Hocus-Pocus in Fresno put out a prop called Play-Duh. This is a snake can that’s built into a Play-Doh style can. I wrote up the routine I’m doing with it here: https://www.magicshow.tips/magic-show-tips/play-duh/
I’m using the Play-Duh props in my library and summer camp shows. The fair I was performing at last week I did the routine for some kids between shows.
here’s what it looks like:
It’s just a solid, fun routine.
-Louie
Some friends and I were texting horrible variation of existing magic tricks. One of my ideas was the “dimmest” D’lite! Then my buddy Chris used AI to make them into packaged magic tricks.
It came out well! He uses AI for his work, and gave me some tips on how to use AI more effectively to create things. I think that effectively communicating with AI is going to be a skill that will be helpful. It’s a modern version of knowing how to use photoshop (which I don’t know how to use).
-Louie
Recently I came across a T. Nelson Downs throw out card! These were used as promo items by the magician, but this particular one was sponsored by Bicycle Playing Cards!
I’m not sure if this was something that would have been given out by Bicycle or just Downs.
I’ve thought about doing a batch of playing cards like this. Not functional cards, but as promotional items that I can autograph after shows. I think it’s cooler than a postcard, and smaller, so I can carry more for the same weight in my suitcase.
It’s a cool piece that’s a great addition to my collection!
-Louie
When I have down time when I’m on the road I pop by junk shops and try to find old magic props or unopened bicycle cards from Cincinnati. Usually I don’t find much, but the other day I found a Deland Deck:
I also found this lid that looks like the top of a dove pan!
The lid was lacking the spring clips inside, so a quick search on Google and I learned it’s the lid from a serving tray. I guess that the dove pan is actually something in real life…well halfway. The metal bowl isn’t something that would have been with it, it would be paired with a flat tray.
I always love finding the real life item that props are trying to mimic!
-Louie
A while ago I wrote a post about me having Trigger Finger, which is a tendon issue in my knuckle. I noticed that it was bad when it was raining, so that means I have an old man super power, my finger can predict the weather!
What can I do with that?
It got me thinking about doing a weather prediction effect. The idea of the trick will be that someone says the name of a city, and I write down what my finger thinks the weather in that city is.
I wanted the prediction to be bigger that something that could be accomplished with a nail writer. After some writing of different ideas, I hit upon using weather icons:
The flow of the effect is:
That’s the flow.
I originally had a step earlier in the process that had me showing all the different possible icons. I decided that’s really dead time, and not needed, because we’re going to go through them later to find the correct one.
The method is really simple, I spent a lot of time writing more complex methods, but this was the most simple and direct method that I came up with.
I tried it for the first time a couple of days ago and it worked! Now to do it more and create a more complete routine.
-Louie
Somehow I got into collecting dead magician’s tie bars! Recently I was visiting with Alan Sands and he gave me one of George Sands tie bars!
If you’re not familiar with George Sands, he created the Sandsational Rope Routine. Most modern cut and restored rope routines are built off of his routine.
Thanks Alan, this will go into my collection!
-Louie
Somewhere along the road I picked up the book Circus Rings Around Russia and recently started reading it. The book is a history of the circus in Russia.
It’s interesting to hear how political the circus was in Russia. Both state run and with views that were anti-government. Performers were essentially blackballed for how they express their political views through their performances.
It’s also interesting that the big pro-government circuses were flops with audiences. I think those shows took away the “heart” of the circus and left the audiences feeling cold.
The author of this book also relates how magicians and the side show are considered lower entertainment than traditional circus acts like trapeze or eve clowns. In the USA magic is a huge part of the circus!
This is a great read and I’m glad I picked it up!
-Louie
For my library and summer camp shows this year, I added a screen to my table.
There’s not much to it. It connects to an iPhone that’s running IQpro and controlled by a Flic Button. The main reason I’m using it is to get used to running IQpro.
I want to be more comfortable using production elements in my show, and obviously the best way to do that is to use them!
-Louie
There are some magic products that just shouldn’t exist. This is one of the products:
It’s a cheat sheet for the invisible deck. Let’s start with the memory, you really need to remember two things. You need to remember which side of the deck is even, and hearts to spades, that’s it. For the math, you need to be able to subtract a number from 13.
It’s not too hard, however, it that’s too much for you, you can eliminate the math and memory by simply opening the flap and looking at which side is towards you. Then removing them from the box the correct way and fanning them vertically while looking for the named card. Boom, no math, no memory, no need for an Invisible Deck Crib.
OK, so is this solving a problem? If you’re not going to put the time into learn a trick, you really should be doing it. I suspect that’s what’s behind all the versions of ACAAN that are marketed, it’s to try to make the trick accessible to lazy magicians.
Maybe someone has a learning disability and can’t do the math in their head? OK, there are lots of things that I don’t do because I don’t have the ability to do them. For example I can’t use memory pegs because I have a thing called Aphantasia, however I was able to learn a memorized deck. It took a lot of work and I had to create little things to help me learn it. I wanted to learn to a memorized deck, so I figured out a way.
Now let me mention the worst line in magic advertising:
“eliminates memory and math (or commonly sleight of hand) to allow you to focus on performing.”
This makes it seem like you can’t do the two at the same time. Let’s look at famous magicians:
Darren Brown, David Copperfield, David Blaine, Doug Henning, and Criss Angel
All of them do or have done technically challenging things in their shows and could still entertain with it. Why can’t you?
If the answer is because it takes practice, then maybe performing magic isn’t for you.
Believe in yourself, you can do it!
-Louie
I found this picture in my phone of a street performer when I was in New Orleans last month. I just caught the end of the strait jacket escape, which also was the end of the show, so I don’t know if it was a one trick show, or more.
What I saw was fine for what it was, a get the money show. I’m not it’s target audience, so all the standard hack jokes didn’t really do anything for me, but the people watching seemed to like them and that’s all that matters…or is it?
It comes down to what is your art?
What are you giving the audience a piece of you, or a piece of a dozens of other people’s shows that are used without permission?
Is your art a line that you saw another magician get a laugh with, so you started doing it? If it is, that’s fine, that’s your art.
Is your art giving the audience some sort of experience that no one has ever seen before? This is what the kind of art that I like to watch.
Is there anything wrong with this show? No, it’s fine, just not for me. His show would probably also run circles around mine at that pitch in NOLA. There are a tons of places where a guy drumming on a bucket will absolutely do better than the guy with the a million dollar violin.
Sometimes the right show for the right venue matters.
-Louie
