My Favourite Magic Shows
My favourite magic shows are ones that I’ve seen both live and on TV. They’ve been inspirational, amazing and discouraging. When I was beginning to learn the craft, the magic I saw was unbelievable. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. My perspective was the same as audiences that come to my shows today.
As my knowledge increased, I realized that there was a lot of hard work and dedication in creating magic that both entertained and amazed audiences. Inspiration came from seeing some of the best shows in the world. They truly amazed me.
When I say that I could also be discouraged, it was because I didn’t know how I could become as good as my favourite performers. Over time, with a constant thirst for knowledge and constant practice, I feel I’m on par with the best performers in the world.
Doug Henning’s Magic Show
I was only 11 when I saw my first favourite magic show. Doug Henning, a Canadian star, had already performed on Broadway for four years prior to his first TV special. I watched that show on December 26, 1975 along with an estimated 35 million North Americans. At the time that was a large portion of the North American population watching the same broadcast.
Doug brought a vitality to magic that hadn’t been seen before. He was attired like a hippy with long hair and jeans. He was gentle and amazing. The magic was modern and very accessible for children to grandparents.
Doug created a seismic shift in the magic community. All the young magicians, of my cohort, were inspired by Doug and wanted to emulate his performance. Magic became more popular as a result of this first of many TV specials.
Penn and Teller’s Magic Show
After I graduated from University with a degree in product design, my parents gifted me a graduation trip. The budget was limited so I decided to visit some of the main cities for magic in the States. My first stop was New York City. As luck would have it, my friend from high school was visiting his dad who was working at the United Nations.
One evening, my friend and I, bought tickets to see Penn and Teller’s first theatre show in New York. The theatre was off Broadway and seated about 120 people. Every seat in the house was a good one. Their show was similar to Doug Henning’s in that it carved out a completely new approach. They wore business suits, as they continue to do.
This show wasn’t designed for family viewing. It was an adult show with some sophisticated sorcery and wonderful scripting. The show felt like a mash up of performance art blended with unusual magic themes. They would reveal some of the secrets during the show in order to allow the audience a peak behind the curtain. I believe the intent was to give more respect to the artform, by allowing an audience to learn the extent to which performers go in order to create the mysteries.
My Third Favourite Magic Show
David Copperfield rounds out the list of my favourite magic shows. His ascent to the top of our field began while Doug Henning was already well established. David produced the best TV specials ever. Each year he would conceive of a brand new 42-minute show. That doesn’t seem like much, however, consider that he accomplished that while performing 500 shows on tour every year. Even though he surrounded himself with the best in the business to consult for him, 42 minutes of “A” material takes time to refine and polish.
David’s 11th TV special aired in March of 1989. Every single piece in that show was so well scripted and presented. The combination of sets, lighting, costuming and choreography created a show that was astounding. As the TV specials were refined while David was touring, the added bonus for audiences in the theatres were that what they saw on TV was exactly what they would see in the theatre. No camera tricks were used to create the illusions. It was one man’s dedication to creating wonder that made his magic so impressive.
My Magic Shows
I’ve become a fan of my own magic shows. In the beginning, there was so much to learn. Inevitably, I was critical of the early results. As with any artistic pursuit, it is important to not let one’s ego get in the way of gradual improvement. There were a few times I felt like quitting, but that never lasted long enough to discourage me from continuing.
From time-to-time, some audience members will tell me that my show is their favourite magic show. That for me is what makes the journey so worth while. I’m very fortunate to have found a calling that I love and provided so much joy, laughter and wonder to others.