Dr Todd Landman other life as a stage magician (From Gazette)

Dr Todd Landman other life as a stage magician

10:40pm Thursday 25th June 2009 in

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TAKE a good look at this face – it could be the future of stage magic.

For students in Essex University’s department of government, he’s Dr Todd Landman, best known as an acknowledged expert on human rights.

But Todd Landman, mind-reading magician, could become even better-known if ITV has anything to do with it. Todd has recently been screen-tested, along with five other magicians, for a possible new TV series.

Todd said: “I’ve filmed a teaser for the people at ITV, but I don’t know where it will go. Even if it leads no where, it was a great experience, in terms of developing what I do.”

So what is it Todd does? Well, it’s more or less what you might expect if you combined the scholastic notions of philosophy and the human spirit involved in his day-job with the mystery of stage magic.

A good example is a routine in which Todd gets someone to choose a piece of sheet music from a sheaf of scores, then gets up and plays the piece without being told which has been picked.

He said: “I’m certainly not a trickster. It’s more a magical combination of Frasier Crane and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, looking into the human mind, but in an old, traditional way.”

Dr Todd Landman arrived at Essex University from Philadelphia University in the USA, 16 years ago.

He interest in magic dates back to the early Seventies, when illusionists often big stars, with highly-rated TV shows.

“Magic has stayed with me my whole life,” he said. “Actually, it’s quite an academic subject, which is what got me thinking about combining the two.”

His next show, at the Headgate Theatre, in Chapel Street North, Colchester, on Saturday, starts at 8pm. Tickets are £10 (£8, concessions) and the box office number is 01206 366000.