CARDOPOLIS 33

EASY TRICKS, HARD TRICKS, AND A FEW TALL TALES

Welcome to Cardopolis 33. This month we have a couple of remarkable self-working tricks. The first is from Rufus Steele. Did you know he was Erdnase? He certainly implied he was as you will soon see. In Cardopolis 31 I told the story of the man in the pub who did a trick. This month we look at a trick seen by Dai Vernon under similar circumstances. And what a great trick it is too. Breaking the Aces is a revised handling for a trick I published in the 70s. In Little John, you display unbelievable dexterity as you toss a Joker into the deck and put it right next to the selection. It has that extra something that makes it more subtle than you might expect. Finally, we get a tantalising glimpse of Al Koran performing his Three Silver Rings routine.

HARD EASY TRICKS, EASY HARD TRICKS

Henry Hay, writing in The Amateur Magician’s Handbook (1950) about the presentation of card tricks that take little skill, emphasised that it was the performer’s personality that made a trick come alive. He also said, ‘Showmanship is not to be confused with volubility,’ advising that whether you are a leisurely, conversational person, naturally quick or slow, it doesn’t matter as long as the performer ‘offers enough interest, in talk or action, to keep the people entertained.’ That's the case with the self-working tricks here. How difficult a trick is has no bearing on its entertainment value. It's not the trick. It's you.

The most entertaining magicians I have seen were not the most skilled. They were interesting people even without the deck of cards they handled with so much confidence. Rufus Steele, the creator of this first item, was a very interesting person as you'll find out later. Meanwhile, enjoy You Tell Them Everything.

The principle used here has been used in many tricks but Rufus Steele adds an additional element. A terrific call back to something that makes for a totally unexpected revelation.