Well-known Island magician and illusionist Aaron Isted will be performing a daring stunt at 8pm tonight on Newport Quay.
The illusion, called The Great Escape, sounds hard to achieve.
Aaron will put on a straight jacket, be placed inside a box, which will in turn, be hoisted up by a crane that’s capable of rising 50m (about 150 feet in old money).
A timer will be limiting the amount of time Aaron has to escape before it’s the box with Aaron inside will be automatically released plunging to the floor, smashing on impact.
Get this. He tells us that he hasn’t practised it yet!
As if that wasn’t enough, Island artist Tony Trowbridge will be doing a portrait of Aaron on the side of the box while all of this is going on.
It’s all being done to raising money for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice & Barely Born.
We bumped into Aaron as he was setting up for tonight and grabbed ten minutes with him to chat about tonight; him designing illusions like tonight’s; what he’s up to next including a commission to create an illusion for Cowes Week.
Take a listen
[audio:http://otw-audio.s3.amazonaws.com/aaron-isted-pre-riverfest-great-espace.mp3]
Flaming good fun to follow
Follow the Great Illusion, there will be a firewalk going on – and a little bird told us that Alan Marriot, editor of the County Press, will be doing the walk. Sadly we’re not going to be able to make it down there, but it would be good to see picture if anyone takes any.
