the street without the aid of special effects) Erik Mana who's staging his "Mastermind, Live! The Magic of Erik Mana" on May 27 at the Music Museum. His promotional posters even carries a warning: "Some scenes may be frightening to young audiences. Parental Discretion is advised!"

"Mastermind Live!" according to Erik Mana will be a combination of his street …

May 17, 2006

Mastermind Live

by Cathy Paras; Images by Edward Dela Cuesta and Jay Lara

There are many reasons why you won't forget Erik Mana. One of them is because he introduces himself as Erik Mana, Magician. "It's strange," he quips. "In Canada (where Mana grew up), magicians are recognized and even revered. But here in Manila, being a magician isn't exactly seen as a positive thing."

A NOBLE PROFESSION

Mana considers being a magician a noble career choice. "I influence people's thinking, I affect people's emotions. I make people laugh, cry, gasp, and shake their heads in disbelief. Why shouldn't it be a respected profession, just as any other profession out there?" 

This magician has slowly but surely gotten more attention from the media. After a few successful television appearances - most notably with Stranger (aired in 2004 by ABS CBN's Studio 23) and the ubiquitous presence of the Mystical Artists of Ruse and Conjure (M.A.R.C. for short, with members Conrad Alampay, Ethel Campana, Rony Mariano, JB Dela Cruz, and Martin Paz) on the street magic scene, the craft and the artistry that is Magic has morphed into something contemporary and highly appealing to audiences. You could say that Mana's magic has extended itself outside of the run-of-the-mill birthday party 'rabbit in the hat' trick. He and the younger magicians of Manila have helped change how Filipinos typically see a magic show.

MENTALISM

"I don't take anything away from the magicians that one may traditionally find using hats and boxes and those kinds of effects. That's what they do and they are very good at it. I'm a lot more interested in mind-reading, in interpreting people's reactions. I'm more into mentalism." Mana prefers studying human psychology to performing tricks and confirms that he does not want to be known by his Filipino audience as a trickster. "My goal is to affect people."

 You can't help but compare Manila's Erik Mana to New York City's David Blaine, who at the time of the interview had just finished his week-long stay inside a "human aquarium" and failed to break the Guiness Book of World Records for the longest breath held underwater. When asked if he saw himself performing any endurance tests in the near future, Erik answered with a resounding "No!" Erik is quick to distinguish himself from Blaine, whom most modern day wizards call "an inspiration."

"I'm not like Blaine, who uses street magic as a platform to get to the greater things that he's doing. I don't think I can do what he can do. But that's why people are amazed by him - he makes the impossible seem attainable, seem possible. That's what I strive to do in my magic - to suspend people's disbelief and make them believe."

LIVE IN MANILA 

The Magic of Erik Mana, Mastermind Live, is Erik and his brother, Alvin's (a television and film producer/director) most ambitious project yet. Two production outfits, a stage-crew, and hands-on help from the M.A.R.C. members will be needed to take the show to the level where Erik and Alvin want it to be.

Alvin, a magician himself, knows all of his brother's tricks (a statement that produces a sly smile from Erik). "At least I'd like to think that I know Erik's magic. It's really necessary with this kind of production. That's why it's his biggest show yet - it requires him to depend on me, on the crew, on the M.A.R.C., on the production people, and even on the audience! It's grand because it requires this large-scale collaboration."

 The Mana brothers are excited for the show, which they expect to have last-minute changes up until showtime. They think that the intimate setting of the Music Museum stage will be the perfect venue for Erik's first live stage performance. One thing is certain - Erik does not want it to be a typical show.

"I want to hit people on an emotional level. I want them to talk about (the show) for days, months, even years after May 27." With Mastermind Live, he just might make the seemingly impossible, possible.   (http://www.clickthecity.com/arts/?p=1091)