Abu Dhabi: With a death-defying stunt and series of jaw-dropping magic tricks, illusionist David Blaine marked his Middle East debut with a show on Thursday evening at Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace.
In a mind-blowing performance that left the audience in awe, Blaine went underwater for 10 solid minutes (10 minutes and three seconds, to be exact) without an oxygen tank or any source of air. The stunt, which was Blaine’s finale, saw the illusionist hold his breath for a record time in a container full of water.
According to scientists, the average human can go for a maximum of three minutes without air before the heart and the lungs start extracting oxygen from other body parts.
Blaine appeared quite persistent as he defied science (and death!), however, with the audience applauding every minute to cheer him on.
If you thought that was a once-in-a-lifetime miraculous trick, think again because Blaine is asserting his mastery in the field by performing in Abu Dhabi on Friday and Saturday nights as well, with a death-defying act each night. (Both nights are sold out.)
“I’ve waited 10 years for this night. It’s a big night for me. It was a dream of mine to put everything I worked for into one show,” he said at the beginning of the performance that marked the premiere of his first world tour.
The show started with a video showing some of Blaine’s trickiest stunts, as well as him pulling tricks on various celebrities including Stephen Hawking, Jon Stewart, Harrison Ford, Ricky Gervais, and even former US President George W. Bush.
Blaine then came on stage and gulped down around seven bottles of water followed by some kerosene, which he claimed will float in his body above the water. After magician Hadji Ali performed this trick several times, it killed him, Blaine said nonchalantly.
In another act that left the mind boggled, Blaine passed an ice pick through his hand without shedding a single drop of blood or showing any signs of pain.
Asked by an audience member how he pulled it off, Blaine responded with one word; “Illusion,” and did not reveal how he pulled any of his tricks.
The American illusionist was interactive and friendly with the audience, asking many to help him with his tricks and verify that he was not using decoys.
Marko Loubser, an audience member, described the show as an excellent one saying, “Seeing David Blaine live is ten times better than watching him on TV. I watched a lot of his [performances] on TV, so I really wanted to see what he was going to perform here. I think the death-defying [stunt] was the best bit.”
Others also appeared impressed with the Blaine’s finale in particular.
Matt Moore, another attendee, described the performance as “staggering and very entertaining.”
Best known for high-profile feats of endurance, Blaine has survived 63 hours inside a block of ice, a week inside a coffin, and six weeks without food in a glass box suspended over the Thames River.
The show was part of Abu Dhabi Summer Season, a series of entertainment events organised by the Tourism and Culture Authority. Upcoming shows in the Summer Season include United Nations of Comedy. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores outlets.
