Simon Drake facts for kids

Simon Drake (born Simon Alexander; 1 March 1957) is a famous English magician and illusionist. He lives and works in London. Many people know him from his TV show, The Secret Cabaret, which was shown on Britain's Channel 4.

About Simon Drake's Early Life

Simon Drake was born in London, England. His father was a doctor. Before becoming a magician, Simon worked at a music company called Decca Records. There, he met a musician named Arthur Brown. Arthur Brown became a very important guide for Simon as he learned to become a magician.

Simon Drake's Magic Career

Simon Drake first became well-known in 1979. He worked on Kate Bush's live music tour in the UK. He helped create the visual effects for the show. He also played seven different characters during the performances.

Simon has performed magic in many different places. He has shown his skills in Japan and at the Royal Variety Show. This special show was held at the London Palladium for Queen Elizabeth II.

He has also helped with movies. Simon advised director Nicolas Roeg for the film Castaway. He taught actor Oliver Reed how to do sleight of hand magic tricks. He also helped actor Harvey Keitel with magic for the movie FairyTale: A True Story.

Simon Drake has worked with many famous musicians and performers. Some of them include Elton John, Phil Collins, Madness, David Gilmour, Meat Loaf, Kate Bush, and Katy Perry. In 1993, he appeared on American TV with the band Iron Maiden in a special show called Raising Hell.

Simon has performed with The Royal Ballet two times. These shows took place at the Royal Opera House and the London Coliseum. He has also performed at festivals and tours in Canada, New Zealand, and Europe. He has had long-term shows in London nightclubs. He even performed for a month in Paris and Dubai.

He was also a magic and effects supervisor for big theater shows. These included The Witches of Eastwick and Ducktastic. Simon also helped with the BBC TV show Hustle.

Simon Drake was a magic advisor for the movie The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. He helped the director, Terry Gilliam, and taught actors Christopher Plummer and Andrew Garfield magic tricks. He also helped Terry Gilliam with a difficult problem for his play Into the Woods in 2022.

Simon Drake's House of Magic

In 1996, Simon Drake opened his own special place called Simon Drake's House of Magic. It is a large building, about 4,000 square feet (370 square meters). It used to be an old Victorian building in London. The exact location is kept a secret.

This special place is often used for company events and parties. It also has public magic shows once a month.

See also

In Spanish: Simon Drake para niños