Derren Brown on the Move – Tour Set

Derren Brown

Derren Brown caused quite a stir in the UK last week with his TV show “Heist.” 

True to its title, Heist featured Brown’s ability to influence his subjects completely.  He persuaded four managers unwittingly to carry out an armed robbery.

From our read of the British papers, only one of the several potential subjects balked at Mr. Brown’s order to steal, to commit a crime. 

That’s pretty influential.

The UK press has gone wild for this young man (he’s still only 34) who claims no supernatural power, only the refined skills of perception and influence. 

He garnered great attention with his live (with seven second delay in case he failed) Russian roulette challenge.

His tour named for the Ray Bradbury classic, Something Wicked This Way Comes has sold out in almost every venue and begins its newest swing this March.

Check out some incredible video clips from Mr. Brown’s Channel 4 television program here

And whilst your browser is in the UK, check out Mr. Brown’s very professional and easy to navigate web site here.

 
Continue reading Derren Brown on the Move – Tour Set

Spring is in the Air – David Copperfield Starts Advance Work

David Copperfield

We love hearing the magical phrase “pitchers and catchers to report.”  It means Spring Training for Baseball has started and that means Spring is here.  

For the folks in the warmer climes, Spring is important and welcomed.  For those of us in the frigid northern states, Spring is the reason for enduring.

A second phrase indicates Spring is on its way.  David Copperfield begins his yearly tour of our region and his advance work signals the start of happier days.  The phrase we seek is, “Speaking by phone from a tour stop in ____.”

Mr. Copperfield has an innate ability to bring crowds to his performances through sheer talent but he takes no chances.  He also works the press better than many circus advance-men we know. 

In each interview, Mr. Copperfield gives the impression his entire tour was designed to provide peak performance in the newspaper’s town. 

An article in today’s Daily Press (VA) gives the impression that crowds of the type he expects during his now sold-out shows scheduled for this weekend is absolutely necessary to keep him excited about performing.

Even at the end of a physically demanding show, which he sometimes performs four times in a day, Copperfield says he is not exhausted. Instead, he says, he feels energized by the reactions he gets out of his audiences.

“To do this many shows, I have to enjoy it,” he says. “It’s very enjoyable to take skeptics and turn them into people who want to come back a second time.”

So the Copperfield Season has begun.  He’ll soon be in Michigan and we’ll see him as we do every year.  He’ll also be quoted from phone interviews by papers and news stations about a week in advance of his shows across the country. 

Mark our words, Mr. Copperfield will find something unique to say about each show in each venue in each state.  He will give the fans from past shows, from his television work, and even those who have yet to see him work, a reason to believe this is the show to see. 

This year’s edition is more than special.  It is precisely geared to the audience he can’t wait to entertain. 

Check out the article and read how Mr. Copperfield has many different methods of performing each illusion.

In order to protect the secrets of his illusions, he develops four or five methods to perform each one.

“I have many ways to accomplish each thing I do on stage,” he says. “That way, if someone starts writing about it or posting about it on the Internet and I sense that they’re getting too close to revealing how it’s being done, I can switch to a different method of doing it, and that way I keep the illusion.”

How can you not love the guy. He has done more for magic than anyone seems willing to admit.  We plan on dropping in the line about four or five different methods in our next show.  It’s too good to not steal.

Check out his
Continue reading Spring is in the Air – David Copperfield Starts Advance Work

Get Caught-Up on SCAM on Magic Broadcast – Live

We Think They Were Happy to See Us Again

We are having a wonderful time at the South Carolina Association of Magicians ("SCAM") in beautiful and warm Columbia, South Carolina.

Even when we registered with the local law enforcement as required, they were friendly and out-going.  One detective suggested we might try some sort of trick with the ankle bracelet, "Just don't try a Houdini and open it." 

We all laughed.  Some kept laughing a little too long and that caused us concern. 

This is our third or fourth time down and we are always amazed at the work of organizer  Henry Pettit.  We raved about last year's edition but found it has been surpassed already by this iteration.

We'll be back to the site during breaks in the action. 

You can listen in on SCAM by tuning in Chastain Criswell and Doc Docherty broadcasting live from the convention floor not far from our typing position. 

They're great guys and the broadcast is professional.  They're live right now… http://www.magicbroadcast.com.

We just watched as Chastain interviewed Gazzo and listened in during Mick Ayres' time on the air. 

We have to get some skin lotion now.  We're guessing the man or woman who last used the ankle locator device had some skin infection because we don't normally chafe this badly. 

 

Continue reading Get Caught-Up on SCAM on Magic Broadcast – Live

The Great Alex Elmsley Passes

Alex Elmsley

We heard the sad news of Alex Elmsley’s passing from Alan Watson’s
Magic New Zealand
(r) web service confirming what what we heard from
other magicians and forums.

We understand Mr. Elmsley suffered a heart-attack Sunday, January 8th in London.

Mr. Elmsley was one of the greats of magic and his name is rightly
associated with so many effects and moves magicians consider essential
to performing.

In addition to his namesake The Elmsley Count, the former patent agent
offered books, videos, constant lectures, and convention appearances.
We never heard a negative word spoken about Mr. Elmsley. 

He was known as a gentleman in the truest sense and happy to help young
magicians bent on moving from “automatic” tricks to miracles requiring
sleight of hand. 

Mr. Elmsley was born on March 2, 1929.

 

Continue reading The Great Alex Elmsley Passes

The Great Alex Elmsley Passes

Alex Elmsley

We heard the sad news of Alex Elmsley’s passing from Alan Watson’s
Magic New Zealand
(r) web service confirming what what we heard from
other magicians and forums.

We understand Mr. Elmsley suffered a heart-attack Sunday, January 8th in London.

Mr. Elmsley was one of the greats of magic and his name is rightly
associated with so many effects and moves magicians consider essential
to performing.

In addition to his namesake The Elmsley Count, the former patent agent
offered books, videos, constant lectures, and convention appearances.
We never heard a negative word spoken about Mr. Elmsley. 

He was known as a gentleman in the truest sense and happy to help young
magicians bent on moving from “automatic” tricks to miracles requiring
sleight of hand. 

Mr. Elmsley was born on March 2, 1929.

 

Continue reading The Great Alex Elmsley Passes