Magic Trick Bucket List…

Are there any magic tricks that you’ve always wanted to perform?  I’m not talking about the flavor of the month, new trick that just came out.  A trick that you read about or saw as a kid, and you still think about decades later?  I’ve had many, and luckily for me I’ve gotten to do … Continue reading “Magic Trick Bucket List…”

Are there any magic tricks that you’ve always wanted to perform?  I’m not talking about the flavor of the month, new trick that just came out.  A trick that you read about or saw as a kid, and you still think about decades later? 

I’ve had many, and luckily for me I’ve gotten to do many of them.  In the summer I do some library shows and those have allowed me to work on new tricks for my show and do them a lot in a short amount  of time.   What’s great about that is I quickly figure out if I like the trick or not. If I like the trick and so do audiences, then I can move that trick up to my main show. 

Usually the tricks I’ve always wanted to do don’t make it into the main show.  However it’s nice to have done them and scratched the itch and no longer feel the need to do them.   There is one trick that I keep coming back to, and that’s the Multiplying Billiard Balls.  


I did a version of Alan Wakeling’s routine on a tour of 90-ish shows.  The routine got really tight and while I liked it, I think it didn’t connect with the audience as much as I thought it should.  I did a routine one summer that produced 4 balls with no shell! I really enjoying doing that routine, as it had some creative moves in it. 

I frequently do a ball manipulation sequence in my show, and that for the most part keeps me satisfied and I don’t feel I need to work on the multiplying balls.  That is until recently.  I had an idea for a non traditional version of the trick.   This version only uses one ball that the audience is aware of.   I’m excited about working on this trick because it’s so unusual!  

That brings me back to John Carney’s book Magic by Design.  In this book he talks about how there are tricks  you will constantly come back to.  It’s because they may not be right for you now, but they may be right for you in a year.   I totally agree with him, I find ideas in notebooks that I didn’t expand at the time, but that’s probably because I couldn’t.  I lacked the knowledge, or hadn’t thought of a second part to it that would make the trick possible.  

 

TLDR:  Keep revisiting old tricks that you like. 

Impromptu Show…

I’m still reading John Carney’s book Magic by Design.  I wrote about in previously in this blog post.   I’m really enjoying this book and I like his approach.  In the beginning John say’s that these are his theories and whether you follow them or not, at least they made you think about why you do … Continue reading “Impromptu Show…”

I’m still reading John Carney’s book Magic by Design.  I wrote about in previously in this blog post.  

Magic by Design by John Carney

I’m really enjoying this book and I like his approach.  In the beginning John say’s that these are his theories and whether you follow them or not, at least they made you think about why you do the stuff you do. 

In the book he mentions having an impromptu show you can do.  Not just a few impromptu tricks, but tricks that you’ve practiced and know inside and out.  Material that’s you treat like the stuff that’s in your show, you know the script, you can do the sleight of hand under fire.  

If you’ve hung around me, you know I have a 3 trick show on me at all times.   These are three tricks that live in my wallet and are good go.  I started doing this after I had read Ken Dyne’s book The Impromptu Mystifier.  

You don’t have to do the three tricks just because someone asks,  like some sort of trained monkey.  However when you need them, you’ll be good to go.  My impromptu set will play close up or in a cabaret setting.  


The moral of the story is: you are a magician, you should be able to amaze anytime!

Recommended Reading

Right now I’m reading John Carney’s book Magic By Design. It’s a book on theory of how to become a better magical performer.  One of the things he mentioned was writing down your “ideals” for your magic. Some guidelines as an artist of what you want for your magic / show.   Here’s some of … Continue reading “Recommended Reading”

Right now I’m reading John Carney’s book Magic By Design.

Magic by Design by John CarneyIt’s a book on theory of how to become a better magical performer.  One of the things he mentioned was writing down your “ideals” for your magic. Some guidelines as an artist of what you want for your magic / show.

 

Here’s some of mine:

  • The magic has to be good.  By that there can be no easy explanations of how things work.  
  • Every trick has to have a unique visual.  
  • I have to sweat.  I need to work on stage.
  • The audience has to feel like this “isn’t just another magic show”
  • The audience gets to know me during the show
  • The material has to “move the show forward”

 

I’m sure that I’ll come up with more, but this is just the quick list I’ve come up with.  There’s not much to it, however I’ve always said that creating with rules is so much easier than creating without rules!

 

I’m only a few pages into the book, but I highly recommend it!

 

Louie