Harry

Introducing Harry, a tall, jovial, happy go-lucky Brit who has lightning wit and a penchant for crazy shirts. I ask what brought him to Australia, hence ‘the short version is my wife told me to come’. The longer story goes something like this…

About 11 years ago, he and his wife, also British, were living in the UK and decided to go somewhere hot. They set out for Spain, bought three properties off the plan there and sold two of them. They still retain the third today. Can they speak Spanish? No, because the traveling winds inspired (or conspired) them to venture further, this time to South Africa, Cape Town where they adopted the same approach buying properties off the plan and selling them again. We regale memories about the grandeur of Table Mountain, how the descending clouds both envelope and layer the mountain like a cloth, and how this never ceases to amaze. Sounds like a game of Risk doesn’t it? If they were driven by money then maybe yes, but I’d suggest it’s the other risk, risk of being stuck in a rut when there’s so much to explore, see and do. It’s perhaps no surprise then that they packed up their belongings and headed further south, to this great southern land, where they ultimately ended up at Coogee. Ironically, they have only moved across the corridor in their apartment block in the 11 years since.

Harry’s career has been long and varied. When he first arrived in Australia he got a job in Melbourne as a sales manager for NSW and Queensland. But it wasn’t for him and after a little while he wanted to try his hand at something else. He’d always wanted to be a cameraman for the BBC but after discovering he didn’t have the required qualifications he undertook and completed an Advanced Diploma in videography after 2 and 1/2 years, incentivised in part by AusStudy allowance.

I think the name Harry is quite fitting. It’s a bit cheeky but also a bit royal at the same time, think a la Prince H. He is in fact the only person to request his own pseudonym. Harry was his father’s name. I’d imagine the two of them shared some great stories over a pint or two. It’s also the name of that famous magician renowned for performing feats that make humans question life as they know it, which also seems appropriate because Harry is adept at card tricks, quirky riddles and spruiking his good mates’ magic show held at Sir Stanford Hotel. [If you haven’t seen the Gentlemen’s Magician, highly recommend].

He has been able to do what many cannot. He’s merged his two passions, videography and magic into a business aptly named the Video Magician. In this capacity he has been engaged to film the likes of Eva Longoria, Kim Cattrell and Miranda Kerr. It’s quite funny listening to him rattle the names off because it’s like he’s listing the ingredients of a recipe rather than effusing any excitement about being within close proximity to several with celebrity status. Who is the most memorable? Michael Palin. Hands down. His soccer team (the Barstoneworth United Football Club - but more about them in a moment) celebrated its 25th anniversary and to celebrate the milestone decided to approach Michael Palin, who is the Club’s ‘Honorary President and UK Messiah,’ for comment. He happened to be in Australia at the time and was most generous in agreeing to be interviewed. Harry is so happy reliving the moment, his eyes light up recounting the ‘ripping yarns’. I can only imagine just as they did watching the Life of Brian for the first time.

Harry is quizmaster at our local pub. He is in fact, an institution and, I would argue represents the third Trinity after Guinness and Jamieson’s. I’ve no doubt there are guidelines on how to be a quizmaster and I’m not suggesting he doesn't work hard at it, but the truth is, he’s also a natural. His cadence is even, his tone lively and engaging and you can just tell that he honestly wants to be there. Whenever there’s a fill-in, it’s never the same and I often feel for the person who has to follow in what must seem like dinosaur footprints.

He says he’s been going to trivia nights ‘forever’. He and his ex-pat British mates used to have ‘pass-out’ nights on Wednesdays when they played soccer after work (enter the Barnstoneworth comrades). As winter encroached they discontinued the soccer (with self-imposed yellow cards) but retained their pass-outs, shifting catch-ups to Thursday evenings where they partook in trivia. The Barnstoneworth team quickly became a regular feature at the Coogee Diggers. It was there he pestered the regular quizmaster to give him a crack, so much so when the opportunity finally arose, he gripped it like Gordon Banks and did not let go. Team Barnstoneworth still continue to go to Coogee Diggers and Harry is still their quizmaster, so while it’s a little weird being on the other side of the trivia ledger he continues to revel in the experience.

I ask him what his one bit of life advice would be to someone else. Without taking a moment to think about the question, without even blinking in fact, he says ‘life is too short to do something you’re not interested in’. I fully believe he has lived by this motto. He doesn’t strike me as someone who does something to please others or because its en trend. He does something because it peaks his interest. He's straight up, and, I’m guessing, appreciates having a good laugh with a character or two. I find that truly refreshing. It’s only been half an hour but I could talk to Harry all night. I would love to keep going but he has a job to do. Like Houdini, he’s about to perform some magic. For the next 2 to 3 hours he will make people laugh, learn something new, connect as humans, and do so for intrinsic reasons. Houdini eat your heart out. I personally think that’s the greatest magic of all.