Trained as a performing arts and PE teacher as well as an actor, Eran Backler's career turning point came when he was travelling through Germany and saw a man blowing bubbles in the street
Jodi Bryant catches up with the “Highland Joker”, a world-leading bubble extraordinaire, before his Whangārei show.
If somebody had told former teacher Eran Backler he’d one day be making a living out of blowing bubbles, he’d have been sceptical. But when the Northern Advocate caught up with him, the UK-based bubble maestro had come full circle back to the Auckland school he used to teach at to perform a bubble show.
“If someone had told me I’d make a living out of blowing bubbles, I’d have found it a bit bizarre but, at the same time, since I’ve been young, I’ve always liked doing playful things and with gadgets and it was always a hobby,” says the 46-year-old.
Trained as a performing arts and PE teacher as well as an actor, his career turning point came when he was travelling through Germany and saw a man blowing bubbles in the street.
“People were having fun and I thought, ‘Hey, I want to do that for a living’!”
Living in the Scottish Highlands at the time, Eran began looking online to watch others’ performances on YouTube, then devised a one-man show involving magic tricks as the “Highland Joker”.
“After about a year of doing different things, I realised everyone was saying the bubbles were very special and unique and I was enjoying doing the bubbles, so decided to drop everything else. I wasn’t that great at the other magic tricks anyway. But I didn’t imagine that over 10 years later, I’d still be doing it and fulltime. I now travel with it and share my passion for bubble art wherever I go.”
His multi-award-winning performances include blowing square bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles, and his most popular act — putting fire inside bubbles. His three Guinness world records include putting the most number of people (15) inside a bubble and putting his wife inside a bubble for 63 seconds.
He and his daughter also broke a record with an impromptu performance at the end of a show with a bubble rally. As well as performing for the All Blacks, Backler once put former prime minister Jacinda Ardern inside a bubble.
He recalls: “Not being too interested in politics, I didn’t really know who Jacinda was at the time. It was just before she became prime minister and I don’t think she was too keen but she did do it. A few weeks later somebody rang me and said, ‘You know that lady you put in a bubble? She’s our prime minister now.’”
As well as performing worldwide in sold-out shows, the former New Zealand resident runs an entertainment and creative workshop company based in both the UK and New Zealand. Specialising in soap bubbles, they provide indoor and outdoor bubble shows and activities as well as bubble art workshops. Private and public events include birthday parties, school shows, weddings and funerals.
“I began doing birthday parties,” Eran explains. “Then wanted to diversify so started doing weddings and putting the couple inside the bubble kissing for a photo. At funerals, obviously, it’s different to a party — it’s often about releasing the spirit into the air with doves or balloons, but there’s just something very mesmerising about bubbles.”
He has also appeared in a TV ad, which was filmed in a park in Auckland and took many attempts due to the weather, resulting in a backache for weeks but well worth it, says Backler.
His wife, son, 14, and daughter, 11, are part of the family bubble business, not only helping with shows but with his creations based in the home kitchen.
“I brew my bubble mixtures fresh for each show in the kitchen, and part of being creative is the house can get into chaos,” he admits. “I get soap everywhere and the laundry machine blows up with foam at times — it’s just part of my life.”
The worldwide online community Backler joined in the early days has become an integral support system, running new bubble tricks off one another, and Backler is looking forward to bringing to life a new show he is writing.
Meanwhile, his first tour since 2019 has brought him back to New Zealand where he is performing at nine venues, including Whangārei’s OneOneSix tomorrow night.
“My wife and I are both British and the first time I travelled to New Zealand 20 years ago, I fell in love with the country. I came back a few years later with my wife and son and I think on that family trip, we all fell in love with New Zealand so we thought we’d like to come back and live here.”
Although they settled in Auckland for four years, where Eran taught at a school in Titirangi, they nearly lived in Northland, with Backler admitting he considered calling himself the “Northland Joker”.
“I’m certainly looking forward to visiting up there. I had a great experience doing the show there on my last visit and loved visiting the Clock Museum and the falafel place. I’m very much looking forward to meeting the fantastic Whangārei folk and having some fun with them.”
He says adults get just as much enjoyment from his shows as children. “For me, it’s a family act and parents and grandparents enjoy seeing their kids up on stage. It’s a combination of magic, storytelling, science and bubble art, so there’s parts in the show for different age groups.”
He hopes it encourages people to follow their dreams.
“I was lucky in that I was supported by my family. I wasn’t criticised and told to get a real job-type thing. My father saw me doing bubbles before he died and he really enjoyed it and supported me and gave me tips. He used to work in a circus as a ringmaster when he was younger so he had that background as an entertainer.
“I followed my dream and encourage young people that they follow their dreams because I think it’s very important in this crazy world we live in today that young people follow their passion, and I try to inspire them in my show.
“I love bubbles because they just bring joy to people and they bring joy to me. People just start laughing and smiling so my work is basically going all day long and having happy people around me.”
For more information, go to: oneonesix.nz