TwentyTwenty TV as commissioned by the BBC had undergone several months of searching for that specific someone to play the part of the Sorcerer. An enigmatic character with the ability to bring gravitas to the role, versatile enough to be able to perform all styles and genres of magic at a high level and with the experience of performing in front of a camera. They had interviewed the likes of David Berglas (former president of the Magic circle) and Jeff Mc Bride (Vegas Caesars Palace) TwentyTwenty underwent a series of meetings with Max and finally
The Concept
Deep in the heart of the English country side in a grand Harry Potter type manor house Magic School, a master Sorcerer seeks an apprentice to reside with him and carry on the tradition of the ages. With the help of two magical mentors (Mr Knight and Miss Evans) and street magician (David Penn) whom he has summoned to take the magic to the masses, they have invited 12 young hopefuls to the Sorcerer’s castle where they will undergo an intensive 2 weeks of magical training at his magic school until one of their number wins the title of Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
The Sorcerer
The characterisation and Magic of the Sorcerer were entirely conceptualised by Somerset and soon the production team again found that the format of the shows were driven and generated by the gravitas of the character. The children found the Sorcerer to be both compelling and yet austere. They treated him with reverence and admired him from afar while being intrigued by his occasional playfully eccentric ways. The Sorcerer would engage in serious conversations with his pet cockroach as well as allow Charles his Cockrell to sit on his shoulder and seemingly make important decisions. Somerset had trained and hand tamed the Buff Orpington Bantam Cockrell from a chick and convinced the producers that the Sorcerer should have the Cockrell as a mascot and as the personification of wisdom seated upon his shoulder). The children would occasionally question the sanity of the Sorcerer but his Headmaster status tapered with fatherly wisdom, encouragement and mind blowing magic tricks left them in awe. The role was as much a pastoral responsibility for Somerset who had to diffuse disputes among them, administer punishments and rewards along with his strict requirements for detail, discipline and dedication.
As well as an acting role, Somerset was constantly in character throughout the day while finding time to rehearse big illusions and stunts that he had organized to perform for their daily inspiration and then finally judge the competition fairly. This was no small undertaking. The children knew that ultimately the Sorcerer would choose who would be his apprentice and that along the way he would be eliminating those who were not up to the challenge. They were always mindful to work hard, as the coveted title of Sorcerer’s apprentice was at stake for each and every one of them at any time and the Sorcerer had become something of an inspiration to each of them. Many of them found the strict regimes (no television, phones, ipods; the compulsory Harry Potter type uniform and a return to
Behind the Scenes
Over the stretch of 3 series, Somerset created approximately 200 magical effects original in content and performance. He was delighted to work alongside Angelo Carboni who had previously advised for Derren Brown and Objective Productions. Both of them found that they were able to bounce ideas back and forth to create the right ingredients for the Sorcerer. Somerset always sought to push the boundaries. Where Angelo would suggest doing an effect with a sock, Max would suggest a Scorpion and then try to find ways for health and safety to make it a possibility. This series was the first children’s show to allow the 9 Foot guillotine trick to be aired on a children’s channel. Again, Somerset came up with an original premise of bobbing for a chosen apple with his head through a guillotine. All of the apples had various animals written in marker pen and one apple had been chosen by one of the children. He had 30 seconds to find the chosen apple with his teeth while blindfolded prior to the blade being dropped on his neck. The 30 seconds elapsed, the blade fell and to their horror, appeared to cut Somerset’s head clean off! The curtains closed and Somerset emerged from the back of the hall in a different costume holding a lead which trailed taut out of the hall, other end unseen. “ What animal did you choose?” Somerset asked. “A cow” the boy replied. Somerset proceeded to pull a live cow in on the lead. Somerset continued, “What was the name you gave the cow?” “Taboo” said the boy. Somerset drew his attention to the nametag around the cow’s neck; in silver letters it said TABOO. This was one of many original ideas that required much effort on the part of Somerset to bring to fruition in terms of the magic and the permission of health and safety, the BBC and the Production Company.
The Sorcerer’s mellifluous eloquence, every other sentence pungent with an aphorism, all added to his mystique and the air of elegance and mystery that surrounded him. The writers acknowledged that nobody knew ‘Sorcerer Speak’ better than the Sorcerer himself and so Somerset wrote all his own material for the show.
His introductions and his pep talks were equally as wordy, often throwing in the antiquarian use of the English language just to bring everything back to the period. Other times, like a mad scientist using complex jargon to explore the perimeters of a vanish or a transmogryphication interlaced with the magic itself to weave a delightful tapestry of words and magic that really exemplified the oddity of being sealed in this hermetic magical world.
Behind the scenes, Somerset helping to explain the best way to shoot the magic and storyboarding the effects so as to aid camera men and directors in knowing what to catch and when to catch It, proved invaluable. The Series stretched Max Somerset to the limits earning him respect among Execs, Producers, Commissioners and directors. It has been nominated for various awards including a BAFTA.
