Puzzling and perplexing, Shawn Farquhar’s Cabaret of Wonders returns to Chilliwack

With mind-bending illusions and the mysteries of the human mind, Shawn Farquhar’s Cabaret of Wonders XIX is coming to Chilliwack.

This magic series has drawn an extraordinary assortment of performers to the Chilliwack Cultural Centre and this time Rob Teszca, Billy Hsueh and Gabriella Lester will be taking part.

On March 20, Shawn Farquhar will once again perplex audiences and have you wondering just how he did it.

“Imagine a world in which you can’t trust your own eyes, your memories can be manipulated, and your decisions subtly influenced. A world in which impossible things happen right in front of you,” magician Teszca said. “You already live in that world.”

Teszca combines innovative cognitive psychology with more than a decade of performance experience to illustrate the most magical phenomena of the human mind and reveal a hidden side of reality. He has performed throughout England, including regular spots at the Magician Showcase at the London Improv Theatre, The Illusioneer Magic Theatre, and Craft Beer & Crafty Tricks at the Priory Arms. Now he performs his unique take on magic in a variety of venues in British Columbia, from Vancouver to Whistler and throughout the Lower Mainland.

Bringing his own unique magical flare, Hsueh has been performing all across North America for the last 11 years, creating a style of magic that blends comedy and storytelling perfectly. He has been an executive committee member for the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and has competed in numerous local and international competitions, earning the titles of Pacific Coast Close Up Champion, Pacific Coast Platform Magic Champion, Canadian Association of Magicians Close-Up – Silver Medalist, and Vancouver Magic Circle Card Magician of the Year.

Also joining Farquhar is Gabriella Lester, a 15-year-old magician who has been taking the magic community by storm. At the age of 10, Gabriella began carrying a deck of cards around with her after being inspired by seeing Farquhar perform and couldn’t fathom how he did it.

Since then, she has spent every day learning and growing as a magician and taking every opportunity to perform that she could get, such as flying to Las Vegas to attend the McBride Magic & Mystery School. As the youngest recipient of the Eugene Burger Legacy Award, Gabriella has wowed audiences with her skill and passion for her craft.

Farquhar and his special guests, who are all incredibly talented in their own right and the intimate cabaret setting in the Rotary Hall Studio Theatre, make for the perfect environment to enjoy an evening filled with thrilling illusions.

“This is an excellent venue to experience magic. You can participate as much or as little as you want to. You can sit in the back in the dark to watch the show, or you can sit in the front and hope to get picked to be part of the show. There are no camera tricks, and it all happens in front of you so that the magic you’ll experience is real,” Farquhar said.

Shawn Farquhar’s Cabaret of Wonders XIX is coming to the Chilliwack Cultural Centre on March 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25, and can be purchased at the Centre Box Office, online at www.chilliwackculturalcentre.ca, or by calling 604-391-SHOW(7469).

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