Due to inclement weather last week there was no Magic Friday. Since they insisted, I promised my students that they would get two tricks on the next Friday we met. That was today. There are two effects in particular I have been working on. One of them is Vernon’s “Cutting the Aces”. The other is Danny Fleshman’s “PDQ Aces in Case the Aces Leave”. I’ve also been working on Vernon’s “Ace Assembly”. It’s an alternate handling of “Slow Motion Aces” found in “Stars of Magic”. I needed a 4-ace trick in my repertoire and “Ace Assembly” was my first choice. But I am still having a hard time with the technique. It’s nowhere near ready to perform. So that went on to the back burner while I worked for a couple weeks on “Cutting the Aces” and “PDQ”. I felt these to effects would go together nicely since one ends with the 4 aces on the table while the other one starts with the 4 aces on the table. My plan was to begin with “Cutting the Aces” Then segway into “PDQ”. Although I toyed with an alternate story line for “Cutting the Aces” I decided to stick with Vernon’s original patter involving a one-armed gambler. Since I had a gambling theme, at the last minute I decided to begin with Paul Harris’ “Immaculate Connection”. (The gambler’s crimp, notch and link: Perfect). I used to do this one years ago and recently brought it out of moth balls for a rainy day. It just seemed right and would, I felt, provide a stunning and visual lead in. It’s a powerful stand alone effect but it just fit too well into the petit card act that was evolving. It seems now my students were going to be treated to a real show. I did not blend these effects into one routine. They are a string of three separate and wonderful illusions that I felt would flow nicely from one to another.
I began with the lie that I wasn’t doing a trick but a gambling presentation. I used Paul Harris’ patter just as he demonstrated on the video tape I purchased so many years ago. A very clever exposition on how gamblers mark cards. As I said, it’s quite visual, very magical and played strong.
Then I moved into Vernon’s “Cutting the Aces”. Again, I used the patter suggestion given in “Stars of Magic”. I had only one mishap. During the 3rd performance the ace of spades failed to show up on queue. I was a little disappointed but it really didn’t drive the event into the ditch either. I must have bungled the cutting during the set up. I was more careful and it did not happen again. This effect played stronger than I expected. I worried it would seem like a manipulation demonstration and smack of…”I’m so clever, see what I can do”. But my 5 teen age audiences of about 20 students each found it to be surprising and magical.
I finished with Dan Fleshman’s “PDQ Aces to Case”. I purchased Dan’s lecture notes in 1988 at a magic convention in North Carolina. I met Dan there and I must say he has got to be the nicest guy in the business! This is a beautiful routine and my first time performing it. It won’t be my last! Dan says this effect is a variation of “Where’s My Card” by Allen Akermann. I did not change any of the handling. It’s perfect just the way it is. I wrote a Star Trek themed script for it. The crew of the enterprise is introduced and boards the ship. (Card case). Three villains (chosen cards) lose themselves on the planet (Deck). A toy from a cereal box is used to beam the scallywags up to the ship, and upon opening the case, the bad guys are found trapped between the crew members. I finished by producing a 5 inch Enterprise replica from the card case. BAM! This went over great but the story line would probably play stronger to an older audience. I also need to trim the script down a little.
It was a great day. I was a little anxious this morning since I was doing a whole mini-show. I didn’t intend for it to be that way. It just seemed to build itself and I needed to get out of the way and let it happen. Each performance lasted 14-15 minutes. I felt it was entertaining and magical. In the words of my audience…”Beast Dude”!
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