talkmagic.co.uk

Anyone see this new series on Sky one. The next one hour episodes are:

Friday 20/02/04 7pm
Sunday 22/02/04 5pm (repeat of Friday show)

I personally feel this is a lot more palatable to everyone than the 'Magik' series that recently aired. It also has more content it seems than the 'Monkey Magic' series.

What do others think?

regards,
Valentino

I've been watching these ( I think I mentioned it elsewhere but can't remember!) and I have to agree that it's far better than some of the recent TV offerings. If I'm allowed one teeny weeny whinge (OK, a big one!) why, oh why, is it fashionable to completely ignore one of the basic precepts of Magic and show the same effect over and over again? Even if it is to different specs, and even if they show 5 performances all edited together so you get 5 of the first bit, 5 of the next bit and so on. I got so fed up of seeing that poor goldfish being poured into the bowl, and the previous time where the educated cockroach did the biz - come on guys, show us one good version, in one take, from start to finish and we'll imagine the rest! (OK, OK, I know I'm out of touch with current trends!)

I have to say I quite like this program, although it does overdo the "trigger happy tv" angle a little which IS a bit irritating. I do like the "matrix" character though.... most surreal, and the Stephen Fry watch smashing episode was pretty amusing.

I'll have to agree with you partly Mandrake about repeating the same trick over and over. Remember the first time someone sees a trick they are (hopefully) stunned. The second time they watch the trick they are looking for the solution. The only time I think it benefits from being repeated is when the trick has different possible endings that re-inforce the trick, such as Max's psychic piano where we heard a different song each time proving that the spec had a free choice of song from the song book.

regards,
Valentino

psychic piano

Oh yes - fantastic twist and a very unique way to reveal the choice - he can rattle out a good tune as well! I can't remember anyone else doing this sort of thing so full marks all round. Shame about the silly stuff though - that 'Scandinavian' guy wearing a ridiculous wig and using a phony foreign accent etc. I think The Great Soprendo did this much better years ago!

Bottom line for me is that Max does some very good magic and I'll keep watching as long as he's on. The stuff I don't like will be filed under the heading of 'grit your teeth and shuddup' because the good magic is worth waiting for.

Ok the forum has gone quiet for the past couple of days time to post one of those questions.

I don't have cable or satellite so I have been unable to see this new magic TV, however my work colleagues have. Since they know I do magic I was asked if I could perform a couple of things forom the TV show. How do you tell someone that you cannot perform "Pen Thru Anything" because you don't have the neccessary tools?

Sheepishly I just turned away saying I had never seen that trick before.

Just wondered how many of you had had their "reputations" dented by a friend (or whoever) coming up to them and being asked to to show them a trick that they had seen on TV the night before? And you can't perfrom it because you don't have the correct bits and pieces

My mum does it quite regularly to me! she always picks something that I can't do at the time. I usually just gloss over the effect she has mentioned and then do something different with whatever I have on me. In theory if you do a good one then they should forget about the one they wanted to see in the first place.

In theory....

Sheepishly I just turned away saying I had never seen that trick before

Sounds like you have the right idea.

Normally i'd just say "that would be magic!" or somthing equally as annoying. Of course i only say these things to people who wouldnt be prospective clients. [/quote]

On the other hand when "requested" to do the David Blaine ambitious card routine (which has subsequently been renamed fruit loops, I believe).

The last rise to the top is done with putting a crimp in the card so when the card reaches the top the audience gets to see its arrival. The routine was shown as per D.B. TV show only for the spectator to say no thats not how he did it. They remembered seeing the card "making" its way through the deck before its arrival at the top. I had to laugh.


Sorry going off topic I will stop now.

This is difficult because the last thing you want is for the specs to decide what you're going to do. Unless you're prepared, of course, and then you really do appear to be a Magician. The talented guys who can do things with a borrowed deck of cards can probably score here as they're always ready! I'd say you should always be ready with something, TT work, a self working card trick or similar, so you can tell them that the guy on TV probably cheats but you don't and can do....this (whatever 'this' is).

My ever-loving sometimes drops me in it, if we have friends round and there's something about magic on TV or the topic gets mentioned she'll tell everyone, 'Oh, Paul does that sort of stuff - show them the one where.....' and completely announces the effect like telling someone the punchline to a joke before the joke itself. Grrr doesn't even begin to cover it!

lol
You are not alone Mandrake
At family gatherings my mum will often be heard to say "ooooo do that trick where the match moves in the hand" or worse, far worse, lol.
OK mum, I'll just pop out to my magic carry all transit and do the trick you've just ruined right away

Ah - a fellow sufferer!!! I wonder if Derren Brown has these problems? (No Mum, I can't do that one where I pretend to blow my brains out - I need to be over in the Channel Isles for crying out loud!):

Or when my mum says "do that one where are cards change places, ooo do you remeber that time that the extra card came out when you pretended to pick one up, it was like you lifted double of them, DL?".....hasn't happened yet, but im waiting oooooooooh am i waiting

Lucky man. My missus looks to the heavens and shakes her head in despair everytime magic is mentioned.