A decade of showmanship and magic.

After ten years in the business, Cosentino is one of the greatest living showmen performing today. And to celebrate that, he’s touring with his brand new stage production Cosentino : Decennium – The Greatest Live Magic Show.

Playing at the Sands Theatre till this weekend, Decennium is a showcase of Cosentino’s career-best performances and tricks, from death-defying escapes, to mind-boggling stage illusions, and cutting-edge street magic that will make you question reality itself, all with his trademark blend of dance and a touch of audience participation.

In Singapore at least, Cosentino is no stranger, having performed multiple shows across the years here, and with Decennium, he returns once more to wow the crowd. As the show begins, the action is already in play as he uses the power of illusion to make his three assistants appear out of thin air, to the sound of excited applause.

Hours of rehearsals go into every act, ensuring everything goes to plan and is choreographed to a T, from how his assistant is able to emerge elegantly from a tiny box, contouring her body to fit in a show of finesse and skill.

What Cosentino does well is how he is capable of charming his audiences, primarily through audience interaction, and how he keeps us hooked by updating us and making us completely aware of what he is doing next. The most impressive moments are when he calls a random audience member up on stage to perform a trick, scrutinising them up close.

In these cases, there is no running away, and any mistakes will become obvious should they happen. For Cosentino, a master of sleight of hand, he seems to almost have this close, innate relationship with his cards, and knows exactly what to do with them, in the intimate act of playing them in front of his audience and letting his hands perform the tricks.

It really is the audience interaction that is the most impressive, with his unique, compelling and charming sense of storytelling. From the transitions between acts, where everything is explained to prime and excite us, to the sheer joy of talking about levitating, Cosentino knows how to play to the audience.

Also important is the choreography that goes into each act, where every step is calculated to perfection. Whether it’s to help with transitions or just being at the right place at the right time, all while the pulse-pumping music from around the world and contemporary sounds play in the background, while he matches the beat and allows both music and performance to blend onstage.

The more risk that comes with a trick, the more adrenaline we feel coursing through our veins, and it takes the utmost focus and practice to ensure they become a master at the trick so as to ensure success. And perhaps one of the most exciting acts this time around was precisely an act containing plenty of danger, as we watched him attempt to escape the machine before 18 kitchen knives fall onto him, all while a sand timer counts down.

Cosentino knows this, and with showmanship, it’s not just about escaping in the fastest time possible, but at the last minute to build even more suspense, leaving us to hold our breath as we watched him escape in the nick of time.

Cosentino then, makes the impossible, possible, as he makes us suspend our belief time and time again. More audience interaction and choreography comes into play, and he continues to build upon the goodwill and excitement established in the first half, continuing to entertain and excite us, connecting with audience members of all ages and keeping us on the edge of our seats. He knows how to charm and make us believe and understand magic is all about the stories and the journey that goes into it.

In his final act, called ‘Flaming Jaws’, he ends off on a high note as he ties himself up in a straitjacket, struggling to escape. There is fear in the audience, watching him writhe and wriggle his way out, but as all good magicians do, it’s all for show, and he does indeed live to tell the tale, ensuring there will be even more Cosentino for years to come. Cosentino is the people’s magician, putting on the moves with his dance and charming personality, keeping us hooked with death defying stunts, and is always welcome back to our shores anytime.

Cosentino: Decennium – The Greatest Live Magic Show plays till 3rd September 2023 at the Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands. Tickets available here