Mackinley's "Delusions" ?

Magic has always been about challenging what we believe is possible. For me, that idea is deeply personal.

I live with schizophrenia, a condition that has, at times, made it difficult to know what is real and what isn't. While that experience has brought its own challenges, it has also given me a unique perspective on perception, belief, and the stories our minds create.

My performances aren't about recreating mental illness or asking audiences to understand what it's like to live with schizophrenia. Instead, they explore a universal question: How much of what we experience can we truly trust?

For a few moments, in the safety of a theatre or event, I invite people into a world where certainty begins to slip away. Cards do things they shouldn't. Thoughts seem to be shared. Predictions come true. Reality bends just enough that, for an instant, everyone experiences that wonderful feeling of not quite knowing what's real.

That's the gift of magic.

If my personal story adds another layer to that experience—perhaps encouraging a conversation about mental health, perception, or empathy—then that's something I'm grateful for. My hope is that people leave not only entertained, but a little more curious about the incredible, mysterious, and sometimes unreliable ways our minds make sense of the world.