Rex the Ace Magician - How to Routine Magic

FOR PROGRESSIVE MAGICIANS

HOW TO ROUTINE MACIC

BY

M T«E

-ACE-

4 MAGICIAN

•

Complete instructions for making individual magic acts with 100 per cent, audience appeal.

WILL ALMA M.I.M.C. (L O N D O N )

"How To Routine Magic" by REX, T H E A C E M A G IC IA N Member of the Society of Indian M agicians and the Independent M agical per­ formers of Sydney (Founder Member, International A llian ce o f M agicians). C op yrigh t

The h a p h a z a r d p r e s e n t a t i o n of tric k s is t o d a y a s m odern a s a s ile n t p ictu re. I f th e m ag ic ia n d e sire s e n g a g em e n ts, an d r e p e a t en g a g em e n ts, h e m u st be a s u p - t o - t h e - m i n u t e a s te le v isio n . W hich m e a n s , h e m u s t r o u t i n e h i s m ag ic. S u ita b le ro u tin e s th a t f i t th e p erfo rm er’ s re q u ire m e n ts, c a p a b i l i t i e s , and i n d i v i d u a l i t y a r e n o t t o be p u rc h a s e d read y -m ad e. A g la n c e a t any m a g ic a l d e a l e r * s c a ta lo g u e w i l l r e v e a l t h a t r o u ti n e s o f f e r e d f o r s a le co m p rise a n e g l i g i b l e p e rc e n ta g e o f goods a d v e r tis e d . S te a lin g th e ro u tin e of some s u c c e s s f u l perfo rm er w i l l n o t sk y ro c k e t th e c o p y is t to th e d i z z y h e i g h t s o f s u c c e s s . The m a g i c i a n sh o u ld b u ild h i s own a c t , em b o d y in g t h e t r i c k s m o s t s u i t e d t o h i m s e l f , and m o re i m p o r t a n t s till, t h o s e e f f e c t s w h i c h b e s t m e e t h i s d e m a n d s. The a im o f t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n i s t o show t h e b a s i c way i n w h ic h m a g ic c a n b e ro u tin e d . C o n c re te exam ples w i l l d e m o n stra te to th e r e a d e r how t h e a u t h o r ' s s y s t e m o p e r a t e s . A ro u tin e i s a re g u la r co u rse o f a c tio n . R o u tin e d m agic i s a r o u n d e d - o f f a c t i n w hich

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t h e a c t i o n flo w s a s e v e n ly as a r i v e r , n o t l i k e a bumpy ro lle r c o a ste r. Its CONSECUTIVE CONJURING. The r o u t i n e i s b u i l t s t e p b y s t e p . E ach s t e p h a s t o b e t h o r o u g h l y c o n s i d e r e d t o see t h a t th e u tm o s t in e n te r ta in m e n t i s b e in g o b tain e d . To do t h i s , a n um ber o f p r i n c i p l e s are fo llo w e d . As many a s p o s s i b l e a r e a p p lie d to each s te p .

PRINCIPLES. 1. The p e r f o r m e r m u s t n o t t r y t o e x c e e d h i s lim ita tio n s. H is c o m p leted a c t i s l i m i t e d b y : (a) a n g le s o f v i s i b i l i t y e n c o u n te re d , ( b ) o p p o r t u n i t y t o s e t up a p p a r a t u s u n d e r co v er, ( c ) a d v a n t a g e s o f s t a g e , w i t h o u t w h ic h c e rta in tric k s can n o t be p erform ed, such as t h o s e d e p e n d i n g on t r a p d o o r s , w i n g s , e t c . , (d) a p p a r a tu s a v a i l a b l e , (e) tim e a t d i s p o s a l f o r p r a c t i c e , ( f ) r u n n in g tim e a llo w e d f o r a c t , ( g ) k n o w le d g e o f t r i c k s , ( h ) m oney a v a i l a b l e f o r e x p e n d i t u r e , ( i ) mode o f c o n v e y a n c e . H eavy baggage m eans e x t r a e x p e n s e ; e x t r a e x p e n s e m ea n s l e s s p ro fits, ( j) a ssista n c e a v a ila b le , (k) a d a p t a b i l i t y o f p e r s o n a l i t y t o t r i c k s , ( l ) ty p e s o f a u d ie n c e s e n c o u n te re d , (m) b a c k g r o u n d a t p l a c e o f p e r f o r m a n c e . F o r i n s t a n c e , v a r i c o l o r e d b a c k g r o u n d s c a n make m a n ip u la tiv e o b je c ts in v isib le a t a sh o rt d ista n c e* (n) o t h e r i n d iv i d u a l d i f f i c u l t i e s .

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2 . The e n t e r t a i n m e n t v a l u e o f t h e a c t a s a w h o le i s t h e s u p re m e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . A lw ays g i v e t h e a u d ie n c e w h a t t h e y w ant even i f you d o n ’ t l i k e i t y o u r s e l f . Long T a c k Sam t o l d t h e a u t h o r he d id n ’ t l i k e h i s fa m o u s p r o d u c t i o n o f b o w l s o f g o ld f i s h — b u t h i s a u d ie n c e d i d . 3 . The r o u t i n e sh o u ld b u i l d up t o a c lim a x . One s t e p sh o u ld l e a d t o a m o re e n t e r t a i n i n g o n e . O f te n , how ever, em phasis can be g iv en to a t r i c k by p r e c e e d in g it w ith a w eaker one; te n s io n can be r e lie v e d by a la u g h . M o to ris ts have a t r i c k t o i n c r e a s e t h e p u l l o f a c a r a sce n d in g a h i l l to th e c lim a x o f i t s jo u rn e y when t h e a c c e le ra to r is fu ll down. They m o m e n ta rily l i f t t h e i r f o o t from t h e t h r o t t l e . The p e r f o r m e r t o o c a n r e l a x t h e s e p r i n c i p l e s o f r o u t i n e i f i t w i l l add p e p t o t h e c o m p l e t e d a c t and c a r r y him s w i f t l y t o h i s c l i m a x . 4 . Make t h e r o u t i n e a s sim p le t o f o l l o w a s p o ssib le so t h a t t h e m emory o f t h e a u d ie n c e w i l l n o t be ta x e d . T hat au d ie n c e d o e s n ’ t w ant m e n ta l w ork, i t w a n ts e n te r ta i n m e n t . 5 . A void m o n o to n y a n d d o n ’ t l a b o r p o i n t s , o r t h e a u d i e n c e w i l l b e b o r e d and becom e i m p a t i e n t . 6. Don’ t le t e m b e llish m e n ts sm other t h e th em e o f t h e r o u t i n e . A v o id d i v e r s i o n s as f a r as p o ssib le , k e e p in g to t h e c h a in o f e s s e n t i a l d e ta ils.

7. In s p e c i a l i t y h a rm o n y . A C h in ese d o in g In d ia n m ag ic. atmo s p h e r e .

a c t s , keep a l l o b j e c t s in w o u ld l o o k o u t o f p lac e In o t h e r w ords, r e t a i n th e

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8. N ever a llo w th e t h e next: e f f e c t .

a u d ie n c e t o

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9. The c o n c l u d i n g t r i c k m u s t b e a s b r e a t h ­ ta k in g , im p ressiv e, a n d /o r S u rp ris in g as p o s s ib le . I t i s th e l a s t im p ressio n th e perfo rm ­ e r m akes on t h e a u d i e n c e . I t m ust be t h e b e s t . T h e r e m u s t b e no a n t i - c l i m a x . As t h e t r i c k e n d s so m u s t t h e r o u t i n e . . . n o h a n d i n g b a c k o f b o r r o w ­ ed a r t i c l e s or d ism issin g of v o lu n te e r a ssista n ts. But a q u i c k f i r i n g d o u b lin g -u p m y stery i s p e r m is s ib le p ro v id e d i t i s good enough to d o u b le th e a p p la u s e . F o r an e x a m p le see th e c lim a x o f th e a u tR o r* s "The W ic k e d U n cle". 1 0 . The o p e n i n g o f t h e a c t m u s t command t h e a u d ie n c e . I t m u st s i t up and t a k e n o t i c e i m m e d i a t e l y . T h i s c a n b e a c c o m p l i s h e d b y a sn a p o r u n e x p e c t e d q u i c k p i e c e o f m a g ic t h a t w akes up t h e a u d i e n c e , o r b y s u s p e n s e , w h ic h m eans m a k in g t h e a u d i e n c e vronder w h a t i s ab o u t to happen. Be c a r e f u l ,h o w e v e r ,•t h a t suspense does n o t becom e a b o r i n g d e l a y . 11. B ecause a t r i c k i s o l d , o r w e l l -m m , th e re i s no n e e d f o r t h e m a g i c i a n t o d isp ise it. T ric k s lo o s e , to some e x t e n t , th e ir in d iv id u a lity in a ro u tin e . M o reo v er, i n an a v e r a g e a u d i e n c e t h e r e w i l l b e f o u n d some who w ill judge th e m ag ic ia n by t h e t r i c k s th ey t h e m s e l v e s know o r c a n p e r f o r m , o t h e r s 'who w i l l ju d g e by th e t r i c k s r e p e a t e d w h ic h t h e y ha d s e e n p e r f o r m e d b y P r o f e s s o r S o - a n d - s o 20 y e a r s ago come p a n c a k e d a y , an d s t i l l o t h e r s who w i l l j u d g e t h e m a g i c i a n b y t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f some­ t h i n g new. A l l , h o w e v e r , w i l l j u d g e t h e a c t on i t s sh e e r e n te rta in m e n t.

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12. The m ore com m onplace t h e a r t i c l e s used by a m a g ic ia n , th e le s s tr i c k e r y th e au d ie n c e su sp ec t, and c o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e g re a te r th e r e s u l t a n t m y s t e r y . T r y and a d a p t common o b j e c t s in lie u of u n n a tu ra l a rtic le s th a t are e n c o u n te re d in th e rea lm o f m ag ic. Take t h e tim e-w o rn e g g -b a g f o r exam ple. Now I a s k y o u , d o e s i t l o o k n a t u r a l ? On t h e o t h e r h a n d , i f t h e b a g w e r e made f r o m s m a l l f l o u r b s g s , t h e e g g b a g becom es a com m onplace a r t i c l e to ev ery woman who p o s s e s s e s a k i t c h e n t o c o o k i n . I n o n e o f t h e A m e ric a n m a g i c a l m a g a z i n e s I r e a d a su g g e stio n t h a t in s te a d o f u sin g th e t e a caddy a p p a ra tu s f o r ch a n g in g , u se a s im ila r ly faked th e rm o s f l a s k c a s i n g . I saw a m a g i c i a n u s i n g a c h a n g in g b ag . He h a d t h e s e n s e t o c a l l it a f i s h i n g n o t . Ho d i d n ’ t go f a r e n o u g h . He s h o u l d h a v e e x p l a i n e d t h a t h e was S c o t c h and h a d t h e m esh so s m a l l t h a t e v e n t h e t i n i e s t t i d d l e r s c o u ld n o t e s c a p e . A c tu a lly t h i s m a g ic ia n sh o u ld n o t have u sed t h e ch a n g in g bag a t a l l . -All h e w a n t e d t o do was t o s w i t c h some s l i p s - - s i x i n a ll--a n d such an u n n a tu r a l lo o k in g p ie c e o f a p p a r a t u s , d e s p i t e t h e e x c u s e , was o u t o f p l a c e f o r th e h a lf s e c o n d i t w as u s e d . The f e l t h a t s w i t c h w o u ld h a v e b e e n f a r s u p e r i o r a n d m o re n a tu ra l. T h i s same p r i n c i p l e a p p l i e s i n a n o t h e r w ay. I f a p e r f o r m e r c a r r i e d on a lem on f o r t h e n o t e i n - l e m o n t r i c k i t w o u ld b e u n n a t u r a l a s t h e a v e r a g e p e r s o n d o e s n o t c a r r y a lomon a r o u n d w i t h h im . T h e r e f o r e i t \ r a u l d b e m o re r e a s o n a b l e to pro d u ce th e lem on, o r e l s e e x p la in its p r e s e n c e i n some l o g i c a l way. On t h e o t h e r h a n d a n e w s p a p e r i s a common o b j e c t t o c a r r y . I t is a lso n a t u r a l to ta k e a fo u n ta in oen o r a h a n d k e r c h i e f f r o m t h e p o c k e t a n d so t h e y n e e d

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n o t be produced o r t h e i r p re s e n c e e x p la in e d . And w h i l e o n t h e s u b je c t o f e x p la in in g . N ever l e t y o u r e x p la n a tio n s o f n a t u r a l o b j e c t s i n f e r t h a t t h e r e c a n be a n y t r i c k e r y w h a t s o e v e r c o n n e c t e d w i t h th e m . As o n e a u t h o r i t y s a id ': " I n e v e r s a y 'H e r e i s an u n p r e p a r e d g l a s s * f o r t h e a u d i e n c e i s n o t s u p p o s e d t o know t h a t g l a s s e s ever a re prepared". 13. F o r t u n a t e i n d e e d i s t h e m a g i c i a n who c a n make an e n t e r t a i n i n g ro u tin e i n w hich t h e a n g l e s o f v i s i b i l i t y do n o t c o u n t . He h a s no n e e d ter w o r r y w h e t h e r h i s show w i l l b e i n t h e m id d le o f a dance f l o o r o r w h eth er he w i l l have th e s e c re c y a ffo rd e d by a sta g e . I t i s a d v is a b l e f o r t h e m a g ic ia n to in q u ir e b e f o r e h a n d when a d a t e i s booked as t o th e p e rfo rm in g c o n d i t i o n s t h a t w i l l be e n c o u n te re d . It is o fte n a d v isa b le to carry a sim p le a l t e r n a t e r o u ti n e w ith o u t a n g le s to w orry ab o u t t h a t can be s u b s t i t u t e d in c a s e s o f em ergency. At a l l e v e n t s , even i f a few p e r s o n s can see m ore t h a n t h e y s h o u l d , t h e r e i s no n e e d f o r . t h e perfo rm er to w o r r y . He s h o u l d p l a y t o th e m a j o r i t y . A s i d e v i e w may g i v e t h e w o r k i n g away to a fe w b u t a s t h o s e s p e c ta to rs do n o t g e n e r a l l y see t h e e f f e c t , t h e y a r e r e a l l y w orse o ff. F u rth e rm o re , th e a v e r a g e lay m an soon f o r g e t s . The m oves s e e n m ean l i t t l e t o h i m . Don’ t th in k , how ever, t h a t t h e a u th o r is co n d o n in g e x p o s in g . D u r i n g h i s two y e a r s and a h a lf e d ito rsh ip o f "The I m p " , a m o n th ly m ag a z in e he fo u n d ed f o r t h e I n d e p e n d e n t M a g ic a l P e r f o r m e r s o f S y d n e y , h e w aged e d i t o r i a l w a r on

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a l l fo rm s o f e x p o s u re . 14. P a t t e r i s a d i f f i c u l t s u b j e c t . I t s e rv e s two p u r p o s e s f o r t h e m a g i c i a n ; n a m ely , to h e ig h te n t h e m y ste ry o f m ag ic, a n d /o r t o , in i t s e l f , e n t e r t a i n . To do t h e l a t t e r , i t m u s t b e h u m o ro u s o r w i t t y . T h e r e a r e men who make a liv in g w ritin g p a tte r fo r a c to rs and t h e i r s e r v i c e s can be u t i l i z e d b y m a g i c ia n s . a lso , t h e r e a r e p a t t e r b o o k s f o r m a g i c i a n s on t h e m ark e t. I f th e p e rfo rm e r d e c id e s to b u i ld h i s own p a t t e r he w i l l fin d l i t t l e d i f f i c u l t y in th e f i r s t ty p e. I t i s m e r e l y a r u n n i n g c o m m e n ta ry o f w hat th e p erfo rm er i s , o r appears, t o be d o i n g , e m p h a s i s i n g how f r e e f r o m d e c e p t i o n ( ? ) are h is a c tio n s , e tc . The s e c o n d t