On today’s episode we welcome in comedy magic duo Trevor and Lorena. We talk with them about how they started in magic, the evolution of the act and learn about their alter ego’s Charlie and Delilah.
We discuss Trevor meeting Lorena’s Dad for the first time and we even try to place their accents. A super fun conversation with two phenomenal people.
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A few weeks ago at the Potter and Potter auction of Kreskin’s stuff, I picked up a copy of Charles T. Jordan Collected Tricks! I think that it was the cheapest thing that sold at the auction, and luckily I didn’t pay too much more that the going rate for the book, and this one has Kreskin’s autograph on the inside cover!
This book starts with the “controversy” about the tricks published under Jordan’s name. You can read a little bit about it here: https://www.conjuringcredits.com/doku.php?id=misc:charles_jordan_controversy
I’m only a few tricks into the book and the third trick involves a deck of cards and a rubber band. This is one of the tricks where the method is way better than the trick. It’s fun to do, but the trick is just OK. It’s a card that disappears from half the deck that’s got a rubber band wrapped around it and it appears in the other half of the deck. There are better ways to do this, but they aren’t as much fun to do!
Also this book covers much more than the Dover book of Jordan’s card tricks. I’m excited to have this book and to work through it!
-Louie
Social media has created lazy performers. They crowdsource their research without doing the most basic research first, or worst they crowdsource their show!
Here’s an example of a post recently in a magic group:
First of all…pulling a condom from the ear????? Without context that wouldn’t fly in the USA.
Now let’s get to the meat of what they are saying, they want to put together a list of bits that magicians use. Here’s what’s wrong with that, most of the bits magicians consider “stock” are simply lines that have been stolen over and over again and no one thought to look for the joke originator for permission.
Here’s a publicly posted video from the magician that made that post’s FB page:
Do you think he wrote that joke?
No, he heard someone else say it and he put it into his act. I know the defense is that “it’s so old, no one knows who came up with it“. That’s not true, with a little bit of research the history of that specific joke can be found, it’s a little murky as it has evolved, but some of the history is out there.
That’s all for today, I’ll get off my soapbox.
-Louie
I just finished the book Circus Rings around Russia. This book is about how the circus was run in Russia when it was written in the early 1980’s along with some historical context. One thing that I found interesting was that the government used the circus as propaganda, yet there were acts (usually clowns) that would sneak in other political views into their shows. Some of these acts when caught would stick to their message and be fired, others would change.
Also in these circuses the importance of the clown is highlighted and according to the author they were really the star. The book also talks about the difference between American and Russian circuses, which is interesting.
One of the things the book mentions several times is how magicians were looked down upon. I think part of this is that you have high skill or risk act and then a magician, usually someone who does illusions. The magicians was considered a low skill/risk act when doing big box illusions. It’s not that it is low skill, it’s was perceived as that by other acts and show producers.
When I work with circus act, the difference shows in the amount of time warming up. I’ll share a green/dressing/warm up room with them and an aerialist will spend an hour stretching for a 3 minute act, where my warm up is maybe run a few new lines verbally. I can see why a circus act would consider a magician low skilled.
Overall the book was OK, and if you can find it for a few bucks and are into the circus it’s worth a read.
-Louie
In the past I’ve tried to learn to use an Arduino to control motors, servos, etc. It was challenging as I never learned to do any programming in high school. None of the books really helped me figure it out. I was working with Greg Tarlin (juggler/puppeter) in the summer of 2024 and we were chatting about it. We worked together again a few months ago and he talked me through the very basics of it, but having a human tell me stuck more than a book.
I took a basic Arduino project kit on the road with me and have been working through the projects, and I’m understanding the code more and more.
The first real project I want to make is a snake basket. I want to combine the two “modern” snake baskets from my teenage years which were Terry Lunceford’s Viper Pro and Collector’s Workshop’s Khyber Kobra.
Here are videos of both of them:
What I want to do is have the snake rise out with the wrong card, then go back into the basket. Then a few cards shoot out of the basket a couple of times, and finally the snake jumps out.
I’m not sure that I want to do it with a snake, I was thinking of having an octopus or Kracken in the container. It sticks out a tentacle or two and at the end doesn’t jump out, but the tentacle reaches out quickly. Not sure if that will work, but it’s not a snake….
-Louie
One thing I don’t really do are themed magic shows, I will do a show on a topic, but not really a themed show. The reason is that compared to some people like my friend Ace, the bar is really high!
The are so many shows where the performing wears a costume and that’s where the theming ends. Not for Ace, the who show is related to his character and theme. If you want a pirate magic show, you want Ace, not someone in a cheap Spirit Halloween costume.
If you’re going to do a themed show, do it fully!!!
-Louie
I want to use more Spanish in my show, however it’s challenging. One idea I had the other day was to have a a “live translation” thru Google Translate on my phone.
An idea I like was to have an audio track play and someone from the audience who spoke Spanish could translate it for me. My first idea for the frame work would be Card Under Seat with the repeat after me style presentation. I’m not 100% sure this will play how I hope it would, but I may write up something and give it a try.
Another idea is to use cue cards that are in Spanish and have the person read them.
All of these ideas would incorporate Spanish and be more inclusive to Spanish speakers without me having to be better at Spanish. Yes, I’m still working on being a better Spanish speaker, but it’s just another way to get Spanish into the show.
-Louie
I do my best to not cancel shows at fairs due to rain. Yes, there are times to not do the show, like if the stage isn’t covered and my gear is getting rained on. It’s important to look down the road, and if my show props get damaged today and I can’t work next week, that’s a problem.
Last week I was at a fair and it was the morning show, so it was slower and it was raining. Normally what I would do is stand on stage and work on jokes or routines that don’t involve spectators. But I’m on stage and on mic the for my time slot. I just happened to have my crank organ with me, so I put it onstage and played some music!
@louiefoxx Playing the organ because my magic show got rained out! #vanhalen #jump #organ #music #rainyday ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx
After a couple of songs it drew about 8 people over, I gave them chairs onstage so they weren’t on the rain. Then I did a close up magic show for them. It was fun and the show still happened!
Don’t just cancel shows, try to make something happen! It’s fun and takes you out of your normal routine!
-Louie
It’s taken bit to get to posting about this, but about a month ago I went out to see Wes Barker‘s show when he was in Seattle. Before the show I met up with Eric and Alyss Stevens for a quick drink.
Then on the walk to the venue, we ran into another magician Brian. When we got to the venue, we ran into Wes taking tickets.
There was a miscommunication about booking a ticket taker with the venue, so Wes did it. He was great taking tickets. He handled it really well and was essentially an opening act to his show. The show was Wes and two comedians.
Wes is a great example of what a modern magic show is. Not a ton of props and a lot of personality. There was one idea in his show that I thought was amazing and wish I had thought of it. The whole show is really great with a lot of surprises. If he’s in your area, it’s totally worth checking out his show!
After the show Eric, Alyss, Brian and I had a little magic jam.
I do love seeing shows that inspire me to be better!
-Louie
Recently I came across The Crated Coin by Mark Strivings. This is a coin flip routine where you play “heads and tails” with the whole audience.
I’ve been playing with this premise as part of a larger routine. I’ve played with several other versions of the trick, however the main problem I have is dropping the coin. Mark’s solution, which he says is based on a Gaeton Bloom thing is to have the token put in a case and shaken. That makes it incredibly difficult to drop the coin. You are in 100% control of the result of the flip.
This also has the bonus of the sound factor of the token being shook inside the case. I’m a fan of this method!
-Louie
