Bill Abbott and Volunteer

The beautifully appointed rear room of the Garden City Magic Shop was our home for the evening and Carlos Blades was our host.  Carlos is to hospitality as white is to snow.  It is his essence.    

 

Speaking of snow, Bill Abbott is a working professional from Toronto, Ontario.  And while his background ? and apparent passion ? is mentalism, the effects presented this evening were decidedly non-mentalism. 

 

Mr. Abbott is a quiet but quick man.  His ability to work the room and stray from what must be a rather well-rehearsed script was commendable and entertaining.  Each lecture has a central theme.  In the past, some lectures have focused on: developing stage presence, being original, buying tricks and lecture notes, or even how to develop original methods of getting magic club audiences to buy lecture notes on stage presence. 

 

Mr. Abbott?s focus was on the development of the character through the presentation and selection of magic.

 

In keeping with Mr. Abbott?s character, the lecture began with a calm, low-key presentation of a cut and restored rope but with a double production of the slip knot.   The routine was standard, but nicely introduced with the fiery transformation of flash string to a full length of rope.  It was a nice introduction into the routine with flash string taken out of his button hole. 

 

The second effect was a complete contrast to the first. Mind Control borrows from standards such as the Equivoque or Magician?s Choice as well as the old Mental Prediction.  The effect, however, was more powerful than the two ploys independent of each other. …
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