Peter
Samelson (US) - Auckland only Lecture
Sponsered
by: IBM Ring 160 and Magic New Zealand
When: Thursday 19th February, 7.30pm
Where: IBM Ring 160 Club Rooms, Raye Freedman Library,
788 Remuera Road, Meadowbank.
Price: Adults $25, Juniors (School age) $10, Parents
and Partners $5 and financial IBM 160 members $10
Contact: Danny Phillips danny@mostlymagic.co.nz
IMPORTANT
NOTICE - If you are planning
to attend the Peter
Samelson (From USA) lecture in Auckland you MUST
pre-registered with Danny Phillips - danny@mostlymagic.co.nz
Peter Samelson (US) Lecture Small Changes
Make a Big Difference
Thursday 19th February
Peter Samelson is a man with a long resumé:
international performer (Private, Corporate, Theaters, Colleges,
the top Cruise Lines,) headliner and producer of New York’s
Monday Night Magic and Magical Nights, consultant to Movies,
Commercials and B’way, star of 3 critically acclaimed
Off-B’way shows, and respected lecturer and author.
The lecture is a 2.5 hour event using multi-media to help
explore and explain Peter Samelson’s approach to creating
Theatrical Magic. The lecture is based on his book Theatrical
Close Up (long out of print, available here in a digital
edition), and his unpublished Theatrical Cabaret.
In the course of the Lecture, Peter teaches and performs
material from his working repertoire with attention to the
small details that have a huge impact and the theoretical
underpinnings of why those changes matter and why they work.
Program/Lecture Content
• Introduction – Sampler, Snowstorm and the
Patrick Page Bouquet Production
1. Design for Theater – Video exposés of two
illusions – for stage and film
2. Slo-Mo-Show ’N’ Vanish – One Coin as Theater
3. Who, What, Why – Tools for creating “Magic”
4. Heartstrings – Imagery and scripting in Gypsy Thread
5. Justification – Tools for Misdirection
6. The Phoenix – New Life from the Ashes
• Short Break
7. Inspirations – The things that inspire creativity
8. Cards #1 – The Invasion of the Body Snatchers
9. Cards #2 – New York Transpo
10. Ring & Rope – 5” Ring & Shoelace
11. Ring & Rose – Ring in Box (Introducing Peter’s
Perfect Pocket Perch)
12. Questioning – Final opportunity to cover requested
material
• Sales of Notes and Videos
Peter
Samelson (US) Lecture review
No. 244 Long Island, New York - Frank Garcia Ring
Meets 1st Thursday, Syosset Public Library, Syosset, New
York
June is busting out all over and this month we invited Peter
Samelson to lecture. He accepted our invitation and I’m
sure glad he did. As his website says, “Peter Samelson
insists he doesn’t do magic… he only helps people
see it.”
“He is an illusionist/entertainer/philosopher, blending
simplicity and sophistication as he provokes thought and
inspires wonder.”
Peter published a book in 1984 entitled Theatrical Close-up.
This book is currently out of print but there is talk about
re-printing it later on this year and, if I may editorialize,
it would be worth your investment. He performed a number
of items from the book, some updated for new millennium
technology.
Peter started off with Mimetic Slo-Mo Coin which is a beautiful
one coin item that really has to be seen to be really appreciated.
He followed that with his ring and rope routine that has
alternate endings – one being Ring Flite and the other
being Ring in Box. This lead to a brief discussion on three
types of justification - logical, physical and emotional.
In other words, during a routine, we may have to justify
certain actions to the audience and these three methods
are a means to an end.
This discussion was followed by a performance of New York
Transpo which is Peter’s take on the Chicago Opener
plot. This routine originally appeared in his book but has
been updated to include state of the art technology. Peter
explained that, as a result of rampant exposure on the Internet,
we have to re-think our material or give it a new and different
spin in order to keep it fresh for our audiences.
Next was his entertaining version of Wild Card that he calls
The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Peter concluded with
the Phoenix which is a burnt and restored paper napkin effect.
He also included an alternate presentation based on the
old cigarette ashes in the hand trick. This was a perfect
example of re-thinking the old standards. He also included
adaptations to make this effect conducive to strolling magic
situations.
It is extremely apparent that Peter Samelson is one of
magic’s brightest thinkers.
His movements are choreographed and his patter is scripted
making for an extremely tight performance. If anyone out
there ever attends a Peter Samelson lecture or for that
matter, a performance, and I sure hope that you do, and
you don’t learn anything, it’s your own fault.
Bill Krupskas, O.M.
