Creation Vs Interpretation Vs Watered Down Expression

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I do not consider myself to be a creative magician – I do not create original effects, that’s not how my brain works.

I work to my true power:

I like to read and study the classics.

I enjoy the thrill of mastering difficult Sleight of Hand.

I love subtleties in card magic, audience attention control and psychology feature very heavily in the construction and design of my work.

My mind functions well with a classic routine – I like to seek and find the hidden elements within myself to bring a routine to life.

I have no problem presenting the creations of others providing it fits my identity and it allows me room to express myself. Most importantly, I can share an interesting premise with my audience.

I will study a classic routine if I feel the vision is spot on, the effect is worth the effort and I can create an original script to match.

What I must address here is the final outcome which is STRONG MAGIC.

Strong Magic is the only magic worth presenting.

Is it possible to present a truly strong effect with very little Sleight of Hand?

Some of my favourite routines with cards feature very little hard core technique.

The routines are strong because the handling procedure is direct, efficient and it produces a strong impact.

  • Tipsy “T”
  • Do As I Do
  • Out of Sight, Out of Mind
  • The Intuition Speller.

These routines have been in my repertoire for a very long time.

Harry Lorayne’s Foursome is another classic. I do Harry’s routine with two selections for a truly stunning finale. This version does take practice and is worth the effort.

The one thing I will not do is water down a routine just because it is beyond my skill level.

Placating a routine like this lacks integrity.

In my mind, if the routine is technically difficult then it must have something of merit about it because the creator chose this specific procedure to express his vision. Who am I to mess with that?

The idea of substituting  advanced techniques for easy sleights just to make a routine workable makes no sense to me. Serious study and practice allows us to have and make better choices when designing our routines

Understanding is critical to effective study.

Keep this rule in mind:

THE SLEIGHTS YOU USE WILL AFFECT THE EFFECT

As students, we must first seek to understand.

Understand what the creator was thinking.

At the very least, we can gain an appreciation for a path less travelled. It’s important for me to understand the how and the why.

Consider this; the creator of a given routine probably thought through all possible scenarios and alternative handlings long before deciding on his preferred approach.

If I am going to make any adjustments to an established routine, it must move the conversation forward……for the better.

I am proud of my routine “The Ultimate Travelers”.

I wish Dai Vernon was alive to see his creation taken several steps further.

I had a clear picture in my mind about this routine, how I wanted it to look, feel and impact an audience. It took me thirty years to arrive at an elegant deception.

Watch the video and please, share your thoughts about this topic.

What I have written is my approach, it is subjective and yet, retains the integrity of my magic and my vision.

In the final analysis, it is our duty to leave the craft of magic better than we found it. Or, at the very least, honour the craft with your own vision.

Thanks for reading.

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