get it here | COVER: The True Story of The Expert at the Card Table (by David Britland)
It's rare that a magic show gets a standing ovation, particularly from an audience of magicians, but that is the moment no one who attended MAGIC Live in 2009 will forget. The entire audience burst into applause and stood en masse to show their appreciation. It was loud and long and well deserved. The magician on the receiving end of that adulation was Guy Hollingworth, slightly apprehensive before the show and now wrapped in a smile. The reason for the ovation was his new show The Expert at the Card Table, a dramatic exploration into the mind and world of the murdering cardsharp Milton Franklin Andrews. The show lasted an hour but the work that went into creating it took twelve years. This is the remarkable story of how it all came about.
A Conversation with Charles Reynolds (by Peter Samelson)
Respected magic consultant Charles Reynolds passed away on November 4, 2010 [see "Update," Page 35].
Although he had a background in magic, Reynolds spent much of his professional life as an expert in photography. His career as a magic consultant began when Doug Henning asked him to take on the role for Henning's first television special. Reynolds continued in that capacity for all eight of Henning's specials, as well as Merlin on Broadway. He later became magic director for Harry Blackstone Jr. Reynolds also consulted on, created, and directed magic for a number of Broadway productions, pop music tours, and television shows, including several series in the UK with John Fisher. In 1999, Reynolds was named one of the most influential magicians of the last 100 years in "The Century" poll conducted by MAGIC Magazine. Charles lived in New York City's Greenwich Village with his wife, Regina, with whom he coauthored several books.
Two years ago, David ! Charvet conducted an "In His Words" interview with Reynolds, which can be seen now online at MAGICmagazine.com. Over the past two months, Peter Samelson has been continuing that conversation.
The Biggest - The Smallest (by Rory Johnston)
It's going on midnight. Greg Gleason and five stagehands have just finishing packing up the props: a Gaughan Levitation, a full-sized Helicopter Appearance, a Table of Death, a Compressed, and a Spiker. Setup took three hours, teardown took two. In between, Greg performed two shows, at 7 and 9. Producing and performing one of the largest illusion shows on the seven seas makes for a very long day. But Greg makes up for it with his other show, which only takes about a minute to set up, no time for teardown, and requires just a single prop, which he can carry in his pocket.
How Franz Harary Spent His Summer Vaccation (by Mark Nelson)
When Franz Harary signed on to be a judge and consultant on India! 's Magic Star, he knew the TV series would be unlike any previous shows. Dealing with adverse conditions and producers who had no qualms about stealing other magicians' illusions, Franz faced eighteen weeks of challenges.
Digital Dexterity (by John Armato)
In crossing from a career as a web designer into life as a professional magician, Andi Gladwin has demonstrated dexterity in two digital domains. As a convention organizer, author, performer, and online shop owner, Gladwin continues to add marketing and technology to his magic.
Rafael Celebrates 25 Years
To mark his 25 years of performing, Rafael staged a production in his home country of Belgium, performing ten different acts in the show himself, as well as bringing in international guest acts Kevin James, Avner the Eccentric, comedy juggler Michael Goudeau, Hans Davis with his hand-shadow act, and foot juggler Antje Pode. Performed on September 24 and 25 in the city of Leuven,! the show was sold out weeks before the performance dates.
There are No S's in "Magic & Meaning" (by Craig Conley)
What's the secret for keeping a magic conference from turning into a "vicious circle"? For host Jeff McBride, it's uncoiling that circle into a spiral, with a fixed starting point but enough momentum to spring. McBride's unwound magic circle, known as Magic & Meaning, is an innovative, annual conference held over four days in Las Vegas. McBride gathers a band of prominent thinkers, theorists, and philosophers of the art to spark insights for magicians from around the world. Attendees have only one thing in common: a quest to unravel the secrets of wonderment.
A Moment with Tom Mullica
This past October, Tom Mullica made a guest appearance at Paul Stone's Innovention. For those who have been reading reports on various Internet forums of Tom's recent medical problems, his unannounced inclusion on a comedy panel was! an especially welcome surprise. His visit to Las Vegas afforded MAGIC Magazine an opportunity to find what actually happened, how he managed to survive it all, and what's coming in the future.
Marketplace (by Gabe Fajuri)
Eighteen products are reviewed this month by Michael Claxton, Peter Duffie, Jason England, Gabe Fajuri, Brad Henderson, Will Houston, and John Lovick:- Confessions of a Conjurer by Derren Brown
- Shoot Force by Shoot Ogawa and Masahiro Yanagida
- Haiku by Vincent Hedan
- Magical Arts Journal edited by Michael Ammar and Adam Fleischer
- Best of All Worlds, written and compiled by Brent Geris
- Miracle Magic Bandz from Fun Incorporated and Glenn Chelius
- Gift Magic: Performances that Leave People with a Souvenir. Edited by Lawrence Hass
- Consignment by James Howells
- Poker by Theodore Hardison
- 100 Years of Magic Posters by Charles and Regina Reynolds
- The Flip Shi! ft by John B. Born
- The Incredible Suit Jacket Escape
- Imagine by SM Productionz
- The Secret, Mystifying, Unusual History of Magic by Patrice Sherman
- Unshop by Devin Knight
- Nothing in Transit by Dave Forrest
- Joe Monti's Original Thumb Tie
- Twitter and Vision Supreme by Piera Fitikides
Talk About Tricks (by Joshua Jay)
Andi Gladwin takes over "Talk About Tricks" with a clever mix of cards and mentalism. He supplies us with an easy yet convincing false shuffle, a peek device, and several routines you can incorporate into your repertoire.
Advice (by Lance Burton)
This month, we come to a subject of paramount importance. I have to admit that I feel somewhat unqualified to discuss this issue, because it took me a long time to understand the concept or even recognize the importance of it. Johnny Thompson lectured me for years about this. I couldn't grasp what he was saying to ! me. My skull was so thick that his words just bounced off my head. Then, slowly, I began to learn. Finally, one day, a light clicked on in my mind and I was able to fully embrace the idea.
The Show Doctor (by Jeff McBride)
Motion Sickness - In wrapping up this series, I was reflecting on some of my earliest memories and encounters with doctors and physicians. I remember Dr. Slavikis, our family doctor, asking me where it hurt. The only way he could begin to help me was to understand what ailed me. Over the years, I have used this therapeutic question to open discussions with students, and the answers are sometimes surprising.
Classic Correspondance (by Mike Caveney)
Martin Chapender to ???At first glance, the content of this letter, written by an established magic star to an unknown amateur, is fairly innocent. But upon further reflection, I decided that the advice contained in this letter is of enormous importance. However, I! ask you the reader to decide if the advice given was appropriate or inappropriate.
Teach By Magic (by Dal Sanders)
Educational Magic is a phrase used mostly by magicians who offer school-assembly shows or library shows with a message. But in this third installment of "Teach By Magic," you can see how what would normally be an impromptu bar bet can now be an impromptu teaching moment for young and old alike.
Directions (by Joanie Spina)
It's absolutely true: in watching other performers, we can see ourselves. We sometimes make the same mistakes or the same brilliant choices, but don't recognize them until we observe them in someone else. Through this series of articles, enhanced by the accompanying videos you can find at www.MAGICmagazine.com, you can learn from watching other performers as I gently point out ways that their material can be improved, as well as the aspects of their acts that are working well. Although they refer d! irectly to the video in question, these points also carry over as general principles of performing. There are many right ways of doing things, and these are a few options. |
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