4bb
present "Twisting the Aces" in an intimate mood. After finishing the tric
I ask if I have managed to make anyone forget the name of the selection,
Usually most people say no; they still remember it perfectly.
I ask for a second opportunity. To make it more complex and ensure
that they forget the card this time, I will add the Five of the same suit.
do that and proceed with Stanton's "1-2-3-4-5". At the end, I announce, no
longer asking, "I have made you all forget the card.. Can I ask those who
still remember it to raise their hands?" Most people do, even those With
doubts, and I say, "Well, at least I've managed to make some people forget
it. But if you give me one last chance, I will make you all forget it." The
incredible promise seems to have begun to be fulfilled. The challenge pro-
duces more excitement.
I continue with the third trick: "Ambitious Classic". In it there is a
moment in which one card turns face up, as in "1\visting the Aces". So
it acts as an evocation of the first trick I next announce that "Besides
making the card reverse, I can make it turn back to its original condi-
tion, 'unreversing' it." Thus I have moved forward dramatically: I have
repeated and evoked the first trick, but with a fresh element.
At the end of the trick, I ask which card I have left in my hand. Everyone
names the Five of Hearts. I say, "You are right, but I made you all forget
the name of the selected card," and I smile triumphantly. When the spec-
tators object, saying they still remember it perfectly, I feign despair. The
moment is somewhat dramatic. It looks like I've made a mistake, and they
know this is the last trick in the routine. I challenge them to name the card
and they do. "Well, if I haven't been able to make you forget it, let's brin,g
it here!" And I show that the card in my hand (thought to be the Five) has
magically transformed into the card they have named, the one that was
selected anq_ lost in the deck Big surprise! Great impact! And the dramatit
conflict is resolved--;-with magic!
The routine grew to have a structure when I added my attempt to make
them forget the card to the theme of "magic with few cards". In this case,
I make an impossible promise and, although I don't fulfill it, the outcome
is so unexpected and magical that the spectators don't feel disappointed
frustrated ..
.1..1.1.01.,c:;«.u., they are surprised at the same time genu-
242
elY amazed and fascinated.
ow let's get into the subject of the construction of a sessior or show.
When I initially thought. of writing on this topic and ye4rs ago gave a
lecture on the subject, the first thing I thought of was to rea1Programmes
ofFamous Magicians. 243 The book describes the acts of so!'1-e of the greats
of magic and allows us to study and analyze how they structured their
shows, what tricks they did, etc. I learned a great deal, but I soon realized
there was a problem. In many cases, I had not seen these magicians per-
form; and tricks were referred to by their names alone, some of which I
was not familiar with. I saw the difficulty in writing about these programs
in a way that made my observations productive. It is more useful, then,
if I comment on how I structure my own sessions, because I know why
those tricks are used and why they are in a particular order. Naturally,
these constructions are valid only for me and my style. They probably will
not suit your personality, your style or your taste. I describe them only as
examples and as hooks on which to hang some considerations and reflec-
tions on the subject.
Close-Up Magic Sessions
In close-up magic, I will differentiate between two cases: The first is
semi-improvised session. Here I put myself into a close-up situation
for the magic, which is to say, with a reduced audience, up. to twenty
to thirty spectators, forming a close circle around me as I'm seated at a
table,J prefer this arrangement, although it stops me from using certain
moves and strategies (the use of the lap being the most obvious) and
forces me to adapt others to cover angles from behind. I feel truly close
242. By the way, Luis Garcia Soutullo loved this routine and premise when he saw
it in the 1980s, and he composed beautiful patter for it.
243.Programmes of Famous Magicians, Max Holden, 1937, New York
N
s1pie{:::t:a.t{::n~s also ideally occupying no more than two
People seated in a third row would not have a clear view of the table
face. If there must be a third row, the people in it should sit on high st
or stand. With a third row, there can be room for about forty people,
very close; the farthest, standing, would be no more than seven feet fr
me, so that, if both of us were to lean forward, one could hand an obj
to the other.
This compactness of the group makes everyone feel like participan
spect-actors. Because of the proximity, we can also hear everyon
comments and little screams of amazement ("No way! It can't be! I can
believe it! Oh!"). Since everyone's reactions reach the entire audien
they cause multiple and mutual feedback, generating group cohesio
increasing the emotion of a shared experience and creating a uniqu
and marvelous magical atmosphere for both the individual and the co
lective group. Everyone participates without leaving his place. All feel·
unison. They resonate among themselves or with the magician, and t
magician with them.
Not only do they hear each other, but the gestures and facial expresi
sions of the more animated spectators are transmitted to the others
increasing the sensations of impossibility, wonder, fascination, magic.
There is little else I can explain about the construction of these ses
sions, since I usually leave it all to improvisation. I do the tricks I feel
like doing, based on my preferences of the moment. I adapt to the
cumstances, to the reactions of the spectators and.to the emotions being
experienced by the group, including my own. This is a way of performing
we all use during short sessions, but I feel completely at ease and very
alive when I apply this improvised construction to longer sessions of an
hour or more.
There is, however, always a certain basic structure that I respect.
have some favorite openers (''Shuffle thoroughly, think of a card, name:
it. Look! I had it in my pocket!'} Then there are other quick, power,.
ful tricks with unexpected and totally impossible effects. Tricks I include
in the first part of the session attempt to shake the rational logic of the
ators (shake-or knock it down,. if possible, the idea being to put
Ct
ic to sleep for a while).
In the second part of the session-it'~ not equal halves, and they aren't
arly distinguished; they merge together-come tricks t~at are more
inating-the most poetic, the dreamiest and the most apPrealing to the
I
agination and artistic sensitivities of the spectators: the ~oomwmder
•
and its beautiful invitation to recover childhood and ;experience it
· , the Haunted Deck, "Los Centauros" ... tricks to enjoy j;vhen the Bull
Logic has surrendered, when it's time to experience, explore and enjoy
e Magic Rainbow.,
This is not only for artistic reasons, but also for practical ones. If I
esent "El Cochecito" (my routine for the Koomwinder Kar) or the
aunted Deck during the first moments of the session, it is quite possible
at logic, still awake and perhaps willing to fight, like a traitor whispers
the spectators: "There is a remote control that moves the little car. My
•ephew has some toys at home that move like that." Or "That has mag-
ets. The cards that move have metal in them, or rubber bands or... " It is
ot enough if such solutions are later proved wrong or insufficient: The
ar knows where the chosen card is, even though the cards are face down
1
d shuffled. It is wiser than the spectators, and no remote control can
roduce wisdom. Or, the haunted deck is handed out at the end, there is
othing in the magician's hands, etc.
It's not enough because, even though the solutions are proved wrong,
art of the charm of the effect will be lost, since some spectators, perhaps
many, are still using their logic to attempt to find solutions, maybe even
without wanting to. They are attempting to recover from the collision of
logic with the impossible-but-experienced. That keeps them from fully
njoying this special kind of trick
l That is why I include all the most fascinating tricks in the second
:part of the session, the ones just mentioned and many others: the Color-
hanging Knives, Card to Hat, my menu "a la card" of card tricks, etc.
To end the session, I use one of those tricks I consider strong
nough to close with, because of the great impact of their impossibility