 OH NO NOT ANOTHER DAMNED BORING PICK A CARD TRICK!
Before I say anything else I’d like to stress that since I performed my first paid magic show in 1975 at the age of eleven, I like most magicians have, or in my case, did employ playing cards extensively in my shows. They are quite simply one of the most versatile and portable props a magician can carry on his or her person. Since they first became popular with magicians in the nineteenth century some amazing gaffs, sleights and routines have been invented by some of the most creative minds in magic and every year the boundaries seem to be pushed further. But, and it is a big but, it seems to me that in the recent history of magic, at least in my living memory (52 years at the time of writing) the magic fraternity has become obsessed with cards and card magic. You only have to look at the websites of online dealers to realise that effects and routines with cards out number just about every other branch of magic. As a performer for well over 30 years now, it has become somewhat obvious to me that towards the end of the twentieth century and with the advance of electronic multimedia home entertainment systems, the popularity of playing cards as a source of fun and games for both adults and children, began to dwindle (in the UK at least) and cards no longer being the household objects they were during the 19th century, have instead become synonymous with magicians and sleight of hand which is of course why many mentalists refuse to use them. Unfortunately, that in my opinion, isn’t the only problem and this will probably upset a few of the card men out there, the simple fact is that the demise of the music halls which drove magicians to the close up table, has resulted in a hundred years of card wielding performers subjecting audiences around the world to the pick-a-card trick and worse than that, the strange new trend of multiple card cutting (the Cybil Cut, sometimes called the Dynamo Shuffle), a display of dexterity which has nothing to do with magic, but instead falls into the category of juggling. Of course there is nothing wrong with juggling, it is a very skillful art, but it simply isn’t magic. These of course are only my opinions, observations gleaned from thirty years of professional performances and they could be completely wrong, but assuming you agree with some of what I’ve just said, how do we lift our pick a card effects out of the realm of the juggler into the world of magic and mystery, how do we take 52 boring pieces of cardboard and use them to create a piece of emotional theatre, in simple terms how do we avoid the pick-a-card boredom factor? Answer, share the ancient mystical history surrounding playing cards in the introductory patter you use for your standard card routines, and then personalise the cards chosen by utilising a quick and easy fortune telling/mystical reading system. This is known as Cartomancy. Please let’s make an effort to put the mystery back, believe me with just a small amount of thought, any magician can add an emotional hook to his or her pick a card tricks and I guarantee your audiences will thank you for it. “WITHOUT PROPER PRESENTATION, THE BEST SLEIGHT OF HAND IS NOTHING MORE THAN A FEAT OF JUGGLING.” NATE LEIPZIG Comments are closed.
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