Meet our Warrior illusionist

Queensland crossbow specialist part of cast bringing the ‘wow factor’ to show full of illusion and magic

AFTER taking her dangerous magic act around the world, including the US, Mexico and Kazakhstan, Robyn Sharpe finally gets to perform in her home state.

The gymnast turned female daredevil returns to Queensland next month as a star of The Illusionists: Direct from Broadway.

Born in Brisbane and raised in Cairns, Ms Sharpe is known as The Warrior thanks to her thrilling crossbow act.

“All magic involves skills but there is a very real jeopardy with the crossbow act,” she says. “If something goes wrong in a general magic trick either it won’t work or the audience will see something they weren’t supposed to, whereas if something goes wrong in the crossbow act then I could hit my assistant or do some damage.

“I rehearse every week just to keep that skill up.”

There’s a high level of trust between Ms Sharpe and her new assistant, Sydney dancer Jake Green.

“When I was first creating the act there was talk of there being a female assistant and the producers of the show said let’s flip it,” she says.

“I’ve worked with Jake before but he wasn’t the one standing in front of my crossbow. He has seen my act many times so he’s confident I’m not going to hit him.”

The duo will also premiere a new act during The Illusionists’ Brisbane season.

“I’ll be doing a second act which is a cardboard box and I put my assistant in it and put spears through,” she says.

Ms Sharpe describes herself as a late bloomer when it comes to magic. After training as a competitive gymnast, she got her first taste of the art form while working as a magician’s assistant during her university studies.

“I saw my first magic show at the casino in Cairns when I was 13 or 14. I loved the show but I wasn’t wrapped up in magic at the time,” she says.

“It wasn’t until 2010 when I started in performing as an assistant in Cairns that I fell in love with it and got the magic bug.

“It was the perfect job for a uni student. You worked three hours at night and your days were free. I did my business degree and law degree like that. Then when I graduated in February 2016, I went on tour with The Illusionists in Asia.

“I knew I wanted to be admitted (to the Roll of Lawyers) before I threw everything into magic, so when I got back to Australia I finished my training. I finished my last exam (for my practical legal training course) on a Saturday and on the Monday I flew to Vegas to learn how to shoot a crossbow.”

Now, she’s happy travelling the world with her co-stars. The Illusionists is a popular touring production which features a rotating cast of performers.

“Everyone is the best in their field of magic,” she says.

“When we’re backstage we’re watching all the acts on stage from the side. They might see something you had never thought of and ideas get thrown around all the time.”

The Illusionists: Direct from Broadway plays QPAC’s Concert Hall from January 9 to 19. See qpac.com.au for details.