I find certain rules absolutely immutable:
There ARE bad tricks
A good magician can make a bad trick less crappy – he can’t make it good
Without surprise there is NO magic
Most magicians are better off without the story trick or emotional hook
Any trick that leaves the spectator with only 1 solution (and it is usually the right solution) is a bad trick
A layman is something more than someone who drools on our cards and is barely potty trained
The magician in trouble theme seldom plays well
Take care………
These should be carved in stone somewhere. A whole lot of truth in very few words. Great post.
Thanks Jim,
This is a long time accumulation that I firmly believe in. It’s amazing to me how few actually agree, starting with my least favorite:
“there are no bad tricks, only bad magicians”
Good grief!
Thanks for commenting and for the great work on your blog. It helps to balance the tripe I write.
i/m
Hardly tripe. I’ve been reading your stuff since your first posts on your first blog — you’re pithy where some of us are just long winded. I agree with your observations in this instance 100%. Again, great post.