Editor’s Note: David London once was a managing director at What Weekly.
David London is a magician.
Unless you know him, whatever image just popped into your mind is probably incorrect. Though he does perform many “tricks”, David is interested in “exploring, experiencing and facilitating as many forms of the many magics as possible.”
David lives in a world of mystical wonderment. His magical creations have ranged from theatrical magic shows, to interactive installations, festivals, books, and a real live circus. He even spent several months facilitating the creation of Wonder Bread Sculptures. Each of these explorations furthers David’s personal mission — to spread wonder, magic and play across the universe.
All of David’s creations emerged as the result of a 25 year exploration of magic. His magic shows, which include …Art of Dreams, The Adventure to the Imagi Nation, Cerebral Sorcery, and Magic Outside the Box, are a strange brew that combines magic with storytelling, puppetry, comedy, surrealism, audience interaction and parts undefined to give audiences an experience beyond words.
David is also interested in how his work explores the idea of magical power. He isn’t interested in using his magic to demonstrate, or create the appearance of, his own powers. Instead, he is intrigued by how these powers can be transferred, sometimes to very obscure things. In his cabaret show, for example, David explores this concept by creating magic and assigning its power to celebrity toenail clippings, which he is then able to prove are “psychic.”
Photo by Philip Laubner
For over a year, David has been hard at work creating a new experience designed to unlock the magical powers of the creative spirit. In just a few weeks, David will present the world premiere of his latest creation, the Creative Spirit Séance.
Although the séance relates to his previous shows in the subjects it explores, he explains that it will be a “much more intimate and interactive than the others.”
The Creative Spirit Séance combines performance, ritual, creative play, storytelling, illusion, psychology and philosophy to examine the variety of ways in which humans beings communicate with the unseen world. Presented for only 12 audience members at a time, the séance is an intimate affair where London acts as a guide through the “mysterious realm of imagination, creativity and the Great Beyond.”
David is intentionally vague as to what audiences (who he refers to only as participants) will actually experience at the séance. He did say that audience members “will become co-creators of a collective experience” and that they “should expect the unexpected.”
This will be David’s first entirely new solo production in 5 years. It is a combined effort from David and his partner and collaborator, Jeramie Bellmay. Jeramie designed and constructed most of the props, objects and set for the séance in addition to working as chief collaborator. In the past London and Jeramie have worked together to create the Scoposcope, Sensorium, Sunday Circus, Winter Festival of Wonders, and the Circus of Wonders.
Photo by Philip Laubner
The séance table, which David describes as “kinetic”, was constructed by Goatman Hollow Productions — the team behind a haunted attraction outside of College Park, where David worked for several Halloween seasons. The original musical score for the production was created by A Path Untold, the solo electronic music project of producer Daniel A. Merrill, who is one half of the genre-crossing electronic music duo known as Aligning Minds.
The Creative Spirit Séance is the product of 15 years of thought and over 18 months of work, David says. He is “excited to have the show leave the realm of dreams and imagination, and enter into physical reality for all to encounter.”
“With everything I create,” David says, “it is my desire for those who encounter my work to recognize the magic, mystery, and infinite possibilities that surround us at all times.”
The Creative Spirit Séance will run from August 14-24 at Church and Company in Baltimore, MD, For tickets and more information on the event go here.
