magic is about honesty
everything here is true
except for the bits I made up
The trailer for a new short documentary about magic in Toronto, and in particular our local secret magic shop, the Browser’s Den of Magic, has just been released.
In order of appearance: Mark Lewis, The Sentimentalists (Mysterion & Steffi Kay), Ryan Murray, Mark Correia, John Talbot, Jim Byrnes, Wij, me, Jacqueline Swan, Ahmed Alexander, Mike Segal, Kevin Rusli, Jeff Hinchliffe, Patrick Nemeth, Ben Train. Produced by Paul Steinberg.
Tuesday night I’ll be appearing on The Newest Trick In The Book. It’s a fun and informal night of magic put on by the Toronto Magic Company. We use the delightfully nerd-themed bar See Scape (Keele & Dundas, Toronto) filled with games both of the video and table-top variety.
This week features guest host Patrick Nemeth, also features Chris Mayhew, Michael Penkul and Jacqueline Swan. This is a free show to attend but you can reserve seats through Eventbrite.
Judge Steffi Kay
Last night was Cheap Tricks 2, the nightmarish magic contest envisioned by Mysterion, Canada’s most awesomely coiffed, sartorially resplendent mentalist and half of the mindreading duo The Sentimentalists. Each contestant receives a series of constraints and has to create their act in just a few hours before performing on stage at Revival.
I appeared alongside John Roldan, Jim Byrnes, Beyond Mental Borders, Jonah Babins, Harry Zimmerman, Jacqueline Swann and Shamus MacGregor. The contest was judged by Steffi Kay of the Sentimentalists, Ben Train, Rayn, and the previous champion Chris Westfall. (I was a judge on the first contest in 2017, but agreed to give up my spot to Chris.)
My set of constrains was that i had 3 hours to build an act using a budget of $5 with only material procured at a the nearby A&W. I also had to present in the theme of a XXX-rated Adult Film…. magic for grownups indeed. I’m so glad I forgot to invite my mother to watch. I’m more glad that magic elder statesman Mark Lewis was in the audience to witness me debasing the art of magic.
But a contest is a contest and I played to win (much to Mysterion’s regret.) You can watch the full performance below — cheaply filmed and edited by the Cheap Tricks elves. Although there’s not necessarily any reason you would want to. And certainly don’t do it with your children around:
The tl/dw is that I won…. proud of it, but not proud of what I had to do to get it. Thank you to the judges and to everyone who attended the contest.
James Alan & Mysterion the Mindreader
L to R: Shamus Macgregor, Beyond Mental Borders, Harry Zimmerman, Jacqueline Swann, James Alan, Jonah Babins, Jim Byrns, John Roldan
I can’t wait to get back to doing normal magic!
It is the worst possible scenario for a variety performer. You arrive in another city to perform, but your props and equipment do not. (Thank you Airlines.) It’s a situation no one would want to be in, but we’re inflicting it on ourselves in Cheap Tricks. We tried this earlier in 2017 and are at it again, putting performers in awkward and unpleasant situations for your entertainment pleasure.
All participants are given a small budget, location to buy what they can find, and have to come with 10 mins of amazing material on the fly for the audience.
Featuring John Roldan, Poppa, Jimbo, Beyond Mental Borders, Jonah Babins, The Wanderer, Jacque Swan, James Harrison, Shamus MacGregor and some guy named James Alan. Judged by Ben Train, Steffi Kay & Chris Westfall (the returning champion from the first Cheap Tricks in 2017.) With a performance by The Sentimentalists.
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
8:30 PM
Revival
783 College Street, Toronto
We hope you can join us for what is sure to be a very unusual night.
Last night I got to attend a special performance at See Scape put on by the Toronto Magic Company. They forewent their usual weekly performance The Newest Trick In The Book, and replaced it with The Witching Hour; the same format but featuring an all female cast.
The show did have one marked improvement over there regular format and just goes to show what happens when you let women be in charge.
L to R: Nikki Runnals, Bella Muerta, Suzanne, Felice, Jacqueline Swan
Duct Tape: Jonah Babins, Ben Train
Later this week, I’ll be appearing on another TMC production: The Carnival of Wonders, which also features Bella Muerta and a number of strange, unusual and wonderful people. Tickets are still available for the early and late sittings (8:00 PM and 10:30 PM) at the Super Wonder Gallery.
