Being buried alive, attacked by sharks and burned at the stake does not sound like a pleasant experience; but for Jonathan Goodwin it is just an average day.
Jonathan Goodwin performs some of the most dangerous stunts for a living and is just one of the many acts in the world premier production 'The Illusionists 1903'. Showing at QPAC in January, ‘The Illusionists’ are a group of world-class magicians, tricksters, illusionists and stuntmen, handpicked from around the world that will showcase some of the best mind and eye tricks ever created.
What is it about this show that will captivate audiences?
The period of time that we are paying tribute to in this show was truly extraordinary. The early 1900s is the theatre world’s version of what happened to the music industry in the 1950s and ’60s, with a huge outpouring of creativity, and healthy competition. ‘The Illusionists 1903’ will recreate that world for a modern audience; and I’m so excited to be a part of it.
How does it differ from other shows you have been in?
I have never been part of an ensemble cast like this before. Usually variety shows, you show up, do your spot and take your bow. This is a real collaboration with some of the most talented performers in their fields working together to create something truly special.
The performers in 'The Illusionists 1903' are handpicked from across the globe. Are they the best of the best?
Unequivocally yes. When I found out who was in the show, I got so excited, as I can’t wait to watch the parts of the show I’m not in. All of the performers specialise in a completely different area, and will complement each other perfectly. The producers have managed to bring together a team of performers who are absolutely the best people qualified to live up to the high standard of performance set all those years ago.
How is your performance different to the other acts in 'The Illusionists 1903’?
I feel incredibly lucky to be involved in the show because I’m the only non-magician in the cast. I’m a stunt performer and daredevil and so none of what I do is accomplished by trickery. The period between 1890 the first World War was a golden age for daredevil stunt performers as well as magicians and illusionists, and so it seems fitting to include that kind of performance in the show.
What made you want to become a ‘Daredevil’?
When I was seven years old I read a book about Harry Houdini. Like any seven year old I was fascinated with superheroes, and here was a story about a superhero that actually lived. By the time I finished the book I had made up my mind that I wanted to be like him.
How do you keep your performance fresh and come up with new ideas?
I get influenced a lot by historical performances. The old adage "everything that is old is new eventually" is very true for me and my work. The performers of the early 1900s were not hampered by modern constraints like risk assessments or the risk of lawsuits, like we are today. They could literally do whatever they wanted if they thought it would make for a good stunt. I try to harness that kind of unbridled creativity in my work; and then the biggest challenge is the amount of preparation and training required to allow me to do it, and live to tell the tale.
How does performing on stage differ from all of the television work you have done?
It’s obviously a completely different medium. The process of creating a TV series takes many months of planning, location scouting, meetings with stunt coordinators; the stunt is usually a onetime thing, and you don’t find out if your audience liked what you did for months afterwards. The theatre is almost the opposite. While the amount of preparation is similar (sometimes longer), the stunt has to be something that I can do over and over again. If you do a good job, you find out immediately, similarly if the audience doesn’t like it you also find out straight away. It’s a very raw and instantaneous process, and it’s often just as much of an adrenaline rush as performing the stunt itself.
Has your line of work become quite popular with audiences and the youth of today?
I think the world has a morbid fascination with death, and that is one thing that hasn’t changed very much since 1903. People have always enjoyed the thrill of seeing someone risk everything in the pursuit of achieving the remarkable, (Harry Houdini said “people will come to see you die”) and that I think is just as resonant for the YouTube generation as it was for Houdini’s audience. It is harder and harder to come up with stunt ideas that push the envelope, but then that’s the fun part of the job anyway.
Is there a particular stunt you have always wanted to try?
I have a very long list. The Niagara Falls Barrel is high on the list, but I don’t think I’ll ever get permission. I have a notebook that is literally full of ideas for really dangerous stupid things, and slowly but surely I’m checking them off.
With such dangerous stunts and performances, how do you look after yourself and stay safe?
Keeping fit and healthy is the biggest part of making sure that I stay safe. I work out six days a week, and then my training/practice regime for whatever I’m preparing usually runs into hours every day. I have to get to a place where the feat that I’m attempting is as familiar and comfortable as an old pair of slippers.
Have you been in any situations where you've been scared?
Plenty of times! I don’t like heights, so that stuff can be daunting. I have a few psychological tricks that I use to overcome those fears though. The most challenging was probably a stunt from my last TV series, in which I dangled off the side of a 450ft building by just two fingers. The only way I got through that one was to never look down once.
Have there been any close calls during stunts?
Thankfully, very few. I have broken bones, been burned and also lost consciousness underwater and had to be rescued. The biggest thing is to remain calm and plan as diligently as possible for these scenarios. The rescue team in the underwater stunt was primed and ready to jump in and save me, and so when that situation arose, everything went like clockwork. Planning for failure is just as important as the preparation for success.
What do you hope to achieve in the future?
Well, apart from 'The Illusionists 1903’ tour to packed houses in Australia and around the world, I want to work my way through my notebook of stunt ideas. Know anyone in authority at Niagara Falls?
The world premier production 'The Illusionists 1903' plays at QPAC from 4 January.
