James Brown - Lecture

17 July 2007

An almost-packed Sussex Magic Circle audience and many visitors attended this evening.

This was a master class in misdirection and timing from a close-up champion. The first effect , a one coin routine, had a coin falling upwards, appearing on the back of a spectator's hand, shoulder, in the performer, on the performer's head, and finally under the spectator's watch-the watch subsequently being stolen. We were all fooled. It was a flawless, flowing piece of close-up theatre-you had to be there.

The card magic was of an equally high standard. An ambitious card routine that demonstrated the top change, cards to pocket, and a baffling card under card box routine was just some of the expertise demonstrated. An elastic band bound pack on a spectators hand resulted in card penetration.

Sue and I were the volunteers for an effect that discovered our thought of cards as well as sorting into red and black a shuffled deck. Baffling and enjoyable, it was a welcome treat to be a volunteer and not to be embarrassed by the experience. Very professional.

A pot of jam was a coin routine that ended with the bare-handed production of a jar of honey in a spectator's hand. The effect on a magical audience was startling- a lay audience would be reeling.

Interspersed throughout the evening was his thinking behind his methods, and excellent showmanship advice. A particular point was "don't frame the moment" when you make a mistake. Another tip, keep it natural. Also, particularly with the top change in mind, go for it, try that risky move. Most of all, believe in what you are doing.

CD?s demonstrating his effects were on offer and soon o be marketed, a revolutionary method that will allow you to vanish cards, coins etc, without a jacket, with sleeves rolled up and without going near your pockets. All there present saw this demonstrated, and again were completely fooled.

To all magic clubs and societies out there, the message is clear. You need to book this man. Immediately.

Paul Leacy

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