Magician and illusionist Luke Blaze asked the public through a Facebook poll what his next death-defying stunt should be and the overwhelming response was he should escape a locked tank full of water.
It will be the final act of his show at Warrnambool's Lighthouse Theatre on Saturday, September 23.
Blaze trained in an 800-litre tank to hold his breath underwater for a minute-and-a-half during the act.
The 22-year-old said he put the poll out after finishing his debut show, The First Chapter, in 2018.
"(It had a) 70 per cent response rate of people wanting to see an escape of some sort," Blaze said.
"The next poll was asking what type of escape, and water had 95 per cent.
"I decided to give them what they wanted and face my fears."
Blaze said he felt stressed the first time he held his breath underwater when he began training more than two years ago.
"I was just at a local swimming pool, so I could come back up for air any time I wanted," he said.
"The first time I was in the tank and the lid got locked, it was like all of the tank was closing in on me.
Blaze said he trained for the escape by controlling his breathing, slowing his heart rate and by undertaking cold therapy through ice baths.
The magician, who was mentored by world-renowned illusionist Cosentino, said he began working on the show in 2018 but several things halted it from going ahead.
His lost movement in his arm for a few months after he was mauled by the family dog - then as he recovered the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
The Warrnambool show starts at 7.30pm and will feature transportations, levitations and fire eating - with one trick including the audience who will get memorabilia to take home.
Here are other events running this weekend:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
MUSIC: British India and support act Loser, Rafferty's Tavern, from 7pm.
COMEDY: Amy Hetherington, Dirty Angel Comedy, Mozart Hall, 7.30pm-8.30pm.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
MUSIC: Russ Goodear and Mike Weise, Warrnambool RSL, from 6pm.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
DANCE: Oldtime/nu vogue and western partner dance, Panmure Hall, from 8pm.
ARTISTS: The F Project's Fletcher Jones artist residency program meet and greet, The F Project, 4pm-7pm.
SPORT: Hampden league grand final at Reid Oval, South Warrnambool v Cobden in open netball from 1.45pm, South Warrnambool v North Warrnambool Eagles in senior football from 2pm. First matches from 9am.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
EXHIBITION: Paul Yore and Albert Tucker: Structures of Feeling, Warrnambool Art Gallery, runs until December 3.
PATROL: Port Campbell Surf Life Saving Club bronze medallion information session, Peterborough Hall, 1pm.
- If you'd like your event to feature in the weekly What's On email lillian.altman@warrnamboolstandard.com.au or warrnamboolstandard@austcommunitymedia.com.au by 3pm on Wednesday the week of the event. Please include the name, location and time of the event.
Lillian Altman
Lillian is an experienced journalist who joined Warrnambool Standard in late 2021. She has a particular interest in writing stories on the arts and culture, health, education, breaking news, police stories, as well as human interest and profiles.
Lillian is an experienced journalist who joined Warrnambool Standard in late 2021. She has a particular interest in writing stories on the arts and culture, health, education, breaking news, police stories, as well as human interest and profiles.
