Swedish magician cum comic Carl-Einer Häckner’s love affair with magic began at the age of six, when he witnessed his grandmother performing a trick that involved the disappearance of the top of a water bottle.
Swedish magician cum comic Carl-Einer Häckner’s love affair with magic began at the age of six, when he witnessed his grandmother performing a trick that involved the disappearance of the top of a water bottle.“She made it disappear, and then she took it out of my ear,” Häckner recalls.
The experience, Häckner says, gave him “butterflies in the stomach”. Around the same, his grandmother took him to see another travelling magician, whose act involved throwing candles on the floor. Häckner was unimpressed, but his grandmother did manage to replicate the tricks at home, armed with nothing but the cardboard inside of a roll of toilet paper.
From that moment, Häckner was hooked on the excitement of magic. Over time his stage show has evolved to incorporate comedy, spoken-word and music. “I have to break the rules to tickle inside of me,” Häckner says. “I love the forum, and I love this feeling that I have. But the main theme of my performance is releasing the energy that makes people happy,” he says.
Häckner’s show also involves the use of various props that are variously trampled on, thrown or even ingested as part of the performance. Self-harm is an occupational hazard. “I have hurt myself a little bit, but I try not to,” Häckner says. “I smashed a golf club on my head, and I ran into a wire, but they were both mistakes. I was running around in big Paul Stanley shoes doing Bon Scott Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap moves and I ended up with a splinter in my foot. But I changed my shoes after that,” he deadpans.
Häckner’s show is titled Swedish Meatballs, an oft-maligned foodstuff that Häckner confesses to enjoy. Häckner cites the quality of Sweden’s natural environment and the “innocence” as the country’s best attributes; Häckner struggles to identify a negative aspect of his country of birth. “Maybe it is Ikea. Actually, I like Ikea – they sponsored one of my shows. But all my props broke,” he laughs.
Carl-Einar Häckner performs Swedish Meatballs at The Deluxe at Federation Square from March 31 – April 24. It’s at 8.15pm Tuesday – Saturday and 7.15pm on Sundays. Tickets are $20 – $27.50 and available through Ticketmaster online, 1300 660 013 and at the door.
