*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd (New
Zealand)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Issue Number: #1670
Date: Sunday 5th June 2022
Editor: Alan Watson QSM
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com
================================
Hi here is the latest news
================================
1.
Editor's Message
2. FISM Update - Restaurants In Old Quebec
3. FISM - Line Up Of Artists
4. Vanish Magic Magazine #95 June 2022
5. June Issue Genii Magazine
6. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #62
7. TAOM 2022 Announcement #3
8. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
9. Around The Lounge by Jeff Bibik
10. News From The Academy Of Illusions
11. Let's Split! - John Carey #161
12. Beneath The Trapdoor With Bronson Chadwick #4
13. Masters Of Illusion
14. E-zine Archives
15. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice
--------------------------------------------
1. Editor's Message
--------------------------------------------
If
you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in HTML
format
go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2022-Jan-to-Dec2022/1670-Jun05-2022.html
If
you would like to write a regular column for Magic New Zealand
or have some magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com
--------------------------------------------
2. FISM Update - Restaurants In Old Quebec
--------------------------------------------
Message by Joan Caesar (Canada)
There
are many interesting restaurants in and around Old Quebec.
Below are just a few that are unique in one way or another.
I
highly recommend the revolving restaurant on top of The
Concord Hotel. The food and service are both excellent and
the view of Quebec City and the St. Lawrence River can't
be beat. Not cheap but worth the price.
Bistrot
Le Pape Gorges was established as a restaurant in 1984.
It was built as a home in 1668, by an arquebusier, someone
who specialized in the production of weapons. It was the
first to serve wine by the glass in Quebec. Today it specializes
in Quebec's fine cheeses, as well as Nachos, homemade chili
con carne, soups of the day, sandwiches and a wide selection
of wines and beers all of which make its reputation.
You
can enjoy the hot sunny days on their beautiful terrace
or eat inside. Appreciated by the locals, it's a unique
place to discover. Further, for those who may wish to spend
an excellent evening and enjoy a festive musical experience
before FISM begins, the Bistrot Pape-Georges presents acoustic
blues shows with local bands from Thursday to Saturday.
Le
Lapin Sauté, 52 Rue du Petit Champlain
Their
menu specializes in maple products, something Quebec is
known for. It's a very cozy place known for rabbit meat,
just like its name. Reservation is highly recommended.
Reviews
from Trip Advisor tell the tale:
We
had a sample platter of rabbit and duck. It was excellent,
and large enough to share. The place is small but the price
is not as small so prepare to pay for your experience.
'A Quebec must try! The ambiance in the heart of Quebec
makes it perfect and amazing. The maple syrup is one of
a kind. The meat was melting in my mouth. I loved it."
"Personally,
I thought the maple pork was by far one of the top 3 best
meals I have ever eaten in my life."
Légende,
255 Rue Saint-Paul
This
is a stylish, upscale venue featuring seasonal Canadian
dishes, tasting menus, wine pairings & a patio. It has
exceptional food, but it's fairly expensive.
Reviews
from Trip Advisor:
'It
has an absolutely amazing 6 course meal tasting, the food
was exceptionally delicious, things I would have never tried.
This experience gave me some tastes that have become some
of my favorite dishes. '(This type of meal gives you a small
sample of several meals you might wish to try later.)
When
I come back to Quebed from Ontario I will definitely be
going back to this restaurant.'
'The
drinks are different- but I did end up getting a sangria
and it was made to perfection.
I travel quite a bit, and make it a point to try different
restaurants whenever I can. I've been to QC many times,
but this was my first time at Légende. We had the
dinner tasting menu. Each piece was paired masterfully with
a wine. I'm still thinking about the halibut several days
later. Every bite of every dish was phenomenal.'
Bistro
Sous le Fort, 48 Rue Sous-le-Fort offers a more reasonably
priced meal with excellent reviews:
Reviews:
'Très
délicieuse! The venison was so tender and the potatoes
had a flavor that exploded in your mouth. Nicholas, our
server was adorable and made the whole experience a memorable
one.'
'Best
salmon dish I've ever had - thanks to the host for recommending
it vs the steak. My daughter had the warmed chicken salad
and said the chicken was so tender it just broke off with
her fork. My other daughter really enjoyed her elk burger.
All that was topped off with a melt in your mouth chocolate
cake dessert. We're planning to return.'
'Stumbled
upon this cozy restaurant and I'm so glad I did. I was amazed
by the service and food! The French onion soup was good
and the mushroom ravioli was life changing! My partner got
the elk burger with the poutine upgrade and that was delicious
as well!'
And
don't forget the restaurant mentioned in Louise Penny's
book, Bury your Dead:
Aux
Anciens Canadiens 34 Rue Saint-Louis
Housed
in a historic home, this popular spot offers gourmet Quebec
cuisine in quaint surrounds.
It offers a variety of steaks, and other tasty meals.
--------------------------------------------
3. FISM - Line Up Of Artists
--------------------------------------------
Message by Renee-Claude Auclair (Canada)
Hello,
here is our line up to now.
More
to come!
We
are so proud to announce that Banachek, Arturo Brachetti,
Luis De Matos, Dr. Will Houstoun, Valentine Losseau and
Raphaël Navarro will be in Québec City for FISM
WCM 2022! They will join Stan Allen, Michael Ammar, John
Archer, Lee Asher, Philippe Beau, Tobias Beckwith, Zakary
Belamy, David Ben, Stéphane Bourgoin, Connie Boyd,
Will Bradshaw, Mike Caveney, Alain Choquette, Dani DaOrtiz,
Marc DeSouza, Alexandra Duvivier, Ekaterina, Julie Eng,
Jason England, Shawn Farquhar, Greg Frewin, Yann Frisch,
Paul Gertner, Dean Gunnarson, Larry Hass, Jaana, Eric Jones,
Jared Kopf, Luc Langevin, Erika Larsen, Bond Lee, Mario
Lopez, Max Maven, Jeff McBride, Lisa Menna, Marc Métral,
Xavier Mortimer, Miguel Muñoz, Luis Piedrahita, Pierric,
Walter Rolfo, Chip Romero, Jay Sankey, Giancarlo Scalia,
Bernardo Sedlacek, Scott Steelfyre, Jim Steinmeyer, Sos
& Victoria, Brian South, Ta Na Manga, Topas, Michael
Weber, R. Paul Wilson, Yiaonan Sun, Jeki Yoo, Zabrecky and
Yu Zhou!
Follow
us on Facebook and visit our web site on a regular basis
to discover all the artists and listen to their invitations.
https://www.facebook.com/fismquebec2022
https://www.fismquebec2021.com/
--------------------------------------------
4. Vanish Magic Magazine #95 June 2022
--------------------------------------------
Message by Paul Romhany - Editor Vanish Magazine
-
This special edition features the one and only Fay Presto
- The Queen of Close-Up. Fay shares her story about her
magic and her career and what she had to overcome in the
magic world. A very inspirational article written by Connie
Boyd.
-
Nick Lewin pays tribute to one of his closest friends, Shimada.
To go with the tribute we have exclusive photos by H. Rick
Bamman.
-
Evan Northrup finishes his series on crafting a show. Invaluable
advice if you want to put together a full show.
-
FISM - Joan Caesar walks us around Quebec where FISM 2022
will be held. This is one of the most magical cities in
the world and this is a great resource if you are going
to FISM this year.
-
Felicity Fields asks magicians what was their first trick
- she talks to Jason Ladanye, Elizabeth Messick, Erik Casey,
Chris Marek, Noah Sonie, Tony Cabral, Garrett Thomas, and
Rachel Wax.
- Magic Tricks - A great variety of magic is shared including
close up routine Mixed Emotions using Emojis, Cube Story
using a Promystic product, B'LANK by Louie Foxx, Poketus
Subterfuge by Patrick Kuffs, and Repeat Silk to Egg by Christopher
T Magician.
-
Dave Attwood talks about how to Double Your Fee.
-
Christopher T Magician talks about how to choose your material
for doing kids shows.
-
We also have reviews of the very latest magic tricks.
--------------------------------------------
5. June Issue Genii Magazine
--------------------------------------------
Message by Richard Kaufman - Editor Genii Magazine (US)
Come
inside and join us for as little as $35 a year at https://geniimagazine.com/
and get digital access to every issue of both Genii and
MAGIC ever published.
The
cover of the June issue of Genii, The Conjurors' Magazine
features Shimada, who died on April 30. One of the greatest
magicians of his-or any other-generation, we tell you something
about his life, career, and legacy.
Also
inside this month, we have an exclusive addendum to John
Buescher's popular book Radio Psychics: Mind Reading and
Fortune Telling in American Broadcasting, 1920-1940 (reviewed
in this issue by David Britland) Mr. Buescher adds some
characters who operated in Great Britain, thus casting his
net "across the pond".
Peter
Samelson talks about his last engagement at one of the several
venues around the country that feature magicians, Liberty
Magic in Pittsburgh (yes, Pittsburgh).
In
"The River," Joshua Jay has an arts and crafts
project for you. Jon Racherbaumer's "Exhumations"
shares a kind of "betcha." You'll find a double-prediction
effect in David Britland's "Cardopolis." Roberto
Mansilla talks about what turns the mundane into the artistic
in "Artifices" (and we have video of René
Lavand in the digital issue). In "Magicana," Jonathan
Friedman explains a quick coin to banknote effect and a
little piece of mindreading(?) and magic with a deck of
cards. Both can be viewed in performance via Video Magicana
in the digital edition.
"The
Eye" has news of celebrities - magic and otherwise.
John Gaughan talks about a 104-year-old automaton in "Chamber
of Secrets." (Scan the accompanying QR code to see
Gaston Decamps' little conjuror at work.) David Kaye gets
physical with sight gags in "Expert at the Kids' Table".
And as usual we visit Hollywood with Shawn McMaster and
"Knights at The Magic Castle".
New
products are reviewed in "Light from the Lamp"
with Mark Phillips covering tricks, David Britland on books,
and Joe M. Turner with videos. As the Ten-In-One talker
says, come on in, it's all on the inside.
--------------------------------------------
6. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #62
--------------------------------------------
Message by Paul Stone (US)
Last
week I was invited to see AMYSTIKA the Mindfreak Prequel
produced by Criss Angel and Franco Dragone. The reviews
for the show had been mixed, so when I arrived at the Criss
Angel Theater in the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino
on the Las Vegas Strip, I wasn't too sure what to expect.
I
have to say that the first impression walking into the theater
is amazing, the stage and proscenium arch is superbly lit
and visually quite stunning, and is complemented on both
walls of the auditorium with unusual projected video montages.
The
first surprise is that Criss is not actually in the show!
He does come out on stage just before the start to welcome
the audience and explains that the show is a story about
his life.
Mike
Hammer, who stars in his own 7pm one man show at the 4 Queens
Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas, then rushes over
to the Planet Hollywood to appear in Amystika, which goes
up at 9.30pm.
Whilst
I have to admit to being a big fan of Mike Hammer, whom
I've known for several years, and whose show I had fun working
on a few years ago, I can honestly say that he was the stand-out
performer in this show too. He held the show together from
start to finish.
Mike
comes out before the show to do the warm-up, and he cleverly
works the audience as only he can, his sharp wit instantly
making him a crowd favorite. Mike also performs his own
hilarious comedy spot in the show and fronts a couple of
illusions too, and even appears in several of the crowd
scenes. He never seems to be off stage!
As
for the show itself, it is frankly difficult to describe.
It is definitely not the usual magic show fare. It includes
various scenes, documenting Criss's life, some of them quite
dark, featuring strange looking characters. You could see
the influence of Dragone here, with some rather bizarre
effects, both on stage and out in the audience too.
I
won't spoil them for you, but suffice it to say you are
unlikely to experience anything quite like it in any other
show in Las Vegas.
I
wouldn't be surprised if magicians don't like it, as it
is a little light in magic content, although there is also
an impressive card manipulation spot from Stefan Vanel.
Going
back to my earlier comment, this is a really difficult show
to describe in print. Whilst for me, with my background
as a Show Producer, I wasn't sure that it succeeded in telling
the story of Criss's life, it was extremely watchable, and
I enjoyed it. It is without doubt a unique show.
Criss
divides opinion, but he has millions of fans around the
world, and has worked hard for, and deserves his success,
and whether you love him or hate him, you can't argue with
his considerable achievements.
Right
now, here in Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the
world, there are several wonderful magicians headlining
shows, but Criss offers something different and that is
undoubtedly why he continues to do consistently good business
in his shows.
-------------------------------------
7. TAOM 2022 Announcement #3
-------------------------------------
Message by Bronson Chadwick (US)
We
are only a few weeks out to TAOM 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas!
Our convention will be a unique experience for everyone!
We are constantly working to add in new activities and novelties
to make this convention something new and original.
One
such addition to the TAOM convention that we're doing is
the University of Texas Permian Basin art exhibit entitled
They Call it Magic. This exhibit will be showcased in our
dealer's room and will feature art that portray the world
of magic from the perspective of professional artists and
students of art from west Texas.
A
few days ago, I gave the UTPB art department the prompt
for creating magic-inspired 2D and 3D art pieces to showcase
at the convention. Each piece will be unique. Some students
will be painting to portray magic and magicians while others
are going to be designing actual magic props. Students who
expressed interest in designing original magic props such
as Cups and Balls and Square Circle were met with privately
and signed secrecy agreements so that they could study the
general concept of a few magic effects and create their
own versions of these classics.
To
elevate magic as an art form I find it necessary for magicians
to network with other art communities, even though painters,
sculptors, printmakers, ceramicists, and other visual artists
may know little about magic. In networking with these other
artists, we further place ourselves on the same plane with
other artists and get the recognition for magic that we
all know it deserves.
Come
to TAOM 2022 in Fort Worth at the Radisson North Fort Worth
at Fossil Creek hotel. Registration is filling fast. Our
low registration rate at $250 gets you into all the activities
and shows. Hotel is only $109 per night plus applicable
fees/tax. Hotel rooms come with two free hot breakfast buffet
tickets for every morning of the convention.
Don't
miss out on big names like Jeanette Andrews, Russell Anderson,
Losander and others who have recently joined our roster.
See you at the Convention of Wonder in Fort Worth!
Visit
taominfo.online to learn more and register today!
--------------------------------------------
8. Magical Women With Connie Boyd
--------------------------------------------
Message by Connie Boyd (USA)
Wantanabe
Yumi is a highly skilled, Japanese Magician who placed 2nd
in "General Magic" in the World Championships
of Magic, FISM, in 2000.
At
FISM 1994 in Yokohama, Japan, aired on Japanese TV 08/08/1994,
Yumi competed with a different skillful Billiard Ball magic
act in the General Magic category, but she did not place.
You can watch that performance on our "Blast from the
Past" playlist.
https://youtu.be/xeNIOHugV4A
--------------------------------------------
9. Around The Lounge by Jeff Bibik
--------------------------------------------
Message by Jeff Bibik (US)
www.ChicgoMagicLounge.com
www.Bibik.com
Good
to be back at keyboard, thank you for all of the emails
and notes I received inquiring about my health and status
at the Chicago Magic Lounge. I am still performing there,
but the last few weeks' absence here has been due to a busy
travel and outside show schedule. It is Prom and Graduation
season, and many schools have all night parties which often
feature a hypnosis show. These are great events to perform
for, spirits are high and the audiences are ready to be
entertained. These high school seniors have had a rough
couple of years with home schooling and school shutdowns.
Of course we have all been affected, but these kids have
missed a lot so they (and I) are grateful to be back together
in person.
Around
the Lounge we have had some great performers come thru our
curtains. One of my favorites was Mark Clearview. He hails
from New York, where he is a regular at Caroline's Comedy
Club and many other venues. He's been on Fool Us and has
made many other TV appearances. What other magician begins
their show with bad rapping?? Who else has the opening line
of "Shut up"? Check out his web site and You Tube
videos. Great stuff, very original and creative.
Another
NY performer visited recently, Peter Samelson. Peter is
well known in the magic industry and has been featured at
the Lounge in the past. What stands out for me about Peter
is that he uses many music cues that add greatly to his
performances. While we usually feature 2 performers for
our stage shows, Peter does the entire hour by himself.
Standing ovations are common for Peter, especially since
he has the audience practice a SO at the beginning of his
act. It's a neat trick that works well!!
I
always like to give the headliners a little ribbing, so
after one of his performances I asked him "So when
do you think you lost them?" This is how you make friends
with other performers!!
Trent
James is a frequent performer and a great guy that we have
watched develop for many years. In his act he brings out
a violin case, and then pulls out a flute for a good laugh.
He was with us last weekend and on his final night I decided
to pull a little gag on him. I'm usually the first performer
to arrive at the Lounge, and his props were backstage. At
the performance bar we have a tiny violin that we use as
a gag. I took all of his props out of his violin case and
put the tiny violin in and walked away. A bit later Trent
came in and went backstage. A few minutes later he came
rushing into the bar holding the tiny violin "BIBIK!!
Was
this you?" I claimed ignorance, "I don't know
anything about it, What?? What are you talking about??"
He had a good laugh and I told him where to find his props
- it was pretty funny. Of course I would never just take
someone's props and hide them, that would be rude. But c'mon,
it's a violin case, there should be a violin in it!! So
always check your props.
Next
time - Magic for the visually impaired --
--------------------------------------------
10. News From The Academy Of Illusions
--------------------------------------------
Message by Jay Scott Berry (Australia)
In
August, '85, just after the FISM in Madrid, I moved to Paris,
with the intent of joining one of the many Revue Shows.
It was an amazing time, Richard Ross was performing at The
Crazy Horse, and my first apartment was on the 5th floor,
directly across from the famous Moulin Rouge. Once settled,
I connected with friends, including Christian Fechner and
Georges Proust at the Academie de Magie. One of my first
gigs was Strolling Magic at Le Train Bleu, an elegant, upscale
restaurant at Gare du Nord. Performing alongside Phillippe
Socrate and Gaeton Bloom, it was an auspicious beginning
to almost 40 years of presenting walkaround wonders.
Since
then, I've performed over 1,000 Roving gigs, indoor and
outdoor, from corporate parties, wedding receptions, trade
shows and conventions, to festivals, cabarets and night
clubs. From casual beach to black tie, for young and old
alike, I've finely tuned my skills and set list. My basic
criteria is carrying at least 9 effects that fit in the
pockets. Each is strong, visual, angle proof with instant
reset. They pack small and play big, with most routines
able to run from 1 to 5 minutes, as necessary. I've been
teaching my system, effects and techniques to private students,
via Zoom, over the past 2 years. Now that lockdowns are
easing, there is a renewed interest in this unique style
of presentation.
So,
by popular demand, I'm pleased to present the first Strolling
Magic ZoomStorming Masterclass, this Saturday at 12pm LA
Time, 3pm NY and 8pm UK. This will be a 2 hour intensive
session covering multiple situations, from effects and pocket
management to dress, approach, business cards, improv skills
and even promotional giveaways. For more info, please head
over to www.magicladder.net
Speaking
of, over this past week, Geno DeVille has rebranded DeVille
Magic to The Magic Ladder. This includes a full upgrade
of the website to prepare for more live streaming, downloads
and special events. All the accounts remain the same and
the recordings of The Key West Konvention are now available
to watch, free of charge, on the V-Stage. Simply Login and
under the menu - "All The Stuff" / Fun Stuff you
will see the Konvention link.
Finally,
looking ahead, we are very pleased to continue our alliance
with The Academy of Magical Arts. On June 11th, I will produce
my next Magic Castle Virtual Show, with two epic guest stars,
Greg Gleason and David Goldrake. As always, we will endeavor
to raise the bar, with a brand new, state-of-the-art, virtual
presentation. Excelsior!
-------------------------------------------
11. Let's Split! - John Carey #161
-------------------------------------------
Message by John Carey (UK)
http://www.johncareymagic.co.uk/
If
you want a strong and snappy gambling style effect that
doesn't go on forever, I think you may like this. Remove
the Aces and Jacks from your deck and discard the deck.
Casually get the Aces in CHSD order from the top and the
Jacks in CHSD order from the face. Of course you can pre-set
this ahead of time if you wish.
"Aces
and Jacks. Back in the day my game was Poker. Display the
Jacks and flip them face-down into dealing grip. Pick up
the face-up Aces and flip them face-down on top. "Let's
put the cards in pairs. Ace, Ace, Ace, Ace, Jack, Jack,
Jack, Jack." As you say this you start by dealing an
Ace face-down and then bottom deal a Jack on top of it.
Then deal an Ace next to the pair and once more bottom deal
a Jack on top of the single card. Repeat this making a third
pair, dealing a top, followed by a bottom. Finally, fairly
deal the last two cards one on top of the other into a packet
at the far right end of the row. Keep a nice, smooth tempo
as you do the layout.
I
next get one spectator to cover the two pairs of cards on
the left of the row with both hands and another spectator
to cover the remaining two packets. "Like I said earlier,
my game used to be Poker. But not anymore. Watch!"
Make the moment over the spectators hands and ask them to
lift them away. Pick up the left end pair and deal them
face-up to reveal a Blackjack in Clubs. Repeat this with
the remaining three pairs, showing Blackjacks in Hearts,
Spades and Diamonds. Take the money and start the car!
Executing
a bottom-deal from a small packet is much easier than a
deck. I use the Doctor Elliot bottom-deal that uses a straddle-grip,
that is fully explained in Dai Vernon's Ultimate Card Secrets.
-------------------------------------
12. Beneath The Trapdoor With Bronson Chadwick #4
-------------------------------------
Message by Bronson Chadwick (US)
We've
Seen This One
Ken
Weber, author of the book Maximum Entertainment suggested
that only a small amount of people have ever seen live mystery
entertainment. Indeed, only a very small part of the world
population has seen any magic or mentalism in their lives.
You
can do the same twelve tricks your entire life and let that
precious dozen effects be your entire professional repertoire.
Since most audiences have never seen magic (or you for that
matter) then it would be easy to repeat those same twelve
tricks and do them well enough so that it seems fresh to
your new audience, every single time.
But
what about those audiences who have seen a great deal of
magic already?
Recently
I celebrated my twenty-first birthday again for the thirteenth
time. The family took me out for a pleasant dinner at a
Japanese steakhouse; the kind of place where dinner is the
show in the Benihana type of atmosphere. I've been to a
few of these places and this particular location is a local
favorite of mine.
The
chef rolled in his cart of ingredients from the kitchen
along with utensils and a few novelty do-dads to put on
a great show. Being an entertainer I'm always eager to see
something fresh and new. With a big rush of fire on the
grill the show was underway. The chef cut vegetables faster
than you've ever seen. Stacks of onion layers were filled
with burning oil to create a miniature vegetable volcano
oozing out fire and smoke. Guests at our table were challenged
to catch chunks of rice in their mouth as they were tossed
through the air. It was delightful, but I had seen it all
before.
I
was a fairly regular customer at this grill as were many
others in the restaurant. Even though the staff changes
over fairly often, the material presented by the chefs is
often the same from one chef to another. It's a pleasant
surprise when we see something new by our chef but it's
rare that this happens.
The
same issue lies in magic. There are magic fans (not magicians
or magic hobbyists) out there who love attending magic shows.
They can be found at places like Las Vegas casino theaters,
at the Castle and other magic-heavy venues. These people
have seen it all. They love magic and they are hungry for
new magic. The problem is that there is very little "new"
in magic. Magicians often settle for monotony and mediocrity.
It's common to see the exact same magic show performed by
a new magician. Copycat magicians tend to do much of the
same material over and over.
The
best examples can be found on cruise ships. Magicians who
work ships tend to do much of the same material as other
cruise performers. Half-Dyed Hanky and Cards Across are
two textbook examples of common cruise ship pieces. They
are ideal for use by cruise performers because these items
back very small and play big on stage. Prop cases are filled
with lightweight material so magicians can fit the majority
of their act in their overhead luggage on a plane. I'm not
suggesting that there is anything wrong with these tricks
or the magicians that do these effects. I too have a fly-on
suitcase act that I can do in a similar fashion.
The
issue becomes the audience. In his book Cruise Magic 101,
Nick Lewin warns against this issue. Cruise ships have a
large demographic of frequent cruisers. These cruise guests
cruise at least once a year, usually more frequently than
that, and they have seen a LOT of magic. Once they've seen
Silk to Egg a dozen times there is no surprise factor anymore.
It takes a lot of thinking and creativity on the part of
the performer to show something new, complete with original
routining.
There
was a time when the same problem was found in magic contests.
I remember attending numerous SAM and IBM stage contests
where the same effects were being done by performers who
were dressed oddly similar, and they would even perform
to much of the same music!
Like
many magicians, I frequently do children's magic events.
Sometimes when I remove a pack of cards or some other iconic
item from my prop case you can hear a kid say, "I've
seen this one." Usually, this statement is a lie. Kids
have seen something similar or seen a magician on television
do something with cards or whatever object and in need for
attention and validation they claim they've "seen it
already" to try to get credit with their peers sitting
around them. But if a child can predict the ending to your
magic effect, then it might be time to shake things up.
Perhaps another magician in town has also been doing the
Strat-o-Spheres or Meta Morpho Spot Can and the kids know
what's going to happen. Maybe the kids have even seen you
doing the same trick before. Shake it up! The sanctity of
magic is the art of surprise. If there is no surprise, there
is no more "wow factor" and the magic is lost.
The
level of copycat magic out there is enormous and magic fans
are taking notice. We don't ever want for an audience to
feel like they've seen it all. A good magician should be
able to do original magic effects (or at least magic effects
that are seldom seen or long forgotten so it's still fresh
on the audience), combined with original routining to create
a thrilling and unique experience for everyone in the room;
including experienced magic audiences who otherwise would
say "we've seen this one." Let's work hard to
surprise our audiences and do something unique that audiences
have likely never seen before and never will see again.
Challenge:
What's one thing you could add to your act right now that
you can honestly say is truly unique and original enough
that not even magicians in your local club would recognize
it? Start with just one routine and go from there and make
something new. What are your thoughts?
Write
to me at bronsonchadwick@gmail.com
-------------------------------------
13. Masters Of Illusion
-------------------------------------
Message by Steve Moyer (US)
Up
next on week nine of season eight of masters of illusion
on the CW Network
Hosted
by Dean Cain
Saturday,
June 4th with two 30-minute episodes airing back to back,
starting at 9/8C
9:00
- 9:30 p.m. "Body Transformation"
Starring Ed Alonzo, Joshua Jay, Rob Lake, Tetro
Naathan Phan, Bill Cook and Paige Thompson
9:30 - 10:00 p.m.: "The Bed of Nails and the Magic
Wand"
Starring Naathan Phan, Jonathan Goodwin, Eric Jones,
Levent and Stuart MacDonald
(Hollywood, CA - June 1, 2022) - Masters of Illusion, produced
by Associated Television International and hosted by Dean
Cain, will present Week Nine of its Eighth Anniversary on
The CW Network with back-to-back episodes airing on Saturday,
June 4, 2022 9/8 Central.
Hosted by Dean Cain, Masters of Illusion features amazing
magic performed by 43 cutting-edge illusionists, escape
artists and performers displaying skills ranging from perplexing
interactive mind magic to hilarious comedy routines - all
in front of a studio audience.
This week's episodes will include:
Masters
of Illusion - "Body Transformations" - (9:00-9:30
p.m. ET) (Content Rating TBD) (HDTV)
Pushing
The Boundaries - Hosted by Dean Cain, Masters of Illusion
features amazing magic performed by cutting-edge illusionists,
escape artists and performers displaying skills ranging
from perplexing interactive mind magic to hilarious comedy
routines - all in front of a studio audience. Magicians
featured in this episode include: Ed Alonzo with Dean Cain,
Joshua Jay (An Amazing Story Up Close), Rob Lake (Pushing
the Boundaries), Tetro (Unexplainable and Unpredictable),
Naathan Phan (Bag of Tricks), Bill Cook (Magical Messaging)
and Paige Thompson (A Magical Challenge) (808). Original
airdate 6/4/2022.
To view performance highlights of the June 4th original
episode airing from 9:00 - 9:30 p.m., please visit: (Highlight
Clip of Magician Ed Alonzo and Dean Cain) https://warnerbros.box.com/s/qaw2rnkwblklmd44o4vkn1o91nb88wd4
and (Compilation Clip of all the magicians in this episode)
https://vimeo.com/707068270/6a02acf9fd
Masters
of Illusion - "The Bed of Nails and the Magic Wand"
- (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET) (Content Rating TBD) (HDTV) Making
The Impossible Possible - Hosted by Dean Cain, Masters of
Illusion features amazing magic performed by cutting-edge
illusionists, escape artists and performers displaying skills
ranging from perplexing interactive mind magic to hilarious
comedy routines - all in front of a studio audience. Magicians
featured in this episode include: Naathan Phan and Dean
Cain, Jonathan Goodwin (Bed of Nails), Eric Jones (Making
The Impossible Possible), Levent (In Knots) and Stuart MacDonald
(Disobedient MagicWand). (#806). (Encore Presentation) Original
airdate 5/7/2022.
To view performance highlights of the June 4th encore episode
airing from 9:30 - 10:00 p.m., please visit: (Compilation
Clip of all the magicians in this episode: https://vimeo.com/699862104/0a191117cb
--------------------------------------------
14. E-zine Archives
---------------------------------------------
Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e- zine go to:
www.magicnewzealand.com
Click
on the red button centre right "Archives"
When you enter the archive the e- zines are in issue order
in folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt
first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the
date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999)
--------------------------------------------
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