At home with magician Cosentino

WHEN Cosentino moved out of home he stayed close to where he grew up, close to his family and the warehouse that stores his props and magic sets.

Renata Gortan

@@RenataGortan

3 min read

April 10, 2015 - 10:00PM

Home Magazine

Arcade machine with 1600 games ... not easily bored.

WHEN it was time to move out, Cosentino didn’t go very far.

Instead of heading to the city he stayed close to where he grew up, close to his family and the warehouse that stores his props and magic sets.

Who Illusionist Cosentino is playing at The Star Event Centre next weekend

Where Two-bedroom apartment in southeast Melbourne

Favourite thing My Bengal cats who are half domestic and half Asian leopard. They need to be a minimum of sixth generation domesticated from the wild. Mine are about seven generations. They look like a leopard but have a pelt rather than fur.

Inspiration

A rustic look, my furniture is all wood and iron. It’s very theatresque and has an old-school feel to it

Home is Where I relax

“I grew up in Lysterfield South, my parents are in the same area, my brother too and my Nonna,” he says.

“We are very family orientated and there was no desire to move away.

“Being close is really important, especially because I travel so much. In reality I’m always away, so it’s not like they are always on my doorstep.”

When he comes home from his travels, chances are his couch won’t be where he left it thanks to his two Bengal cats Dante and Diamond.

“They are only a year old but they’ve learnt to open doors and move furniture around together,” he says.

“They butt their heads against furniture and rearrange the house.

“They’re more like dogs than cats. They’re much more adventurous and wild, they leap extremely high, they love water and they’re super intelligent.”

Cosentino was drawn to Bengal cats, not only because Siegfried and Roy had Bengal tigers in their show, but because cats are generally lower maintenance animals compared with dogs — a benefit for someone so often on the road. But they’ve also had other benefits.

Cosentino with his favourite things ... his Bengal cats.

“Their pelt is very silky and it’s beautiful to touch them. I find them very calming and soothing. Just to come home to them and pet them, it’s good for your soul to be calm after jumping in and out of water tanks onstage,” he says.

Cosentino’s love of magic has infiltrated every aspect of his life and is evident in his home decor.

“I feel as if I was born in the wrong era, I have a Boardwalk Empire look onstage and that old world feel has also become a part of my home,” he says.

“I do all the design onstage to set the scene and create my own world. I can create a set on a TV show, so doing my apartment was a walk in the park.”

renata.gortan@news.com.au

Pictures Chris Groenhout

Houdini’s A Magician Among The Spirits

It had been sitting in an antique shop for years. Somebody told me about it after seeing me on Australia’s Got Talent. Houdini wrote an expose on fraudulent mediums who used tricks. The book has conversations and newspaper clippings between Houdini and a man named WE White.

09/02/2015 HOME: At Home With Cosentino with his favourite things

Skateboard

I have a factory where I keep all my illusions. It’s 800sq m and I use the penny skateboard to get around it. It’s just about being a kid.

Skateboard ... for getting around the warehouse.

Playing cards

Bicycle is the top brand and to have my own name on them is a huge deal. They are on the best paper stock, with an air cushion finish so the cards slide.

Playing cards ... Bicycle brand is a big deal.

Straitjacket

It’s been around the world with me, I got it in my 20s.

09/02/2015 HOME: At Home With Cosentino with his favourite things

Straitjacket ... in case you need one.

Gumball machine

I remade the mechanics in the machine so you don’t need coins. It sits in the middle of the table. It’s so much fun when you turn it and it makes that clicking sound.

Arcade game

It has 1600 arcade games on it, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Streetfighter. It’s all those games I used to play when I was a kid. I prefer it to modern games because there’s an emotional side to it.

Arcade machine with 1600 games ... not easily bored.

Handcuffs and leg irons

This is my first pair. I got them when I was 18. As much as they restrict you, they’ve done the opposite for me. When I’m doing an escape I’m sending out a message that I can liberate myself.

Handcuffs and leg irons ... liberating.

Sneakers

They were hand painted by a friend of mine, a graffiti artist called Sekure D who I met at a comic convention. I’ve worn them three times then left them on a shelf, they’re too good to ruin.