Darcy Oake thinks it's okay to blur the line between reality and illusion in magic

When David Blaine caught a bullet between his teeth, magician Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller spoke out about the importance of distinguishing between an illusion and a dangerous stunt. Blaine acts as though catching the bullet was a stunt rather than a magic trick and that bothers Jillette. He thinks it is morally wrong to attempt life-threatening stunts as a magician is never meant to be harmed. But Winnipeg born illusionist Darcy Oake doesn't think Blaine did anything wrong.

"David is the kind of guy that's willing to do anything to push the craft forward," says Oake, "he's pushing the envelope." Blaine's desire to attempt risky stunts is inspiring and Oake performs dangerous stunts himself because he says, "I want to go that extra mile to evoke that emotion from the audience." However, the illusionist explains that only highly trained professional should attempt these stunts, "Blaine is obviously a trained professional, been doing it forever, he goes to the end of the earth to research the bits he's going to do."

"You can't bubble wrap the world," says Oake and if someone wants to push their own boundaries, they should be allowed. Oake explains that if someone is willing to put themselves in harm's way to achieve something artistic, they should not be shunned. Plus, Blaine's brand is centred on blurring the line between reality and illusion. Oake says the audience is meant to ask "is this real or is this a trick?"

Although it's fun to surprise people on the streets with magic, Oake loves putting on a stage show, "I love making a whole evening experience," he admits. Oake is currently performing on The Illusionists Tour featuring seven specialized magicians. He says, "whether you're on the street or whether you're in a theatre, it's all one in the same. You're just trying to show people an impossible experience live in person." The Illusionists Tour is currently on in Toronto until January7.

WEB EXTRA | Watch a preview of The Illusionists Tour below.