Rebuilding A Mystery

Nelms’ overlooked gem

Magic and Showmanship: A Handbook for Conjurers by Henning Nelms

Recently, a friend challenged me to re-visit a book that I considered formative to my interest in magic. I really enjoyed this book when I was a teenage magician, but honestly, I haven’t looked at in decades. But I did recall it fondly enough that I’ve kept my original copy for 40 some odd years. (The Amateur Magician’s Handbook would have been another choice that met these criteria.)

I was surprised to discover that although it is published by Dover—a publishing house that I associate with reprinting old books—this book is a Dover original and was published in 1969. (Note: Any book published after you were born can’t possibly be considered old!)

Taking advantage of resources that weren’t available to me as a teen, I spent a couple of hours looking into the life of the author, Henning Nelms. This was a delightful exercise. Nelms was a true polymath with experience and accomplishments in law, drama, mystery fiction, illustration, and of course, conjuring. (Note to self: try to find a copy of his 1950s book about instructional illustration.)

I’m confident that I read this book cover-to-cover when I was a kid, and I decided to do so again. I was pleased to discover that the highlights made by Young Gordon were almost all still relevant to Old Gordon. (Should this be disturbing? Haven’t I grown since then? Well, I think so, as this time I found even more things to highlight!)

I laughed that I had highlighted a passage were Nelms notes that the conjurer’s use of “vanishing” and “vanish” is odd and grammatically incorrect. This is still very much a pet peeve of mine. (I wonder if this is where I got it from?)

What follows are just a few tidbits from my re-reading:

• Predating The Jerx by decades, Nelms observes that spectators at an impromptu performance are less likely to credit a performer with “magical powers,” especially so if they know him personally. As many others have also suggested, having a topic in mind that will turn the conversation towards an opening to perform a mystery is a viable stratagem for the magician itching to perform. But, Nelms uniquely adds, you also need an outro to transition away from the piece! He also suggests that the topic you utilize in this regard needs to be interesting and compelling even without your demonstration, otherwise it will be a weak and obvious ploy.
• Although most of the book is about presentation and performance, Nelms also includes plenty of tricks, all of which are delightfully illustrated. Each trick illustrates his “theory” (to put it in modern terms). The book builds on the tricks throughout so don’t skip studying them.
• I was pleasantly surprised at how many of the presentations would now be considered as “bizarre” magic. (Which isn’t that surprising, I suppose, given Nelms’ theatrical pedigree.) There are pendulums, voodoo dolls, and a wonderful divination called “The Book of Thoth” to name just a few. (Don’t confuse the tarot piece with the more contemporary book of the same name by Stephen Minch.) I was especially tickled to find a few examples of using magic words, and one piece that manifests a djinn!

• I was pleased with the consistent, clear, and useful technical words that Nelms uses. I wish more of his vocabulary caught on. (For example, “device” refers to the means of accomplishing a secret action.)
• I’m not a Si Stebbins guy (I prefer the Jenny stack), but I have enough familiarity with Si Stebbins to know that some of the techniques that Nelms describes are uncommon. If this is something you could use, it’s worth investigating.
• A theme of the book is eliminating departures, unnecessary words, and pointless actions. Nelms also advises that ruthlessly eliminating the weakest parts of your act will improve everything because those pieces, no matter how much you love them, are undermining your performance.
• As a dramatist, Nelms includes practical and useful advice about structure, blocking, and managing the attention curve so that it peaks at just the right time. (Something that expert comedians do, but so rarely exhibited by magicians.) While there are plenty of books that tell you performing magic is akin to acting, Nelms’ discussion is more useful than most. For one thing, he acknowledges that conjurors face an additional challenge that actors do not have to deal with; managing a hidden reality.
• You’ve probably heard others suggest that using a metronome during rehearsal can help your performance. But have you ever heard anyone be specific about how it helps, and give you actionable steps in using one? You’ll find both in this book.
• Finally, since you’ve read this far, I’ll tip the one thing in this book that can thoroughly change your performances: the silent script. Seriously, don’t overlook the discussion of this. (And it will help make your magic more deceptive, too!)

There’s more, but this is definitely enough for this summary. Another nice thing about Dover books is that they are freely available at bookstores, including the Amazon. (Sometimes secrets are right out in the open.) Why not pick up a copy and see if you agree with my assessment? It will be one of the least expensive magic books in your library, and it may end up being one of the most valuable.

Performing in the 21st Century

Magicians always run the risk of seeming archaic, but perhaps the suggestions for Giving Kick-Ass Presentations In The Age Of Social Media might help avoid that.

Blaney Parade in The Linking Ring

I certainly haven't hesitated to criticize The Linking Ring, so to be fair, I'd like to point out Walter "Zaney" Blaney's parade in the December issue. When a longtime working pro tips routines right out of his family shows, it's worth your attention. Some of the routines need updating (such as the one that uses fire), but look past that to see their practicality.

Look. At. Me.

Marco, a software developer who's blog and work that I admire, writes about an interview with an orchestral musician in Countless Hours of Work Just to Be Invisible.. He calls out the observation that professional musicians spend countless of hours mastering the art of disappearing while playing. It's all about getting the music right, and getting the hell out of the way of the way of the song. Marco goes on to observe that the same thought applies to great design and software.

Doesn't this also apply to magic? Many magicians insert themselves into the performance in ways that dierespect the mystery, and as a whole, our culture values those who "improve" upon the classics by discovering new ways to further distract the audience. If we sought to demonstrate our respect by making the show about the performance, rather than the performer, would we get more respect in return?

Advise for You Tube magicians

"I tell my people that if they want to be artists of TV, the screen is their canvas, but they have to repaint it every three seconds." - Roger Ailes (Fox TV) ESQUIRE, January 2011

iPod for Magicians

My article about how to turn your iPod into a self-contained cue sheet for your show is now available at Secret Art Journal.

The craft of magic

Ray Ketcham writes about Art vs. Craft at his website. His subject is photography. Or, is it?

In the Spotlight

My local Costco has a nice set of battery-power LED spotlights that I've found to be quite handy in my magical theatre here at home. (I have an automaton that benefits from some extra light when it is performing.) I can't find them at Costco.com, but here's what the package looks like in case you want to try to pick up a set:

For $20 you get the lights, a couple of mounting options, a remote control (pictured below), and, surprisingly, a complete set of batteries. Here's a better view of one of the spots.

They can be dimmed, too, but as you can see below at full power they're plenty bright. The remote control provides on/off and dimming, but it's IR so it requires line-of-sight to unit and must be within 10 feet or so away from the lights.

I'm really pleased with the value and performance, and might even pick up another set if they're still in stock next time I visit the store. According to the packaging, these are manufactured for Costco, so if you look elsewhere expect the packaging and contents to differ slightly.

UPDATE: I've heard that not all Costco locations carry these, In my store, I found it in the same aisle as lightbulbs and batteries.

Board of Advisors show at Magic Chicago

On July 7, 2010 I'll have the distinct pleasure of opening for two of Chicago's modern masters of mystery: Eugene Burger and Ross Johnson. It's sure to be a fantastic show. Tickets are available at the Magic Chicago website. Hope to see you there!

Ah, the good old days

This is from The Sphinx (Vol 49, 1950). The trick is "The Mummy" by Zerr, The Mind Mystic:

[this trick] may be used with a girl from the audience. ... A girl is put into a sack and tied to a post with ropes at the ankles, just above the knees, around her waist and around her neck.

Of course, the biggest trick is developing the social blindspot that allows you to believe this is a reasonable thing to do with a volunteer from the audience.