The Snake Basket

I have loved the Khyber Cobra trick ever since I was a kid and saw it performed at the Boston Magirama/Magical. It is just one of those tricks that is so fun it just sticks in your head. It’s a classic. Collector’s Workshop makes a terrific remote controlled version of it. But since my lottery number hasn’t come up yet, I have developed this version. Its main advantage is that it is cheap to...

Audio Equipment Revisited, Part 1

Given the current state of electronics available to the average magician, this is a good time to revisit the issue of audio equipment. However, let me first restate that the purpose of our “Magic Tech” column is to consider some of the technical issues for a practical one or two person stand-up show. In several years of producing my own self-contained cabaret act for 50 to 300+...

“Astonish Yourself!” by Roger-Pol Droit

I recently had a magical experience while getting a haircut. Allow me to explain. I was sitting in the chair, absently gazing at my reflection in the mirror in front of me, while my hairstylist clipped away. My eyes idly wandered from the reflection of my face to the reflection of my torso, wrapped in a black apron to prevent pesky hairs from clinging to my clothes, down to my legs, clad in...

A House with Many Rooms

May I share some of my imaginings with you? I imagine that magic is very much like a house with many rooms. I imagine that some of these rooms are large and brightly lit and many people enter. Other rooms are smaller and darker and are inviting only to a few. I see a room for dove workers and another for magic clowns. There is a cheerful room devoted to Gospel magic and another, rather more...

Unfinished Pictures

It is a stormy night. Trees are bending in the wind. The sky is threatening. Occasional claps of thunder ring in the distance. The rain has come and soon the city will be washed clean. The sky seems to burst open, the rain turns into a storm, as we arrive at our destination. I wanted to introduce you to a friend of mine – an artist, a painter. Together, we have come to his studio and,...

“The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” by Michael Chabon

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is something of a fantasy novel, but not in the usual sense of the phrase. There are no elves or dragons in this book. And yet, at its heart, the book is about the importance of magic and fantasy for their power to instill hope in the midst of suffering and loss. Josef Kavalier dreams of escape from the harsh reality of Prague under the German...

The Real Work

We’ve practiced all of our moves. We’ve rehearsed the entire act. We’ve shown it to our friends. What now? The next step is to get our new creations out of the rehearsal studio and into a live performance venue. One of the problems that many magicians run into early on, is that their “dream show,” that they practice only in the rehearsal studio, is not practical in...

Match Pulls & Snowstorms

Jeez! Louise! These things can cost between $10 to $30!!! I can make a match pull for pennies and a dozen snowstorms for three dollars worth of tissue paper that I can buy in the grocery store. Sure it takes a little time to make ‘em. But that is what hobbies are all about. Taking the time make something that works, all by yourself. There is a certain pride and joy in that. At least there is for...

Design Duplication

In 1992 I wanted to create a piece of magic in which an audience member became a mind reader “in training”. It would be a Karnac type routine, wherein the spectator would be placed in the starring role and receive all of the laughs and applause. I needed some type of punch to close the presentation. Perhaps the spectator really could reveal something truly astounding? Though I generally don’t...

Backdrops, Part 2

ABBOTT’S JET SET is perhaps the most famous and inexpensive tripod system for magicians ($70). They have it manufactured specifically for magicians. This hardware only package is chrome-plated, has no loose parts, collapses down to 3’ x 5” in diameter, and weighs less than 7 lbs. As I mentioned, 6’ x 6’ is rather small, but you can safely extend it to 8’ x 8’ with simple piping available from...