From conjuring cosmetics to studying the psychology of cult leaders, Keith Barry has led a varied career. We spoke with the magician to find out whose mind he would most like to meddle with and where he got the inspiration for his new show, Deception.
"We're in an age where deception is more prevalent than ever and each and every one of us is being deceived, pretty much all day long through social media, the news - it's very hard to quality control that so from there I researched everything from brainwashing to cults."
Taking inspiration from Jim Jones, a religious cult leader who, along with his inner circle, initiated a mass suicide and murder in Jonestown, Guyana via a concoction of cyanide and Kool-Aid.
"The opening of Deception is me playing acid roulette where I, or maybe an audience member, will be drinking either water or acid."
Despite this, we are assured that a night with Keith will make you 'laugh until your face hurts'. Then again, the Waterford man says that magic can pull out all kinds of reactions.
"I've had people crying on stage, I've had them go into laughing fits on the stage, I've had sceptics come up and challenge me at the meet and greet after the show."
A self-proclaimed sceptic himself, Barry's new show actually encourages audiences to question everything thing they see - a bold move for any entertainer, but even more so when you consider the amount of money he's putting on the line.
Watch: Keith Barry bets big money on The Late Late Show.
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From humble beginnings working in McDonald's to becoming a kid's magician, Keith has worn any number of hats in his time. These days, he may have the impressive title of 'Chief Magic Consultant' for the Now You See Me movie franchise, but once upon a time he was conjuring up cosmetics...
"I used to stand there in a white lab coat and invent women's make-up," he explained. "It wasn't my cup of tea. Rightly so, there's no animal testing, but people then don't realise how you test it. Well, you test it on yourself. I used to have to put on mascara and use my biphasic eye make-up remover to remove it."
Keith's top tip? "The best cream for your face is E45 cream."
Ireland's favourite mind meddler has a number of celebrities on his bucket list, but the top spots belong to two very high profile characters.
"I'd love to pull a trick on Trump," says Barry. "Him and the Pope, I'd love to get one over on the Pope."
Ticket for Deception are on sale now from €30 including booking fee.
