It may seem difficult to picture a church pastor practicing something outside of his job in the ministry like magic, but that is not the case for Lawrence Khong.

Together with daughter Priscilla, the duo have once again paired up for what they say will be their biggest production to date – VISION. Held at the Esplanade Theatre for a 10-day run come July, the father-daughter team have employed a latest trick up their sleeves – with a storyline accompanying their performances.

Enlisting the script-writing talent of playwright Samantha Scott-Blackhall together with the musical expertise of maestro Kenn C, music director for Stefanie Sun and F.I.R., Lawrence promised a “really exciting and edgy” show.

Father and daughter during their 2009 show, Christmas Magic.

“Not forgetting Don Wayne, my magic consultant and director who has been with David Copperfield for 17 years, and the list goes on!”, he said, when asked about the man behind the sophisticated wizardry in their performances.

But the person whom he has the most joy working with is none other that Priscilla. The 58-year-old said that because they “have learned to be honest with one another and yet be respectful”, they could tap into each other’s strength in both the magic and the presentation.

30-year-old Priscilla, as described by Lawrence, takes “maximum advantage of her jazz, hip-hop and ballet skills to turn the magic into an elaborate and entertaining art form”. “I, on the other hand, am a good speaker and I engage the audience with conversational patter to bring out the unique and interactive aspect of our magic,” he quipped.

Lawrence Khong, in a YouTube video still, preparing for his escape stunt.

But certainly, as with every partnership, theirs was no bed of roses. Lawrence, who is married to Nina, a former medical doctor, admits that it was “a little hard in the first 2 years or so”.

But he was quick to quell any further talk of any conflict between him and Priscilla. “Today, all these have changed and we make a great team!”

Lawrence the (grand)fatherly philosopher

Ever the passionate magic enthusiast he is, ever since picking it up at the age of 13, Lawrence shared his bits of philosophy when it came to his magic. ‘The basic principle of magic is that things are not what they seem!”, said the father of 4.

“The art of magic is really a performing art and an elaborate presentation where you intrigue and engage the audience with your illusions or sleight of hand. In fact, it is the same concept as visual effects and ‘movie magic’ used by movie producers to create that sense of wonder, amazement and disbelief.”

The UrbanWire was curious to know if Priscilla’s 8-year-old son, Issac, show any interest in magic. To that, the petite lady single mother responded, “Well, yes and no.” She attributed it to the fact that Isaac has watched magic since he was 3 months old, going to all his grandfather’s and mother’s rehearsals and shows.

“He has seen me levitate and disappear and appear in the strangest of scenarios!”, she remarked.

Currently a primary school student, Isaac has been a ‘guest’ magic performer in past shows such as Family Magic in 2007, and in Christmas Magic in 2009 and 2010. Audiences wanting to catch a glimpse of the boy will be happy to know that he will be performing in VISION as well.

Conjuring up new tricks

So what can audiences expect in the highly-anticipated show, VISION? Lawrence gamely revealed his plan to incorporate a new act called the “Nam Escape” – a new dangerous and difficult stunt involving giant sharpened iron spikes mounted on two 3m “wheels”.

But that is not all. “To really give the audience an unforgettable visual experience, we are using 3-D Projection Mapping to create eye-popping special effects that really go beyond your imagination. So we really mean it when we say, ‘Seeing is just the beginning!”.”

So do many youths come up to Lawrence, asking him to teach them a trick or two? To that, Lawrence responded “I love to teach magic to youths!” He revealed that under an initiative called Project SMILE (Sharing Magic In Love Everywhere), he and Priscilla have had hundreds of young students under their wings, with the aims of inspiring anyone interested in using magic to help the less fortunate and needy in society.

Priscilla even told The UrbanWire that once students come under their guidance, they “automatically become members of our Magic Circle”, congregating on a monthly basis and giving them a platform to perform.

Out of their costumes, Lawrence and Priscilla's work in the community reaches out to all groups of youth, sparking their interest in magic.

Keeping to the Magician’s Code

We had one final question for both father and daughter. How did they feel about shows like “Breaking the Magician’s Code“, which reveals magic tricks, from the simple to the most elaborate? Lawrence expressed disdain and disappointment over such shows, calling them “unethical”. “It has hurt many professional magicians who may not have many resources to acquire or invent new illusions,” he said.

From an artistic point of view, Priscilla added, “I think that shows like that kill the special sense of amazement and awe for the audience – which defeats the whole purpose of magic. Of course, most people would be curious to see how it’s done and watch the program. But then, when they do so, they are just admiring the skill of how it’s done and lose that sense of wonderment and miss the beauty of magic.”

Photos courtesy of Gateway Entertainment and Lawrence and Priscilla Khong.

VISION is held at the Esplanade Theatre from Jul 15 to 24. For ticketing enquiries, please contact Sistic at www.sistic.com.sg or call 6348-5555.