Sage Words

So, what's the secret? "C'mon, you can tell me. You know I won't tell anybody!" "So, how do you do it? We've known each other for years - you know you can tell me!" "That was a great trick! So what's the secret?" Everyone who has done magic for any length of time - at any level - has heard these or similar remarks countless number of times. And when asked how you did it, you are probably going to reply with one of the standard replies like... "I did it very well, thank you, " or "I do it right handed but you can do it either way" and of course "can you keep a secret?" They tell you "yes" and you say, "So can I!" The secret, of course, is important and never revealed, simply because it is an integral part of the illusion. Revealing it would simply ruin the enjoyment of your audience. But here is the interesting part: The secret is important but it is not the most important part of a magic effect! Several days ago, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with one of the Magic Masters' regulars, Ken Fletcher. We exchanged the normal pleasantries and then the conversation turned to... you guessed it: Magic! We talked about some of the newer effects being performed today, and Ken said, "It never fails to amaze me when someone takes a secret that has been around for centuries and with a little creativity uses it to produce a "new" jaw-dropping magic performance. I wonder how many people realize that the "big" thing is not the secret itself, but how a creative performer uses it. The most important part is the presentation. For example a beginner with a secret has a person select a card and return it to the deck and says, "You picked the Jack of Clubs." The spectator might wonder for a moment how the magician knew that, but it is more of a 'puzzle' than an amazing magic effect. A professional or more advanced amateur might have the spectator return the card to the deck and then point to a sealed envelope that has been in plain view of the audience the entire show. I remember a magician who also had a local sheriff guarding the envelope. When the officer finally cut open the envelope and withdrew the paper sealed inside, it read, "I certify that the sentence below was written, in my presence on April 28th, 2004." (Four days before the performance.) It was signed by the mayor of the town. When asked to continue the officer read, "I, The Great Bandini, predict that the random card selected from a shuffled deck of fifty-two different playing cards, in the Tri-State arena, May 1st, 2004, will be the Jack of Clubs." The magician took his bows and the amazed and loud applause of his audience. This performer had taken the identical secret, and, with his presentation, really put some 'magic' into it. A good magician realizes the importance of the presentation. Paul Daniels, a famous magician in Great Britain, on stage and on his regular TV show, takes the Chop Cup and its secret to a new level. This is normally a standard close-up effect. Paul presents it on stage in the largest of auditoriums, usually asking the mayor, chief of police, or a local dignitary to assist him. He then performs his Chop Cup routine to the bewilderment of the spectator and the laughs, amazement and applause of the entire audience. He has taken a basic magic secret and really put some 'magic' into it! Dan Garrett, past National President of the Society of American Magicians and worldwide performer both close-up and on stage, has taken one of my favorite effects, the Silk Vanish, and really put some 'magic' into it. He has a spectator tear into four quarters one of their own one dollar bills, with the promise that he will restore it. Once the four pieces of the bill are handed to him, he folds them into a small packet and when he unfolds it, it is now a single bill - but upon examination, the four quarters don't match! It is the same bill, restored but mis-made! Dan is not concerned (although the spectator is!) and asks the spectator to tear the mis-made bill into quarters. Dan once again folds them up and then unfolds them to reveal the original bill, scotch taped together in the proper order! He has taken a basic secret of magic and turned it into a mind boggling magic effect. Another example is David Blaine. This is the TV magician that has survived being 'buried alive', frozen in a solid block of ice and locked in a solid glass box suspended high above London for many days without food or water. But the one thing we hear about David Blaine, at every Magic Masters store, is his routine, using the Quarter in the Bottle secret. This is the one where he borrows a quarter, then bites a part of it off, holding the quarter up showing a portion missing. He then 'spits' the bit off portion back and right before your eyes, the missing piece reappears onto the quarter - which is then handed back to the spectator! He has taken a secret of magic and used it to perform some amazing magic. As we talked and reminded each other of different secrets that creative magicians have really put some magic "into," we noticed that our conversation had taken us into the wee hours of the morning. I told Ken that this would make an interesting subject for the Magic Masters web site. He thought so too, and just before he left he said,. "CT, if you do write this up for the web site, I think a good way to end it would be to say, 'It's not the secret in the magic that's important, it's the magic in the secret!" I agree. I am Mr. C. T. Sage.