Cape Town won’t see Houdini’s water escape due to drought

CAPETONIANS hoping to see an escapologist free himself from Houdini’s “Chinese water torture cell” this month will have to watch it on YouTube instead.

That is because Paul Krendl’s act has been cut from the GrandWest show “The Illusionists Direct from Broadway” due to water restrictions.

Publicist Debra Souza said the critical water crisis meant that GrandWest, in Goodwood, Cape Town, had decided that Krendl should not fill his 950-litre tank.

“However‚ the show will still run for the same duration‚ giving audiences an actionpacked magical experience‚” she said.

“Producers and ‘The Illusionists’ are extremely sensitive to this situation and thank patrons for their understanding.”

Krendl recreates a trick regarded as the most sensational performed by the legendary escapologist Harry Houdini in the early 20th century.

In it he is handcuffed and shackled before being suspended upside down in a locked tank of water – then escaping.

Krendl said he had bought the tank because he needed a showstopper trick for his act.

He practised yoga to hone his concentration and studied breathing techniques by working with a deep-sea diver‚ he said.

There were times when he emerged from the tank vomiting‚ or passed out and required rescuing.

But he went from holding his breath for 30 seconds to more than three minutes‚ he said.

He was recruited for “The Illusionists” in 2015 and now tours the world performing the escape.

After the GrandWest shows from February 7 to 11‚ Krendl will return to the lineup at Montecasino’s Teatro in Johannesburg from February 14 to March 11.