The Mind Illusionist…
By Elizabeth Stuart for the Egypt Daily News..
Pick an animal.
Mustapha Berjaoui knows what you’re thinking.
A self described “mind illusionist”, Berjaoui, 21, this week became the first Egyptian magician to earn a Merlin, an award Tony Hassini, chairman of the International Magicians Society, describes as the “Oscar of magic”.
The majority of past honourees, which include legendary showmen David Copperfield and Siegfried & Roy, have hailed from the United States or Europe. After coming under fire in 2009 for favouring big-budget acts over magicians in small countries with fewer resources, Hassini said the International Magicians Society began evaluating magicians regionally to ensure more diversity. Berjaoui, who earned the designation “Best Illusionist”, was up against performers in 12 other countries in Africa and the Middle East….