Paul Cosentino known by his stage name Cosentino, is an Australian illusionist and escapologist.
Early life
Cosentino was born on 2 November 1982 in Victoria, Australia to an Italian family. When he was a young boy, Cosentino stumbled across a magic book in a library which fascinated him. His mother helped him read it, since as a child, he had learning difficulties that he says magic helped him overcome. As well as this, at age 13, his mother got locked out of the house one day, and to get inside Cosentino had to pick the locks. In lock picking he found a unique skill that he developed and honed. Cosentino also says that he gained confidence through his magic performances. As a boy growing up and to this day, Cosentino admires Harry Houdini saying, "As a child some children had action figures of Superman....but Houdini, he was my superhero". He attended Wesley College, Melbourne, during his high school years.
Anchored Escape
On 17 February 2010 Cosentino, in honour of Harry Houdini’s jump off Queen’s Bridge in Melbourne on the same day in 1910, performed a tribute underwater escape act inside the Melbourne Aquarium. Chained, shackled, handcuffed and secured to a 60 kg concrete block, Cosentino was sunk to the bottom of the main tank in Melbourne Aquarium – approximately four and a half metres deep – and surrounded by various fish, sharks and rays, he had to free himself from his bonds using only a lock pick. Cosentino had hoped to complete the escape in 2 minutes 30 seconds, but due to problems with a padlock and his belly chain, the escape took 3 minutes 39 seconds.
Cosentino auditioned in Melbourne for Australia's Got Talent. He auditioned with an illusion routine and was immediately put through by the judges, earning praise such as "I love the modern twist on it" and "That is like Michael Jackson makes magic." In the preliminary finals, Cosentino stunned the judges and Australia with a daring escape act, in which he had to pick 9 locks while completely submerged in a tank of water suspended above the ground. The escape took 1 minute 45 seconds. For the semi-final Cosentino performed an illusion routine, focused on the art of disappearing and reappearing, interspersed with lively military style dance. The next round saw Cosentino returned to escapology. The escape involved Cosentino escaping from a straitjacket while suspended from his ankles, six metres above the ground, inside a jaws-like apparatus. These jaws were held open by a single piece of rope that was to be set alight for the act. Cosentino had to escape before the rope burned through and the jaws snapped around his ankle with over 200 kg of force. On Grand Final night Cosentino took the audience back to the beginning, re-doing his initial audition with additional dance and an improved entrance. Overall, Cosentino came second in the 2011 series of Australia’s Got Talent, losing out to Jack Vidgen. Although fans were disappointed Cosentino was incredibly pleased with second place, so as to avoid the ‘winner’s curse.’
