A chance encounter with a puppeteer and the influence of ‘magic’ on TV persuaded Peter Brown to become a magician.
“As a child I wanted to be a teacher,” Peter says.
“But this changed when one day at primary school a puppeteer performed for us. After the show he spoke to me about his job and our conversation has stuck in my mind ever since.”
He was wooed by magic again in high school.
“In year 10 I saw a magician on TV and loved him. That week I went to a magic shop to buy the trick he had performed. The shop assistant, also a magician, didn’t want to sell it to me because it was too difficult for a first trick. Of course, I ended up buying it.”
Peter’s love of magic grew from there and he practised it whenever he could. “I just made magic because I loved it and wasn’t thinking of making a career from entertaining people.”
After finishing high school, he worked as an apprentice at a government printing office.
“It was the perfect job, long print runs watching ink and water levels while practising slight-of-hand card and coin tricks.”
Now he works as a professional magician and comedian and has shared tricks for the past 23 years at kindergartens, schools, birthday and cocktail parties and corporate gigs.
He says there’s no typical week — each one bringing new gigs and audiences with multiple shows in a day.
“Weekends are the busiest times. I might perform six children’s and two adult’s birthday parties and a bar mitzvah. Or there could be a corporate or community event.”
Peter also teaches magic to adults: “They get a real buzz out of it — proving magic is not something just kids enjoy.”
Over the years Peter’s had several highlights, and celebrity meetings.
“I’ve met famous people and stolen an ex prime minister’s watch … and gave it back of course, worked for the charity Challenge (supporting children with cancer) at sleepovers and camps, travelled to resorts on Hamilton Island and Cable Beach and even Phuket for a corporate gig.”
His advice to aspiring magicians: “Do what you enjoy and have a passion for, that way it’s easier being exceptional in your chosen career.”
