Heikki Nevala has been a magician for the past 30 years. His interest in magic was piqued, as is so often the case, when he was still a small boy.

“I started using my stage name, Heikki Harha, in 1993. However, I had been doing magic before that, and I still do. But magic is only something I do to supplement my income. I have also delved into the cultural history of the profession and been involved in various associations in the field.”

As a child, Nevala joined a magical club for young people led by the magic enthusiast Jaakko Pohjonen. Pohjonen walked with the help of crutches and spun a romanticised yarn about how his injury was caused by a fall from a tightrope. Occasionally the club also attracted some famous visitors. At upper secondary school, Nevala dated Siri Hamari, who later embarked on a career as an actress in Sweden and whose father Väinö Hamari worked as a magician.

“I watched Väinö’s activities somewhat shyly from the side-lines. Siri and I InterRailed around Europe in the 1980s, and at the same time her father was touring the continent with his wax cabinet. A couple times along the way we would drop by his show. Those meetings breathed new life into my interest in magic, which stayed with me until university.”

Nevala worked as a magician on a cruise ship between Finland and Sweden for five months in 2001. Several other magicians worked on the Silja Europa, which sailed between Turku and Kapellskär. They included the internationally renowned Christian Engblom, who is now touring the world giving lectures to his colleagues. Also present were the magician Kalle Nio and the juggler Ville Walo, who are known from the contemporary circus troupe WHS.

“The autumn of 2001 was particularly hectic, as I was working as a full-time magician for weeks on end. Some might say that I wasted the first years of my career by doing my own magic. On the other hand, it is has been rewarding to do my own thing, and I hope that I will be able to continue to do it in the future.”

The Finnish Institute in Saint Petersburg called Nevala to Saint Petersburg for the city’s 300th anniversary. Together with Christian Engblom, he also organised special haunted evenings.

“Clients who arrived to the Night of Dreams were unaware that it was an event organised by magicians which was about to take a ghastly turn. Only at the end was it revealed to them that they had participated in an organised event. The Nights of Dreams were scarier than traditional haunted train rides, but they were costly and difficult to produce, and would really have required more expensive special effects.”

Cards and coins move seamlessly in Nevala’s hands. He is specialised in close-up magic, where the show is brought to the spectator. In this genre, the magician moves amidst the audience, entertaining smaller groups for a few minutes at a time.

“In close-up situations there is usually a group of people. It is a challenge, because not only are they meant to have a good time but also to feel like they have experienced magic. These circumstances require you to have a good psychological grasp of the situation.”

Nevala is constantly practising to maintain his feel for his tricks. Dedicated training is needed for new shows. Today those who are interested can easily find guides on the Internet, but observation alone does not develop your skills. Nevala always warm up for his gigs by going through his performance.

“I warm up, because I want the audience to enjoy themselves. However, I always carry cards and coins with me, so I can do tricks whenever I have some time on my hands.”

Some people find the work of a magician dishonest because misdirection and sleight of hand are an essential part of the job. Conmen do of course exist, but, according to Nevala, not among magicians.

“Christian Engblom has said that he is an honest fraud. That is of course a paradox, but that’s what magic is. People ultimately want you to succeed. Few hope for an illusion to fail. It is through misdirection and wonder that a magician wins the respect of the audience.”

These days Nevala can be seen performing at Fiskars in the summer together with his colleague Tatu Tyni. In July the shows at Taikatetteri 13 will delight tourists for the seventh consecutive year.