The Magicanada Project

Reuben The Great · Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 245

Man, this has bothered me heavily recently. It may just be me and it may be a phase but you may be able to help. May, may, may and may. May.

Recently I've been thinking about simplicity. I see a guy from my club who's a great stage performer, and he somewhat warps my thinking about close-up magic. Don't get me wrong, it is my absolute favourite section of magic, but he always says to me, "SIMPLICITY!".

I began to think. One can do a card trick with twists and turns and such, and in the end you find their card between two jokers. How did he get my card there?!

Now, an unexperienced Ellusionist magician that may or may not be 9 years old suddenly appears (probably some cheap crap like King Rising) and levitates a bill via a loop. What happens? They go nuts.

Now obviously this isn't always the case, because YOU must make the trick happen, it can't be all in the cards/coins etc. I mean, is it really worth learning all of these complicated sleights and routines when you can blow someone away with a simple colour change or regular ambitious card routine?

This is all hypothetical of course, I love learning sleights and routines, just something to think about. In a sense, it makes me a better magician as a whole. I must get around the flashy business and make it MAGICAL, and entertaining because I am doing it. But I always think, will they get the same benefit from a coin vanish and reappearance in a card-box? Or do I have to do a three-phase sandwich routine? Thoughts?

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"I lost a bundle of hundred dollar bills in an elastic".

"I found the elastic."

Michael Kras · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 2:57 am Post subject:

It depends on your style. People like Greg Wilson are immensely successful for their acts, which essentially show them exhibiting card skills the entire time... essentially showing off. But the crowds love this. It's in-your-face, visual eye candy.

However, people like Paul Vigil can fool and entertain magicians and laypeople alike, and act like completely amateur card handlers... they do not fancy in-the-hands crap or table work. It's just shuffle, cut, deal. The unsuspicious nature of their work makes it all the more impossible.

Leave the "kewl" stuff like levitations to the E-knobs. What they do requires no motivation or presentational skill. Some people eat it up... but these "magicians" are essentially one-trick ponies (or one armed men, scarecrows filled with dust and wheat, three legged horses, etc). If you can do solid, entertaining magic with a deck of cards for an hour, audiences recognize this. They aren't as ignorant as we seem to think. Our job is to entertain and mystify, not make people fear for their lives.

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Michael Kras
Forum Administrator