Adapting Closeup Effects to Stage

We truly live in a wonderous era of magic.

Never before in my life has there been so much good, well-thought magic being produced.

And being able to see much of it demoed on video before purchasing means it’s easier than ever to make an informed decision.

True, videos can be deceptive. But oh so much better than the old catalog days.

A few days ago I saw a video demo for a new effect offered by Alakazam Magic. It’s called #46.

The premise of the trick is that you’re going to have a spectator read the instructions to you while you perform the effect.

You have a spectator sign a card and you tear off a corner.

Then, as per the instructions, you eat the corner.

But there’s a twist - you weren’t actually supposed to eat the corner. And it turns out all the instructions are not included.

Hilarity ensues, and ultimately the matching torn corner is found in a sealed candy (or wherever you want it to be.)

I like the premise, as it reminds me of the classic Vanishing Bandana. I also like the idea of having the instructions read during the effect. To me, it creates a different dynamic than most tricks.

Because I rarely perform closeup, I wondered how I could adapt this for the stage.

The first part is the easiest. I’d force a black spot card, like Two of Spades or Three of Clubs.

Cards like those are easier to identify in a big audience.

Next, I’d have the spectator sign the face of the card with a big thick red Sharpie. Again, the bright red pops, and stands in stark contrast to the black spots of the card.

I’ve used both of those techniques for years to transform closeup card tricks into stage pieces in front of 400 kids. It also helps that kids have visual acuity that most adults have forgotten about.

But what about reading the instructions?

If I have a volunteer do it, I’d have to bring an extra microphone with me. And my current sound system does not have an extra mic jack.

There are ways around that, but I don’t like having spectators read aloud anything from the stage if I can help it.

No matter how I do it, no matter how I coach them, spectators just don’t have the timing or ability to read anything engagingly onstage.

And who can blame them? We’re supposed to be the entertainers.

This, by the way, is why I ultimately sold my Cue the Magic. My apologies to Angelo Carbone, but it just didn’t ‘hit’ for me.

So how to get around the reading of the instructions…

Bingo.

After a couple of hours of letting this rattle around in my subconscious, I had the answer.

I’d audio-record the instructions. That way, everyone could hear everything without putting the spectator on the spot to ‘perform.’

At first, I thought I’d record the instructions ‘as is,’ with those that came with the effect.

But then another idea hit me.

What about AI?

I’d frame the audio portion of it around a conversation with AI (voiced by my wonderful wife Libby).

Realizing what I’d come up with, I had the perfect framing device to add a lot of comedy.

For instance, when the instructions go missing, I can ask my AI where they went. She would then insist all the instructions were there, and that it was my fault.

Additionally, using AI as a presentational hook makes my act seem up to date with a timely subject on everyone’s minds.

Plus, when AI messes up the trick, it kinda serves as my own subtle commentary on my thoughts on AI.:-)

I haven’t written the script yet, but with those ideas, I know this is going to be a winner.

I’ve used the whole audio recording premise in several effects before. The Vanishing Bandana is the first and most obvious.

But I’ve also used Cody Fisher’s Bet Your Bucks game show audio recording as an intro to my own Bill in Lemon presentation for years.

And years ago I coerced my wife into recording a fun Vanishing Bandana-type presentation for my Chair Suspension and eventually my Up Up & Away levitation.

This was a fun exercise, illustrating how just letting your imagination run wild you can A) easily adapt a close-up effect for the stage and B) change an existing presentation into one that’s relevant and timely.

--Cris

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