During the show Spencer scribbled a note requesting a meeting with Henning and handed it to an usher, who delivered it and instructed Spencer to wait at the stage door. When Spencer turned up backstage, he saw that lots of other fans were also waiting to meet the entertainer. His hopes were dashed and he was about to leave when the road manager emerged from Henning's room and called Spencer's name.
He spent an hour with Henning, talking about touring with a large show and life on the road. At the end of the meeting Henning told his staff to answer any questions Spencer had. "I'm looking forward to a long relationship with you," Spencer recalled Henning saying. "If it can help you get work don't be afraid to tell people you know me."
Spencer said he probably would not be where he is today if it were not for that meeting. "It was the simple fact that he believed enough in me. He kind of gave me this confidence that you can do anything that you put your mind to." When Spencer returned home he told his parents that he was going to go for it because "I didn't want to be 40 some day and look back and wonder if I was going to make it. If it works that would be really cool. If it doesn't at least I could say that I tried."
The Spencers were named Performing Arts Entertainers of the Year six times by US events programmers — more than any other artist. Their latest tour, which has been in Hong Kong since last Tuesday, includes new material and tricks that were designed especially for the husband-and-wife team. These include walking between the blades of a spinning industrial fan and walking through a wall, the latter a stunt that Houdini introduced in 1914 but gave up after a few performances.
Like their North American shows, the Spencers will end their Taipei performances with an inspirational message, one which was not heard by Hong Kong audiences because their translator there said it would be hard to convey its meaning in Cantonese.
"It's a message that someone shared with us a long time ago," Spencer said. "'Never ever, ever let anyone talk you out of your dreams — because even if you shoot for the moon and you miss, you'll still be among the stars.'"
What: The Spencers: Theatre of Illusion
Where: Novel Hall (新舞臺) at 3-1 Sungshou Rd, Taipei (台北市松壽路3-1號)
When: Tomorrow and Sunday at 8pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
Tickets: NT$600 to NT$2,000 and are available through ERA ticketing, at www.ticket.com.tw
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