Charlie was also a very accomplished sleight-of-hand performer, and could bring an audience of professional and amateur magicians to their feet with cheers as he carried off a routine such as the Cups and Balls, in which a set of metal cups inverted over a simple ball would confound the spectators’ expectations of just where that mystically furtive object could be found at any given time, only to end up in Charlie’s pocket while lemons or baseballs dropped out of the just-emptied cups… It was a classic, a wonder, a stunner, an illusion, a beautiful prestidigitation from the hands of a master.

Yes, Charlie Reynolds lived a long, productive, and exciting life. One cannot really expect more, I guess. He was not only very talented, he was a fine human being. He was my friend for some half-century or more, a valued buddy. I will miss him greatly, and every time I see a performance of the Cups and Balls routine, I will compare it with his…

I will try to be kind.

On 2010-11-21 18:49, Bill Palmer wrote:
In China, magic is part of the Chinese opera system. This includes acrobatics, the opera, itself, stage fighting and a host of other similar related arts. The Chinese have branched out into Western style magic, without gaining any of the grounding in the traditions behind it or the foundations of it.

It has some similarity to the old Soviet system. NONE of these performers is asked what they want to be when they grow up. They do not have any choice in the matter. If the governing board decides that the child is best qualified to do back palms and ballet, then the child will undergo intensive training in just the things necessary to produce one outstanding magic act, which will be designed for them. There is NO artistic freedom. In fact, there is NO freedom.

On 2010-01-02 12:52, Frank Starsini wrote:
From where I sit, the most important thing that is left out of most routines is the entertainment factor.

I highly doubt that 99% of spectators really care where the balls go, what happens to them, or how you're doing it.

When I started doing Cellini's routine outdoors for spectators, people walked away halfway thru, and right at one of the coolest parts. I could not figure it out.

So I whittled, snipped, changed, and modified the phases. I came up with lines, and bits and gags that were funny or surprising. I no longer knew where the balls would end up after each phase. And eventually everyone stayed. But that was several years later.

If you're going to do a straight routine, a la vernon's, a room full of magicians will politely applaud after each phase. If you add dexterity and a little flash in how you handle the cups/wand/balls, that will help.

But in the end, you usually need some witty, or smart, or interesting, or funny lines to make it entertaining for a paid gig.

Now the balls are here, now they're here, and here, and here, and now there are a bunch of oranges... just doesn't cut it.