talkmagic.co.uk

A J Irving wrote:I'm seeing them on Saturday night and I cannot wait as it looks like this be my only chance to see them live. I'm going to Las Vegas in late September and as far as I can tell, they're not performing at that time. Neither is Lance Burton.

Go and see Criss Angel: Believe at the Luxor and Luke Jermay: Mental at O'Sheas.

Both are well worth catching while there in my opinion. I have been to LV three times but somehow missed seeing P&T which was a shame. The Rio is quite off the strip but I just ran out of time when I was last there.

I was quite indifferent to David Copperfield's show at the MGM, it was okay but I thought Angel and Burton's were far more entertaining. If Burton is not on then might be worth catching Copperfield anyway.

On a non-magic related note La Reve at the Wynn is phenomenal and on a P&T note Bullsh*t is a great TV show if you like their presentation and humour, not just their magic.

kolm wrote:Ah right, I stand corrected . It probably passed right by me, was it during the water tank trick?

It was.

Penn and Teller revealed how the cups and balls routine works using clear plastic cups when they appeared on the Jonathan Ross show last week which is a couple of million viewers who now know the secret. However the time between broadcast and actually seeing a cups and balls routine will ensure most viewers will have forgotten what they saw.

kolm wrote:Sorry jomarchan, but Eshly is right

It is what I previously said: I am in the minority. I think you and Tom are wrong. I was doing a party on Sunday and afterwards somebody came up to me and showed me his version of the cups and balls which he learnt by watching Penn and Teller. It was very rough and awkward but he still new the basic moves. I remember seeing a program a few years ago where they basically explained sleight of hand. It was a fantastic routine as I recall and to show how it was done after was amazing and also showed why they are the top magic performers in the world.

I actually think its *more* impressive and baffling when they do it with the clear cups!

I think the thing with the cups and balls is that it is such a classic that it almost teeters in the edge of being a cliche. Personally, I don't really mind if a layman has learnt it by watching P&T - we all know an uncle who knows a few card tricks so, personally, I can't see the difference.

I always carry my trusty Magus Capsule (best thing I ever bought from Jay Sankey) which allows me to do a C&B routine in the specs hands - that usually flummoxes any clever clogs who may have learnt to the original routine.

I guess it's like most exposure - it can actually be a good thing if it means you can reappraise your presentation to make it all the more baffling!


Sean

They didn't expose anything. Everyone already knew it was slight of hand, and appreciated it for what it is. What Penn and Teller did was show the world just how tricky the slight of hand is.

Eshly wrote: What Penn and Teller did was show the world just how tricky the slight of hand is.

...and show them how to do it if they could be bothered or were clever and quick enough to take note.

Like I said before I am not arguing with you, it is my opinion and the incident with the cups and balls at the function I was working at on Sunday backs up my opinion. Tom, When you start performing paid or unpaid and somebody at one of the tables shows you a trick/routine that they learnt from Penn and Teller maybe you won't be quite so quick to pass judgment.
I am not slighting P & T. It is the way they perform that gives them a uniqueness. I was one of the lucky people to see them when they came over in the Nineties and I will always remember how entertained I was. It was more than magic.
For me though I would prefer it if they stuck to their own routines and then expose them at the end.

I adore their transparent cups and balls act! It's so slick that, even if you're following along, it's impossible to remember afterwards. (Not so important in these days of video recordings, of course.)

And, let's face it, the cups and balls have been around for centuries, maybe a millennium or more, and everybody on Earth has some idea how the trick works. It's not exactly a revelation to show the balls aren't always actually where they're supposed to be.

P&T's cups and balls come a very close second behind Teller's cigarette routine ("how sleight-of-hand works") on my list of things to just sit back and marvel at.

Robbie wrote:
P&T's cups and balls come a very close second behind Teller's cigarette routine ("how sleight-of-hand works") on my list of things to just sit back and marvel at.

I think this routine was what I referred to earlier. Truely remarkable. I would love to see it again.

For those who haven't seen the routine...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qQX-jayixQ

jomarchan wrote:I would love to see it again.

Your wish is my command:
http://www.5min.com/Video/Penn-and-Tell ... nd-5311492

http://www.5min.com/Video/Penn--Teller- ... ls-6399608

Lenoir wrote:For those who haven't seen the routine...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qQX-jayixQ

Thanks for that Lenoir and Robbie Brilliant.

Some posts have been removed for obvious reasons. Let's keep it all sweet and on topic please.

I enjoyed the show on Sunday night (wonder if they'll get fined for smoking on stage though? ) Sean Ryder did when I saw the happy Mondays back just after the smoking ban came into effect.

Anywaythe cards were a marked stripper deck, bargain at £5 though the marking is far too obvious my liking, nice souvenier though

I wondered about the cigarette aspect but apparently if it's an essential part of the show it's quite legal. Bands smoking on stage can't claim it’s essential to the act so they’re on dodgy ground to think otherwise.

The fact that very sharp knives were used in the juggling and the knife throwing routine seems to be classed as far safer!