Episode 5 - Crossfire
In this episode, DMC explores a vital component of any magician’s repertoire, deception. Taking inspiration from magic’s application to the theatre of war he performs astounding tricks proving that what you see isn’t always what you get before shooting his way to a jaw-dropping finale.
DMC’s journey begins on the streets of London where he performs a classic piece of deception with a deck of cards to a number of passers-by. From there he heads to the English countryside to explore one of the most legendary magic deceptions in the history of war. Drawing on illusionist Jasper Maskelyne’s deceptive techniques in North Africa, in which fake armies were created to mislead the Germans, DMC performs his own military inspired illusion deceiving a live audience.
DMC then visits the magic shop that inspired him to become a magician, the century old Davenports Magic Shop in London’s Charing Cross, to see how tricks and magic kept both the troops and the home front entertained during wartime. From there he performs more jaw-dropping magic on the streets of London inspired by the use of fake money during the war. Taking inspiration from a rousing flag trick used by troops on the front line he heads to the historical Army and Navy Club where he devises a trick based on coding.
DMC creates his own magical code and invites a couple to crack it, in order to unlock a wooden box. Through a series of magical revelations they crack his code but the biggest magical surprise comes when they actually open the locked box.
DMC then meets with former military interrogator Drew McAdam to discover how the army use deceptive techniques to read people and gain advantage over an enemy. The two of them then put these techniques to the test in a performance that combines scientific analysis with breath-taking trickery.
For the episode finale, DMC brings all he has learned together into one final performance of deception. Going up against top National Rifle Association marksman and trainer, Myles Robertson, DMC heads to the rifle ranges at Bisley to see if he can outdo one of the UK’s top shooters on his own patch, with his own special brand of magic, deception and prediction.