Coffee, Cards, and a Goatee.
11.11.2005
It's Called Coffee, CARDS, And A Goatee For A Reason
Thursday, Nov. 17, I will be performing a magic show in one of the lounges of Seneca Hall. It'll probably run about 45 mins., and is going to be a run for my money. Why, you may ask. You may ask, why is a seasoned performer, forged in the fires of public performance and highly steeped in the theatrics of magic performance thinking this is going to be such a difficult feat? Well....lets take an exclusive sneak peak at the set list (which may or may not change its order by the time the show goes on):
1. Voodoo - A (maybe) signed card becomes prey to the wiles of its voodoo doll, a normal, examinable index card. And that's just the beginning!
2. The Flying Ebola Brothers - A guest team of performers showcase a death defying stunt the human mind nearly can't comprehend.
3. The Homing Card - Pasteboards and pockets, and the impossibilities therein.
4. Bodyguards - Can cards protect their own? Or are the magician's hands just a bit quicker?
5. Paper Rose - "If you hold it up to your ear you can hear the sea, especially if you're really close to the sea!"
6. Coins - Currency and prestidigitation. Apparently, SAT words as well.
7. Challenge Mind Reading - Quite possibly the most stunning display of mentalism ever seen. How's THAT for conceited?
And then afterwards, I'll be teaching an effect/technique. This part really depends on whether I can get the props I need in time. I don't feel its my place to teach anything that isn't public domain, so it really limits my scope. For that reason, I'll be teaching one of two things. If I can get the supplies, I'll teach (and giveaway) a vanishing silk move, which is well documented and widely considered to be pretty standard fare. Its the kind of stuff that makes magic books that are sold at Borders. If I can't get those in time, I'll teach the french drop. This might actually work out even better, since I'll probably utilize it in the Coins section of my performance. Its the kind of move that you would think, and this includes professional magicians with whom I've had arguments about this, would never fool a laymen. However, if performed with the proper timing, speed, and performance, it is wonderful. Perhaps I'll even relate the Dai Vernon/Mark Wilson story along with it. You'll have to come to the show to hear the story. Alright, fine, I'll tell you now. God! Stop twisting my arm!
So the story goes that Mark Wilson, a highly respected and very popular magician in his time, had a son who was trying to learn magic like his dear ol' dad. Mark Wilson had many contacts in the magic world, one of whom was Dai Vernon, perhaps the most highly respected magician...ever? He's know as The Professor to every magician every where. He's kind of like the Shakespeare of the magic world. Anyway, Mark sends his son to Dai in order to learn the French drop. Dai teaches him the move so that he can perform it flawlessly, and tells him this: "Don't ever snap your fingers over your hand as though you were making the coin vanish. That is completley unnatural and should never be done. Instead, just pretend as though the coin were melting away. Snapping is too overt." Etc. etc. So the kid goes back home to his dad and has him watch his french drop. Mark Wilson stands up and exclaims, "Wonderful son! That was beautiful! But you forgot to snap!"
Theres a lot of theoretical points in that story that are worth mentioning, but I'll leave them for now. If you really want to know why thats an important story, leave a comment or something and I'll get to it next post.
So, more importantly, why is this show going to be so hard? The variety of material I'll be performing is damn demanding. From cards to coins, carny stuff to mentalism. For each one, the tempo changes, the style, the attitude, and I have to bring the audience along with me for that ride. It's no easy task. And for those of you saying "Oh please, you do the trick, and then you move on" or something along those lines...that's why you're not a magician. The finger movements and slight of hand mean nothing, especially when compared to the audience management and entertainment value. Magic is not in the props or the skill of the finger flicking, it is entirely, ENTIRELY, in the audience's perception of the performer and his/her relation to them. And lets just hope that Flying Ebola Brothers thing goes over well. I haven't done that in a long ass time. I'll try to get a picture of it up here though. Its really fun.
Try to make it if you can...it should be a good time.
1. Voodoo - A (maybe) signed card becomes prey to the wiles of its voodoo doll, a normal, examinable index card. And that's just the beginning!
2. The Flying Ebola Brothers - A guest team of performers showcase a death defying stunt the human mind nearly can't comprehend.
3. The Homing Card - Pasteboards and pockets, and the impossibilities therein.
4. Bodyguards - Can cards protect their own? Or are the magician's hands just a bit quicker?
5. Paper Rose - "If you hold it up to your ear you can hear the sea, especially if you're really close to the sea!"
6. Coins - Currency and prestidigitation. Apparently, SAT words as well.
7. Challenge Mind Reading - Quite possibly the most stunning display of mentalism ever seen. How's THAT for conceited?
And then afterwards, I'll be teaching an effect/technique. This part really depends on whether I can get the props I need in time. I don't feel its my place to teach anything that isn't public domain, so it really limits my scope. For that reason, I'll be teaching one of two things. If I can get the supplies, I'll teach (and giveaway) a vanishing silk move, which is well documented and widely considered to be pretty standard fare. Its the kind of stuff that makes magic books that are sold at Borders. If I can't get those in time, I'll teach the french drop. This might actually work out even better, since I'll probably utilize it in the Coins section of my performance. Its the kind of move that you would think, and this includes professional magicians with whom I've had arguments about this, would never fool a laymen. However, if performed with the proper timing, speed, and performance, it is wonderful. Perhaps I'll even relate the Dai Vernon/Mark Wilson story along with it. You'll have to come to the show to hear the story. Alright, fine, I'll tell you now. God! Stop twisting my arm!
So the story goes that Mark Wilson, a highly respected and very popular magician in his time, had a son who was trying to learn magic like his dear ol' dad. Mark Wilson had many contacts in the magic world, one of whom was Dai Vernon, perhaps the most highly respected magician...ever? He's know as The Professor to every magician every where. He's kind of like the Shakespeare of the magic world. Anyway, Mark sends his son to Dai in order to learn the French drop. Dai teaches him the move so that he can perform it flawlessly, and tells him this: "Don't ever snap your fingers over your hand as though you were making the coin vanish. That is completley unnatural and should never be done. Instead, just pretend as though the coin were melting away. Snapping is too overt." Etc. etc. So the kid goes back home to his dad and has him watch his french drop. Mark Wilson stands up and exclaims, "Wonderful son! That was beautiful! But you forgot to snap!"
Theres a lot of theoretical points in that story that are worth mentioning, but I'll leave them for now. If you really want to know why thats an important story, leave a comment or something and I'll get to it next post.
So, more importantly, why is this show going to be so hard? The variety of material I'll be performing is damn demanding. From cards to coins, carny stuff to mentalism. For each one, the tempo changes, the style, the attitude, and I have to bring the audience along with me for that ride. It's no easy task. And for those of you saying "Oh please, you do the trick, and then you move on" or something along those lines...that's why you're not a magician. The finger movements and slight of hand mean nothing, especially when compared to the audience management and entertainment value. Magic is not in the props or the skill of the finger flicking, it is entirely, ENTIRELY, in the audience's perception of the performer and his/her relation to them. And lets just hope that Flying Ebola Brothers thing goes over well. I haven't done that in a long ass time. I'll try to get a picture of it up here though. Its really fun.
Try to make it if you can...it should be a good time.
:: posted by Bingmagi, 2:11 AM
