Australia’s most loved illusionist, Cosentino shot into the limelight 10 years ago when he was the runner-up on Australia’s Got Talent. Now, after an incredible decade of touring the world, breaking barriers, and writing books to help other budding magicians, Cosentino brings his greatest hits tour, Decennium, to Canberra Theatre Centre on Saturday 4 February. CW caught up with Cosentino ahead of his arrival to discuss nerves, breaking barriers and learning to read.

How did you first get started with magic?

I started when I was 12 with a magic book from the library; I was shy and introverted. I had a lot of difficulty when I was younger. I didn’t learn to read until I was 12, which was difficult because my mother was the principal.

I had fallen through the cracks, I sat up in the back of the classroom. One day, my mother takes me to the library, which I hated because I couldn’t read, and I look at this fabulous book. Back in the 1900s, magicians would create elaborate posters with lots of beautiful props; I collect the posters now.

My mother saw me with a open book, she would read it to me before bed and I would hear all about these magicians and their escapades. In the back of the book were tricks you could learn; through this process, I learned to read, it was instructional reading.

You had to analyse each word, look at the illustration and then apply it to your hand. I would put the pieces together. I learned to read through my mother and I learned a very unique skill, I also learned the history of magic. There were crazy stories of Houdini escaping from jail cells. I was like, ‘oh my god, he is a superhero’, but my mother was like, ‘no, he is real’.

Your greatest hits tour celebrates 10 years as Australia’s most successful magician. Do you have any highlights?

I was the first Australian magician to have their own prime-time TV special, it is kind of odd when you think about it. To break those barriers, we didn’t just break them, we smashed it – we had 2 million people tuning in.

For my art form, for my craft, the barrier that was broken was extraordinary; we always had international magicians [on Australian TV]. If you really want to break it down and make it simple, just turning this hobby and passion and turning it into a career is a highlight.

Do you have a favourite illusion to perform?

I do, it’s called The Time Machine. It first appeared in my 2013 special and it is where I literally travel through time.

I step into this machine and me and my assistant literally disappear before your eyes. I have this cloak on, I melt into the door and the cloak drops to the floor. You the hear the response, it is rare to make an audience gasp.

You usually hear a laugh or a chuckle with a show, but you don’t really hear the audience have this gasp and when I hear it, it is such a wonderful thing.

A comedian can make someone laugh, an actor can make you cry and feel things, but a magician can make you gasp.

What should audiences expect from the show?

Expect the unexpected …

It is very visually stunning, people are appearing and disappearing, levitating and teleporting. All the wonderful things you might see in a Marvel movie come to life.

I’m jumping in and out of water tanks, a helicopter appears on stage, then you bring it right down and you will see my hands and playing cards and miracles happen.

Is anything on your to-do list while in Canberra?

Basically my schedule, we fly in on Friday we spend the entire day, 15 hours setting up the show. The next day I come and do two shows – there isn’t much of a break.

Between shows we have to set back up, we fill the tank with nice, fresh water so everyone can see through. There is no trickery going on, we go the extra mile. I want to make sure the audience gets the best experience possible.

I could do it in a stadium; the problem is as a viewer you don’t get this intimate experience. It’s great for your ego but for the magic show, you lose the intimacy, you lose the connection with the audience. The gasp happens three seconds too late.

Do you ever get scared when performing an illusion?

With the escapes, I get nervous; I get nervous with the water tank.

I have been running around the stage for two hours, then I dive in the water. I have to compose myself and lower my heart rate, I literally have a minute and a half.

I just meditate and lower my heart rate. It’s tricky.

What’s next for you after the tour?

I have a new TV special coming out, on Network Seven.

My next book. Tricked came out in November, I will be working on number two.

I wrote it [Tricked] during lockdown; it’s about what happens if you make a mistake, how do you overcome it, how do you talk in front of people, how do you practice. All these tricks as a shy boy that I learnt to overcome all these obstacles.

Then the show will turn into a regional tour, downsized slightly. It doesn’t mean the show is any less, it just has to fit in smaller venues.

Some of Cosentino’s answers have been condensed for publication.

Get lost in the magic at Cosentino’s greatest hits tour, Decennium, at Canberra Theatre Centre, Saturday 4 February 2.30pm & 7.30pm; canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.