If you thought magic was all about old fashioned tricks like balls in a cup, sawing people in half and making someone disappear from creeping looking wardrobes, then you ought to watch Rob Lake. One of the world’s most celebrated illusionists, Lake has been leaving audiences stunned with his mind-bending illusions and gripping story telling in more than 60 countries.
He's the youngest recipient of The Merlin Award considered magic’s world’s highest honour, equivalent of an Oscar. This April he’s bringing the magic to Mumbai at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai.
In a candid chat, Lake opens up on building a childhood passion into a global phenomenon, his creative process and what audiences in India can look forward to.
Edited excerpts:
1. What was your childhood like? When did you decide to be a magician?
I was 10 years when I saw a magic show and was bowled over by the wonder and the mastery of it all. I knew immediately that it would be my life’s path. It was like I was downloaded and programmed with this divine plan to stage magic. I started with card tricks and the coin tricks but I always knew I wanted to do the big stage shows. Magic quickly became an obsession and eventually a career. I would drive everyone I knew crazy with my magic tricks. I would even go to my neighbours and make them watch my magic tricks. I performed for my teachers, classmates and my family. I would make my sister watch me over and over again. I performed anywhere I found an audience.
2. Was the journey from hobby to a professional magician and illusionist a difficult one?
It was a natural progression. But I was naive, to think that it would happen a lot faster. I thought if I did this full time as a profession, I would automatically get gigs and shows. I didn't realize that it would take a long time to do this as a living.
3. How long did it take?
More than 10 years! My first big break was performing at a theme park in Japan for six months. At the time, I thought I had made it. I'm on billboards. I'm on TV. I am in Japan, halfway around the world. But looking back, it was pathetic. The roof leaked and no one ever came to the theme park, forget to the show. But I was determined to make the most of it and make every show as good as it can be.
After that, there were a lot of ups and downs, more down times than uptimes. I would couch surf, live with family and friends and even borrow equipment from one of the magicians while I was trying to build my own show.
4. Which is your most spectacular act?
That is like asking a parent if they have a favourite child, and of course, no parent will ever admit it even though they probably do. These illusions are like my life. And some of these illusions can take decades to create. The one I did on America's Got Talent, took me over 11 years to develop before I was able to perform. The one where I cut myself in half with a laser was an idea that that I wrote down in a notebook when I was 11 years old. It took me my entire career to bring it to life. So it's really hard to pick a favourite. The ones I have most fun with are the ones I will be performing in India. I love the motorcycle act where I am hoisted in the air and disappear while on the stage. Then there’s an act where I am locked in a tower and in less than one second, I exchange places with my assistant all the way across the stage.
5. That’s incredible. Isn’t illusions like playing mind games with the audience?
It's all about the mind - making people feel like you're reading their minds, putting ideas in their minds, pulling ideas out of the minds, influencing them. And for me, that's really fun because it doesn't matter if it's a big scale illusion on stage or something very intimate. When it happens it's felt and experienced really intimately by the person I perform with.
6. How do you create those larger than life illusions? How much time and research goes into act?
Ever since I was a kid I would always sleep with a notepad next to my bed because I might wake up in the middle of the night with an idea and want to write it all down before I forget it. So I am always working. Either to create something totally different or to change or improve an illusion that I've been doing for a long time. We have a full team just to develop and try new ideas. We build models, test versions, and also do the repair, maintenance and upkeep of the illusions. It can take from anywhere from one or two years to 10 or 20 years of an illusion to take shape.
7. Has a trick or illusion ever gone wrong while you are on the stage?
Yeah, course, and that's how you learn. If I don't learn it will keep happening again and again. But now we think and brainstorm about all the things in the world that can go wrong. So if something does go wrong we know how to cover it. Usually it's things like the entire area where we are performing loses power or the smoke alarms go off in the theater or the curtains get stuck, and so on.
8. How large is your team and what happens backstage?
I have a team of 20 people who travel with me. And then it takes another 20-30 people from the local crew to put the show on. We call the show ‘the train.’ Once it starts, it just goes faster and faster and you can't stop it.
9. Can the abilities of a mentalist to read non-verbal communication, body language, etc be used in other fields? Like helping the police solve crimes?
There have been many TV shows, books and mysteries about this. The famous magician Harry Houdini is believed to be one of the first secret agent spies in the world. It’s possible since we know the psychology of magic and illusion, and how people think to be able to trick them and also understand business. Yes, there are many ways you can apply magic and illusion to other fields. But probably the strongest way is the way I have applied it to my life. I'm just a kid from the middle of the US. There was no entertainment in my family, no entertainment shows near where I grew up. I had to create this entire world of magic and wonder from hard work and passion. Magic teaches us that if you believe in something and are willing to work for it, anything is possible. When you have that feeling of wonder, it's one of the strongest forms of inspiration and empowerment. So that's why I feel people could apply magic to almost anything if they're willing to believe in themselves.
10. Your shows are strenuous both physically and mentally. How do you prepare for them?
My show is two hours non-stop. It’s almost like stunt work. To be able to handle the pressure while on stage, keep the energy levels high and also command the attention of the audience takes a lot of focus. I have to control the show, remember what’s happening next, remember the names of my volunteers... It takes a lot of stamina, endurance and extreme mental strength. I take really good care of my body. I go to the gym regularly, run and swim. I also eat healthy.
11. Lastly, how excited are you to be in India?
I have been to 60 countries so far but not to India. So I have been wanting to visit India so much. Everyone I talk to tell me how much I am going to love it. I am excited. I love the food and the culture. I also have friends in India. Now all I have to do is find as much time as I can to escape from the theatre and explore the city.
Note: Rob Lake will be performing at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai. April 25, 2025 to April 27, 2025.