CEDAR Creek magician Fabrice Lamarre is reviving an art form few have come across.
Chapeaugraphy is a 16th century art form from France originally known as “Le Chapeau De Tabarin”, where a single piece of material is used to transform the performer into different characters.
Mr Lamarre, an accomplished magician and mentalist, performed a chapeaugraphic piece at an Adelaide Magic Convention dinner in October of last year, a performance for which he received rave reviews.
He has also performed the art form locally, recently showcasing his skills at a Logan Village Lions fundraiser in aid of Camp Quality and entertaining more than 100 people at the Cedar Creek Hall in October last year.
His skills have been passed down through his family he says, with his father an amateur magician and his grandfather an amateur hypnotist.
He said to his knowledge there was only one other chapeaugrapher in the world.
“There is an Italian, Arturo Brachetti, but he only does 25 characters whereas I actually tell a story,” he said.
“I’ve been performing chapeaugrahy for about two years but it took me a long time to come up with something original.
“The creator in the 16th century was only doing 10 characters and that was using wigs as well.
"In the 19th century someone came along who (could) do 25 characters but his act was more about the speed in which he could change characters."
Mr Lamarre, originally from La Rochelle in France, has lived in Cedar Creek for 20 years since moving to the area with his wife.