#71500 - 12/17/02 07:36 PM
Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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I've long ago come to the conclusion that presentation is the most important ingredient in any effect and presentation involves choosing a style that fits the perfomer. I've come to recognize that the style that best fits me is what I call "Perverse Magic". Perverse Magic is magic that happens by itself against what the magician wants to happen.
Perverse Magic usually takes one of the following forms:
1 Something just happens without the performer's knowledge and without the performer wanting it to happen
An example would be Cardini's act where fans of card or cigarettes or billiard balls kept appearing to the amazement and then the annoyance of Cardini. Or when Roy Benson is catching large white billiard balls when all of a sudden a red one appears and Benson looks in a book to see what happened.
2 The performer says he's going to do a trick but something else happens.
An example might be coming out with a bird in a birdcage and announcing that you're going to make the cage and the bird float when, to your surprize the cage and the bird vanishes.
(It's VERY important in this situation that what happens is stronger than what you say will happen.)
3 The magician says he's going to do something; that something happens by itself.
An example might be the untying handkerchief
4 The magician does something and is caught and when he confesses it's not what the audience thought - nor what the magician thought either.
An example might be the egg bag where the magician pretends to put the egg under his arm and when caught he goes for the egg and when it's not there the magician is confused (and the audience fooled).
(This of course is a "sucker effect" but instead of the audience being the sucker the magician is the victim.)
5 The magician and the audience are on different planes as to what each sees.
An example might be the invisable deck routine or David Roth's "Legendary Four Coin Trick"
(This is "Whimsical Perverse Magic")
With Perverse Magic the magician does not appear to be "better than everyone" (as is the case with so many performers) but plays the part of an ordinary guy who gets caught up in what happens. It does take acting but the style is appropriate for many effects including the classics - both close up and platform.
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#71501 - 12/21/02 06:08 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Let me give some examples of how Perverse Magic can be used in card magic.
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#71502 - 12/21/02 06:22 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Let me give you some examples of how Perverse Magic can be used in card magic:
1 Homing Card
Actually there are 2 "Homing Card" effects, the effect where a black card continues to appear in a decreasing fan of red cards as done so well by Fred Kaps and the effect where a selected card goes into the performers pocket as published by Francis Carlyle in the Stars of Magic. I do this routine by having the card go to my pocket twice and when I try for a third time the entire deck goes except the selected card and I'm surprized and frustrated.
It was a delight to see the frustrated look on Fred Kaps face as that black card kept reappearing.
2 Ambitious Card
I have a card selected and say it will come to the top and it's not there - another card (say 4C) is there. I bury the 4C and try again but again the 4C is there. I spell the selected card but at the end it's the 4C. Finally I say I'll do the trick with the 4C and say it will go to my pocket but when I reach into my pocket it's the selected card. I'm surprized and frustrated.
3 Multiple card selection
I have a card selected and try to find it but find instead the same value card but a different color. I try again and find the mate of the selected card and finally the third of that value. In disgust I throw the deck at the ceiling and the selected card sticks.
Note that this type of magic makes the performer human and not superior - and, if done right can be very entertaining.
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#71503 - 12/27/02 04:07 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Zeke Hammer (he lives in Woodstock and Sarasota) makes wonderful trick coins. I once asked him to merely split a coin in two pieces. I use these pieces for several "Perverse" effects:
1 Coin through the table
At the conclusion of a coins through the table routine I say I'll do it one more time. One half of the split coin is on the chair and the other half is classic palmed in my left hand.
I pretend to place a regular quarter in my left hand but retain in in my right. I bring my right hand under the table where I leave the quarter and pick up the half of the split coin. I bang my left hand on the table and bring out my right hand with the split coin and then, confused, I lift my left and show the other half.
"Darn it - only part of it went!"
2 Two Bits into Two Bits
I have both halves of the split coin clasic palmed in my left hand. I borrow a quarter and spin it on the table. Then I explain that I'm trying to learn to drop a quarter and have it spin. I pretend to put the quarter in my left hand but classic palm it in my right hand as I drop the split halves to the table.
"Darn!"
3 Partial Coin Vanish
Half the split coin is classic palmed in the left hand and I borrow a quarter and say I will cause it to vanish.
I pretend to put the quarter in my left hand but keep it classic palmed in my right. I snap my fingers of my right hand (which is a very deceptive thing to do with a coin classic palmed and give the impression that the hand must be empty) and when I open my left hand half a coin is still there.
"Darn - I need more practice!"
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#71504 - 12/28/02 08:32 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Although I don't agree that presentation is the most important ingredient in an effect (I believe it is important but an effect should be a nice blend of many ingredients working cohesively together - presentation along with masterful technique, timing, audience management, etc.) but I do like the magician as the victim angle. It certainly played well for Cardini and others and I think that acting like magic is happening and you are the victim of it is a nice approach.
It certainly is a great start in defining your persona.
I don't know that "perverse" magic is a suitable term. (I always found the term to mean something negative. Perhaps "accidental" magic?).
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#71505 - 01/02/03 06:13 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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I gave an example above of an impromptu Ambitious Card Routine as Perverse Magic. Here is another Perverse Ambitious Card Routine that is not impromptu.
It is based on a routine by Norman Houghton called "A Study in Frustration" that appears in the November 1948 issue of Hugards Magic Monthly.
The only preparation is having a double back deck matching the deck being used which is placed out of sight to your right, crossways over the cardbox. The cardbox of the regular deck being used is dropped near the double back deck when the cards are taken out to be used.
This will summarize the routine:
1 Your patter is something like explaining how magicians find selected cards. Some magicians find more than one - you've seen some find four or five but what you're going to do is find 51 cards. You give the deck to a spectator and tell her to take out any 51 cards and give you the rest of the deck. The spectator realizes what's going on and gives you one card.
2 You tell the spectator to remember his 51 cards and help you remember yours (the one card not taken).
The plot is going to be that as much as you try to find one of her 51 cards you keep finding the one card she didn't take.
3 You shuffle "your" card in with her 51 (controlling it to the top) and ask the spectator to name one of her cards. Let's say she names the 5D. You say you will make the 5D come to the top but when you turn over the top card it's "your" card. You look puzzled.
4 Now you switch the deck for the double back deck as follows. Hold the deck in your right hand with the thumb on the inner end and the fingers on the outer end (the short sides) and you go to the double back deck, leaving the regular deck and picking up the double back and the cardbox. The deck has been switched and it looks like you only went for the cardbox.
5 "Your" card is put on top of the double back deck and shuffled (keeping it on top) and the deck is put into the card case and when it's closed the flap goes between "your" card and the rest of the cards. You ask the spectator to name another card and when she does you hold the deck in your right hand with your thumb on the half moon of "your" card. You then toss the deck into the air holding onto "your" card. This is Milbourne Christopher's idea in the August 1948 issue of Hugard's Magic Monthly.
6 The deck is taken out of the case and "your" card is placed face up on top and then a double lift is performed as the card(s) is turned face down. The top card (presumably "your" card) is dealt to the table.
Now comes something that works only because you're using a double back deck.
"Your" card is face down on top of the double back deck but the audience thinks it's on the table (which is another double back card).
Hold the deck in the right hand as before, thumb at the inner end and fingers at the outer end. The right index finger lifts about half the deck at the outer end and swings it to the left and that half is taken in the left hand. the right hand drops it's half to the table as the left hand with its half drops to your side. The right hand puts the card on the table on top of the tabled packet and then the left hand comes up with its packet and as it does, the left thumb turns the packet over and it is taken with the right hand and then placed on the tabled packet.
Because it's a double back deck it looks like nothing happened. "Your" card which was face down on top of the packet goes to face up on the bottom of that packet and right above the card that was on the table when the packet is placed on the tabled packet.
You ask the spectator to name another card saying you'll make the card she names turn face up. She does and when you spread the deck "your" card, which a second ago was put face down is now face up.
7 To end you say you'll leave "your" card out of the deck and then ask for another card and when it's called you reach in and pull out a card and are surprized when it has no face and are more surprized then the whole deck (which had previously been handled by the spectator) is all double backed.
You give up in frustration.
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#71506 - 01/05/03 07:24 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Webster's Dictionary defines "perverse" as:
"willfully determined not to do what is expected or desired; contrary"
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#71507 - 02/02/03 06:11 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Edward Victor's Eleven Card Trick is a wonderful Perverse Magic efect. The performer wants to do a trick with eleven cards but keeps getting ten.
The routine has been published in The Chronicles 14 and Derek Dingle has his "Fabulous Jumping Card Trick" in his "Complete Works".
The only problem I saw with the routine is that I didn't think the ending strong enough and so I came up with a version where, at the end the performer has, not ten cards but twenty or more.
The routine is as follows:
1 I hand the deck to a spectator and ask her to deal 11 cards into my cupped hands.
After she deals 3 cards, my left pinky is inserted so that the remaining cards go on top of the pinky. When she's done, I transfer the break to my right thumb as I pick up the packet in my right hand.
2 I ask for the deck which is taken in my left hand and, using a gesture that Slydini calls "timing" I transfer the cards below the break to the top of the deck. It's a gesture where the hands come together for a second in a rest and then move away. The deck is then given to the spectator to hold.
3 The 8 cards in the packet are "false counted" as 10 using one of 2 false counts I use in the routine.
The top card is pushed off the packet and taken in my right hand but as it is I allow it to flick off my left thumb as I count "one". The second card is done the same way and taken under the first card as I count "two".
The third card is pushed off the same way but the left thumb pulls this card back to the top of the packet but as it does it flicks off my right fingers as I count "three". This move is repeated on the count of "five" and when done the eight cards have been counted as 10.
4 I ask the spectator for another card (now I have 9 but they think 11) and false count the packet as 10 making the false count only on the count of "three"
5 Again I ask for another card and count the 10 cards as 10.
6 I look confused and give the packet to the spectator to count as I take the deck back from her.
7 While she is counting I palm a packet of 10 or so cards from the top of the deck in my right hand
8 The spectator confirms there are 10 cards. I hand the deck to another spectator and ask her to give the first spectator 3 cards.
While this is happening, I put BOTH hands in my trouser pockets and assume a casual pose. I leave the palmed cards in my right pocket.
Explaining that 11 cards are needed and since the spectator has 13 I ask her to give back 2 cards.
9 Now I ask for the packet of 11 cards and count them to be sure.
Using the same false count I count the 11 as 13.
Looking confused, I return 2 cards to the spectator holding the deck. I now have 9 cards but the audience thinks 11.
10 Again I say I will make sure and now I count the 9 cards as ten. Here I use a different false count done very slowly and deliberately as follows:
I push one card off the packet with my left thumb and take it in my right hand, raising my right hand to the audience as I count "one". This is repeated for the second card as I count "two but as that is taken in front of the first card, the right thumb pushes the first card to the left so that it overlaps the second card about a quarter inch to the left.
As the third card is taken the first card goes under the left thumb and is left there as the right hand comes away with two (the audience thinks three)and I count "three". The count is completed as I count the nine cards as 10.
11 Asking for another card, I count the 10 as 10.
12 I give the 10 cards to a spectator to check and while she is counting I again put BOTH hands in my pockets and palm the cards in my right pocket in my right hand.
13 After the spectator verifies that there are 10 cards I take back the packet and add the palmed cards from my right hand to the packet.
14 I then say that I give up and will do a trick with 10 cards. I say I will make them vanish one at a time. I snap the packet and say "Now there are nine" and I start to count them one at a time in the spectator's hand and when I pass fifteen I drop the rest of the cards on top and say "I quit!"
Good Perverse Magic!
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#71508 - 03/09/03 07:07 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The Perverse Egg Bag Routine
This was one of the first effects I've used to express "Perverse Magic". It is a strong routine for audiences of children.
The only preparation is having a "blown egg" - which is an egg that has the insides "blown out". I make a hole in each end with a pin, shake up the egg and then blow out the contents. I let water run into the hole, shake the egg again, blow out the water and allow the shell to dry.
The blown egg is put into my left pants pocket. I put a small horn or "kazoo" in my right pants pocket and I use a standard egg bag and a hard boiled egg.
Here's the routine:
1 I show the egg, put it into the bag with my right hand (the pocket) and make a suspicious move as I put my closed right hand into my right trouser pocket.
2 "I know you think the egg went into my pocket - nope." And I reach in and take out the horn and blow it. "The egg is back in the bag." I let the egg fall from the pocket and back into the bag and produce it.
(Note that this sequence is not perverse - that's OK - it comes now.)
3 "Let me show you how it's done." I say this as I again take the egg and put it into the bag (the pocket)
"What I do is pretend to put the egg in the bag but I really keep it in my hand and put it under my arm."
I pretend to put the egg - which is in the pocket of the bag - under my left arm.
"I can then show the bag inside out showing the egg has vanished and whenever I want the egg I just reach under my arm----"
I put my right hand under my left arm, lift my left arm expecting the egg to drop into my right hand and when nothing falls I look confused. I then consult a book on my table.
(Note that it's me that's surprized - I don't make any spectator a sucker.)
(I got the idea of looking in a book from Roy Benson - who was my hero when I was starting out in magic.)
I then start looking for the egg and find it (the blown egg) in my left pants pocket. I scratch my head - very confused.
4 "Well, I'll show you one of the best possible tricks with the egg and the bag. I'm going to put the egg back into my pocket, make it vanish from my pocket and appear back in the bag."
I put the blown egg back into my left pants pocket and hold the egg bag in my right hand with the right hand extended to the right.
"At the count of 3 - 1 - 2- 3---" and at the count of 3 I smash the blown agg against my leg with my left hand and immediately have a look of horror on my face. I look down at my leg - I shake my leg - and then I start pulling pieces of the shell out of my pocket as I shake my head.
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#71509 - 04/16/03 06:02 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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I contributed an effect called "For a Change" to Apocalypse (see pages 1486 and 1925) the effect of which is that a borrowed quarter changes to two dimes and a nickle.
Sometimes I do this as a "perverse" effect by borrowing a quarter and telling the spectator that I just learned a new trick but it's not perfected but I'll try it anyway. Then, instead of changing the quarter to two dimes and a nickle I get only ONE dime and a nickle and I shake my head in disappointment and reach into my pocket and find a dime and give all the change back to the spectator.
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#71510 - 05/20/03 08:19 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse Discovery (my presentation of Peter Kane's Kabbala Aces)
I've always felt that planning magic and presentation of magic are as important, if not more important as technique. It's important to perform magic that fits the magician's style and, as I've noted, perverse magic is my style.
About 20 years ago, in the first issue of The Almanac Richard Kaufman published Peter Kane's Kabbala Aces. I changed the presentation to fit me (and changed some moves with Peter Marshall's help) to make this into a "Perverse Magic" routine.
Instead of finding the 4 aces I have 4 cards selected and have them returned to the deck and they are controlled to the top (Spectator 1's is on top, followed by Spectator 2's 3 and then 4).
Then:
1 I tell spectator 1 I'll find her card and double cut and then double lift and turn over spectator 2's card. Spectator 1 says it's not her card but spectator 2 says it's hers. I look confused. I turn the card(s) face down and put the top card (spectator 1's but they think it's spectator 2's) in my pocket.
2 I say I'll try again.
I run the top card and then the next and put both back on top. This has th effect of reversing the two 2 cards and avoids the need for a triple lift.
I then get a break under the top card, undercut half the deck from the bottom and
turn it face up and put it on top. I take the remaining deck under the break, turn it face up and put it back on the bottom. This sequence was Peter Marshall's idea and has the effect of setting the deck so that:
* Spectator 1's card is in my pocket
* Spectator 2's card is on top
* Spectator 3's card is reversed in the center
* Spectator 4's card is 2nd from the top
Again I double lift and show Spectator 4's card to spectator 1 and again she
denies it's her card. Spectator 4 says it's hers. Again I look confused.
3 I say "you want to see something weird?' and I turn the card(s) face down and put spectator 4's card (really spectator 2's face down on spectator 4?s left palm then move it to spectator 2's palm and turn it face up and it's now spectator 2's card. With that misdirection I palm the top card
(Spectator 4's) and pull spectator 4's card out of my pocket. "Isn't that weird?" I look confused.
4 Back to finding spectator 1's card. I ask what it was and then say I'll make it turn face up. I spread the deck but the face up card is not the
card named. I look at spectator 3 and she's nodding. It's her card. I shake m head in confusion.
5 "Wait a minute," I say to spectator 1, "I don't think your card is in the deck," I spread
the deck and show her it?s not and then take her card from my pocket and shake my head and say "I quit!"
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#71511 - 05/26/03 04:20 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Necromancer
Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 151
Loc: Chicago
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Don't forget Carl Ballantine's entire act.
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#71512 - 05/26/03 08:14 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Brian Marks
Registered: 01/30/08
Posts: 36
Loc: Nyack, NY
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Unfortunately it reads alot drier than when you perform it Jerry. People need to see you do some of this stuff to fully appreciate it.
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#71513 - 05/27/03 03:47 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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---but whenever I do this stuff something goes wrong------
Carl Ballantine was one of my favorite performers but what he did wasn't really "Perverse Magic" because when things went wrong, they just went wrong and it was a riot but magic didn't take place, just comedy. (Like when he found out that the stage hands didn't load what he expected to produce).
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#71515 - 06/12/03 07:12 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Roy Benson was one of my favorite magicians and I think he appreciated "Perverse Magic".
The only example I've seen him do was the sudden unexpected production of a red billiard ball while he was producing white balls. Benson looked in a book to see what went wrong.
Bruce Elliot gives another example of Benson's ideas of "Perverse Magic" in his book "Classic Secrets of Magic" (page 90) where he describes Benson's idea for an egg bag routine where the magician attemps to perform the classic version of this effect when something goes wrong and the bag becomes filled with eggs.
Many years ago I attended a lecture given by Senator Crandall and he explained his version of the "Six Card Repeat" (See Tarbell Vol 6 page 78) and as that was many years ago my memory is hazy but I believe he mentioned a Roy Benson routine which I either learned then or reinvented but at any rate I've been doing it for many years.
The effect is that I'm going to pass six cards through a plate and as I explain this I drop several cards without being aware of it but I still have six until once when I count I have only five and I look around at the cards on the floor and say "Oh I must have dropped one," and pick one up. Then when I count I have seven and I keep throwing one away and I still have seven and I get disgusted.
(If anyone is interested let me know and I'll send you the routine.)
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#71516 - 06/18/03 09:16 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Gerald:
Thank you for your contributions. I'm very interested in Benson's routine.
Is anybody writing a book on Roy Benson? I knew one of his students, but as far as I know, he kept nothing in writing.
How about Bobby Baxter? I've heard some great stories, and read a short biography written by Zolotow (I think). It's about time a book should be written about him.
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#71518 - 07/12/03 06:46 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse Dinner Table Interlude
Much of my magic is done impromptu at a dinner table with new friends or at a business lunch.
(It's always important to know when it's appropriate to do magic in that setting, especially if it's a business lunch where the purpose is to do business. A good time for this effect is at the end when the check has been signed for and either you - or if you're lucky the guest has finished with the pen.)
"This looks like a rubber pen," I say and do the following:
1 Shake the pen loosely, holding it in the right hand showing it seems like rubber.
2 I take the pen in both hands and try to bend it more but it vanishes.
3 "I hate when that happens," I say as I start to look for the pen in my pockets.
4 I find the pen and shrug with confusion as I put the pen away if it's mine or give it back to my guest if it's his and apologize.
The routine is simple:
1 This is the old trick of holding the pen LOOSELY between the right thumb and first finger and moving the hand up and down and at the same time making a small circle with the tight hand clockwise toward the spectator.
2 Of course the pencil is lapped.
What I do is hold the pencil between my palm down hands which are together so no part of the pen is seen and with my fingers I roll the pen back to the tips of the fingers. I then let my hands come to rest at the edge of the table but since the pen is so far back, the rest of the hand is away from the edge. The pen is lapped.
I then pretend to "bend" the pen and become surprized when it's gone.
3 I believe Slydini taught me much of what I do to retrieve the pen from my lap. I described this to Harry Lorayne and it appears in the July 1988 issue of Apocalypse on page 1521 where I discuss "lapping without a table" under "Thighing".
(If anyone needs details let me know.)
4 Just two notes here:
* By using "Perverse Magic" in this setting the magician is not showing off - the magic just happens.
* By doing the magic when you're ready to leave you insure that (i) it will be remembered and, more important, (ii) it won't distract from the purpose of the meal (especially if it was a business meal).
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#71519 - 10/02/03 04:19 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse magic can be great in an impromptu situation.
My wife and I were vacationing in Salem Mass - witch city and we wandered into a "occult witch shop" that sold mysterious things like rings etc.
Well I always carry one of those squeakers (that you can get at most magic conventions) and, in front of the salesgirl, I touched a few rings and then "squeaked" one of them and I jumped back in fright. "What's that?" I asked her looking alarmed. She looked confused. I touched a few other rings and nothing happened and then touched the sqeaked ring and it squeaked again. Again I jumped back and said to my wife, "Let's get out of here!"
Then, as I left I smiled at the salesgirl to let her know I was not serious.
But the situation was "perverse" - it seemed to be happening out of my control.
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#71520 - 10/02/03 04:54 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Mr. Deutch:
This has been a nice thread you've supported, with a number of valuable tips and ideas floating around.
I agree with Mark Ennis, however, that the contemporary connotation of perverse lends an unsavory and ultimately confusing meaning to the concept of which you are championing. Popular use renders the word kind of creepy, in spite of your claim of its dictionary propriety.
And by the way, my Merriam Webster Online reveals the following:
perverse: 1 a : turned away from what is right or good : CORRUPT b : IMPROPER, INCORRECT c : contrary to the evidence or the direction of the judge on a point of law
2 a : obstinate in opposing what is right, reasonable, or accepted : WRONGHEADED b : arising from or indicative of stubbornness or obstinacy
3 : marked by peevishness or petulance : CRANKY
synonym see CONTRARY
I suggest another handle, one without the attendant baggage, which would elegantly sum up the characteristics of your favored performing style.
--Randy Campbell
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#71521 - 10/02/03 07:53 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Don't forget all the negative sexual connotations the word 'perverse' brings to mind in most folks... The Bouton brothers did an act early on called "Straight and Crooked Magic", where Harry would do traditional magic and his brother Pete, as a clown, did the 'perverse' stuff.
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#71523 - 10/04/03 07:15 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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sleightly
Member
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 217
Loc: New Hampshire
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Umm... meant to post this some time ago, but lost the thread...
I believe you guys are searching for the phrase "absurd magic."
Which, really, is what most magic is. Particularly when the "magic" happens of its own accord, in direct contrast (one might say in spite of) the intended actions of the performer...
Now that I've posted, the thread will likely die (they don't call me the "thread killer" for nothing), but I love to perform this type of magic, as it provides the most opportunity for character & conflict!
ajp
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#71524 - 10/05/03 07:32 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Jonathan Townsend
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 3291
Loc: Westchester, NY
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Originally posted by Andrew J. Pinard:
...believe you guys are searching for the phrase "absurd magic."
I suspect Gerry is looking at magic as events which while caused by the magician... do not occur in accordance with the will of the magician.
imagine magic as accomplished by invisible imps. the magician has these creatures doing what he wants, when he wants. Now imagine one or more imps who can't read their to-do lists. Or are dilligently doing their work... just reading the wrong list.
What would you call that?
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#71525 - 10/05/03 09:51 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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sleightly
Member
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 217
Loc: New Hampshire
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Actually Jonathan, you describe my intent with fair accuracy!
I refer to absurd as in the absurdist theatre of Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, Jean Genet, Harold Pinter. This notion of absurdity was originally expressed by the French philosopher Albert Camus. In his 'Myth of Sisyphus' (1942), Camus first defined the human situation as basically meaningless and absurd. The playwrights above explored this notion in their theatrical works. Their shared explorations all exibited a view that man is inhabiting a universe that operates without regard for his existence. Its meaning is indecipherable and his place within it is without purpose. He is bewildered, troubled and obscurely threatened. The plays often deal with characters struggling to find meaning through their existence and the rituals that they adopt to retain their "self."
In our world, the magician is the catalyst, the focal point from whence the action stems... The "imps" are those creatures which do the actual work (kind of like box-jumpers) but are occasionally resentful and express their displeasure through small acts of rebellion that, while contrary to the original intent, actually fulfill the dictate in an unexpected way (to the consternation of the performer).
The performer appears to be at the mercy of forces outside of his control, often exacerbated by the mistaken belief that he has supreme control. It is this act of hubris that necessitates the unfortunate situations he finds himself in. The "imps" conjured by the performer to exert his will often ultimately prove to be his downfall, a lesson that one can not operate alone and expect to retain control of his existence. Occasionally, with all the odds stacked against them, the magician succeeds and re-affirms the strength of the human spirit to transcend the impossibility. The question of success should always be in doubt, a major factor often too much dismissed by the contemporary performer.
The experiences of the character and the conflict of will versus situation (and occasional resolution in an unusual way) leads to the amusement, entertainment, and enrichment of the audience.
Presented in unexpected surroudings adds to the absurdity of the experience, and contributes enormously to the sensual pleasure that is derived from an unanticipated magical experience.
What do you think?
I should also thank Gerald for starting this thread and for selflessly contributing examples of his own work.
Your efforts are sincerely appreciated!
ajp
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#71526 - 10/05/03 10:31 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Jonathan Townsend
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 3291
Loc: Westchester, NY
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Originally posted by Andrew J. Pinard:
...a view that man is inhabiting a universe that operates without regard for his existence.
From the perspective of the magician the situation would involve a thwarting of expectations.
From the audience perspective they are attending a demonstration of absurd effects.
What Gerry is asking of the audience seems to be a suspension of disbelief that 'magic acts acording to the expectations of the magician' where this belief is replaced by a sense that 'the magician is somehow able to manage some degree of comfort in situations where magic is action out of sync with expectations'. This 'out of sync' seems a good candidate for the label 'perverse'. This seems appropriate to me in that there are clearly stated expectations, even in the context of the magic routines.
I feel that the results of disorganized imps are perverse, while the world where imps get disorganized is absurd.
My semantics. What are your thoughts?
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#71527 - 10/25/03 06:30 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse Bill Tear
I've used Jim Ryan's Bill Tear (see Apocalypse page 175) for many years and found it to be very entertaining for small groups both at meetings and in doing walk around magic. The way I present it is not the way a bill tear is normally presented - "watch me tear your bill and restore it". I tear it in disgust.
I use a half of a stage bill folded in quarters with the black side out (I think it was Richard Kaufman that once told me that Derek Dingle suggested using a half bill which makes it easier to tear). The folded half bill is in my wallet in a compartment and I put it into right finger palm position as I seem to be looking for a $20 bill and then I ask to borrow a $20 bill. (I find $20 the best - it's no big deal with a $1 and not many people have $100). When I get the $20 I lay it over the finger palmed half bill black side down and put my wallet away.
I explain that I just learned a new trick with a $20 bill but I'm not sure about it. I pick up the $20 and the the half bill with my left thumb below and left fingers above and my right thumb then slides the half bill to the lower right corner of the $20.
I fold the bill longways twice and then I pause and try to remember what to do next. I'm thinking, I shake my head, I'm really trying to remember. I then fold the $20 down so that it's now the same size as the folded half stage bill which is behind it. Again I pretend to be thinking about what to do next.
My right thumb then slides the stage bill to the right while my left fingers takes the $20 in finger palm position and the thumb and first fingers of both hands grip the folded half stage bill and it is immediately torn into pieces and thrown away as I say, "I'm sorry. I just don't remember."
Both hands go into my pockets as I apologize and then, after a few minutes I reach into my wallet and give back another $20 that had been folded the same way and then opened.
(I'm not telling them it's the same bill. I say nothing. I'm just giving them a $20 bill in return for what they gave me but you'd be surprized at how many times the fact that there are fold marks in the bill makes them think it's the same bill.)
(I know that above on this thread I said that Ballantine didn't do perverse magic because, while it was great entertainment when things went wrong, there was no magic. Here, there is magic - a bill switch under their noses.)
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#71528 - 10/27/03 08:43 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Michael Jay
Registered: 05/28/08
Posts: 56
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I LIKE it!!  Good stuff, Mr. Deutsch. Problem that exists now, though, is the colored 20 dollar bills. They are becoming more prevalent, at this point. Still, soon enough, they will be the rule rather than the exception. Any ideas of how to deal with it? Also, will the coloration effect this, even when using two colored bills?
As for the debate on "perverse" as a moniker for this kind of presentation, I kinda like the thought of "perverse" magic. I have gleaned a few other words that may work (countervailing, recalcitrant or oppugnant), but perverse fits the bill!
Thank you for taking the time to work through this thread. I've been watching it for a while and wanted to tell you how much I appreciate the work that you are putting in.
Mike.
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#71530 - 10/28/03 02:03 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse Bill Tear - New $20
In answer to the comments about the new $20 (which I haven't seen yet):
1 As far as the stage bill is concerned - it doesn't matter - it's really never seen. It's behind the borrowed bill until the moment it's torn and at that time it's covered with my fingers. As a matter of fact, I want the stage bill to look unlike the real bill so that, at the end, when pieces are discovered on the floor, they KNOW that a bill switch took place.
(I've even used a piece of newspaper in a pinch.)
2 The only thing that must be considered is the return of the bill.
I mentioned that I give them back my own bill which had been folded and unfolded so they think it's their bill. I could, of course give them back their bill (which is folded in eighths and in my left trouser pocket) but for perverse magic it's important to avoid the attitude "Here's your bill - look how good I am".
My attitude with this trick is to shake my head in failure and just give them a bill (which I let them think is theirs).
Thinking about this now I guess I could have some of my bills folded in half and either in my left trouser pocket or, if I'm wearing a jacket, in the inside breast pocket. At the end of the trick I could look for money in my right trouser pocket, not find any, then reach into my left pocket, unfold their bill from eighths to half and come up with it together with my bills and hand them what appears to be one of mine but is, of course, really theirs (and if my bills are in my inside jacket pocket, it's a simple matter to finger palm their bill, reach into my inside jacket pocket with it, unfold it from eights to half and bring it out with my bills.)
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#71531 - 10/28/03 07:44 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Michael Jay
Registered: 05/28/08
Posts: 56
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Personally, I like the idea of taking it out of the wallet, with the folds suggesting that it is their bill, much more. I really believe that adds a psychological twist to this effect that goes beyond simply removing it from a pocket and hitting them with a hammer, so to speak.
After thought, you only need to carry one regular bill and one colored bill in your wallet, with the folds, and use whichever one that they had initially given you (plain or colored). Then, of course, you do have the replacement for the bill in your wallet, as if it was colored, you'll replace the colored for colored. Okay, I'm rambling, but I hope you take the point.
I like the original handling the best.
Mike.
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#71532 - 11/23/03 06:20 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The Pen Coin Routine
At the beginning of this thread, in defining "Perverse Magic" I gave five forms. For the fifth form I said:
5 The magician and the audience are on different planes as to what each sees.
An example might be the invisible deck routine or David Roth's "Legendary Four Coin Trick"
(This is "Whimsical Perverse Magic")
With Perverse Magic the magician does not appear to be "better than everyone" (as is the case with so many performers) but plays the part of an ordinary guy who gets caught up in what happens. It does take acting but the style is appropriate for many effects including the classics - both close up and platform.
I call this "Whimsical Perverse Magic" because it's more "whimsical" than "perverse" in that the magic doesn't happen against the performer but seems to appear to be magic to the spectators but something ordinary to the magician.
(I thought of starting a new thread called "Whimsical Magic' but I'm having enough trouble satisfying people with the title "Perverse Magic" so I'll just keep this thread.)
As I noted, much here depends on the acting of the magician to fit the part of an ordinary person - not a person with magical powers as is the usual case for magic performances. Other examples of this type of magic would be The Invisible Deck or my Invisible Card (Apocalypse January 1993). This Pen Coin Routine is another example.
The effect basically is that I approach a receptionist or a cashier in a restaurant and curiously pick up their pen and say with surprise, "There's a quarter in here." And I pull out a quarter. I give back the pen and look at the quarter, take the pen again and push the quarter back into it. Again I take the quarter from the pen and again put it back into the pen and then give back the pen. Finally, I take the pen pull off the cap, shake the cap and out falls the quarter. I give back the pen and say, "I guess I can keep the quarter since I found it."
The routine is as follows:
1 A quarter is classic palmed in the right hand. The pen is taken in the left hand with the cap in the palm and the bottom in the face down fist pointing to the right. The right hand fist runs along the pen and produces the quarter.
2 As the pen is returned with the left hand the right hand classic palms the quarter. There is good misdirection for the palm here.
3 As a sort of "second thought", the quarter seems to be placed into the left hand, but kept in the classic palm in the right hand as that hand takes back the pen pushes the pen into the left hand - (which apparently has the quarter) putting the quarter back into the pen.
4 The pen is now held in the right hand at the end between the thumb and forefinger pointing down - sort of just hanging. (The quarter is classic palmed in that hand).
As the left hand comes up to take the pen at the other end the index finger of the left hand momentarily touches the pinky of the right hand and the coin is released from the right classic palm and falls into the left finger palm. Immediately the left hand closes around the pen, draws it into a horizontal position and moves to the left pulling the quarter from the pen.
5 The quarter is in the left hand, the pen in the right. The left hand closes into a fist, the fingers up. The left hand turns a bit to the right and the quarter is worked into a Han Pin Chen position (so that it can fall from the left fist through the space between the left palm and closed left little finger). The right hand with the pen makes a circle around the left hand going around the fist and when it gets to "6 O'clock" the quarter is allowed to leave the left hand and fall into the right where it is caught in the right fingers as the right hand pushes the pen into the space where the quarter came out of the left fist. The left hand is opened to show the quarter has gone back into the pen.
Again give the pen back as the quarter is taken into classic palm in the right hand.
6 Finally, take back the pen once more, pull off the cap and hold it in the right hand between the thumb and forefinger (opening face down) and shake it, allowing the quarter to fall from the palm to the table below. "I guess I can keep the quarter since I found it." (I don't know whose idea it was to shake to quarter from the pen cap but it's a perfect ending for this routine.)
This routine always leaves the spectators laughing and takes only maybe a minute
(the way I work) or two. It fits my style.
(I began to develop this routine with Slydini in July of 1976 while he was trying to
get me to perform his "One Coin Routine" and I kept insisting that as wonderful as
that routine was it just didn't fit my personality.)
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#71533 - 11/25/03 08:16 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Wonderful stuff, all of it, Gerald.
I especially like the ambitious card with double-backers. Very, very clever -- and logical, in a perverse sort of way.
And, speaking of perverse, who cares what anyone calls it, just so long as it is entertaining (which all of this is!).
After all, if your cat has kittens in your oven, you don't call them "biscuits"!
cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com
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#71534 - 11/26/03 10:52 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Marvelous thread, Gerald! Thanks for your hard work and willingness to share your wonderful ideas!
One version of my kid show is built around the "sprite who lives in my wand." He does all of the magic, I assert, and the magician really doesn't know how to do anything. Sometimes the sprite will not do the trick until the kids shout "please" to him. Sometimes he suggests other climax ideas in mid-trick. Sometimes he deliberately messes up the trick until the kids shout loud enough. This theme runs through the entire show.
Just my kid version of your "perverse magic". I have done this type of show on and off for several years. You have given me some more ideas for it here.
Michael Jay and I have similar ideas on this type of work, probably built around our reading of Henning Nelms' book, Magic and Showmanship: A Handbook for Conjurers", in which he advocates, and illustrates with suggested routines, such perverse "imp-driven" magic.
Thanks again for your excellent and detailed routines, and your take on doing perverse magic for adults.
Regards,
Jon
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#71535 - 12/06/03 01:06 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Inversion
As great Perverse magic, I used to think of doing the Card Sword - having a card selected and telling the audience I would throw the deck into the air and stab their card. Then, when I thrust the sword at the falling cards all the cards are impaled on the sword EXCEPT the selected card. I would pick up the selected card and say "Damn! Missed." Of course this can't be done. (Or the card on the ceiling where all the cards EXCEPT the selected card stick to the ceiling.)
Inversion - by James Lewis which is on page 263 of "The Magic of Michael Ammar" is the next best thing.
EFFECT
The effect is that a card is selected and put into the deck face up but left protruding for half its length. The performer says he will make the card turn face down but instead the card stays as it is and the deck VISABLY turns face up. "Damn - it didn't work!" says the magician.
ROUTINE
1 To begin, the bottom card of the deck is reversed and face up without the audience being aware.
2 A the deck is spread and a card is selected.
3 It's now necessary to turn the deck over so that it is face up with the card at the top (the former bottom card) the only card face down.
The way I do this is to have the deck (which is face down with the bottom card face up) in my left hand.
I point to the spectator (saying something like, "Look at the card") with that hand (which turns the hand palm down) and with my hand palm down, the deck is now face up (except for the former bottom card), telling the spectator to remember that card.
4 I take back the selected card and turn it face up and inset it in what appears to be the face down deck but protruding for abut half its length from the left corner of the pack. (That is, it's not inserted directly from the front but halfway between the front and the left side - the left corner).
5 I tell the spectators to watch as I will make the card turn face down and then, as they are watching, I perform the one hand top card palm, palming off the top face down card.
It's a startling revelation - a visible change of a face down deck to a face up deck.
"Damn! The whole deck turned face up!!!"
6 To "clean up", I turn my right hand with the palmed card face up while at the same time I spread the cards so that the spread cards immediately cover the palmed card which is deposited under the deck.
Great perverse magic.
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#71536 - 12/23/03 05:05 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The Gizinta Coins
This is another quick routine that falls into the category of "Whimsical Perverse Magic.
I recently was in a hospital waiting room with a bunch of children and I did some coin tricks to keep them busy. One routine was what I call "The Gizinta Coins".
The routine goes like this:
* A borrow or use my quarter and I pretend to see a dime inside.
* I pull the dime out of the quarter - as if that's the most natural thing in the world.
* I put the dime back into the quarter - and them pull it out again.
* I explain that it's even possible but a little harder to put a quarter into the dime and I do.
* Then I try to get the quarter out of the dime but the dime disappears. I look confused but shrug my shoulders and if I borrowed the quarter I reach into my pocket, pull out a handful of change, select a quarter and give it back.
It's simple and just requires a classic palm of a dime in the right hand. Take the
quarter in the right hand between the thumb and index finger so the dime isn't seen
(Kaps subtlety) . The left hand takes the quarter in the same way (thumb and index
finger) and then the right hand lets the dime fall to its fingers.
The hands come together and the dime goes in front of the quarter and the hands
separate as if you were tearing the quarter and you show the dime.
The dime is again classic palmed in the right hand as the extended index finger of
that hand points to a position on the quarter where the dime came out. Then bring
the fingers of the right hand together as if it is holding the dime there and the left
hand puts the quarter at the right finger tips. The left palm then slaps the quarter
and the right hand shows the quarter at the fingertips, the dime in classic palm
being concealed by the Kaps subtlety.
Again take the dime from the quarter.
Toss both coins into the right palm and take the dime in the left hand and show it
while the right hand palms the quarter. Explain you can even put the quarter into
the dime and repeat the moves above to show you did.
Take the dime into the right hand and put that hand into your right trouser pocket
getting rid of the palmed quarter but as an afterthought remove your right hand
with the dime on its palm but as the hand starts to come out of the pocket the dime
is let to drop back in.
Say you have to get the quarter out of the dime and try and then act surprised when
the dime vanishes.
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#71537 - 01/07/04 12:35 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The All Backs Routine
Background
This is a routine is a great example of " Perverse Magic".
It is credited to Dai Vernon and was published in "Hugard's Magic Monthly" in June 1949 and it appears on page 459 of "Expert Card Technique". I use Jerry Mentzer's opening that appears in "Card Cavalcade Four" and finally, it was Jonathan Townsend that gave me the suggestion of using the one hand top palm to end the routine as a visible change of a back to a face. (Jonathan suggested this to me in June of 1985. It is used in "Inversion" which I found in Mike Ammar's book published, I believe in 1991.) (Also see my thoughts on Inversion above.)
Effect and Patter
I do the routine when someone hands me a deck of cards and in front of a group of people, asks me to do a trick. The reason is that this way they know it's not my own double back deck.
I riffle the deck and ask a spectator to say "stop" and when she does I lift the right hand portion to show the face of the bottom card of the top half to the spectator. Her bewildered look puzzles me and I curiously turn the packet to face me and I'm surprised to see a back instead of the face. I look through the deck and see only backs.
I say that this must be one of those trick decks you by in a magic store as I keep showing backs. Then I remark that I read that by squeezing the deck you can get the faces and I do squeeze the deck and I'm surprised when the top back card visibly changes to a face card.
The Routine
1 When handed a deck I play with it and while talking to the group I set up the deck as follows:
* I palm the top card in my right
* I push the next card to the right with my left thumb and with my right thumb beneath it I turn it face up but before the face can be seen I cover it with my right hand releasing the palmed card and square the two as one.
* I openly transfer the card(s) to the bottom
* I repeat the steps above with the next 2 cards but instead of transferring them to the bottom, I riffle the pack and insert the card(s) into the center and as I push it in with my right fingers, I lift up and hold a break under those cards which is transferred to my left little finger.
So at this point there is a face up card on the bottom and another as the
bottom card of the top packet separated from the bottom by a break.
2 I ask a spectator to say "Stop" as I riffle the cards with my left thumb and when she does I lift the top packet for her to see the card. She sees a back and when I notice the peculiar look on her face I look confused and turn the top packet to myself to see what she was seeing. I see a back.
Then I put my left thumb under the lower packet and it turns over showing a back on the bottom.
I turn my left hand palm down showing the back that was the top of the lower packet. And then palm up again showing the back of the bottom card.
I put both packets together holding a break between them.
The position is the top packet is face down with a face up card on the bottom and the bottom packet is face up with a face down card on the bottom.
3 Now I spread the cards of the top packet showing backs being careful not to go to the break or a face will show.
I close the spread keeping the break which I pick up with my right thumb in the rear.
I then outjog the entire top packet. I can now release the break.
I bring my right fingers to the front of the deck, thumb on top and fingers below and turn my hand face down turning the deck over. There is still an outjog of the top portion and an injog of the bottom. I get a break between the two by pressing down on the top injogged card.
Again I spread, showing now the backs of the bottom half but the audience thinks that I've showed backs on both sides of the deck.
4 It's important to remember that I'm not trying to prove anything. I know and I assume the audience knows that the deck has only backs so I start talking about how magic shops sell these and while I'm saying this I'm just casually showing the cards, again, not to prove anything.
5 Again I repeat what I did in step 2. I break at the break and show backs at the bottom of the top packet and then my left thumb goes under the lower packet and turns it (now face down with a face up card on the bottom) then palm down to show another back then palm up again.
Both packets are now face down with a face up card on the bottom.
6 I put the packets together but the top packet is sidejogged about half the width of the deck.
With the fingers of my left hand I push the bottom card (face up card) to the right. I then take all the cards of the bottom packet EXCEPT the sidejogged card in my left thumb and fingers and cut it to the top.
There is now a face down deck with 2 face up cards on the bottom.
7 The Hindu Shuffle is now used to show backs (again, not to prove backs but as a casual way of showing the cards as you explain how magic shops sell trick cards).
A few packets are pulled off the top in the classic Hindu Shuffle and periodically the right hand packet is lifted to show a back on the bottom (there are 2).
Then the left thumb pulls the top card of the right hand packet onto the left packet. The right hand turns palm up showing a back on the bottom of it's packet and the left hand pulls that card to the top of the left hand packet. The right hand again turns palm down and the right hand again pull the top card to the top of the left hand packet.
8 `Put the packets together and hold a break. Undercut half of the bottom portion and bring it to the top.
Cut to the break and turn the right hand face up showing a back and put this portion on the bottom.
As I square up I get a break over the 2nd card from the bottom.
9 Now I spread the cards from left hand to right showing all backs but I take care not to let the bottom two cards (held together with a break) spread.
When I get to the last tow cards (held as one) it is alone in my left hand, the rest of the deck having been spread to my right. I put my index finger on the bottom and press which causes the card to buckle and I hold the card between my left thumb on the left and my left fingers on the right. I release my thumb and the card(s) "flips" over showing what appears to be a double back card.
Immediately I put the right hand cards on top (just in case the 2 cards start to spread).
10 I then lift the pack so it is perpendicular to the floor (vertical) and spread the cards. To me I see the bottom face down card but the spectators see the backs. (Be careful that they don't see the top card or they will see the face.
11 I now hold the deck (face up with a face down card on top) in my right hand for the one hand card palm.
I explain that I read that by squeezing the deck you can get the faces. I then perform the one hand top palm and it's a VISABLE change of a back to a face.
To end and clean up I grab the deck in my left hand as my right hand with the palmed card turns palm up as it goes under the deck and adds the palmed card to the back of the spread deck.
This might be considered "Whimsical Perverse Magic" because the magician and the spectators are on a different plane as to what happens. The magician assumes he has been given a trick deck but the audience (or at least the host) knows better.
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#71538 - 02/01/04 10:18 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Rocks in Shoe
This is a quick stunt that falls into the category of "Whimsical Perverse Magic". It's done outdoors, walking in a field or the woods and is very amusing. And like most "Perverse Magic", takes some acting.
The effect is that you give out a cry of pain and look at your right foot as if that's the cause of your pain. You pull your shoe off with your left and dump out a rock the size of a strawberry. The right hand then reaches into the shoe and pulls out another rock, this one the length of a playing card.
The basic effect is described in Martin Gardner's "Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic" and by Paul Harris in "Supermagic". Bob McAlister suggested the production of the second large rock to me.
It's done as follows.
1 Wear loafers - or a shoe that can be easily removed with the opposite hand (that is - here, the left hand will remove the right shoe) by pulling it off from the bottom.
2 Beforehand have the smaller rock in the shoe.
3 Palm the large rock in your right hand.
4 Pull off the shoe and let the rock fall
5 Reach into the shoe with the right hand (and the palmed rock) and produce the large rock.
6 Throw the rock to the ground, replace the shoe and shake your head as you limp along.
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#71539 - 02/23/04 08:12 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Jonathan Townsend
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 3291
Loc: Westchester, NY
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Originally posted by Gerald Deutsch:
...Perverse Magic is magic that happens by itself against what the magician wants to happen. ...
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#71540 - 03/07/04 10:20 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The Card on the Ceiling
My routine for the Card on the Ceiling is another example of Perverse Magic.
It's a very dramatic effect and if the ceiling is high enough the card will remain there for a long time. I don't like to put a rubber band around the deck as I like the deck to scatter when the cards are thrown to the ceiling. Also, instead of using wax, I like to use scotch tape as suggested by Bruce Elliott in "Classic Secrets of Magic".
For the Perverse aspects of my routine, I combine this with a four card discovery and this is the climax. Now a discovery of multiple selected cards can, I feel, be tedious and boring and I think this routine solves that problem.
The effect is that the magician has a card selected and tries to find it (say the four of diamonds) but finds another card of the same value (the four of clubs). He tries again and finds another card of that value but a different suit (the four of hearts) and then another (the four of spades) and then, finally in disgust he throws the deck at the ceiling and to everyone's amazement including the magician the selected card sticks.
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For the routine I won't go into details of the card revelations as I'm sure you all have your own favorite ones but what I use would be (i) a fancy cut, (ii) and impromptu rising card and (iii) letting the spectator spell the selected card.
Some additional points:
1 Again, as with all Perverse Magic, it's happening against me and I'm not saying how great I am.
2 When finding the first wrong card (here the four of clubs) it should be of a different color from the selected card. If the audience sees a four of hearts they may think that the selected card was the four of hearts and not the four of diamonds. By using a different color there is no doubt.
3 When I "miss" the first time I say "Oh well, at least it's a four . Let me try again--"
4 On the last of the errors, whole the spectator has the deck and is spelling the card, I have time to secure the loop of scotch tape around my middle finger.
5 Of course the deck is set up with the four of a kind on top and I do force the card to go on the ceiling but there's one other thing I must say. It's possible that the toss may fail and the card may not stick and an out is needed so I have a duplicate of the selected card in my shoe.
If I do miss (and that's rare) I walk over to make sure the real selection is not visible and if it is I pick it up as I gather the cards. Then I "feel something funny" in my shoe, I shake my foot and with my hands clearly empty I remove my shoe to show the "selected" card and scratch my head, puzzled as to how it gat there.
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#71541 - 04/02/04 01:53 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The Sponge Ball - Cup Routine
The sponge ball trick is a classic and has many opportunities for perverse magic.
I have always felt that a major weakness in the usual routine is that the climax comes at the beginning of the effect. The spectator is startled when a second ball pops out of her (it's usually a woman) hand. But later, when three balls instead of two appears she's again surprised but less so and so on as the effect progresses. And towards the end of the routine the spectator is apt to be conscious of the number of sponges put into her hand.
This routine is a combination from the routines of Slydini, Roy Benson, and Dr. Jaks and I think solves the above problem - and also has elements of perverse magic.
(Note that the Dr Jaks ending is startling, is perverse magic and removes any idea the spectator may have about loading sponges in her hand.
Effect
The routine is done seated with the audience facing the performer.
1 A cup (or bowl) is shown empty and placed on the table.
2 A bagless purse frame is shown and a sponge ball is produced from it.
3 The ball vanishes and is shown under the cup.
4 That ball is covered by the cup and another ball is produced from the purse frame.
5 That ball is vanished and 2 balls are shown under the cup.
6 The magician puts one ball in his left hand and puts a pen in his left hand and a second ball is taken in his right hand which takes the other end of the pen.
The magician shows that the ball is no longer in the left hand and there are now 2 balls in the right hand - one ball having gone through the pen.
7 This is repeated but although there is no ball in the left hand, there is only one in the right hand. The magician looks puzzled and then looks under the cup and finds the missing ball. He scratches his head in confusion.
8 The magician tells the spectator that her hand will be the cup. On ball is given to the spectator and the magician takes the other. The magician's ball vanishes and the spectator has 2.
9 The spectator is given both balls and the magician looks in the purse for another. He finds only a tissue. He looks in his pocket but still can't find another. Finally, he asks the spectator to open her hand and she finds she has 3.
10 The spectator is asked to pick up 2 and the magician takes 1. The magician vanishes his ball and tells the spectator to open her hand and when she does a dozen or so balls fall out much to the surprise of the spectator and the magician.
Preparation
On the table
Pen - (used as a wand)
Cup
On lap
2 sponges
a tissue
Right jacket pocket
12 sponges
Rear right pocket
Purse frame
Right palm
Sponge
Routine
The numbers below correspond to the numbers above under "Effect"
1 As the cup is turned mouth down the palmed sponge is loaded underneath.
2 The technique of producing sponges from a purse frame is described in detail in The Best of Slydini and More in the chapter "The Purse Frame".
3 Use a standard natural pass vanish. Use the pen as a wand by holding it in the right hand (which helps cover what might be an unnatural looking right hand with the palmed sponge).
What I like to do is pretend to put the sponge in the left hand but retain it in the right and then, as my right hand reaches for the pen, the right hand moves in an arc passing over the lap and the sponge is lapped.
(See "Slydini Kills Time" on page 25 of Apocalypse.)
8,9,10 It is important to condition the spectator to open her hand at just the right second because at the end the magician will be releasing sponges that he has palmed in his hand at the exact second that the spectator opens hers so as to give the illusion that the sponges really coming from the magician's hand are coming from the spectator's.
Tell the spectator that she must open her hand whenever the pen touches her hand at the count of 3. Practice with her a few times.
9 The 12 sponges that are in the right jacket pocket are palmed as the magician pretends to look for the missing sponge.
10 This uses Dr. Jaks' "Multiball". It is performed as follows:
Pick up one ball with the left hand.
Tell spectator to pick up 2 (She KNOWS she has 2)
Perform Slydini's Revolve Vanish (The Best of Slydini and More page 41)
Tap left hand with pen showing the sponge in left hand has vanished.
Tap spectator's hand with pen and count to 3. At 3 the spectator will open her hand and so does magician and 12 sponges pour all over the table.
The magician looks confused and upset as he cleans up the mess.
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#71543 - 04/10/04 06:47 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Sorry Pete - I disagree.
When a woman opens her hand and 12 sponges jump out when she thinks she has 2 (that she picked up herself) that is a CLIMAX (and it's stronger than any load under the cup).
Jerry Deutsch
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#71544 - 04/12/04 04:52 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Jonathan Townsend
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 3291
Loc: Westchester, NY
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It seems reasonable that a response from a volunteer is a better cue than a display on the table.
Also suggests something about "a bird by the hand being worth more than a load under the bowl".
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#71545 - 05/01/04 04:03 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Cutting The Aces
Cutting the Aces is a show of skill. How can this be presented as "Perverse Magic"?
What I do is remove the aces from the deck and then insert them in different parts and shuffle the deck and say I will cut to the four aces.
The first cut reveals a five of clubs. I say I will try again and the second cut reveals the five of hearts. Frustrated, I try again and cut the five of spades and finally a fancy cut reveals the five of diamonds and with disgust I say "I quit!"
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This plot of finding the wrong card and then finding the mates of that card is one I use often. (See Card on Ceiling above.) I keep acting as if I missed but the audience sees some magic happening and I'm apparently not aware of it. Perverse Magic.
----------------------------------------
The handling is simple.
I want to use a spot card as the "wrong card".
As I pick up the deck to find the 4 aces, I note the top card. If it's a spot card good - if not I cut a spot card to the top.
I then go thru the deck face up looking for the four aces and as I come to the other spot cards matching the one on top I cut them to the top as well.
(Note that you don't want to hold up getting the aces looking for the spot cards but the fact that the first is already on top helps. Also, I pass over the first ace just in case I have to come back to look for one of the spot card.)
So the four aces are on the table and 4 spot cards of the same value are on top.
Then:
* I insert the four aces in different parts of the face down deck. Really! (And this will fool magicians!)
* I jog shuffle the deck, adding one card to the top.
* I show no ace on top (an indifferent card shuffled there) and no ace on the bottom. (Note: Check to be sure no ace is on top or bottom.) and then I double cut the indifferent card to the bottom and show I cut to one of the spot cards. I apologized and ask to try again.
* I cut the deck, hold a break and double cut the original top back to the top and turn over the second of the spot cards.
I don't notice the coincidence (they will) and say I will try again, this time I will cut an ace to the bottom.
* I double cut the 3rd spot card to the bottom turn over the deck and again, oblivious to the coincidence appear to be frustrated.
* For the final cut, I do a fancy cut.
I hold the deck in my right hand between my thumb and second finger and with my left thumb I lift up about half of the deck and swivel it to the left, the upper packet pivoting on my right second finger. I let that upper packet fall into my left hand and drop the right hand lower packet on top of it but as it does my left thumb goes between. Immediately the left thumb moves to the left taking the bottom card of that upper portion and then pressing on its face so it falls face up on top of the face down deck.
* "I quit!"
Great Perverse Magic. I've cut four of a kind and instead of being cocky about it
I'm upset.
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#71546 - 06/01/04 02:27 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The Thumb Tie
This is a classic effect where the magician has his thumbs tied and repeatedly shows he can use his hands - that even though the thumbs are tied he constantly gets free.
To me, (like with the sponge balls) after the first revelation the surprise is gone and the effect becomes boring and tiresome. (So many magicians don't know when to stop.)
I recently saw Alan (Ace) Greenberg do his routine and I loved it. It was short and a good example of "Perverse Magic". He didn't do it to show how good it was - he just nonchalantly entered another world where his hands were free.
Alan asked a spectator to tie his thumbs together TIGHT and he would do a good effect. The spectator did, Then Alan made a look of pain. "You tied it too tight!" he said as he reached for a scissor with what everyone thought was his tied hands, gave the scissor to the spectator and told him to cut the string from his now bound again hands.
A good laugh - good Perverse Magic!
(By the way, Alan came up with a great revolutionary way to do this. I hope he publishes this someday.)
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#71547 - 06/01/04 09:20 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Jonathan Townsend
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 3291
Loc: Westchester, NY
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Originally posted by Gerald Deutsch:
... he just nonchalantly entered another world where his hands were free.
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#71548 - 06/21/04 10:39 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Michael Baker
Member
Registered: 05/13/09
Posts: 4
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Wonderful concepts undiluted by semantics are apparently hard to find. Bravo, Gerald Deutsch for your contributions! This is a brilliant thread exemplifying the fact that magic is bigger than any of us. Those who are leaving all their rubber on the pavement trying to get to the point are probably threatened by this.
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#71549 - 07/01/04 02:16 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse Three Card Monte
Foreword
1 For one thing I've always felt that the "Three Card Monte" routine (and many routines done today) need a strong finish.
I think this routine has that finish.
2 One of the charms about "Perverse Magic" is that the magician is not saying
"Look how good I am." But what happens just happens. And sometimes what happens has happened to the magician before. David Copperfield has used "Perverse Magic" and I recall his saying several times, "I hate when that happens."
3 Often a spectator will ask about "Three Card Monte" and when she does the magician should be prepared to do something to demonstrate what it is. This short routine should do that - and entertain as well.
4 There has been much written about "Three Card Monte". One can look up Erdnase, Vernon in FURTHER INNER SECRETS OF CARD MAGIC, Lewis Ganson in THE THREE CARD MONTE AS ENTERTAINMENT, Ken Krenzel and Sol Stone in APOCALYPSE etc.
5 When I do this routine I explain that it's important to do this slowly and one of my problems is that I'm too fast. I say that I try but I always forget and do things too fast. This makes my ending Perverse - I did it but I didn't mean to.
(It's true - I do work fast - sometimes too fast. When I spent time with Slydini he kept telling me to slow down!)
The Climax
The climax of the routine is finding the signed "winning card" in my pocket.
I don't do this as a show of skill but, instead, when I show the "winning card" is not
on the table where I expect it to be I realize that I again "forgot myself" and
worked too fast and I did the "switch out" move.
Routine
1 I use two red tens and the Ace of Spades for the routine and the Ace of Spades is the "winning card" because there can only be one card that looks like the Ace of Spades. The two red tens are contrasting cards.
I run through the deck and pull out these cards and bring them to the top of the deck. I also secretly bring a black ten to the top. I arrange it so that the black ten is next to the last of this packet - that is, third card from the top.
2 I turn each of the first two of these cards face up and then deal it face up to the table. Then I double lift showing either a red ten or the ace - depending on the order that I found the cards (with the ten of spades face up below this).
I tilt the deck towards myself and deal the showing card to the table and put the deck face up in the table.
The face up black ten is face up on the top of the face up deck (against the table) .
3 I do a very brief Monte routine emphasizing that it's necessary to do all moves very slowly and I say that I tend to do moves fast and I say I'll try to go slow here.
I do the regular "Monte move" twice and then I straighten out the bent cards and do the Trevor Lewis "Monte move" (see Apocalypse June 1978 page 67 and Krenzel "Monte Plus Plus" Apocalypse July 1978 page 81) only once.
4 Finally I tell them that sometimes the "winning card" can be marked and I pick up the deck and put the Ace of Spades face up on top (over the face up Ten of Spades) and have a spectator initial the Ace of Spades. This is a logical reason for putting the Ace on top of the deck.
I then double lift the two cards (Ace and black ten) turning them face down and I deal the top (black ten) to the table.
5 I tell the spectator to turn the red tens face down and push them forward.
While they are doing that I:
* palm off the Ace of Spades
* put the deck to the table
* put BOTH HANDS in the trouser pockets leaving the Ace of Spades
(I think I previously mentioned that Fred Braue suggested putting both hands in trouser pockets to disarm spectators.)
6 Very slowly I move the three cards on the table around and ask the spectator to put her finger on the Ace of Spades. She will probably put her finger on the face down black ten.
7 I look disappointed saying, "Darn - I did a fast move again! I didn't mean to - I did the 'switch out'. Look," I say shaking my head like I didn't mean to do it, "A ten," turning over a red ten, "a ten", the other red ten "and a ten" showing the black ten under the spectator's hand and then very slowly pulling the signed Ace of Spades from my pocket as I shake my head in disgust.
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#71550 - 08/01/04 03:00 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse Color Changing Knives
My friend, Peter Marshall, the mortgage banker, came up with a very entertaining color changing knife routine which I modified somewhat. The routine has a "Perverse" theme.
Starting Position
* White knife in right jacket pocket
* Pack of gum in right jacket pocket
* Black/white knife in right hand
Routine
* Show black/white knife as a black knife on both sides using the paddle move
* Changes to white on both sides again with paddle move
* Back to black
* Explain that you really have 2 knives and reach into the right trouser pocket and bring out the
regular white knife.
* Place black/white knife on left palm black side up and white knife at base of fingers next to black/white knife. Close left hand and turn fist back up.
* Push black/white knife out of left fist with left thumb (shows white).
* Take black/white knife in right hand and show it white on both sides and explain that you keep the white knife in your jacket pocket (put it there and take it out in closed right hand) and the black knife in your left hand.
* Show white in left hand and black in right hand. Look confused and puzzled and say , "Wait a minute---"
* Try to remember what to do. Put black/white knife in left fist black side showing and put white knife next to it and turn fist over.
* Push black/white knife out of left fist with left thumb (white side showing) and put in right jacket pocket and take pack of gum in closed fist
* Show white in left hand and again look confused.
* Open right hand and show pack of gum and look really confused. "I quit!" and put the knife in the left jacket pocket and offer spectator a piece of gum.
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#71551 - 08/16/04 07:58 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Thanks, Gerald, for posting this thread and providing great examples. I think perverse magic is good because it includes the element of surprise, and surprise is essential to strong, entertaining magic. In so many repetitive routines, like coins across, the final stage is often anticlimactic.
If you had complete control over the magic, and could perform it at will like a 9 to 5 job, it wouldn't be magic, would it? I think the idea that the magician is struggling with powers that are just within his grasp, with sometimes unpredictable results, is helpful to create the illusion of magic.
By the way, I'm looking for printed sources on Benson. Does anyone know of any? I had the chance to speak with Cellini, who really praised Benson's act.
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#71552 - 09/01/04 02:27 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The World's Fastest Card Trick
In 1948 Joe Karson published "The World's Fastest Card Trick" - a great perverse magic effect.
Basically the performer says he's going to perform the "world's fastest card trick" and invites a spectator to assist him to select a card. Then:
1 Because of confused timing there's difficulty in having the card selected
2 A card is finally selected and returned to the pack but the spectator says she didn't look at the card
3 Another card is selected and the performer shuffles the deck and pulls out one card and asks the spectator the name of the card and in confusion it appears that the spectator still has her card in her hand
4 Again this is repeated and this time the spectator forgets her card
5 Finally all goes well and the performer removes a card but is the wrong card - so he changes it for the right card.
Some thoughts on this:
A In 1980 Ken deCourcy published a pamphlet discussing this routine and pointed out:
* In step 4 above the result is obtained by whispering to the spectator to say she'd forgotten the card and this isn't practical for close up and he gives variations. I don't like any of the variations so I eliminated this part.
* The ending - the incorrect card changing to the correct card is weak compared to the value of the buildup. I agree. I like to find a wrong card and then find the selected card is not in the deck but is in my shoe.
B There's a bit of a "sucker trick" here and let me say something about sucker tricks
When I met my wife, Linda, she did not like magic and the reason was that when she was a little girl, she was called up to assist a magician and he made of fool out of her with his breakaway wand and fan, blaming her and embarrassing her in front of the laughing audience.
Perverse magic lets the magician be the brunt of the sucker situation. The wand and fan break is against the magician not the spectator.
C The question often comes up as what to do when a spectator refuses to tell you his card. One answer is to forget that trick and the card selected but, instead, go into The World's Fastest Card Trick (with another spectator of course)
D My way of doing the routine is as follows:
* If possible I'll put a duplicate of a card in my shoe before performing (though for walk around I can only do this once- unless I "go to the bathroom" during the performance)
* I follow the Karson routine for steps 1,2, and 3 skipping 4 (If anyone doesn't have the Karson booklet or wants details of these steps let me know).
* I force the duplicate of the card in my shoe, have it returned, controlled to the top and palm it as I give the deck to be shuffled.
Then I put BOTH hands in my trouser pockets, leaving the palmed card. (I think it was Fred Braue who suggested putting both hands in both pockets in such a situation. And for me this is a very natural position to be in.)
I then cut the deck and ask for the name of the selected card and turn over the cut-to card and - it's wrong. I then go through the deck and try to find the card but can't and I give the deck to the spectator to find it making sure that my hands are shown empty.
Then, ACTING CONFUSED, I start looking in my pockets and then I remove my shoe (not the one with the card) muttering something like "You'd think I was going on a plane--" and - nothing. Then the other shoe and there is the card.
Again, with perverse magic I'm confused when I find the card. The attitude is NOT "and here's your card ta da--"
If I can' t load the card in my shoe I produce the actual card from my pocket with the same attitude. (After making it clear that my hand is empty.)
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#71553 - 09/01/04 06:13 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Gerald: Once again, thank you for your contributions.
Darrin: Two of Benson's routines are included in "Classic Secrets of Magic".
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#71554 - 10/01/04 03:29 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Progressive Production
This effect by Bob Carver appears on page 377 of Bobo "The New Modern Coin Magic" (it's not in the first edition or the paperback Dover version) and with some modifications I've made in the presentation (I have two different presentations) , it's become one of my favorite impromptu effects.
In both presentations it's just something that happens - I'm not doing a trick.
In the method, the only thing I've added is the production of the first and second coins. Instead of palming five coins I palm only four, two in each hand and use the spectator's coin for the first. I'll explain my production of the second coin below - the third, fourth and fifth follow Bob Carver's routine.
I have two presentations as follows:
1 I ask a spectator for a quarter and when I get it, it becomes two, then three, then four and then five. Then, as if this is a natural way to get money and not a magic effect, I use the line that comes from one Vernon attributes to Malini (See Dai Vernon Book of Magic page 106) as I give the lender back her quarter, "Thanks, I needed quarters." as I put the other four in my pocket.
2 I note a quarter in a spectator's purse or on the table and say, "Oh there's one!" (As if the quarter is a special one. I use this line for several effects. I'll publish one with a rock in a few months). I then make her quarter two, then three, then four and then five and I let her keep them all. (For the frugal it can be done with nickels.)
I always have four quarters in my right hand jacket pocket (and NO other coins)
and when I see I'm going to perform I secretly take the four coins in my right hand,
put both hands behind my back, and put two quarters in my left hand and classic
palm them. Then I classic palm the other two in my right hand but, as Carver
explains, the outer coin is injogged forward. (This is so when you release your grip
slightly, only one coin will fall
I take the spectator's quarter and hold it between my thumb and first finger of my
left hand by the opposite edges (so the coin is fully displayed) and I let the jogged
coin fall to my right fingertips.
I bring my right hand, back showing, to my left hand and as my right hand
approaches, it twists so that the coin on the fingertips goes underneath the coin
displayed between my left thumb and forefinger and my right thumb drops on the
displayed coin pushing it onto the coin at the right fingertips.
With the right thumb and first finger I spread the two coins and take one in each
hand between the thumbs and fingertips (the Kaps subtlety makes it appear that
the hands are empty.
I then toss the left hand coin to the right hand and the three come together showing
three (but one stays in classic palm).
I toss two (the one staying in classic palm) from the right hand to the left hand
where they join the two there showing four and then the four are tossed to the right
hand joining the one there to show five.
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#71555 - 10/05/04 10:19 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Brian Marks
Registered: 01/30/08
Posts: 36
Loc: Nyack, NY
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I have been using this coin production for three years now. Its a worker
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#71556 - 11/01/04 02:26 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse Signed Card to Pocket
I’ve listed some cards to pocket effects in this thread above (see December 21, 2002 Ambitious Card, May 20, 2003 Perverse Discovery, July 1, 2004 3 Card Monte) but it’s one of my favorite plots. Also, as I may have mentioned, I rarely have a card signed as I find it slows the effect down. This is an exception.
The routine is performed as follows:
1 A card is selected, signed and shuffled back into the pack.
2 The spectator is given the deck to shuffle.
3 The magician takes back the deck and asks for the name of the card.
4 He spells that card taking one card for each letter.
5 But when he completes the spelling it’s not the selected card.
6 The magician is confused – he starts to look through the deck and leaves it spread on the table but no sign of the card.
7 He puts his left hand in his left trouser pocket – no card
8 He puts his right hand in his right trouser pocket and there is the signed selected card.
9 The magician is very confused and quits saying, “I hate when that happens.”
10 A few minutes later he casually reaches into that same pocket and is surprised as he removes a card. He reaches in again and removes another, then, finally, a few cards. He shakes his head bewildered.
Some notes:
1 Of course the selected card is controlled to the top and palmed out with five or so cards as the deck is handed out for shuffling. (Don’t take too many or the spectator will realize the deck is not full.)
2 While the deck is being shuffled, BOTH hands go into the trouser pockets (I believe it was Fred Braue that suggested this. It is important as it is a natural way for me to stand) and the palmed cards are left in the right pocket.
3 I spell the card. Some may be tempted to ask for any number but this is WRONG because one of my rules for Perverse Magic is what happens has to be stronger than what you say will happen and a card at any named number is stronger than spelling - but the card in the pocket is stronger than the spelling.
4 When you have the wrong card at the spell position the spectators may think you just missed and lose interest and walk away so it’s VERY IMPORTANT to start acting here as you spread the deck to find the card. Make it into a little drama.
5 The card in the pocket is often used as an OUT when a card is missed but here the card is loaded while the trick is progressing and here the performer is showing the hand empty before going into the pocket.
6 But using Perverse Magic you can’t say “Look, my hand is empty” so that’s why I take my time getting the card from my right pocket by looking first in my left pocket acting confused and in doing so, I show both hands clearly empty.
7 After the trick is over, I casually reach into my pocket again and remove a card and look confused as I drop it on the table. I reach in again and remove another and then another and finally the few remaining at one time. I’ve found that for some reason while spectators may understand palming a card, they do not understand how you can palm more than one.
8 I said above that I rarely have a card signed because, for me, it slows things down but I used to and I kept a collection of such signed cards. Now, sometimes, if I know I’m going to see a person that has signed one of these cards, I would take that card and a matching deck and, at the right time, I would force the duplicate and have it returned to the deck and tell the spectator to picture his card and I’d give him or her an imaginary pen to “sign” the mental picture of his card and put the imaginary card back in the deck. I go through the deck and remove the card with the spectator’s signature and while he or she is trying to figure out how the actual signature got there, I palm out the duplicate.
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#71557 - 12/01/04 04:22 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The Purse Frame
A purse frame is a bagless purse - the frame of the purse. Back in 1950 Bill Nord suggested using it to produce an silk (See Phoenix # 212) Slydini used it to produce sponges (see he Best of Slydini and More" page 54), Al Goshman used it to produce coins and sponge balls (see "Magic By Gosh") and I use it to produce dice (see "Dice Caper" in Apocalypse page 745 March 1983) and Patrick Page has suggested using the purse frame in an impromptu situation. So do I. It is a good example of "Whimsical Perverse Magic"
I would have a few bills that have been folded with one short end to the other short end and then once more with the center to the ends (but not pressed flat) and palmed in the left hand with one long side against the heel of the hand and the other long side against the curled left fingers of that hand.
The purse frame is in the right pocket (jacket if wearing one - pants pocket otherwise).
When paying the check at a restaurant (where I'm not paying by credit card) I'll go to the cashier and reach into my right pocket and get the purse frame and hold it between my right hand between my thumb and first and second fingers,
I shake the purse and hold it to my ear and then move it to the cashier's ear (see "The Best of Slydini and More" photo 254). I then put the purse in my left hand (see "The Best of Slydini and More photo 257) and open the purse with my right hand and reach in with the thumb and first finger of that hand and grasp the bills by the side touching the heel of my left hand and pull the bills out of the purse.
I put the purse away and pay the check with the bills - as if using a purse frame with an invisible bag that holds invisible bills is the most natural thing in the world.
*****************************
Sometimes instead of bills I produce a few coins, perhaps to buy a newspaper for, say, fifty cents. Here I'll have two quarters finger palmed in my left hand and here, when I reach for the coins with my right thumb and first finger, I do so with my right palm facing the spectators so that the right palm is shown empty. (See "The Best of Slydini and More" photo 259).
*****************************
I sometimes use the purse frame at dinner with friends. (I do a lot of magic at dinner - or lunch. That MAY be a good time to do magic depending on the circumstances and you must use your good judgment here.
I might, at the end of a meal, ask if anyone wants a piece of gum and take the gum from the purse frame. Or I might just reach into the purse frame and pull out a tissue, wipe my mouth and throw the tissue away.
Here, the gum (and I use a few small pieces of gum, like Trident, that can fit easily in my left hand) or the tissue is on my left leg and the purse frame is in my real right pocket. As I reach for the purse frame with my right hand, my body turns and my left hand drops on top of the gum or the tissue.
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#71560 - 12/05/04 02:39 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Philippe Billot
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 210
Loc: PARIS - FRANCE
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You are right, Mr. Kaufman
See The Phoenix N°214, Oct 1950, page 856 under the title SCOTCH PURSE by Eugene L. Bulson
"The idea of using a skeleton purse was first brought to my attention by the late Charles R. (Baffles) Brush, more than twenty years ago, at one of the first I.B.M. convention in Kenton. Brush attributed the original idea, if I remember correctly, to Al Baker, and some years later mentioned its use in his column in THE SPHINX..."
As I have'nt the SPHINX, I hand over to someone else.
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#71561 - 01/01/05 04:17 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Ricochet! A good candidate for Perverse Magic
This effect by R. Paul Wilson, is currently a marketed item, and I think is a good candidate for Perverse Magic.
The effect is as follows:
1 Four kings are shown and put face down on the table.
2 The four Aces are taken in the magician’s hand.
3 One by one the Aces change magically to Kings.
4 The magician says, “If the Kings are now here what’s on the table?” The spectators say, “The Aces.”
5 “No,” says the magician, “The Kings are still on the table because—“ and then he shows—“the Aces are here again”. The Kings have changed back to Aces.
My suggestion would be that in step 5 the magician should expect the Aces to be on the table and should appear confused to find the Kings are still there. He then looks at what he is holding, expecting to see the Kings and is shocked to find the Aces. He scratches his head in bewilderment.
Perverse Magic!
(Note: The Kings should be left on the table, not under a spectator’s hand because one of the rules of Perverse Magic is that what is done must be stronger that what you say will be done – and if the Kings are under a spectator’s hand and they changed to Aces – that would be a stronger effect.)
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#71562 - 02/01/05 10:16 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The Bag Snap
Many years ago I saw a vaudeville performer named Roger Ray come on stage with a xylophone and proceed to take a paper bag from his pants and have a catch with imaginary objects. I loved it.
Milbourne Christopher describes a Misers Dream with balls using a paper bag in the January 1950 issue of Hugard’s Magic Monthly (page 621) and Bob Mc Allister worked out a similar routine using chocolate chip cookies. (I worked out a routine with Tootsie rolls which I’ll put here in a few months.)
Kids love it – and so do adults. You reach into a paper bag and take out an imaginary ball and throw it against a wall and the “catch it in the bag”.
There’s timing involved. As the imaginary ball ( or chocolate chip cookie or Tootsie roll) is to hit the bag a sound it heard.
The sound is made, of course by one of the fingers of the hand that is holding the bag hitting the bag.
What I do is hold the bag in my left hand, fingers inside and thumb on the outside. I have my ring finger on my middle finger and to make the noise I slide my ring finger to the left, off my middle finger and it will strike the bag with a snap.
Try it – it’s very effective and it’s Whimsical Perverse Magic.
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#71563 - 02/20/05 01:30 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Philippe Billot
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 210
Loc: PARIS - FRANCE
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Gerald,
As you are interesting by Perverse Magic, you can read Up His Sleeve (1920) by Charles Waller (if not already done) or the reprint of the book in Genii, beginning Vol 10, N°2, October 1945.
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#71564 - 03/01/05 03:45 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse Cards to Pocket
Perverse Magic can be just an incident in an effect and need not be the entire effect. I recall Roy Benson doing his beautiful billiard ball routine and then, as he was producing one 2 inch white ball after another, a red ball suddenly appeared confusing Benson who consulted what had to be a magic instruction booklet.
The Card to Pocket is a classic effect and leads itself to having a perverse incident or two. I learned this effect many years ago from one of my favorite books, "The Royal Road to Card Magic" (although it is written up in many standard books on magic) and made changes to fit my style as follows:
Effect
* The spectators are asked to count out 10 card and give them to you.
* You explain that by riffling the cards you make them go up your left sleeve, down your right sleeve and into your right trouser pocket.
* You riffle and produce a card from your right trouser pocket. You do this again and then again.
* You count and there are 7 cards remaining
* You riffle again but - no card. You feel something at your left shoulder and reach up for the fourth card. You look very confused.
* You riffle again and - again no card in the pocket. You reach into your left trouser pocket and there's the card. Again you look confused.
* You riffle and find the sixth card in the right pocket – where it should be.
* You say you will do two at a time and riffle twice – but they’re not in your right pocket. You look in left pocket and find number 7 and 8. You scratch your head.
* You riffle again and look in your left pocket for 9 but it's where it should be - in your right pocket. You nod, pleased.
* You take the last card and say "Watch" And when you open your hand - your watch is there and you're very confused. You push up left sleeve and there's no watch on your wrist. You put the watch on your wrist.
* You look for 10 and find it in your rear pocket and quit in frustration.
Working
* Remove watch and buckle it as if it were on wrist and put in left trouser pocket.
* Ask for ten cards and then count them again getting break under fifth.
* Palm top five in right hand as you riffle remaining five.
* Reach into right trouser pocket, leave four cards and bring out one.
* Bring out another and then another.
* False count five as seven. Get break under the second card and bottom palm bottom three in left hand.
* Riffle and reach into right pocket and pretend nothing there but palm one of two cards there. Then start to flap left arm against side. Reach over with right hand and produce palmed card from left armpit.
* Try again for next card. Surprised when not in right pocket. (There is one there.) Reach into left pocket and produce one.
* Next from right pocket (#6)
* Say will do two at a time. Surprised when not in right pocket. Produce from left pocket. (7,8)
* Show 2 cards and get break between and palm top in right hand. Riffle then take unpalmed card in right hand and reach into left pocket expecting card and palm watch (Actually, just take it LIGHTLY with one side resting on the curved left fingers and the other touching the heel of the left hand). Put the unpalmed card onto left hand (covering watch) . Reach into right pocket and produce card (9).
* Take the last card between the right thumb and fingers on the short side and with the back of left hand facing audience, put the other side of the card behind the watch (that is the watch will be between the card and the left palm) and then gently tap the card into the left hand with the right fingers. When the card has about an inch to go, hold the card tight between the left fingers and the left heel and the card will bend and if you now release the pressure of the left fingers, the card will snap into the right palm.
* Turn the left hand palm up showing the watch as the right hand with the palmed card drops to the right side.
* Look confused and try to find the card. The right hand (with the palmed card) goes into the right pocked where it leaves the card and pretends it's not there. Transfer the watch to the right hand as the left hand goes into the left pocket and doesn't find it either.
* Keep looking puzzled as you open the watch and put it back on your wrist. Then the right hand goes again into the right pocket and the left hand goes into the left pocket. The right hand presses against the card in that pocket and as the hand comes out the pressure is kept on so the hand (and the card) moves against your pants and to the right rear pocket and then inside.
* You turn you back to the audience as you produce the card from your rear right pocket.
It’s an entertaining routine.
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#71565 - 03/01/05 11:16 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Curtis Kam
Registered: 01/18/08
Posts: 345
Loc: Waikiki
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Congratulations, Gerald. The watch is a very nice addition to a routine that could use all the surprises it can get. Would it be more logical (but therefore perhaps less "peverse") to produce your credit card instead of your watch? Or a few bills? That would prompt you to pull your wallet out of your back pocket, and inside find the last card.
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#71566 - 04/01/05 03:09 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Dice Caper
This routine is another good example of the type of Perverse Magic where the magician explains how simple things somehow affect other simple things which confuses him. I use this effect to close most formal sit down close up routines that I do.
The effect is as follows:
1 The magician has a white die, a salt shaker and a pepper shaker on the table. He explains that if you sprinkle salt on the die it becomes invisible. I do and it does.
2 Explaining the difficulty of storing an invisible die, the magician explains that he keeps it in a bagless purse (or purse frame - see discussion of this above December 2004). He gets such a purse from his pocket and drops in the invisible die.
3 The magician explains that while salt makes a visible die invisible, pepper will make an invisible die visible. He sprinkles pepper into the bagless purse and reaches in and pull out a visible die. Then he looks deeper into the bagless purse and pulls out another visible die chuckling and saying he lost that last week and wondered where it went.
4 He starts to put the bagless purse away and then thinks he saw something and sure enough there’s another visible die which he puts on the table with the other two.
5 He says you don’t need three dice so he drops the last back into the bagless purse where it again turns invisible and he starts to put the bagless purse away again and once more changes his mind and again takes out the third die which is again visible.
6 The magician explains that the salt and pepper only works on one die at a time. He puts all three in his hand, sprinkles salt and shows that only one became invisible, the other two remaining visible.
7 He puts the two visible dice in his hand, sprinkles salt and again only one becomes invisible. There are now two invisible and one visible dice on the table.
8 The magician explains that with an invisible die and a visible die you can always throw a 7. He demonstrates. He explains that with 2 invisible dice and one visible die you can always throw an 11. He demonstrates.
9 He takes the bagless purse from his pocket and drops in the two invisible dice and sprinkles in pepper to make them visible and reaches in and produces – a pack of gum – he looks confused – then he takes out the two dice now visible.
10 He explains that it’s important that you remember not to use pepper on a visible die because - and does and shows that the die has changed from white to red.
11 The magician explains that what really gets confusing is when you put both salt and pepper on a die---he does and shows that it has become a miniature die.
12 He shakes his head and says that it doesn’t stay that way long and as he drops the miniature die through his fist a huge giant die falls to the table as the magician looks startled.
This routine is written up in detail on page 745 of the March 1983 issue of Apocalypse which I assume those that are interested in this type of magic have. If anyone can’t get this let me know. As noted there, my inspiration for this routine was my good friend Johnny Benzais but I worked out the routine with Slydini.
(Slydini and I had many friendly arguments when we were together as both of us were stubborn. With the development of this routine, I wanted to end with step 11 (the miniature die) but Slydini insisted I end with the giant die and I insisted that I didn’t want to have to carry that giant die around. Then one evening I visited Slydini and he gave me a giant die that he had gone out and purchased. “Do!” he commanded – and I did – and he was right.)
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#71567 - 04/28/05 01:28 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Gerald -
I very much enjoy your Dice Caper, but do not have access to the March 1983 Apocalypse routine which, you said, details the routine. You said you could make it available. How do I contact you?
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#71568 - 05/01/05 04:47 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Cards on the Wall
I don't know where I leaned this - probably in some kid's book of magic but I have fooled some knowledgeable magicians with it. I did this in the lobby at the Brown's Hotel at a Tannen's Jubilee and it's fun.
It's the simple trick that everyone knows - rub your feet on a carpet on a cold day and then if you put a card (or something) on a wall it will stick.
It was the way I presented it - very serious like I had to do something. I would have the deck in my left hand and then take one card in my right hand and walk to a wall, stop, think, shake my head and walk to another wall and put the card on that wall. I would repeat this a few times. Then I would shake my head - something was wrong. I would take a card from the wall and walk over to another wall and put it there face up (it was face down on the first wall).
This would be repeated a dozen times or so. In some cases I would slide a card that was on the wall to a space higher or lower.
I had fun doing this for Slydini during one of my regular visits to him and I was surprised (and delighted) when my teacher laughed and said, "Wha you do?"
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#71569 - 05/01/05 10:20 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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I learned it from the Stevens " Greater Magic
Video Library " of Johnny Paul. I can't remember
if he credits it anf currently don't have a VHS
so I can not check...Mike Walsh
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#71570 - 06/01/05 12:42 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Miser’s Dream – For Kids
The Miser’s Dream is an excellent example of the fifth category of Perverse Magic – Whimsical Perverse Magic. The magician and the audience are on different plains as to what each sees. The magician sees objects before him that the audience doesn’t – until the magician catches it.
The effect has usually been done with coins but Bob Mc Allister came up with a wonderful routine for kids using chocolate chip cookies. I came up with a variation using Tootsie Rolls.
* Requirements and Preparation
** Paper bag – folded flat on table
** 1 Chocolate Chip cookies in paper bag
** 18 miniature Tootsie Rolls in a plastic bag on table out of sight
** 3 miniature Tootsie Rolls in left pants pocket
** 1 miniature Tootsie Roll in right trouser pocket
** Purse frame (bagless purse) in right trouser pocket
* Routine
** Secretly take packet of Tootsie rolls in plastic bag in right hand as left hand picks up the paper bag and shakes it open and then right hand goes into the bag to open it leaving the plastic bag with the Tootsie Rolls.
Leave the bag upright on the table.
** Put both hands in pockets. Get purse frame in right hand and palm two Tootsie Rolls in left hand (leaving the third).
(See this thread above – December 2004 for a discussion of the bagless purse.)
Put the purse frame in the left hand holding it between the curved fingers and the base of the hand and produce the two Tootsie Rolls from the purse frame with the right hand. Toss the Tootsie roll to the left hand and take the purse frame in the right hand.
** Replace the purse frame in right pocket and palm the Tootsie Roll.
** Show the two Tootsie rolls in the left hand and apparently toss them into the right hand but do a shuttle pass holding back one with the left thumb so that only one is tossed which joins the one if the right hand and leaving one in the left hand.
** Pick up the bag with the left hand and toss in the two Tootsie rolls that are in the right hand.
** Pretend to catch a Tootsie roll with the right hand and toll the ‘invisible” Tootsie roll into the bag and as you do snap the bag with the fingers of the left hand.
(For a description of the Bag Snap see my entry to this thread of February 2005).
** Put bag in right hand and catch the Tootsie roll that was palmed in the left hand and toss it into the bag.
** Reach in the bag with the right hand and pick up the three Tootsie rolls and show them. Toss them back into the bag but retain one in the right hand in thumb palm position.
** Pretend to catch three and do the “bag snap” for each as they are apparently tossed into the bag, retaining the one thumb palmed.
** Put the bag down and pull the thumb palmed Tootsie roll from a child’s ear.
** Pretend to put it into the left hand but retain it thumb palmed in the right hand. Slap the left pocket with the left hand and show “gone” and with the left hand reach into the left pocket and remove the one that was there. It apparently penetrated the pants.
** Put that Tootsie roll in right hand (which still has one thumb palmed). Pick up bag with left hand and drop visible Tootsie roll in right hand into the bag.
** Pretend to catch some thirteen from the air and tossing each into the bag and each time performing the “bag snap” and each time returning the Tootsie Roll to thumb palm. Occasionally bring the thumb palmed Tootsie roll to the finger tips and then, as apparently tossing it into the bag, thumb palm it again.
** Put right hand into the bag and (a) pull plastic bag off Tootsie rolls, (b) finger palm chocolate chip cookie and (c) move Tootsie rolls around all the while keeping the Tootsie roll thumb palmed.
** Catch the thumb palmed Tootsie roll and toss it in the bag.
** Catch the chocolate chip cookie. Look confused. Shrug your shoulders and then eat the chocolate chip cookie.
** Finally pour out the bunch of Tootsie rolls from the bag to the table.
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#71571 - 06/01/05 02:43 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Gerald,
The Tootsie Roll idea is a good one, but Ron Bauer beat you to it. His “Tootsie!” was published in the August 1981 issue of The New Tops (Vol. 21, No. 8). The best part about the routine is the fact that you have THE TOOTSIE TOUCH, a power kids have DREAMED about... You can get Tootsie Rolls whenever you want!
Your trick does differ from Ron Bauer’s, but I thought you might be interested to know that someone else has used the Tootsie Roll idea (and to good effect!). Also, “Tootsie!” ends with the Magical Person transforming all his candy (way too much for one person) into a nutritious glass of milk.
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#71572 - 06/02/05 02:00 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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For the benefit of us Brits, what is a Tootsie Roll?
I’ve Googled for it, but I haven’t yet found a picture of one.
Dave
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#71573 - 06/02/05 04:05 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Brad Jeffers
Registered: 04/11/08
Posts: 219
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#71574 - 06/02/05 06:51 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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I'm sorry, I should have explained Tootsie Rolls better.
These are candies that are individually wrapped. The candies are "tube shaped" but solid and they come in a few sizes. The size I use is about an inch long (and are easy to thumb palm)
I'm sure that any candy shaped like that can be used but it should be a candy recognized by the audience.
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#71575 - 06/02/05 08:54 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Anonymous
Anonymous
Unregistered
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Thanks Brad and Gerald. I find that there are often such references on these cross-cultural boards. We take them for granted. I recently referred to Polo Mints on another board, not realising that they weren’t universal.
Dave
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#71576 - 07/01/05 03:43 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Wired
I teach some basic magic to kids in a hospital and I also wind up doing some close up magic for the kids and their parents.
One of the most important things to know is when it’s appropriate to approach a child and what to do when you do go to him or her. Some of these kids are really sick and don’t want to be bothered by magic. On the other hand, if they are receptive, magic can be a great escape for them and their parents (who need an escape with so much on their mind).
(My purpose in starting to do this was to try to get some kids interested in magic because, as so many of you know, magic can be very consuming and hopefully can let the kids forget they are sick – if only for a little while.)
Anyway, I was going bed to bed and I came across a youngster that had been having seizures and had on a helmet with wires leading to some machine. During the course of what I was doing I pretended to notice the wires and, looking at the boy’s mother I said, “I read about something with this a long time ago. Let me try.”
I forced a card on the boy and then grabbed the wire and with great difficulty I was able to “read the boy’s mind” as I told him the name of his card. “Don’t tell the doctors. They don’t know you can do this with these machines.”
That’s Perverse Magic. I didn’t do it – it works with the wires.
(Before I left I told the mother it was just a trick. I didn’t want them to think the machine could result in an invasion of privacy and have everyone sued. You know lawyers today!)
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#71577 - 07/01/05 10:00 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Brian Marks
Registered: 01/30/08
Posts: 36
Loc: Nyack, NY
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yeah tax lawyers are the worst
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#71578 - 08/01/05 03:41 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Darn the Dentist
I complain about how, a few hours ago, my dentist hurt me and, still in pain, I put my empty right hand into my pained mouth and fish around and pull out – a portion of my dentist’s mirror which he apparently left in my mouth.
“Darn him!” I say. “I’m going to call my lawyer!”
To do:
1 Get a dentist’s mirror (that’ the little round mirror mounted on a plastic “stick”) and cut off most of the stick leaving about 1 inch. It now looks like a little V with the mirror as one leg and the plastic the other.
2 This is “finger palmed” in the right hand with the top edge of the mirror at the top crease of the 2nd and 3rd fingers and the bottom edge of the plastic against the fleshy part of the palm at the base of the fingers.
3 As you complain, the index finger points to your mouth. The hand appears empty.
4 All four fingers go into the mouth and at the same time:
* The head tilts to the left
* The right thumb presses against the plastic
* The right hand relaxes and closes into a fist.
5 The right hand comes out of the mouth with the portion of the mirror protruding from the top of the fist.
A Perverse moment..
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#71579 - 09/01/05 03:52 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Perverse Poker Deals
* Ten Card Poker Deal
This effect has been the subject of a current thread under Close Up Magic in this Genii Forum.
I’ve always like this effect as written up in Harry Lorayne’s “Deck Sterity” (page 72) but I could never see it fitting my personality because it shows the performer beats out the spectator and that’s not my style.
I discussed this recently with my friend, David Levitan, a professional performer who told me that he only uses it against an obnoxious spectator. I thought about this recently and came up with the idea of presenting this as a person that knows little about poker and I lose whenever I play. (So, in effect, I will deal the losing “Jonah Card” to me instead of the spectator and I would lose.)
But the beauty of the original effect is that the spectator is always given a choice and still he loses so what I would do is get a spectator to “help me”. So I would use 2 spectators – the one that has a passive role as he will always win and the other, my helper that will make all the decisions that the spectator in Lorayne’s routine makes but he is making them for me since I know so little about Poker and I, not the spectator, will always lose.
(After I mentioned this to Bob Lusthaus, a magic friend he told me that he had seen this idea by Scott Guinn called “The World’s Worst Card Player.)
What I would do would be to follow the Lorayne sequence but end with his step 6 – what he calls Open Poker but instead of gloating over the victim I would get frustrated when my “helper” tells me I lost again (he has to help me because, as I said, I explain that I don’t understand Poker very well) and my reaction is “You see what I mean? I never win at Poker no matter what! I quit!”
Then, after a few minutes, I would explain that someone taught me how gamblers cheat and I would, as a climax, go into the Lorayne Poker Deal as described below.
* Lorayne’s Poker Deal
A poker deal is usually a demonstration of skill but I present this as a confused person who doesn't understand how to play cards.
The routine I do is Harry Lorayne's Poker Deal from page 153 of "Close Up Card Magic”.
The "bare bones' of the routine is:
** You're going to explain how card sharks cheat and you pull out the
four aces.
** While doing this you secretly bring the 10S, JS, QS, and Ks to the top
(in any order).
** The four aces are openly put on the bottom of the deck with the AS on
the bottom.
** I explain that I was shown how gamblers cheat although I know little
about poker. I ask if anyone there does and when someone says they do I say that's good - he can help.
** I then start to deal 5 handed poker and when I get to the dealer's
hand (mine) I openly deal from the bottom. I say, "This is called a "bottom deal" and I can't do it."
** I repeat this three times and then I the fourth repeat I deal from the
top because "I already have the four aces."
** I then drop the dealer's hand on the deck followed by the other hands.
The way the deck is now set, if five poker hands were dealt the dealer would get a royal flush (the highest hand in poker).
** I say that someone showed me how to get a good poker hand without
having to do a hard bottom deal. Also, the way this guy showed me you could shuffle the deck.
I give the deck a jog shuffle retaining the stack on top in place.
** I deal out the five hands.
** I start looking at the other hands and when I get to the second there is
an ace. I look confused. Same with the third and the fourth. I scratch my head.
** I finally look at my (dealer's) hand and show a royal flush. I look
confused and I ask the guy that said he knew poker, "Is this any good?"
So I did the poker deal, a show of skill but I did it in a way that I didn't
understand what happened. It happened – but I didn’t do it –
Perverse Magic!
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#71580 - 09/27/05 05:19 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Spellbinder
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 287
Loc: New Jersey
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One of my favorite perverse card tricks (and I rarely do card tricks in my role as a Wizard- this is usually saved for showing to magicians) is the Unsigned Card trick.
You know how the plot begins. A card from a deck is freely chosen (and when a magician chooses a card, you'd better believe it is freely chosen!) and the chooser signs his or her name across the front of it. Then the card is shuffled back into the deck. So far, so boring, especially for magicians.
I fan out the cards, select one and throw it down on the table, face up. The person's signature is on the face of the card, but the person claims it's not his or her card.
How can that be? You signed the card, so it MUST be the card you chose! I pick another card and flip it face up. Again it has the person's signature, but is the wrong card. Another and another card turns up and they all have the signature.
Finally I spread the deck face up to show that ALL the cards have the person's signature across the face of them, all except for one card... the one originally chosen and signed.
Perverse!
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#71581 - 09/27/05 05:57 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Jonathan Townsend
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 3291
Loc: Westchester, NY
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Originally posted by Spellbinder:...ALL the cards have the person's signature across the face of them...
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#71583 - 09/27/05 11:29 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Jonathan Townsend
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 3291
Loc: Westchester, NY
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Okay, sounds good. Let me know if the item is available. Thanks.
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#71584 - 09/27/05 12:21 PM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Spellbinder
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 287
Loc: New Jersey
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This one is not for sale... yet. I only let go of the ones I no longer actively use. Maybe in a few years. I'm sure there are enough clever card workers in here to figure out the method from my description of the effect.
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#71585 - 09/28/05 04:50 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Well, I guess since Spellbinder posted his “Unsigned Card Trick” he won’t object to readers discussing A method even if it’s not THE method.
It is, after all, a good Perverse Magic effect.
Back in 2002, I posted (under Close Up Magic) the fact that over the years I had done tricks with the spectator signing their name on a card and I had saved these cards and then, if I knew I was going to see that person at a later date I would take that signed card and a matching deck. I would force the duplicate of the signed card, have it shuffled back into the deck and then I would palm it out as I gave the deck to the spectator telling him to picture his card. I would give the spectator an imaginary pen and tell him to sign the mental picture with the imaginary pen and put the mentally pictured, mentally signed card back in the deck. I would spread the deck and there would be his signed selected card – signed with HIS signature.
Well, for the Unsigned Card Trick I guess one could take one of these saved signed cards and using it as a guide “forge” that signature on the other 51 cards of a matching deck.
(I read somewhere that to copy a signature it’s best to do it with the signature to be copied upside down.)
The deck now contains fifty –one forged signature cards and one unsigned card. The card with the actual signature isn’t used. You also need a duplicate of the unsigned card – let’s say the 4C
Force one of the unsigned 4C and have the spectator sign it, shuffle it back into the pack and palm it out.
Spread the deck on the table and pull out a face down card and show the signature. But it’s not the selected card. You’re puzzled. You try again – Again not the selected card but it’s signed. You turn over the deck – they’re all signed. You ask for the name of the card. You look for it – it’s the only one not signed.
You quit in frustration.
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#71586 - 09/28/05 05:02 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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The idea of forging the signature on 51 cards came from my good friend Bob Lusthaus.
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#71588 - 10/01/05 05:17 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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Coin Under Watch
One of the best things about my involvement in magic is the people I’ve met and made friends with. Among such friends are Steve Cohen and Mark Sicher.
Steve and Mark published this effect (which is called Quart (er) Z Watch) in the April 1990 issue of Apocalypse (page 1765).
Steve Cohen is a very friendly and low keyed person who calls himself “The Millionaires’ Magician” and who has recently written a book called, ‘Win the Crowd”. Steve often performs in the famous New York Waldorf Astoria doing his show which he calls “Chamber Magic”.
As for Mark Sicher, the following appeared in a program called “Share the Magic” a benefit held on March 6, 1994:
"At the age of 22, Mark Nathan Sicher fulfilled his lifetime ambition and
embarked on an exciting career as a professional magician. His unique sense
of humor and fresh youthful approach gave him a great deal of success and
earned him international praise from the magic community.
"However, 6 months later, in January of 1993, Mark was diagnosed with bone
cancer and forced to put his new career on hold. During the course of his
treatment this past year, he has become closely involved with many children
struggling with similar circumstances.
"On March 6th Mark will be joined by some of the top conjurers in the nation
as they perform their miracles to help further the fight against childhood
cancer."
Mark died shortly before the benefit.
The Coin Under Watch is a wonderful example of an effect that can be used to show “Perverse Magic”.
A summary of the effect is as follows:
1 The magician borrows a quarter and tells a woman (it works better with a
woman spectator) that he’s going to put the quarter in his left hand and make it pass invisibly to his right hand and she’s to hold his left hand closed when he puts the quarter in it.
2 The coin vanishes from the magician’s left hand but he’s surprised that it’s not in his right hand. He looks confused and then sees that it’s under his watch band (the coin apparently got stuck along the way) which further confuses him.
3 He says he’ll try it again and again the quarter is not in his left hand but again it’s not in his right hand either. Again he’s confused and he’s even more confused when it’s not under his watch as it was before.
4 The confused magician asks the spectator to check her watch and both she and the magician are bewildered as to how it got there.
The routine is clearly explained by Harry Lorayne in the April 1990 issue
of Apocalypse.
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#71589 - 11/01/05 03:50 AM
Re: Perverse Magic
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Gerald Deutsch
Registered: 01/17/08
Posts: 46
Loc: Glen Head New York
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They Won’t Mix
One Saturday afternoon, I watched Zal Puchkoff shuffling a new deck of cards for a spectator who was sitting across the table from him, only to show that after the shuffle the deck remained in new deck order. That lead me to consider how this could be done in a Perverse Magic setting.
1 The magician pauses in the course of doing some effects for spectators
opposite him at a table to bring out a new deck of cards with an unusual
back pattern.
“I’d like to use a new deck but I always have a problem with these kinds of
card.” The magician opens the deck and shows it in new deck order,
separated by suits. He moves the cards around so that the reds are all
together and the blacks are all together and he shuffles the deck but then
shows the deck is still separated reds and blacks. “See? Somehow I can’t
shuffle these cards.” Again he shuffles and again shows they are still
separated reds and blacks and he shrugs in not understanding.
2 The magician takes a few red cards and a few black cards and interlaces
them so they alternate red, black, red, black, red, black etc but when he
deals out the small packet again the reds are together and so are the blacks.
This is repeated two times.
3 Finally the magician gives the full deck to a spectator and asks her to shuffle
but when she does the magician is exasperated to find the deck still
separated by color.
Frustrated he puts the deck away.
To perform you need 2 identical decks, one set up in new deck order (which probably has all hearts, clubs, diamonds and then spades or in some order like that) in its card box and the other deck with all reds and all blacks together without a card box, both in a case next to your chair.
You are seated for this
The numbers below refer to the numbers above:
1 When ready to perform you reach into your bag and take out both decks.
The loose deck is secretly dropped on your lap as the boxed deck is dropped on the table.
A Zarrow Shuffle is used.
2 This is a standard Oil and Water. Some versions can be found in Dai
Vernon’s “More Inner Secrets of Card Magic” on page 20 and Richard
Kaufman’s “The Complete Works of Derek Dingle” on page 167.
3 After the spectator shuffles you’re going to switch decks. As the woman
shuffles I would make comments about how good she shuffles and she looks like a card shark etc and as I do my right hand grips the face down deck in my lap by the short ends between my thumb at the inner end and my fingers at the outer end.
When she’s done shuffling I extend my left hand for the deck and when the face down deck is in my left hand:
* I bring that hand toward my body
* I bring my right hand to my left hand
* The deck in my left hand falls to my lap
* The deck in my right hand is put in my left hand
* My left thumb goes under the deck to the face of the deck and causes the deck to turn face up
* The right hand takes the face up deck and puts it face up on the table.
Finally, in frustration, you put the deck back in the box and the box in you
case, taking the lapped deck at the same time.
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