trends in automation

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You put on some of the biggest illusion shows in the world
right now. Even David Copperfield wanted to use some of your
tricks. What are your goals for the future?
Chris Ehrlich: To put on a magic show on the Moon. We’ll make
zero gravity disappear.
Andreas Ehrlich: We actually do think it would be really cool to
perform magic in a space station. But that is probably still a few
years away. Will it ever happen? Who knows. We all have to have
dreams. And we’ve always tried to make our dreams come true
so that others can dream of a new reality.
About the people
The Ehrlich Brothers
Andreas and Chris Ehrlich were born in 1978 and 1982 in
Herford, Germany. As children, they loved experimenting with
a magic set. Today, their spectacular illusion shows fill entire
arenas, with audiences of up to 10,000 people. Before joining
forces as the Ehrlich Brothers in 2000 they worked as solo
performers, winning numerous awards for their magic shows.
They have been members of the Magic Circle in Germany since
they were seventeen and eighteen years old respectively. In
2004 and 2013, the Ehrlich Brothers were named ‘Magicians
of the Year’, following in the footsteps of world famous
magicians including David Copperfield and Siegfried & Roy.
The enormous illusion shows that the brothers put on
transport the audience to an amazing universe with
fascinating special effects. But it takes many years of
conceptual and technical development before an illusion is
ready to be performed on stage. Automation plays a key role
here. Whether it’s driving a motorbike off the screen of an
iPad, a six bladed saw cutting Chris into pieces, effortlessly
bending railway tracks or growing an entire orange tree from
a single orange seed, technical perfection provides the
foundations for illusion through emotion.
Bending spoons is old hat:
the Ehrlich Brothers bend entire
railway tracks made from steel
with apparent ease.
Snowflake magic:in the current show, the stage
is transformed into a winter wonderland.
Photo: © Ralph Larmann
Photo: © Ralph Larmann
Issue 28 trends in automation
Inspiration 10 – 11