There’s More to Magic than Fool Us

If you buy a magic trick or learn it through a video or book, and you fool someone, or an even a whole audience, the trick worked, it did what it was supposed to, but did you? That’s the question. Everyone has a different approach to magic. That’s what makes it so much fun, but if you just fool someone and leave them wondering and trying to figure it out, I don’t think it’s enough. They should feel thrilled, excited, astonished, delighted and a whole host of other adjectives. The trick can’t do that by itself. You are the one that makes that happen.

Everyone has their own personality. You have to find yourself, your magic self, and when you are magic and the trick is magic you have a winning situation.

Last week we had a visit from Mysterion and Steffi. (on the right, next is Phil and Adam Sutton. (Adam is working on a documentary, The Magic History of Cinema) Mysterion and Steffi performed at the Wiggle Room last week. Phil and I did not get to see the show as it was too late in the evening for us old timers, but I didn’t have to go to know they would be great. They have an act they worked out together.  They each have their own personality, which shines through what they are doing. They did some magic here and it was such fun and amazing and we have no idea how they did it.

But this I know. It didn’t happen overnight. It took time and thought and practice. Lots of practice.

Spidey wrote a post for my blog.(see Montreal’s Spidey Makes It to Penn and Teller). He was a young awkward kid when he first came into the shop, and now he is on top, no longer awkward and a terrific magician and hypnotist.  In his post he takes the time to tell you what you have to do, what he did, and it paid off. A tip of the hat to him and all the others who go the extra mile to make their brand of magic special.