From time to time, guest columnists from around the
world will drop in to share magic news domestically and abroad. This month brings news
from "across the pond" from an old friend, Paul Hallas, "The Alternative
Psychological Entertainer."
I first became acquainted with Paul as pen pals when
I was publishing Ruminations. Paul was an early subscriber and eagerly donated effects and
ideas for publication. We have actually only met once ten years ago, during the annual
convention in Blackpool, back in the days when I was helping Meir "dem" his
wares while he lectured and performed (never saw a single thing at the convention --
thanks Meir). Anyway, Paul introduced me to Guiness -- dark, warm, sour beer. Thanks,
Paul. A memorable experience.
Paul specializes in close-up and mentalism, and he is
the author of many books including The Cheap Close Up Book, Totat, and The
Table Hopper's Source Book. I strongly recommend his material to those who appreciate
original, visual magic.
Paul has been involved with magic for an eternity,
and most recently he has turned full-time professional performer, lecturer and dealer. His
schedule is packed, but somewhere along the way he wrote this first installment of
M-A-G-I-C from the U-K. Hope you enjoy.
M-A-G-I-C from the U-K
by Paul Hallas
Greetings from the UK. Mike Ammar has recently
completed a very busy lecture tour of the United Kingdom. An excellent lecture (I saw it
in Hull). I had the unfortunate task of being the lecturer to follow Michael at The Magic
Circle In London.
Feedback from friends seeing Mike's lecture at other
societies was the same though I have since heard a few grumbles about the lecture notes,
which were just as they said, lecture notes. I did not buy them because I already have
everything in print anyway. Same with the card trick videotapes. I spent a lot of time
digging out some of those good routines; newcomers to magic have it far too easy these
days. It's a wonder these aren't some of the best selling tapes of all time . . . maybe
they are. I put a videotape out once, I don't want to talk about it.
The first weekend in May sees two conventions here:
one in Dunoon, Scotland presented by the S.A.M.S. (Scottish Association of Magical
Societies), and the other in Bangor, Northern Ireland hosted by the Irish I.B.M. Ring. I
couldn't make up my mind which to attend, but then got booked to perform that weekend
anyway so that solved that problem!
Lea Earle was at S.A.M.S. but may try and catch him
elswhere as he is at a few clubs lecturing over here. Mid-month sees conventions in Leeds,
Ipswitch and the Opus gang convention in London. All on the same weekend! I was asked
about the possibility of dealing and lecturing at Ipswitch (it has been about four years
since I was there last), but I had already booked a stand at Leeds.
I would also have liked to have attended the Opus
bash (fond memories of the first), but these guys keep things close to their chests then
announce them without too much notice. Again I was already committed to attending Leeds,
which will be an enjoyable day anyway if perhaps not so high powered (there's a pun in
there somewhere).
Jules Lenier from the U.S.A. is doing a lecture in
York on the 24th of May (that's the original York as in Yorkshire, not York,
Pennsylvania). On the 27th I lecture in Bolton (not quite as far as Jules has to travel),
but I follow Jules by lecturing at York on July 8th.
In June, there's a second Top Secret convention in
Milton Keynes which was apparently a successful event last year, and I may try and get to
this one. In August, I plan visiting the USA around the Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Washington D.C. area, so if anyone is interested in hosting a Paul Hallas lecture (which
features easy-to-do close up and mental magic) then e-mail me at PAULHALLAS@compuserve.com.
Anyway, enough of this chit chat, guys and gals.
Here's a routine of mine which was inspired by Steve Schneiderman’s "Card
Marx" (available from Meir Yedid’s mymagic.com).This is basically my
"Colour Snap Aces: routine from The Cheap Close-Up, but with the addition of
Steve's funny ending which features the sudden appearance of pictures of the four Marx
brothers on the back of the Aces.
Of course, there's nothing to stop you using odd
colour backed aces if you want, please yourselves. The set up here does vary from my
original routines, and does not utilize a double backer or Jordan count. In other words, a
simple routine has been simplified even further!
Set up: The bottom card of the face down deck is an X
card, above it is the face up ace of spades, followed by the remaining three aces face
down, then the rest of the deck.
Performance: I initially fan the deck, keeping the
bottom cards together, so the backs of the aces will not be noticed. I start by saying,
"You can probably see that these cards are well mixed, but I'm going to mix them a
little more so they are like me, mixed up!"
The deck is squared and shuffled leaving the bottom
stack of Aces in place. "Have you seen that masked magician on TV? You can't
recognise me without that mask can you? Still, there are no other magicians present, so
I'm going to show you a card trick with this shuffled pack of cards, then I will tell you
how it's done. It's the old cutting the ace trick."
During the last bit of patter you've squared up the
deck and got a break above the bottom two cards. Do a double undercut to bring the face up
ace of spades to the top of the deck. After the first part of the cut I pause and say,
"Yep, I feel an ace coming on," then continue with the move to bring the ace of
spades into view.
You should now be holding the deck in your left hand
with the face up Ace of Spades on top (I have Groucho on the back of this one). The right
hand now grips the deck from above, fingers at front, thumb at the rear , and swivel cuts
the top half of the deck into the left hand. The right hand, which holds the remainder of
the deck taps the face of the ace as you utter a totally original line such as "Ace
number one!"
The right hand moves away to the right slightly and
the left thumb pushes the face up ace onto the table. The right first finger now
straightens, and pushes the Ace of Spades a little further forward on the table. When the
right hand returns to apparently deposit its cards onto those in the left hand, you
perform the late Walt Maddison's Snap Out move from his book Aces (an illustrated
description of the move can be found on page 21 of that book in the effect "Just A
Second").
Briefly, what happens is this: as you push the Ace of
Spades forward on the table, you secretly do the get ready for the Kelly Bottom
Replacement/Ovette Master Move (though you are not going to do that move). You are just
angling the bottom card to the right and back slightly. At the same time the first finger
of the left hand moves around to the front edge the cards being held in the left hand.
The right hand now moves back to place its cards onto
those in the left hand, as it does so, the tip of your left first finger at the front edge
of the cards connects with the angled card, then goes between it and the rest of the cards
held by the right hand. Due to the movement of the right hand moving backwards toward your
body, the angled card pivots outward and finishes face up between the two halves of the
deck. The Snap Out may sound complicated, but if you try it a few times with cards in hand
you will soon get the idea without experiencing any difficulty.
Remove the cards above the ace with the right hand.
You now repeat the initial sequence of moves: the left thumb pushes the ace on the table,
the right first finger pushes it forward and positions it next to the first ace while
preparing for the Snap Out move again. The moves are repeated to produce the final two
aces.
"Now initially I showed you these cards were
mixed. I shuffled them some more and then was able to find the aces, so how could I do
that? I said, I'd tell you. The aces are marked on the back. I look for the marks when I
shuffle the deck. I then remember the exact location of the aces, so I cut straight to
them. Of course, the marks on the backs have to stand out so you can spot them during the
shuffle. I'm surprised you didn't notice them yourselves. Look. Here's Groucho . . ."
The Ace of Spades is a pointer card (one way on the
face) which allows you to check the orientation of the pictures (e.g.: you know to turn
the card over sideways or back to front so that the picture on the back is not revealed
upside down to the spectator).
That's all the news from the U.K. for now. Hope to
see you soon at an upcoming lecture or performance. Please send your feedback to Paul
Hallas at paulhallas@compuserve.com.
