In London in April 1886, a theater lobby fills with illusionists waiting to be auditioned one by one, each identified only by a number. Among them sits a poised young woman holding slip number twenty-three, drawing conspicuous stares because she has none of the usual props and does not acknowledge the others.

The man calling the numbers is Marco, who escorts each candidate through a gilded door into the auditorium. When he calls “Number twenty-three,” the woman approaches and gives him her slip; Marco is startled by an immediate, intense recognition and fascination, momentarily forgetting his composure as he leads her inside.

Onstage, Celia faces Chandresh Christophe Lefèvre and Mme. Ana Padva, who are overseeing the auditions for illusionists for their black-and-white circus concept. Chandresh initially questions the “appropriateness” of a female illusionist, so Celia removes her jacket and gloves to show she is not hiding props. She identifies herself as Celia Bowen, says she has never performed professionally, and reveals her teacher was her father, Hector Bowen—Prospero the Enchanter—who died the previous year, which immediately changes Chandresh’s attitude and interest.

Asked to demonstrate, Celia turns her jacket into a living raven that flies through the theater, then borrows Marco’s notebook and transforms it into a dove that loops overhead before returning to paper in her hand. When Mme. Padva notes the strict black-and-white costuming, Celia calmly changes her green gown into a black-to-white gradient and deepens her hair to glossy black, making her fit the aesthetic perfectly.

As Chandresh moves to offer her employment, Celia recalls her raven with a gesture; it dives into her and vanishes, leaving her dressed again in her buttoned black jacket over the black-and-white gown. Mme. Padva applauds, Chandresh declares Celia “perfect,” and the remaining illusionists in the lobby are dismissed, grumbling as they realize the auditions are effectively over.