After captivating over half a million followers online and leaving global icons like Burna Boy, Floyd Mayweather, and Central Cee speechless, Dawud Hussain is stepping off the screen and onto the London theatre stage.
Having first discovered a love for illusion at the age of ten, the rising magician spent lockdown building a devoted digital audience – performing live to thousands of viewers every night.
Now, ahead of his debut live show Beyond (December 18 at the Tramshed, Greenwich), Dawud sits down with Close-Up Culture to talk about the pressure of performing without retakes, convincing his parents to back a career in magic, and an ultimate dream of taking sleight of hand all the way to the moon.
How did your journey into magic begin, and what first sparked your fascination with the art of illusion?
I saw a magician on TV, and what I loved was how he made people feel happy. That’s what I wanted to do – make people happy. I thought, “If he can do it, why can’t I?” I started learning from there, at the age of 10.
You’ve built a following of more than 500,000 across social media. What do you think has helped your magic connect with such a large audience?
I think it’s showing that the small things matter. Even a little trick can make someone’s day – if someone’s feeling upset, I can show them a card trick and it genuinely makes them happier. That’s why I do it. Someone could be at home watching my videos, and it makes their day a bit better.
You’ve performed for celebrities including Floyd Mayweather, Central Cee and Anthony Joshua. Which performance has been your most memorable?
Definitely Burna Boy – he said the famous phrase, “He’s not human, is he?” and that’s stuck with me to this day.
You went from performing on livestreams during lockdown to preparing your first live theatre show. How has that journey shaped you as a performer?
I’ve been doing magic for 13 years, so it comes with a lot of experience. Things aren’t always up in life – sometimes you fail- but it just gets better and better. During lockdown, I was going live in front of 3,000 to 4,000 people a night, and even though it’s online, it’s still real people. That really built my confidence, and now I’m doing my first live show.
What inspired you to create your first theatre show, Beyond, and what can audiences expect from the experience?
I’ve always wanted to do a theatre show – always. Audiences can expect an electrifying magic experience, and they’ll learn about me while I’m doing the magic. It’s going to be a really audience-engaged show – something cool for anyone wanting a night out in London, especially if they’ve never seen magic before.
How does performing magic live on stage differ from creating tricks and illusions for social media?
It’s a very, very different game. On social media, there’s no one in front of you – you can do the trick and film the video a thousand times. On stage, you only get that one night, so you have to get it right. Rehearsals and practice are very, very important.
What is the most mind-blowing trick or illusion audiences can expect to see in Beyond?
I can’t say too much – all I’ll say is they will leave with something memorable.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in turning your passion for magic into a career?
Definitely convincing my parents – telling them I’m a magician.
If you could perform a magic trick for anyone in the world, who would it be?
If they were still alive, Muhammad Ali. Alive right now, David Blaine – he’s one of my true inspirations, and I want to see if I can out-trick him.
What is your biggest ambition as a magician?
I know it sounds crazy, but I want to do a magic trick on the moon. That’s something that’s always been with me, and I feel like with enough determination and hard work, I can make it happen.
Get tickets for Beyond, December 18 at the Tramshed, Greenwich – dawudmagic.com/beyond
Leave a Reply