In a breathtaking display of romance and illusion, a world champion magician performed the most important trick of his career when he proposed to his stage partner during their live West End show. Marc Oberon, 61, created a moment of pure magic that left both his partner and the audience completely spellbound.
The Ultimate Illusion
During Saturday's matinee performance at The Magic Circle's prestigious theatre in central London, Marc Oberon and Emily Yarrow were performing their signature mind-reading act. As part of their routine, Emily wore a blindfold while attempting to identify objects donated by audience members that Marc held in his hand. The atmosphere in the theatre was electric as families watched in fascination.
A Magical Twist
What Emily didn't realise was that Marc had orchestrated an elaborate surprise that would transform their performance into a life-changing moment. After several successful identifications, Marc produced his own object - a glittering diamond engagement ring that sparkled under the bright stage lights. Remarkably, despite having her back turned and wearing a blindfold, Emily correctly identified that Marc was holding a ring.
However, her extraordinary mind-reading abilities couldn't prepare her for what happened next. Marc asked her to remove her blindfold, and in an unscripted twist that left the audience gasping, he dropped to one knee. His normally assured voice cracked with emotion as he declared: 'I love you more than I thought I could love anyone. We've been together for nearly three years now. But the truth is, I knew within the first week I was in love with you. Emily, will you marry me?'
Emotional Reactions
The theatre erupted into spontaneous applause as Emily, visibly stunned, nodded through tears and said the magic word: 'Yes!'. The show's compere quickly confirmed that this was a genuine proposal, not part of their act. Even after this announcement, departing audience members continued to ask ushers if everything had been real, receiving confirmation that they had witnessed an authentic romantic moment.
Behind the Magic
Marc and Emily, 47, first met three years ago while working as entertainers on a cruise ship. Their professional partnership blossomed into romance, and they have since created a unique stage show combining magic tricks with Emily's classical soprano singing. Both have been married previously, making this new chapter particularly meaningful.
Marc had been planning the surprise proposal for over a year, secretly coordinating with theatre staff to create the perfect moment. His 27-year-old son Xavier was among the audience members who knew about the plan, along with Marc's 83-year-old mother, Pat Harris. The magician had also invited one of his oldest friends, Ian Jackson, with whom he performed magic during their school days.
Recovering from the Shock
Speaking to the Daily Mail afterwards, Emily from Chesham, Buckinghamshire, expressed her complete surprise: 'I had absolutely no clue whatsoever. It was a total shock. He is such a professional, but I did notice that he had been very nervous before the show. I just thought it was because he had invited his family.'
She added emotionally: 'I love this man. In our mind-reading act, people from the audience offer items for him to hold and for me, blindfolded, to guess, and he sometimes does hold up a ring. I always joke, "where's my ring?". But I didn't realise what was coming today. I really had no idea. I am overwhelmed - completely elated and incredibly happy. This wonderful man wants to marry me.'
The Magician's Perspective
Marc, who hails from Nottingham and has been practising magic since he was ten years old, shared his own nervous excitement: 'I have been doing magic since the age of 10. As I told her and the audience, I knew within a week of meeting Emily that I was in love with her. I have been planning this for over a year.'
He revealed his clever ruse: 'I had this ruse, of getting the theatre to announce there was "someone special" here tonight and asking us to do our mind-reading trick one more time at the end of our show. And there was someone special here – Emily.'
Despite his confidence in their relationship, Marc admitted: 'She can usually read my mind so well - but not today. I did think she would say yes, but I really wasn't completely sure. This was the most frightening performance of my life, but also the most rewarding. It was wonderful.'
Family Reactions
Marc's mother, Pat Harris, watched proudly from the audience and later said: 'I'm very proud of him. He did a perfect job - and we love Emily.' His son Xavier described the moment as 'like a cinematic moment. Beautiful.' Meanwhile, old friend Ian Jackson remarked: 'How romantic was that? Marc is 100 per cent.'
A Historic Venue
The proposal took place at The Magic Circle theatre, home to the prestigious magician's society founded in 1905. The organisation has counted numerous illustrious performers among its members, including Paul Daniels and his wife Debbie McGee. Remarkably, King Charles became a member in 1975 after successfully performing the classic cups and balls trick.
Earlier in the show, the couple had demonstrated their magical prowess with illusions including making Emily levitate approximately five feet above the stage. Marc later joked that this was the closest he could get to literally sweeping his bride-to-be off her feet.
The magical proposal created an unforgettable moment that combined professional illusion with genuine emotion, proving that sometimes the greatest magic happens when reality and fantasy beautifully collide.
