Worst Trick Night
6 December 2005
Raynaly
Raynaly's quote is often paraphrased and is inherently a good theory, and it states the importance of performance. But of course, there ARE good and bad tricks, and tonight we focused on the very 'worst'.
Oxford English Dictionary
In a literal sense, a 'trick' consists of two components, the concept/effect and the method. Any 'bad' trick will have either a poor method or concept. Stuart introduced two tricks to us. With Pen-Sensation, the effect sounded great, but the method was incredibly poor (it would not deceive many people). Whereas, the 'Shameless Open Prediction 2' had a clever, and usable method, but the concept was very weak. This type of trick needs to be explained to the audience AFTER the effect.
Vernon
There are also tricks which are just cheap and poorly made, and therefore rendered unusable. Ali raised some of these issues in regards to the 'Black Hole', and also mentioned the paucity of the instructions. The instructions can be hugely important, depending on your current knowledge and skill level. They are the critical link between the effect and method and us (the magician). Could the worst trick be one with the poorest instructions?
Matt Parr and Paul Leacy did some simple finger and thumb tricks and Matt mentioned the importance of practice. Practising allows us to perfect our technique and misdirection. Misdirection has been defined as 'that which directs the audience towards the EFFECT and away from the METHOD'. A skilled and accomplished magician could most likely take a 'bad trick' and perform it well.
Scott Guinn
Gordon shared a small sample from his vast collection of 'bad' tricks! He expressed his annoyance at certain tricks not working as advertised, an opinion which generated agreement. Also the issues of paying for secrets, getting value for money and the policy of returning certain tricks. Most dealers first concern is not to further our magical art, but to make a living. Subsequently, they churn out loads of new effects, and a lot of it is crap! There were several derisory comments aimed at certain dealers throughout the evening.
Gordon also mentioned the importance of the trick suiting the performer. And, of course, it is difficult to separate the 'trick' from the performer for too long.
Al Goshman
We talked about tricks in the context of the performance, and tricks which have gone wrong in spectacular ways. From borrowed rings being destroyed to magicians injuring themselves. And, the televised example of the most cretinous and moronic magician, who impaled a VOLUNTEER'S hand, performing 'Smash and Stab'.
But there is perhaps, a crime even more heinous. Worse than a trick going wrong, worse than causing monetary damage, worse even than stabbing a fellow human being's hand. Worse than all these, is the trick which induces boredom. Imagine for a moment, a technically perfect ambitious card routine which goes on for 17 hours - I'd willingly start stabbing my hand with a spike after a while.
Dai Vernon
(Dai Vernon said this when someone performed magic to him at a convention. The performance was so bad in Vernon's eyes, that he followed the poor fellow around saying that over and over again.)
David had recently attended a convention and talked passionately about his experience. He mentioned as highlights, the Jerry Andrus lecture and a Q & A session with Derren Brown. Derren had showed some new clips from an upcoming series and David enthusiastically regaled us with descriptions of what we could expect.
It was a pleasantly informal evening which raised many interesting points, and there was much to be learned. There clearly ARE bad tricks, but you can not understate the importance of performance.
Harry Blackstone, Jr.
Giles
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