With magic and illusion, magicians — like circus performers — make the audience part of the show.
So designing new work in an era where social distancing prohibits physical contact requires new ways of thinking.
Or as NIDA magic and illusion designer and consultant Adam Mada describes it, when it comes to a new show he is working on in Wollongong, "desperation breeds creativity".
"Connecting with an audience and interacting with them has presented a huge problem that we've needed to navigate through this creative development with MerrigongX 2020 Reboot," Mr Mada said.
"I think we've navigated really well.
"I think being forced to think outside our proscenium square on the stage, and come up with new solutions to reach out and really connect with that audience, has been thrilling.
"It's thinking ahead to the next two years."
Magic doesn't just happen
Mr Mada knows all about making audiences believe the impossible, having worked as the illusion consultant on the theatre productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and on Mem Fox's Possum Magic.
But creating a magical experience for audiences in these days of social distancing has been a unique challenge.
Mr Mada and his long-time collaborator, circus performer Heidi Hillier — AKA Heidi Hoops — have spent the past two months developing a magic show that adheres to COVID-safe policies.
"It's not a play that will go on tour across the country, it's not necessarily going to play in theatres, so the way we devised the show was in a modular format, so the show could play a whole range of different venues, which is very unusual in this type of development context," Mr Mada said.
"Whilst Live Performance Australia provide venues with guidelines, each venue has its own specific COVID-safety plan, so when you're developing new content, it has to satisfy everyone, which can be problematic."
Once complete, a public showing of phase two of the development was initiated to collate feedback from industry professionals.
"It's generally a performer's worst nightmare doing a showing but it's also the greatest thing you can ever do," Mr Mada said.
"I'm a big fan of harsh, direct, critical feedback. It really allows us to evolve the work, and working with Heidi, she's been brilliant at taking on the feedback."
'It's been a brain explosion'
"This has been a really long journey because every magic trick has affected every circus trick and vice versa, so combining the two has been a brain explosion for me," Ms Hillier said.
Ms Hillier, who has been touring hoola-hoop shows for the past 15 years, has lost interest in them.
What she wants now is to make people laugh.
"Whilst it has been great, and I've enjoyed doing it, I have no interest in hoops anymore," she said.
"What I am interested in is people, so I am trying to build a show that will make everybody happy.
"What I hope to create is an interactive show about connection, with a little bit of story and a bit of fun.
"This isn't about my skillset, as a 48-year-old woman I am past that.
"The great opportunity to work with Adam is just learning how to think like a magician, learning how to solve what seem like unsolvable problems, and his coaching."
Ms Hillier says that although Mr Mada is a perfectionist, he is also very encouraging.
"I am writing the new show with a COVID audience in mind because I'd like to tour to small venues, but I don't want it to be ultimately about that," Ms Hillier said.
"It's just like a cabaret, only it will be my cabaret … with just me in it."
