Magician Darren Charles, thinking that shelves at Valley food banks could well be running low after the Christmas rush, is offering a unique way to help them out.
He’s holding a magic show at Lake Cowichan Centennial Hall on Saturday, Jan. 30.
“They’ll be seeing big illusions. I’ll be floating a woman in the air, stabbing a woman with swords and making her disappear from the stage, cutting a woman in half and more.
“I’ll also be doing the metamorphosis, a classic illusion first performed by Harry Houdini.”
The show is all kid-friendly with plenty of surprises. “This is fun for the whole family, it’s all-age appropriate,” he said.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and the show itself starts at 6 p.m. so the timing is right even for young children. Tickets are $15 each, but if you bring a non-perishable food item, there’s a $5 discount and you can get in for $10 each.
Asked what made him think of it, Charles said he is between careers right now and thought it might be a great time to get back into an old love: magic.
“I did magic years and years ago and I thought I would come out of retirement and get back into doing shows again. So, I’m trying to pay off my Visa and help out the community at the same time,” he said, chuckling.
“And as you know, after Christmas, food banks are essentially cleared out with the hampers and all. This is a way to help them get a jump on things, to get them reloaded. I just thought it was a good idea.”
The show in Cobble Hill on Jan. 9 was a crowd pleaser, with Charles and his assistant, Meggie Stylez, presenting magic tricks and illusions that produced oohs and ahhs from the audience.