Theatrical Magic

 French Illusionist Dani Lary

Back in my first round of college classes I took some electives in theater because I wanted to learn acting and theater dance to make my magic better.  I wanted to learn how to move on stage, to make my magic believable and convincing.  I learned all aspects of the theater; i.e., production, set design, make-up, movement, etc.  Even though I was passionate about magic and cared less about a step-ball-change I learned a lot.  For example a small movement on the stage gets swallowed up.  Watch a lot of modern magicians and you will discover they make tiny motions with their hands when they should be making large movements.  Watch some magicians prance around the stage and they seem to have a stock set of movements- they point at the audience repeatedly, they spread their legs as if they've had an enema, they shout, "Let's do this," or "Hey, hey, hey."  Then enters French Illusionist Dani Lary.

I came across this incredible artist late one night and was absolutely convinced he was from India, from watching the above video.  The costume, the make-up, the movements, everything created the impression that he was from downtown New Delhi.  I don't know what shocked me more.  The magic or to discover that he was French.  (The magic didn't fool me- it is an old effect that has been dressed up and themed- I just loved the way he did it).

I've tried to watch all of Dani's posted magic and he never fails to amaze me with his grasp of theater.  I will post a video of his entire show (available on the internet).  It is a masterpiece of magic and drama and theater.  I wouldn't recommend that you do the illusions he does- figure a way to do your own.  But study how  he does what he does.  He has his own style.  He doesn't have to point at the audience, spread his legs or shout "Let's do this."  He is a consummate actor.  One moment he is a dangerous man, a conjurer with dangerous powers that at any moment may be unleashed.  At another, he is at a retro-beach party.  Another moment, he's in the future and vanishes in a spinning fan only to appear in another part of the theater. 

Lesson learned: take your own path, but learn the basics of theater- dance, acting, makeup, stage craft.  Then learn the basics of magic and create them for yourself for your audience

A Prolonged Abscence

Sorry I've been away for a while.  Sometimes events overtake me.  Sinus surgery and other events overshadow things.

Been thinking about a lot of what has been going on in the magic world.  Due to some health issues I've had a lot of down time recently and so I spent quite a bit of time watching some of the world's best... and worst magicians performing on one of the best Cabaret shows in the world, Le Plus Grand Cabaret Du Monde.  After hours and hours of watching magician's, here's what I've discovered.
Some of the world's greatest magicians have appeared there.  They are simply incredible.  They will fool you and fool you badly.  And some of the world's worst magician's have been there as well.  How in the world of holy hot pockets they ever made it on is beyond me.  But byinlarge most of the magicians, to me, seem to be manufactured in some factory in New Jersey made by Adams Novelty.  Here is the outline of their act:

• Walk on stage in a tuxedo that no one would ever wear
  (wear jeans and call your assistant "babe if under 30)
• Look like a poor imitation of Channing Pollock and Lance Burton
• Take off your gloves and produce a dove
• Produce a candle- monkey with the candle at least 4 times
• Produce a dove, several cages
• Produce a deck of cards and spend the next 5 minutes producing cards
• In between this produce a couple of more doves
• (Prance about the stage to disco music pointing at the audience is optional if you are under 30)
• (Hang your head and do things 2x as fast if you are under 25)
• Kiss your doves several times
• Produce several scarves and then produce a bird or two- dog is optional
• Make the cage vanish

 Re-read the list for a moment and look at what I've underlined.  Lest someone think I'm being unduly harsh, the underlined portions are what I DID IN MY OLD ACT from the late 1970's.  And I wanted to be Channing Pollock- a handsome, smooth, incredible magician.  Now, 60 years later, magicians are still doing his act.  (I'm not by the way).  I worked very hard to learn card manipulations.  And did it and do it well.  But I find it incredibly boring whether they or it is done fast or slow.  Because it fails to answer one simple question: why?

The now late magician Tommy Wonder once said when a magician does something we ask the question, "Why did you do that?"  If the answer is "because I can," then one probably ought to re-think whether or not he should be doing it.  The example he used was taking a deck of cards and making it appear.  So what?  Who cares?  There's simply no point to it.  But if you need them for something else then there's a point to it.  So for example, if a magician makes a scarf appear then pulls one out of his pocket, why did he make one appear in the first place?  Answer: Because he can.  There was no point to it. 

Looking at all these acts I have to wonder, why do they all put a neck scarf around their neck?  When Lance Burton walked out in a tux he had a scarf around his neck and proceeded to do things with it.  The neck was a place to hang it while he did something else.  I watched a magician who was doing an act as a 50's rock and roll fellow in a leather jacket and produced a white silk scarf who then put it around his neck... only to then take it off again immediately, then dump it in his table.  Why?  Because he could.  Why rant about a scarf?  Because I can.  And it's my blog.

If you really want to watch an artist at work, a magician who understands magic, theater, art, and illusion watch French Illusionist Dani Lary.  This incredible magician is astounding, not only for his magic but for his grasp of all of the former branches of the art.  More on him later.