talkmagic.co.uk

Ahh, remember the days when two women could dress up like Drag queens, and get away with it?

if the answer is no.. then watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/user/renaissance ... hZg-qXouPA

It's acts like this that gave big box magic a bad name. Little or no magical content, and why repeat the thing like that?

That was so boring! I cracked my jaw yawning!!

She wasnt very good at placing the swords either.

In a word.............TERRIBLE!

I got about 30 seconds in and was too bored to carry on. The sound of the wind howling round my flat was much more entertaining. Especially when one of my cats tried to jump through the closed blinds from outside scaring the bejesus out of me!!

I'll be honest and say that I'm rarely enthused by box magic at the best of times. I'm scratching my head trying to think of an exception.

For sheer slickness and believability, I'd have to say that Shahid & Lisa Malik's sword box illusion is about as good as I've ever seen first-hand. But that's probably because the box was cardboard, there were loads of rods, and Shahid seemed to give no real thought to where he put them.

The fancier the box, the less I care.

The same applies to the precion and care taken over any slicing, dicing, bisection or impaling that takes place.

And don't even get me started on the prancing and flouncing that most big box illusionists seem to do. I'm often left wondering whether they're the only ones enjoying the act.

So this video's really not far removed from most other box magicians I've seen at gala shows and suchlike. I'm sure that the Maliks aren't the only couple with a good one. And I have faith that somewhere somebody has a box trick that can really engage me as an audience member, but I'm still waiting for that moment to arrive.

And yes, it's all a matter of taste. But that's mine. So there.

Pete

oh, I 100% agree about the Malik's box being almost the best one out there.

Its amazingly fast.. the actual effect is in Tarbell, and in other books, some published for lays..

but their speed is what makes it.. and nobody seems to be able to match it.

For showmanship though, you have to give the edge to the Morettis.

I liked her boots and her ever so realistic blonde hair, shame about the entire act and the ultra dark stage lights didn't help.

I dunno...

The bit where she wrestled free bits of costume that had got caught in the gimmick made it funnier than the average box trick.