The Modern Mystic League
JULY 2023
Blackburn & District Society of Magicians
Desert Island Tricks: Members' Day
As far as attendance numbers were concerned, our July meeting resembled a workshop event, but all present were keen to share their ideas for tricks and books to take with them onto the iconic desert island.
I was first up, with a look at the Tossed Out Deck, invented by David Hoy in 1963 (making this year its 60th birthday) and described by Wayne Dobson as the best magic routine ever created. It has audience participation, combined with an intriguing plot, comedy and mystery, and is very simple to perform. The effect on an audience far outweighs the level of skill required.
I traced the input of many practitioners over the years, including Wayne himself with his ‘ultimate’ version, Gazzo, Pete Firman, John Archer, Kennedy and Max Maven – even extending to Luke Jermay’s Touched by Hoy spin-off. Each brought a new subtlety to further enhance the overall effect (mine was the introduction of an assistant Annette – or ‘a-net’ – to facilitate a deck switch), and there was the potential for even more development on the island . . . the only problem being the lack of an audience!
My choice of desert island reading matter was Mike Caveney’s mammoth, beautifully illustrated history of magic from the sixteenth century to the present day.
Allan Clarke took a length of rope from a playing card box before executing a perfect silk-off-rope effect, following up with an ESP routine, and the card routine Pick Me, Pick Me Not. Allan credited Nick Trost and Aldo Colombini, choosing Nick Trost’s Card Magic as his go-to book and the The Essential Card Magic Toolbox DVD set by Liam Montier, as his luxury item.
Roger Woods recommended getting a personalised ‘bar runner’ as a close-up mat before launching into the cups and balls, which he said he would like to perfect during his time on the island, having studied the moves of Michael Amar, Dai Vernon, Jamy Ian Swiss et al. Roger referenced the Anytime Anywhere Cups and Balls book by Brian Watson, who has also produced a limited-edition pewter statuette of The Street Magician performing the effect. Roger, of course, would not go anywhere without his Si Stebbins set-up deck, and Juan Tamariz’s Mnemonica would be required reading.
I was first up, with a look at the Tossed Out Deck, invented by David Hoy in 1963 (making this year its 60th birthday) and described by Wayne Dobson as the best magic routine ever created. It has audience participation, combined with an intriguing plot, comedy and mystery, and is very simple to perform. The effect on an audience far outweighs the level of skill required.
I traced the input of many practitioners over the years, including Wayne himself with his ‘ultimate’ version, Gazzo, Pete Firman, John Archer, Kennedy and Max Maven – even extending to Luke Jermay’s Touched by Hoy spin-off. Each brought a new subtlety to further enhance the overall effect (mine was the introduction of an assistant Annette – or ‘a-net’ – to facilitate a deck switch), and there was the potential for even more development on the island . . . the only problem being the lack of an audience!
My choice of desert island reading matter was Mike Caveney’s mammoth, beautifully illustrated history of magic from the sixteenth century to the present day.
Allan Clarke took a length of rope from a playing card box before executing a perfect silk-off-rope effect, following up with an ESP routine, and the card routine Pick Me, Pick Me Not. Allan credited Nick Trost and Aldo Colombini, choosing Nick Trost’s Card Magic as his go-to book and the The Essential Card Magic Toolbox DVD set by Liam Montier, as his luxury item.
Roger Woods recommended getting a personalised ‘bar runner’ as a close-up mat before launching into the cups and balls, which he said he would like to perfect during his time on the island, having studied the moves of Michael Amar, Dai Vernon, Jamy Ian Swiss et al. Roger referenced the Anytime Anywhere Cups and Balls book by Brian Watson, who has also produced a limited-edition pewter statuette of The Street Magician performing the effect. Roger, of course, would not go anywhere without his Si Stebbins set-up deck, and Juan Tamariz’s Mnemonica would be required reading.
Brian Berry closed the first half of the afternoon by speaking movingly about the support he had received from members during his protracted stay in hospital, with the prospect that he may never walk again. He proved this prognosis wrong, helped by his love of magic and the determination to learn some new simple card routines. Two books of easy card tricks, by Peter Arnold and James Weir, had certainly ‘done the trick’, and we were treated to some examples. Brian would also take to the island his favourite piece of apparatus – ‘Pentablock’, made by Peter Diamond. This he demonstrated, with the aid of Allan.
Part two opened with Paul Guy and ‘Wonderbox Extra’, for which he had created an additional pedestal to enhance the effect. Paul regards this as the perfect illusion in miniature. As we know, he is a dab hand at making things, and pointed out several items he had constructed from the book Introducing Bill’s Magic by long-serving British Ring secretary, Bill Stickland. This included the very impressive Noah’ Ark production box which he had used in his initiation show. The book would be the perfect manual for further DIY projects on the island.
Carl Pearson presented This Way Up from Colin Cloud/McLeod, cleverly using the Svengali principle to force phrases which could then be dramatically revealed by the performer. The notebooks involved were simple and cheap to construct, allowing multiple versions to ring the changes. Carl opted for Pat Page’s notorious Big Book of Magic as his reading matter – notorious because it had him suspended from the British Ring for exposing the fundamental secrets of magic when sold cheaply to a mass market.
Donald (the Average) Monk closed the session with his self-illustrated card trick using the Magic Bunny. With an endless supply of artist’s material on the island, he could certainly come up with more delightful goodies.
All agreed that this had been a very fruitful theme, encompassing the whole spectrum of magic with members being able to focus upon their own favourite aspects of our craft.
Brian
Part two opened with Paul Guy and ‘Wonderbox Extra’, for which he had created an additional pedestal to enhance the effect. Paul regards this as the perfect illusion in miniature. As we know, he is a dab hand at making things, and pointed out several items he had constructed from the book Introducing Bill’s Magic by long-serving British Ring secretary, Bill Stickland. This included the very impressive Noah’ Ark production box which he had used in his initiation show. The book would be the perfect manual for further DIY projects on the island.
Carl Pearson presented This Way Up from Colin Cloud/McLeod, cleverly using the Svengali principle to force phrases which could then be dramatically revealed by the performer. The notebooks involved were simple and cheap to construct, allowing multiple versions to ring the changes. Carl opted for Pat Page’s notorious Big Book of Magic as his reading matter – notorious because it had him suspended from the British Ring for exposing the fundamental secrets of magic when sold cheaply to a mass market.
Donald (the Average) Monk closed the session with his self-illustrated card trick using the Magic Bunny. With an endless supply of artist’s material on the island, he could certainly come up with more delightful goodies.
All agreed that this had been a very fruitful theme, encompassing the whole spectrum of magic with members being able to focus upon their own favourite aspects of our craft.
Brian