talkmagic.co.uk

by **artychris** » Jan 21st, '12, 12:57

HI!

Well, I've been on here for a little while now, but not quite gotten around to this bit!

So, My names Chris, and I do magic...

It's kind of a life long thing, on and off! My first encounter with magic was on holiday in the states with the parents as a kid, and saw two magicians working together doing a street show! Amazing how life changing something like that is! They were also juggling... I think why these guys stood out to the 11 year old me is that they did a comedy routine where they made a ball vanish for a volunteer, where as the audience saw the ball being thrown clearly over her head to the other magician! For me, it was this "exposure" to a magical technique that amazed me... the fact that the volunteer could be so perplexed at how the ball had vanished! Without realising what it was, that's when I realised the power of misdirection and showmanship. And that was the moment when magic entered my bloodstream!

Then I got a couple of small books of tricks, and a lot of Paul Daniels stuff! I did shows for my parents friends when ever they came around. My favourite trick was a small paddle routine called "Jewelled fantasy" I knew it was good because one relative, in the middle of the routine, snatched it off me to see how it was done! (I was p****d off at the time, as really, what kind of woman snatches something from a 12 yr old?) I figured that if it bugged her that much, I must be doing something right!

It was also the days of video, and I videod a David Copperfield special and, by playing it back slowly, learnt his cups and balls routine, and wow! Did that amaze the parents friends! They really didn't expect a 12 yr old to do that kind of magic! (And quite frankly, I really couldn't believe that it worked! How had they not noticed me loading the fruit in? In hindsight, I'd just followed Copperfields timing and it worked fantastically!)

Then I discovered Dungeons and Dragons! And I'm afraid to say, magic got put to aside... Sure, I'd occasionally get the Svengali deck out, or the Paul Daniels Magic Domino, but it wasn't the same...

Then I discovered Heavy Metal...

Then I discovered women!

Magic had become a lower priority. (But it was always lurking in the backgound...)

I went to art college, and as well as drawing a lot, I took up juggling! (See, those two street magicians really have a lot to answer for!) I got quite good at it, started doing street shows, getting bookings, and doing fire shows too! It was great fun! But the guy I was working with wanted to become a novelist, and I wanted to go and travel, and it's a little hard to pass clubs over 17,000 miles, so the act came to an end! (Gary has now published several books, and I spent a few years travelling!)

About 7 or 8 years ago, I was in LA, travelling back from New Zealand, and passed a magic shop. And on impulse, walked in. Incredible how life changing that little impulse turned out to be! I came out with a nice (and still used occasionally) version of mind control, my first ID, and a rising deck! (Never used! My first CUPS!) And that was that! I performed the ID so much! I took it out on a stag do, and my friend that was getting married was so stunned by it that he was introducing me to all and sundry in the pubs we went into and making me perform it over and over! It was such a good experience, reallly getting out of my comfort zone and doing magic for some intimidatingly large groups, and being successful at it!

As all magicians, I needed more than just two tricks, so found International Magic!

So now, it seems that the ID and mind control were quite influential in the direction of my magic. Richard Osterlinds DVDs are quite an inspiration to me, and Corinda just offers up more and more every time I open it! At the moment I seem too be doing a lot of card stuff, purely because it's so convenient, I always have a deck on me (blue back Boris Wilds, and of late, a blue back Stripper deck (Cheers Tomo!) ... but my card stuff seems to always have a mental slant to it. One of Osterlinds books talks about having to believe what you do while you do it. I agree with that, and as much as I love card to shoe, and sponge bunnies (I do, really!) I can't seem to invest in it enough to perform it, but OOTW on the other hand...

I've tried a couple of times to perform on stage, and really enjoyed it! That's certainly something I want to do more... and I've performed to groups of people whenever I get the chance (one day I'll post about some of these, but this short introduction is turning into enough of an essay already!) I take my magic seriously, it matters to me, but it's still so much fun! I think that this year I'll be about ready to start doing the odd proper show! You know the sort... "We've booked a magician..." Not sure I'll ever become a professional, but to get some return and really enjoy the magic... that's a decent goal for me for now. Some serious practice really is needed mind, but it's nice to have the motivation!

It's such a great feeling to perform an effect, and to know that you've done it well!

Hmmmmm.... I didn't expect to write quite this much... sorry to have prattled on so much!

See you at the London meets!

Chris