Magic Roadshow
Journal of Magic____ Dec.15th, 2004____ Issue# 13
Rick Carruth___ editor/publisher___ Copyright (C) 2004
=======================
Hello All !
Well... I have almost a hundred new subscribers since my last issue,
and I want to welcome each and every one of you to Magic Roadshow.
I hope you discover something in this, and future issues, that will
have a lasting impression on your magic..
You are encouraged to submit any suggestions, questions, rants, raves,
or opinions to: editor@streetmagic.info
Both an unsubscribe link and a physical address are provided at the
bottom of this newsletter.
=======================
~ Merry Christmas ~
Yeah, I know it's two weeks away, but I'm Ready... For the first time
in my adult life I'm actually through with ALL my shopping before
Christmas Eve..
My wife and I spent last weekend in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. No 'shows'
or 'dinner theatre's' for us... just plain 'ol, flat-out, full-tilt,
heavy metal shopping. The kind where you can run your cards about two
or three hundred dollars over the limit before a room full of
main-frames in California have so much as a clue what you're doing..
I did stop long enough to spend an enjoyable hour with Dave Mann at
Matrix Magic. Dave is a true professional
who many 'pro's' turn to when they need help or advice with their
magic.
When you're in Gatlinburg, stop by Dave's shop in the five-story mall
in the center of town and let Dave show you some of his latest
products - including his popular new 'magnetic' scotch and soda... (
check out Precision Magic's full page ad in this months Magic
magazine.)
I have an interview this week with Richard Waters from New South
Wales, Australia. If you don't know Richard... you soon will.
=================
~ Interview - Richard Waters ~
Close-up, Parlour & Stage, Mentalism, Escapeology, Comedy, and Street
Magic...
Richard Waters does it all !
Residing in Gosford, Australia (New South Wales), and performing since
the age of seven - Richard Waters has established himself as one of
Australia's premier magician/entertainers. Richard is currently
gearing up for a national tour and anticipated television special
destined to turn him into a household name 'down under'.
-------------------------------------------------
(Q) Hi Richard and 'Welcome' to Magic Roadshow. Knowing that you've
been involved in magic since the age of seven - and performing for pay
since the age of twelve - what motivated you to take this 'mature'
route instead of that of the typical kid? Did you know from this early
age that you wanted to perform as a vocation?
(A) Thanks Rick, great to speak to you. I will say, it wasnt really a
consious choice, I just "got it" and it seemed to come naturally -
"Bitten by the Magic Bug" as it were - it was always a dream to have
my own Magic Theatre and perform.
---------------
(Q)Who, or what, was your first real influence, and who opened your
eyes to the possibility that ' hey.. people actually make a living
doing this... maybe I can too'?
(A) Paul Danials believe it or not? In the Chrissy Holidays
(off-peak) here in Australia the TV programming is crap and they put
on all the old "magic specials" and they had a series of 7 shows of
Paul Danials and Debbie McGee - I loved them and thought, "Geez, I
would LOVE to do that", I would have been about 11yrs at the time!
---------------
(Q)What type of magic do you perform during a 'typical' show ? And
what type of magic do you most enjoy watching others perform..?
(A) I do a lot of Stage and Walk-Around/Tradeshow Magic - so its
usually comedy magic on stage (a lot like Phil Cass, another fantastic
Aussie Magician!) and then Close-Up for the walk around - I let my
personailty lead the way when I perform, a fun Aussie Bloke.
---------------
(Q)Are you a magician or a performer? What do you see as the
difference?
(A) As a Magician, you use all the skills of a performer - and as a
performer, I am a guy "playing a magician". There shouldnt be a
difference to me, they are blended together to make a "well rounded"
person on stage.
---------------
(Q)For those readers not familiar with New South Wales Central Coast -
tell us something about the area and it's relation to , say, Sidney...
(A) Its fantastic. Gosford (Central Coast) is about a 45min drive
north of Sydney & 1hr South of Newcastle. Where I live, I am about a
15min drive from the fantastic Terrigal beach and not that far from
local rainforest and bush - its a city with a country feel, I love it
here - you're welcome to visit some time? Just let me know you're
coming and I'll show you around!
---------------
(Q)We have something other than magic in common... We both grew up in
the country. Was this a plus or minus? Did you have someone to
'mentor' you in the early years..?
(A) Well, you would know Rick, there isn't much in the country and in
fact, it was a good reason to keep myself busy with Magic! No, no
mentors and the closest magic store was a 4hr drive away - waiting for
weeks for new magic tricks I ordered to come in the mail was the big
killer. All my magic I learnt from books and mail order (no DVD's
when I started back in 1982!).
---------------
(Q)Now that 'Richard's Magic' is a full-time endeavor - how do you
divide your time between performing, practice, and the promotional end
of the business.?
(A) That's a bit of a trick in itself mate! Most of my performing is
done on weekends and nights, during the day I work from my office at
home on the "bookwork" of the biz (promotions, calls, design, website,
etc) and I practice for a min. of 3hrs a day on what I know and 1hr on
"brainstorming" now ideas and effects - its a busy day, usually 12hr
days!
---------------
(Q)OK... I'm ready to smoke 'em... Give me three tips for getting my
first paying job?
(A) Cool, here goes... (1) Have a GREAT ACT that you KNOW works -
no use pitching a crap act, you'll never get booked again! (2)
TARGET (& know) your AUDIENCE with your act - no use doing a kids
sponge ball routine for lawers? (3) Be persistant and NETWORK - it
truly is all about WHO you know and not WHAT you know!
---------------
(Q)Did you see a noticeable increase in the interest in both you and
your magic when David Blaine made his 'appearances' on TV? Would you
ever consider a 'walk-around'?
(A) Not really, the David Blaine thing really didnt hit over here in
Australia - we dont have many Magic Special on TV over here. I do
Walk-Around/Tradeshow magic and Busking all the time, its great fun -
if you have the "strong magic" you can get some genuine reactions and
it is very rewarding.
---------------
(Q) If you could spend a week aboard a cruise ship with two other
magicians, who would they be and why? What would you like for______
and ______ to remember most about you and your style of magic?
(A) Phil Cass & Lance Burton! I would like Phil Cass to know that his
Aussie Larikin style is what I have been striving for, his humor is
amazing and I look up to his stage magic! And I would like Lance
Burton to know that I look up to his "Gentleman Style" off and on the
stage, I try to take the classics of magic and give them a new twist,
just like Lance. I have just recently made friends with Phil and I
one day hope to speak to Lance.
---------------
(Q)What was your last 'magic' dvd or video cassette purchase? Do you
find dvd's more or less important than the written word as a teaching
aid?
(A) The "Making Magic" Vol I and II by Martin Lewis - its all Classic
Stuff with a new twist, love it, Ill end up performing it all one day
soon! Today we dont get what the older magicians got, and thats
personal mentors, DVD's come as close as possible to that experience -
but in my opinion, you will never replace books, especially the
classics.
---------------
(Q)I Know that you have plans in the coming year to do either a major
nation-wide tour or a TV special... Are you any closer to a decision?
(A) Im going to take a short break after Chrissy and get back into
routining and new effects. I have planned to do both - ambitious I
know - but you dont get anywhere without being ambitious! I will
probably film the TV Special while I am touring - it will be fun!
----------------
(Q)Too many magicians want to buy packet tricks and the like, and
perform magic "straight out of the box' ... You and I both know that
being a successful magician involves a gazillion hours of dedicated
practice. How do YOU practice a new sleight or trick? How long do you
practice a new move before it's generally 'ready'?
(A) I first work on the "mechanics" of the sleight/trick, until I dont
have to think about it. Then I work on looking at the "patter" and
the "psychology" behind the effect - what it means to the "story" &
the audience. When I am happy with that, I put it down and dont touch
it for weeks - when I come back, it seems new and fresh and I find new
subtlties. As an example, I do Troy Hoosers "Charming Chinese
Challenge" as part of my restaurant shows and it took me 4 weeks to
learn, but its 2mths down the track and I still dont think my version
of Richard Saunders "Fibre Optics" is ready for an audience yet?
---------------
(Q)Richard - do you have one trick or move that you would like to
share with my readers? (just a trick that you enjoy performing, on
stage or out-of-pocket, doesn't even have to be original..)
(A) Great one for restaurant magic and for the ladies is "The Kiss
Card" - a lady selects a card and returns it to the pack, she blows me
a kiss and I catch it, throw it into the pack where it hits the
selected card and makes it blush. Riffle through the pack and one
card has turned red in a blue backed deck, pull it out and turn it
over and it has a kiss impression on the face also - its like a
"one-two" kicker for the audience and its a little romance for the
ladies - its a commertial routine but I cant remember right now who's
it is, its hard to get.
----------------
(Q) Beside performing, do you have any other things you're working on
"magic wise" for the future?
(A) Im programing a brand new website in Feb 2005 and I also have a
"Seance Show" in the pipeline for mid 2005 and I have been working on
publishing some of my restaurant magic in a book (or in a series of
books) - stuff that looks very impromtu but is polished, "real magic"
for the restaurant magician, that I have been performing for the last
7yrs. Keep an eye open!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Richard, you have my sincere 'thanks' for your time and effort. "May
your Magic be forever illuminated by the lights, and your mistakes
concealed deep in the shadows.."
Don't forget to check out the Website!
www.richardsmagic.com for updates...
P.O. Box 2212, Gosford N.S.W. 2250
"..truly unique, exciting entertainment"
==================================
~ "X" - Rated ~
You're going to need two props... an outdated paperback book, and a
dried-out felt tip pen. if you don't have an empty one.. you can dry
one out by leaving the top off and laying it on the dash board of your
car or in a window sill for a couple of days.
Ask your chosen assistant to place the book behind their back and open
the book somewhere around the middle. Ask them to fold the first half
of the pages under the bottom cover so they will be forced to write on
the right-hand page..
Now, ask them to take the marker and make a large "X" on their chosen
page.
Once done, have the book closed and layed on a table out of your
reach, and ask them to give you the pen... Tell your assistant about
your great mental powers and your ability to remotely 'view' events of
your choosing..
Personally, I have a small silver carrying case with a notebook inside
that I keep on a small table near me. I open the case and take out a
notebook. I also secretly dish the dried-out pen, thanks to the cover
provided by the lid of the case, and pick up another one exactly like
it from inside.. only this one actually writes.
Do this quickly... don't fumble around inside the case ( or drawer, or
whatever) and give anyone reason to wonder what you're doing in there
!
After sufficient build-up, I write a word on my pad and hand the pad
to my assistant. I ask them to open the book and find the page on
which they marked their X.
I tell them that I want them to look at the point at which the two
lines intersect in the middle of the page and read aloud the word. Of
course.. it will match the word I wrote on the pad, since I put the X
in the book long before the beginning of the trick....
....................
You can also do this effect with a pack of cards. Have them place the
cards behind their back, mark the face of the card, and return it to
the deck. Instead of predicting a word, you will predict the card on
which they put the X ( or, I should say, on which YOU put the X !!)
Another variation is.. before-hand, put an X through both the face and
back of the same card. Have your assistant shuffle the deck, put it
behind their back, and put an X on the face of any one card. Shuffle
the deck. Put the deck behind their back again, and put an X on the
back of any chosen card.
Have them shuffle the cards and lay the deck on your table. Have them
look through the deck and find the card with the X on the back. They
will be perplexed to discover that the same card is also the only card
in the deck with an X on the face as well !
=================================
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Get a free sample chapter of this 'different' book. Balance a coin on
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Many other unusual feats and tricks are included in this instantly
downloadable ebook. You can't practice your magic all the time, now
can you? Learn something a little "off the wall". Expand ! Diversify
! Increase your scope ! Spend your money !
===================
My friend, Dan Turcotte, featured in the last issue of Magic Roadshow,
has suffered a return of the cancer that he had hoped was cured...
If James Brown is the 'hardest working man in music', then Dan is the
'hardest working man in magic', often spending sixteen hours a day in
front of his computer developing teaching tutorials.
Right now, things don't look so good for Dan... A possible
experimental treatment at the Mayo Clinic appears to be his best hope.
That - and the prayers of his fellow magicians like you and I....
Count YOUR blessings this Christmas Season.
====================
That about does it for now...
It's three in the morning, and it's been a long day...
Visit my blog at; Street Magic Blog and get a
little idea of what goes into publishing each issue of Magic Roadshow
Journal of Magic.
Remember to write with any questions or request.. Also, feel free to
send any magic related articles you have written for consideration for
inclusion in future issues of Magic Roadshow..
I Look forward to hearing from you soon !
======================
Rick Carruth - editor
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