THE GEM Newspaper Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Life’s an illusion for student Tom

A Vale student, who dreams of becoming a professional ‘mind illusionist’, begins a journey across the globe in August – which he hopes will launch his career

Tom DeVoe (20) from Aberthin will begin his globe-trotting trip on August 13, his 21st birthday, and plans to return exactly a year later.
He said: “It is called the ‘Without Borders World Trip’ and officially it starts in London.
“I’ll travel to India, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands and the USA, performing every step of the way.
“The idea is for everything to be spontaneous, so once in a city I’ll be in touch with newspapers to publicise what I’m doing, and hotels and other venues where I can perform.
“Among many seldom-seen feats, I will work out the PIN number of an American policeman, predict the headline of an Australian newspaper one week in advance, and describe in detail objects from an audience when I’ve got coins on my eyelids and I’m blindfolded.
“To travel the world doing what I love, performing for people across the globe, is the most challenging, exciting venture I could ever have imagined.
“It will be a huge test of my abilities, but I love an adventure and can’t wait to begin the trip of a lifetime.”
Tom, a former pupil at Cowbridge Comprehensive School, is coming to the end of a course in sociology and social policy at Leeds University.
Despite his youth and the audacity of his act, Tom is sure he can make a success of the trip.
“The things I’m attempting are ambitious, but that’s what makes it more impressive. I’m confident because I’ve been developing my skills for seven years”.
Tom uses psychology, suggestion and what he describes mischievously as “more devious methods” to read minds and baffle his audience.
He started performing in the Vale at charity events and has honed his act while in Leeds.
Following a guest appearance on the LSRfm Breakfast Show in Yorkshire, Tom was given a regular slot on the programme, and began his popular weekly feature, Midweek Mindgames, where each week he read the minds of the people in and out of the studio.
Tom hopes that during the year away he will have accumulated lots of material which can be used in the future.
“By the time I return, a year later, at the age of 22, I hope I’ll have lots of videos and stories for my website which will enable me to market myself professionally.”
Like any good illusionist, Tom has one final surprise, and that’s where his unusual name springs from.
“My real name is Tom Evans, but for performing I wanted to think up something new and fresh.
“It was only when I googled it that I found out that the surname actually exists”

Tom’s adventure can be followed on tomdevoeworldtrip.blogspot.com