Magic and Malarky
Ron's magic for libraries, preschools, children's birthday parties, and more in Chicago's west and northwest suburbs and northern IllinoisArchive for Magical Reflections
Making the Magic Happen
When I was first learning magic, I admit I was sometimes disappointed to learn “the secret” of how the trick worked. Of course, I really wanted to be Gandalf or Merlin and have the magic be real. But it wasn’t and the secret was sometimes disappointing, hence one of the reasons the magician “never tells the secret.” I had to learn to put the magic back in. I had to learn to make the trick be more than a trick, to add the magic and make it into an effect, an illusion. Much of the power of an effect or illusion comes from the set-up, the story, the context a magician adds.
This principle applies to more than just individual illusions, it applies to an entire routine, to offering that routine to individuals, libraries, etc. Making the magic happens starts with an effect, putting in the magic, the mystery. Then the effect becomes part of a routine, ranging from that one effect to a short series for table hopping to a number of effects, theme, running gags, etc. Part of the magic comes in making the performance available so that people can actually see it and enjoy it.
Part of making the magic happen involves you. Give me a call and let me bring the Magic & Malarky to you!
Abrakadabra!
How Does Magic Work?
Although this post is titled “How Does Magic Work?” I am not going to tell secrets, of course. I am not even going to pretend to tell secrets, as in my video “How Magic Works.” (View “How Magic Works”) Rather, I want to explore why we enjoy watching magic, why it works as illusion and entertainment. How is it that an audience who knows the magician is fooling them, who knows the magician is doing things no one could possibly do, is mesmerized and entertained?
context, venue – special time – like mardis gras or other celebration. a bit of “out of school” sort of time
dramatic moment – each effect has a bit of story. there is even narrative magic where a lengthy story and magic are intertwined. but in every magical effect, there is a story, a drama. there is a set-up or development, there may be a conflict or problem or glitch, there is a resolution, often a surprise
perception. misdirection, hand is faster than the eye, etc. but the positive part of this is that, while we are not hypnotized, we do follow the suggestions and perceptual clues the magician gives us. we can’t take everything in, so we take in what our attention is being directed to. it amounts to, sometimes, a truly surreal perception.
now why would i even divulge this much? well, first of all, i wanted to explore these ideas. but further more, i am confident that, even knowing these ideas and issues, the next time a magician performs an illusion for you, even knowing this, you will still see just what the magician wants you to see.
that is because ritual, drama, story are all part of our intellectual and spiritual life-blood, our soul nourishment. and they require certain perceptual parameters. we accept those (as in the suspension of belief, as when we watch sci-fi, fantasy, or even straight drama – which one could argue is fantasy in its own way). and we accept such parameters in magic without thinking about it, just participating in the ritual of illusion. because even knowing it is illusion, the metaphor of that illusion can feed our spirits, and inspire a certain “what if?” in our thinking and being.
Do You Believe in Magic?
Do You Believe in Magic?
I have been performing magic off and on for about 30 years. You can see my magic page here. When I was first learning magic, I was often disappointed tolearn the secret. Well, let’s face it, I had just read The Lord of the Rings and, truth be told, I really wanted to be Gandalf. So I was often disappointed at how simple the secrets were to a lot of the effects I purchased.
That is one of several reasons that magicians don’t tell the secret; it would spoil the magic. I learned that my task as a magician was to put the magic back into the effect. The combination of the secret, the story or presentation (magician’s call it the patter), and the magician’s personality all serve to make a magical effect a true magical moment. Performing magic is really a bit like alchemy: a bit of this, a bit of that, something to make everything interact.
That is what life is like. Sure, things can be explained scientifically. But that doesn’t take away the magic of one of those “Aha!” moments when some idea just comes to us. Magic seems more appropriate an analogy when we have tried and tried to remember something and then, when we finally move on to another subject, BAM! It suddenly comes to us. It seems more like magic when we have forgotten something at work and we remember it just when we are waking up or standing in the shower.
Knowing the principle of a rainbow or a magnificent sunrise or sunset does not take away from the magic of being there at just that moment to see it. Knowing psychology does not take away the pure magic of a child putting his arms around you for a hug. We can understand logically about wanting to be with someone who wants to be with us, but that does not take away the magic of loving someone.
Life can be explained scientifically, sure. Nevertheless, it is filled with magic. I believe children know that. They see it in everywhere in the world around them. They see it in the love of their pet, or in the mystery of the woods. They even see it, sometimes, in a magician making a ball appear out of thin air or pulling a coin from behind their ear.
Do you believe in magic?
(C) 2010 Ron L. Clayton
Children & Magic
The winter solstice has come and gone. We are in the final days before Christmas. Snow on the ground. Sledding on the hill. Anticipation of Christmas presents. There is something magical about children and Christmas (or whatever winter holiday you celebrate). The excitement as children come down the stairs to open presents is enchanting.
In the same way, there is something amazing about children and magic. Read the rest of this entry »
Is Magic Real?
What is magic? Is magic a way of looking at the world before science taught us what “really” happens? Is it wishful thinking? Is magic an alternate view practiced by modern day ne0-pagans? Is magic simply entertainment, i.e., illusion? Or, more baldly, is it simply tricks, and not even that interesting? Magic means all of that to one person or another.
