Magical big night
IT’S THE BGT FINAL
And so to the 5 BIG QUESTIONS of the week
Acts and judges in tonight’s live TV showdown
His brilliant Britain’s Got Talent act has told the story of a 19th century American slave who escaped his masters by mailing himself to freedom in a box.
Nearly two centuries on, and with debate surrounding racial injustice reaching fever pitch, BGT finalist Magical Bones’ performance has never been more relevant.
After judge Ashley Banjo’s dance group Diversity performed a routine about police brutality and the Black Lives Matter protests last month, 24,500 people complained to industry regulator Ofcom.
But Ofcom declared there was nothing for them to probe and the dance “was a call for social cohesion and unity”.
Of the furore, Magical Bones – real name Richard Essien and a favourite to win in tonight’s BGT grand final – says: “It did surprise me a little bit to be honest. I thought the Diversity performance was fantastic.
“What they did was address as performers what’s happened in 2020. I loved the messaging. The core of what they were trying to say is we need to reunite and love each other.”
The son of Nigerian immigrants, he learned about the story of slave Henry Box Brown, who went on to move to Britain and become a magician, while looking for more diverse influences for his magic show.
“Blown away” by Brown’s story, he was determined to bring it to a wider audience. “In magic the history of black magicians isn’t as well known as magicians from other backgrounds,” he says.
Not that his act is limited to storytelling. In his first BGT audition Bones, 38, teleported himself across the stage into a different outfit.
In the semi-final, which led to the dadof-one being voted straight through to the final, he conjured girlfriend Mel – who had apparently been watching from Canada as part of the virtual audience – into a box before him.
The trick carried significance given Bones and Mel, 38, a dancer with whom he has a three-year-old son Talio, had been forced apart since January, after lockdown was announced and Mel and their son were stuck in Canada, where Mel had been performing.
“It was really hard. We did a lot of FaceTime. My son is hilarious. It was love at first sight with Mel. She is such an amazing person,” says Bones, from London.
With flying fraught with problems, it was no mean feat for Mel to make it to Britain, let alone turn up in a box on stage. How did it happen? “Magic, of course!” he laughs. “We wanted to do something special for the semi-final, and BGT helped.”
After years of grafting, Bones – who started his career as a breakdancer – hopes BGT will finally fulfil his dreams of stardom. “I’ve had small wins but I’m still not a household name. BGT gives me the opportunity to take me to the level I’ve always dreamed of,” he says.
He was 11 when mum Adebayo, who works for the Home Office, bought him a Paul Daniels magic set, and he became
People are saying thank you for bringing history into magic MAGICAL BONES ON REACTION TO HIS ACT
hooked. “I liked the idea of having powers,” he says.
He started breakdancing aged 16 but his parents – his late father Christopher was an accountant and lecturer – were reluctant for him to entertain for a living.
Having moved to Britain in the 70s, they wanted him to pursue further education. “In Nigeria it is a lot harder to be a magician. In this country there’s more opportunity.
“I made my parents happy by studying maths. It wasn’t really for me,” he says, but stresses his mum is proud of his success. “She tells all her friends at work and I’m sure my dad would have been the same if he was here.”
While studying at London’s Queen Mary University, Bones began busking
on the South Bank, incorporating his break-dancing routine with magic tricks.
“Initially it was just for fun,” he says. He was amazed when people started putting money in his hat, until, “I didn’t need to get a job in Tesco because that was my part-time job”.
Spotted by event organisers, he was hired for pop acts such as Alicia Keys, Plan B and Madonna, who booked him for a show for son Rocco’s surprise 10th birthday party at a “secret location”.
He adds: “I’ve worked with her a few times. I’ve showed her tricks. She’s very polite. She’ll say (he puts on an American accent), ‘ That’s very nice’.”
After launching a magic show in 2011 he starred in West End show Impossible for two years, later touring Britain and abroad with the production. In 2016 he presented Insight TV documentary series Around the World in 80 Tricks, in which he showcased his magic in countries from Paris to Korea, and he’s performed sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Festival and for Richard Branson.
After his first BGT audition the judges praised his blend of magic and historical narrative. “So many compliments overwhelmed me,” he admits. “It was only
a few days later I registered that was a good audition.”
Fans now stop him on the street. “People are saying thank you for bringing history into magic,” he says. “One lady whose son has Asperger’s says he’s loved learning about Henry Box Brown.”
Bones hints Brown won’t feature in his final act but promises “more crazy stuff ”, adding, “I really want this to be more about me”.
With no live audience, the final will be markedly different from his first audition. “As performers we all feed off reaction,” says Bones. “But I have to give credit to the judges, who really do give energy. It’s executed very well.”
So will he walk away the champion? “I hope so. I believe I can win it.”
The Britain’s Got Talent live final is on tonight, 7.30pm, ITV.