Making Magic: The Majinx Virtually Impossible Show

ST. EUGENE, ONT. -

In a time of lockdowns, restrictions and isolation, entertainer Lawrence Larouche believes the show must go on.

“We all need a little miracle once in a while to make us smile,” said Larouche.

Larouche is a magician. For more than 30 years, he’s typically performed for live audiences on stage.

“Suddenly, when the pandemic hit, we couldn’t do any of that. We had to find another way.”

That “way” would be found in a workshop on Larouche’s St. Eugene, Ont. property. A building, where he designs and builds props would become the backdrop for a virtual magic show.

“I thought, 'Let’s give them a peek behind the curtain so they can see what it looks like in a real magic workshop.'”

Larouche set up lights and a video camera, and using the "magic" of Zoom technology, he now brings the “Majinx Virtually Impossible Show” to audiences worldwide.

Magician Lawrence Larouche turning on the lights in the workshop that serves as the backdrop for his Virtually Impossible Show. (Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa)

“We learned a whole bunch of magic that worked through the screen,” Larouche said with a smile.

“Our audience could see us, and we could see them, talk to each other and interact. Our tag line is ‘You’re not just watching the show, you’re in the show,’” he said.

Larouche is entertaining at family Zoom get-togethers, corporate meetups, and personal celebrations.

“Suddenly, we could perform for people around the world. Last week, we had someone from San Francisco, Hawaii, Indiana, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa all on the same screen,” Larouche said.

Audience members share a laugh with magician Lawrence Larouche in the top left. (Supplied)

“It’s been so fun to watch their emotional outbursts while they take part in the magic. It’s amazing to capture. We’re all in search of a wonderful experience and magic can provide it. It’s a reconnection with a childhood feeling that you’ve lost as you’ve gotten older,” said the magician.

The magician is also an actor, writer, musician and artist. He designs and draws the elaborate props and costumes for his stage show. His large, colourful mixed media installations and vibrant paintings grace the walls of his St. Eugene home, a former country church where Larouche lives with his wife, Cynthia, and where they raised their three grown children.

Lawrence Larouche drawing and designing in the loft of his workshop. (Joel Haslam/CTV News Ottawa)

“We brought up our entire family here. It’s still a work in progress,” laughed Larouche.

Until Lawrence and Cynthia are performing live again, they will happily share their craft with others on the virtual stage. It’s an opportunity for us to feel a little magic when we really need it.

“I’ve always thought that human beings are much more remarkable than they’ve been led to believe, and I love using magic to help illustrate that fact,” said Larouche.

“That’s why I love them to experience the ‘ta da moment’-- to show them what an amazing thing they’ve just done or are capable of doing. It’s very inspiring.”

To discover more about the Majinx Virtually Impossible Show or to buy tickets, visit https://www.majinx.com/virtually-impossible or Facebook at majinxcentral.