by Allen Tipton » Jul 26th, '12, 14:42
Fulves BIG book is far too hefty for a youngster to learn from. A lot of the material is very useful to experienced magicians but not a beginner or a youngster.Later yes.
The Bill Severn books--as--Magic With Paper--Magic Shows you can Give--Magic In Your Pockets-might be a better beginning BUT ONLY ONE BOOK.
Otherwise like many many magicians he will have so much material--he will not know which or what to use.
Then the material just gets left on the shelf.
I have recently taught two 10 year old boys the following. They were to perform at their own 11th. birthday parties, at school in a classroom Talent Competition and one at 2 residential homes.
The Act, BASED ON THE THEME OF--MY MAGIC HANKY- consisted of the following:
1. The Stretching Hanky and yes it was used by Blackstone Senior.
2. Penetrating a pencil (I gave them both a small magic wand half the size of a pencil.) 'You cannot harm my magic hanky.'
This I was taught by Jean Poisson ( famous French close up man) at British Ring, Convention, Harrogate in 1950. He happened to be a close friend of my mentor
Arthur Culpin & Arthur's assistant & magicienne in her own right-Elizabeth.
His autograph in my book was written in green ink (that impressed a 17 old old) and with a little fish, drawn below the signature.
3. A Coin vanish & reproduction using the hanky. The old fold over into triangles.Pull on the 'loose' ends so the hanky goes into a rigid straight line.
4. The Broken & Restored Match in the magic hanky. The one from every boy's book not my own which I baffled Devano (Rising Cards) with at another BR Convention.
the expressions on the other magicians' faces, had to be seen to be believed, as this 'kid' dared to show a boy's trick in the Pocket Trick Drive (not close up then)
Competition. Then when the hanky was dropped before them to examin--and nothing--wow. A thrilling moment for a boy. Devano followed me from table to table but
I would not explain the method. Years later I regretted this and under the title 'A Trick For Devano' wrote it up in one of my Dear Magician--Abra series.
5. The Wagging Hanky.. using an invisible hair plucked from a spectator. The one lad's dad, watching the teaching actually thought I used a hair. And he offered my wife
and I a free week's holiday at a hotel he owns in Ireland!
THEN for an encore--
6. The Houdini Rope Escape. Taught to me by the vicar at our chapel when I was 12.
The hanky is bound round the wrists. A rope is threaded through . The ends held by an assistant patter line for the lads.'I shall need the assistance of my most
beautiful assistant'. The boy walks towards a lady then turns and takes his dad's hand leading him out.
This solves a problem. The Dad can keep the 2 ends pulled just right as the magician moves his hands up and down till the rope penetrates the bound wrists.
Now that makes a little Act and not just letting the kid--show off a trick.
SESSION 1. Show the Stretching & the Pencil Penetration. TEACH THESE TWO.
SESSION 2. He shows me the 2 and I make any corrections. Then I teach the Coin Vanish & re appearance.
Then with Minimum patter he goes through all 3 several times
SESSION 4 Go through, with patter, the 3 tricks, twice or three times. Then Teach the Wagging Hanky FIRST. then the Broken & Restored Match.
SESSION 5 Go through tricks, 1,2,,3, 4 -- EITHER individually OR if the kid is quick as an Act. A good twice.
Then spend a little more time on the Match--then the Wagging Hanky
SESSION 6 Run the entire Act about 3 times. Then teach the Houdini Rope.
A 7th. Session now to polish all the items up.
I also taught them to write out a Props List and how to place the items needed in a small box for easy removal.
Allen Tipton
Began magic at 9 in 1942. Joined Staffs M.S at 13. Nottm.Guild of M. (8 times President. Prog Director 20years)IBM. Awarded Magician of Month 1980 By Intern. Pres. IBM for reproducing Dante's Sim Sala Bim. Writes Dear Magician column for Abra. Mag.