JEDDAH — Mamdouh Al-Marzouqi, a 33-year-old professional Saudi illusionist, wants to make one of the pyramids of Giza, Egypt, disappear in front of your eyes.

Following in the steps of the international illusionist David Copperfield, who is famous for once vanishing the Statue of Liberty, Marzouqi said he is quite confident of his skills. “I’m currently looking for a sponsor for this illusion because it would cost a lot of money to implement,” he said.

Going by the name of Mumdo, he is hoping to become an internationally famous illusionist.

“One day I will have my own show in Las Vegas,” he said with a confident note. “I was a marketing manager for one of the major companies, and I resigned from my job to become a full time illusionist.”

As a young boy, his first encounter with magic was when his uncle baffled him with a disappearing coin trick. Since then he became fascinated with illusions that eventually turned into an obsession.

But such a career, he said, is hard in the Kingdom.

Like the world-famous magicians Penn & Teller (who are renowned for performing tricks and then showing members of the audience how the tricks are done), Mumdo says he wants people to understand the difference between a showman and a charlatan.

The difference is particularly relevant in Saudi Arabia, where people are often arrested for performing “black magic”, fooling others into believing they have supernatural powers and then scamming them out of money with promises of performing benevolent magical spells.

“People get confused between the art of illusions and ‘black magic’,” said Mumdo. “I’m just an artist who performs tricks that does not defy the laws of physics or logic.”

Mumdo, who — like most devoted illusionists — cites the great Harry Houdini as a major influence. Mumdo has worked out his own illusions. One of his self-invented tricks is a Houdini-style escape acts. He said that he would be tied up and placed inside a box with sharp spikes hanging on top.

“The trick is that I have to get out of the box before the spikes crush the box with me inside it, but a dramatic surprise will occur during the attempt,” he said without giving further elaboration.

“I don’t want to spoil the surprise of the trick,” he added with a mischievous smile.

He said that since his full-time dedication to the trade, he has been in a number of stage shows in the Kingdom and other parts of the Gulf in addition to a variety of TV shows. He performs various tricks, such as flying, cutting himself in two and disappearing from view.

Along with his career, Marzouqi has mentored a 13-year-old boy. “I don’t usually teach, but I saw determination in this young boy so I took him as an apprentice and one of my assistants,” he said.

He said that his parents have recognized his unique talents and gave him all the support. He said that at the age of 13 he performed at birthday parties and small special events, earning him more than SR150 per show.

For more information about Marzouqi visit www.mumdo.com