When asked by the execution of what trick he ultimately judged a conjurer, Robert Houdin replied, "Never by the execution of any trick, but wholly by his ability to get out of a trick that fails, and covering it up."
It has long been popularly held that a magician is merely an actor playing the part of a magician. The technique and the mechanics he employs are simply his tools in an art he has come to master, either by extensive practice or by inherent aptitude. But even perfect technique can be easily derailed by unforeseen circumstances and mechanical devices, even good ones, fail on a regular basis.
Legend has it that the great Harry Houdini faced just such a challenge one evening when performing his famous Thumbcuff Escape before a packed theatre audience. After his thumbs had been fitted into the device and the cuffs clamped down tightly, he was ready to begin. Or so he thought. Much to his chagrin, Houdini discovered that some prankster had played a cruel joke on him. The lock, which might easily have been pried apart, had been stuffed with sand! Houdini suffered in silent agony for nearly an hour before finally ripping the cuffs, still locked, from his thumbs. He appeared for his final bow with his bloodied hands swathed in scarves and was later treated by an emergency surgeon. The audience never had a clue.
And who could forget David Blaine's less-than-spectacular ending to his 2008 ABC television special? The much-publicized "Dive of Death" was preceded by Blaine being hung upside down in Central Park for sixty hours replete with hourly "medical" breaks. Blaine, his mortality seemingly hanging in the balance, was expected to jump off the 44-foot platform, swing like a pendulum and disappear into the evening sky. What actually happened was something else altogether. But, oddly enough, subsequent press releases covering the event said very little about the apparent mishap. Had Blaine pulled off his greatest illusion ever by turning calamity into triumph? Perhaps not. The crowd only had a vague idea how the stunt was expected to conclude. Many left confused. Some were even disappointed. Still, David's nonchalant misdirection proved effective in the end. The crowd never realized they'd just witnessed a major mechanical malfunction.
It wasn't the first time a magician had screwed up on live television. When self-professed psychic Uri Gellar appeared on The Tonight Show in 1973, he was unable to perform his signature spoon bending effect. When given an opportunity to redeem himself, Uri also failed to "mentally" locate a sealed metal canister that contained water inside. Obviously, the all-knowing Gellar had failed to do his homework by determining that Johnny Carson was himself a magician and had made sure that none of Gellar's handlers got anywhere near the props before the show. Nearly forty years and several lawsuits later, Gellar still avoids discussing the painful event.
And there was the notorious 1987 Orange Bowl halftime performance in which popular illusionist Harry Blackstone Jr. endured a spectacular series of prop failures during which he actually dropped a live rabbit on stage. The resulting five-minute set invokes heart palpitations and dry heaves among stage magicians to this day. Blackstone carried his embarrassment to the grave ten years later.
More recently, it seems even the controversial Masked Magician can't escape the long arm of Murphy's Law. While promoting his soon-to-be released DVD on Brazilian television, Valentino flubbed a simple, self-working card trick in such an awkward manner as to make even magic author Mike Maxwell blush.
My point?
The old adage "Practice Makes Perfect" doesn't apply to magicians. Practice to be "imperfect". Imagine that anything that can go wrong... will go wrong... sooner or later. Because it will. That's fact, not conjecture. Be wise and vigilant in your preparation. Do so and you'll be light-years ahead of your competition.
It has long been popularly held that a magician is merely an actor playing the part of a magician. The technique and the mechanics he employs are simply his tools in an art he has come to master, either by extensive practice or by inherent aptitude. But even perfect technique can be easily derailed by unforeseen circumstances and mechanical devices, even good ones, fail on a regular basis.
Legend has it that the great Harry Houdini faced just such a challenge one evening when performing his famous Thumbcuff Escape before a packed theatre audience. After his thumbs had been fitted into the device and the cuffs clamped down tightly, he was ready to begin. Or so he thought. Much to his chagrin, Houdini discovered that some prankster had played a cruel joke on him. The lock, which might easily have been pried apart, had been stuffed with sand! Houdini suffered in silent agony for nearly an hour before finally ripping the cuffs, still locked, from his thumbs. He appeared for his final bow with his bloodied hands swathed in scarves and was later treated by an emergency surgeon. The audience never had a clue.
And who could forget David Blaine's less-than-spectacular ending to his 2008 ABC television special? The much-publicized "Dive of Death" was preceded by Blaine being hung upside down in Central Park for sixty hours replete with hourly "medical" breaks. Blaine, his mortality seemingly hanging in the balance, was expected to jump off the 44-foot platform, swing like a pendulum and disappear into the evening sky. What actually happened was something else altogether. But, oddly enough, subsequent press releases covering the event said very little about the apparent mishap. Had Blaine pulled off his greatest illusion ever by turning calamity into triumph? Perhaps not. The crowd only had a vague idea how the stunt was expected to conclude. Many left confused. Some were even disappointed. Still, David's nonchalant misdirection proved effective in the end. The crowd never realized they'd just witnessed a major mechanical malfunction.
It wasn't the first time a magician had screwed up on live television. When self-professed psychic Uri Gellar appeared on The Tonight Show in 1973, he was unable to perform his signature spoon bending effect. When given an opportunity to redeem himself, Uri also failed to "mentally" locate a sealed metal canister that contained water inside. Obviously, the all-knowing Gellar had failed to do his homework by determining that Johnny Carson was himself a magician and had made sure that none of Gellar's handlers got anywhere near the props before the show. Nearly forty years and several lawsuits later, Gellar still avoids discussing the painful event.
And there was the notorious 1987 Orange Bowl halftime performance in which popular illusionist Harry Blackstone Jr. endured a spectacular series of prop failures during which he actually dropped a live rabbit on stage. The resulting five-minute set invokes heart palpitations and dry heaves among stage magicians to this day. Blackstone carried his embarrassment to the grave ten years later.
More recently, it seems even the controversial Masked Magician can't escape the long arm of Murphy's Law. While promoting his soon-to-be released DVD on Brazilian television, Valentino flubbed a simple, self-working card trick in such an awkward manner as to make even magic author Mike Maxwell blush.
My point?
The old adage "Practice Makes Perfect" doesn't apply to magicians. Practice to be "imperfect". Imagine that anything that can go wrong... will go wrong... sooner or later. Because it will. That's fact, not conjecture. Be wise and vigilant in your preparation. Do so and you'll be light-years ahead of your competition.