Should we keep running?
Forgive me for not knowing who first applied, ‘don’t run when you aren’t being chased’ in the context of magic. I’ll quote Proverbs 28-1: The wicked run when no one is chasing them, but an honest person is as brave as a lion.
I believe there are some tricks such as the Linking rings for example which are entirely about running. The method or solution as a layperson would see it is hanging in the air, the magician is constantly running away from the proverbial elephant in the room. Consequently, I grew to hate the Chinese rings. until I developed a method of having all the rings handed out at once for examination as the very beginning. How else can you stop the chase?
I also tire of ace cutting routines where the aces have been placed back by the magician. I’m okay with Marlo’s Simple Aces because it is a jolly, flimsy bit of fun. It is the ‘Card Sharp’ style routines where the layperson has to suspend their knowledge that the magician has placed the cards exactly where he wants them. Run as the magi might, with cuts and false shuffles, he is being chased down. Only increasingly flashy productions save the magician from being caught and devoured.
Why do we continue to start these races? Why do we fool ourselves? Only magicians really appreciate the skill in hiding the secret of the rings or the practice required to pull of card controls. I believe that is why we do them.
I have consequently developed a routine for the linking rings which begins with all the rings being handed out together for examination. How else to stop the audience lining up next to you in the starting blocks. Remove the solution, without doubt from the start. I then start the routine as brave as a lion.
With my Cutting the Aces, the deck is shuffled by several spectators first, it is the honest thing to do.
Neither additions to the classic routines were difficult to develop, but I did have to question the classics of magic and myself. That for me is the key moving magic on. I highly recommend reading Fitzkee's The Trick Brain and Darwin Ortiz's Strong Magic to get your mind whirling.
Audiences aren’t slow, they will catch up.
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