IBM SAM Day 4

[CraigMitchell]

[CraigMitchell]

FAMILY ENTERTAINERS IN SESSION

Ouch! A 9:30 am start for the first session of the day featuring David Kaye, Danny Orleans and Doug Scheer. The morning session is split into two - live kids show performance in front of real life muggles especially imported for the convention followed by a q&a discussion session with the entertainers.

With limited time available to them - our trio of performers only get to perform a selection of their material - but they deliver the goods with kids and adults alike having a rip-roaring time. See highlights from David Kaye's killer 'princess and a pea' routine at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=64 ... =2&theater

Doug Scheer was new for me in the line-up and he delivers a high energy, music powered whirlwind of a show. If you perform for kids - and you dont use music - you must see Doug's performance to see just how effective it is ...

The Q&A session was overly long ( mainly due to the delayed arrival of the kids ) - but everyone left the session with a new appreciation of the finer art of entertaining children. Well done to the 3D's ...

[Q. Kumber]

While David Kaye developed the Princess in a Pickle routine, which when done well, is very funny, the best presentation I've seen is that of Silly Scott, based in the UK, who performed at the Blackpool convention earlier this year.

Craig, thanks for your updates on the convention.

[CraigMitchell]

FISM North America – Stage Round 3

The final grouping of competitors for the stage contest. And our MC for today – Bill Evans - complete with presidential chain. Bill has been wearing the chain for the entire convention ( it comes close to the big ribbon which Derek Lever wears at Blackpool announcing his position as organiser ) … and whilst I am sure Bill is well intentioned these relics of bureaucracy are everything that is wrong for me with magic societies. Do you not know how ridiculous it is to walk around dripping in jewellery for no other reason because you are ‘the person in charge’ ? Impressions count … and having the head of a magic club – a MAGIC CLUB of all possible things - walk around in a chain of office is beyond bizarre. Do magicians require such self-validation that we hanker after these relics of regalia and titles that put some third world countries to shame ? ‘Organised magic’ is dying and we seem more interested as to what we will be wearing to the funeral.

Anyway … onto the contests.

The Reed Sisters – USA … I now know what its like to visit the Kansas State Fair. Doves, color changing flowers, capes that put Liberace to shame and a poor bunny in a harness. A pink dove. A purple dove. An orange dove. A yellow dove. And a multi-coloured dove. Yes – the dove puts Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat to shame. Why do you believe it necessary to dye a feathered animal for entertainment purposes ? Let me get my corn cob whilst we wait ...

Steve Owens – USA … A magician in a nightclub with cigarette manipulation, jumbo coins, credit card manipulation and appearing bills. The act feels a little disjointed and too slow to get into gear.

Shank Kothare & Ed Ripley – USA … an American office worker and his outsourced Indian replacement complete with racist stereotypes and pathetic jokes that are an embarrassment to magic.

Trent James – USA … a young magician with appearing umbrellas and billiard balls. Unfortunately he is somewhat out of his depth with steals being visible and shells flashed … it’s a shame that there wasn’t a separate Juniors division as we need to be encouraging our future performers in the right environment. Throwing them into the deep end isn't necessarily the best way of doing things ... kudos to him nonethless for entering.

Sheldon Wang – China … Michael Flatley meets mother Russia. Unbelievable multiple card productions and card throwing of which Jeff McBride would be proud. The act is more akin to card juggling but impressive nonetheless.

Jae Hyeock Yang – South Korea … this performer has completely lost the plot. South Korea is renowned for high quality contestants so how did he escape the filter ? He trips and sends his table flying at the end … nearly ending in the laps of the judges.

Christian and Katalina - USA ... strange green outfits and how not to present mentalism. If you could read my mind why on earth would we be bothering with cereal box covers, coffee tins with numbers on them and multi-colored teddy bears ? For an example of real mind reading with a husband and wife duo - witness the incredible Evasons.

Den Den - Japan ... Card manipulation with paper cranes ... Appearing, vanishing, transforming ... Slow and deliberate with some beautiful moments of wonder

Natalie and Eli ... Incredible quick changes, amazing costumes, stage hands who saunter across the stage at the most inopportune times and the bizarre addition of a stage filled with feather flowers. Please ditch the flowers and stick with just the quick changes. Not a magic act per se but the audience love it

And so ends the FISM Asia - sorry North America - stage championships.

[CraigMitchell]

THE MAGIC OF GERMANY STAGE GALA SHOW

It’s not often to come across a show which has elicited such a wide range of views … “terrible gala show” … “what the hell was that” … “right show – wrong venue” …

And yet I loved it. It was clever. Off-beat. Theatrical. It had structure – plot – running motif and pulled together by Gaston who’s theatrical background put him in a class of his own.

Pre-show starts with the cast sitting on the edge of the stage – sharing drinks, greeting the audience and partaking in German delicacies … there’s revelry, merriment, context and characters. When last was there pre-show at a magic convention ? This was going to be no ordinary gala performance ( and thank the magic gods for that )

Sebastian Nicholas cuts an ominous character – someone you hope never enters your nightmares. His manipulation act is smooth and measured. Every move considered. There’s a touch of the macabre – blood dripping. Fantastic. Manipulation with meaning.

Gaston plays the role of our guide throughout the evening and a short stopover in his MC pieces includes a vignette of the sorcerers apprentice and the ever-filling water bowls. This may be a stretch too far for our mid-West American brethren ( who no doubt are hankering after corn cob and the Reed Sisters … )

Timo Marc presents his well known FISM act featuring blue screen and animated shadows. At the time the act debuted– live interaction with a screen was novel and original. Some 10+ years later the act unfortunately has lost some of its impact.

Trust and Diamond follow with a 2 way coding mentalism act. The act has improved since I saw them last ( Tim has thankfully ditched the ridiculous zany madhatter hat he once wore ) but doing an act of this nature in a second language is no easy task – and the pace suffers.

Our chameleon host, Gaston, returns to unsettle our audience once again ( we’re not in Kansas any more, Dorothy ) … this time going into drag ( the sub-plot being the sausages have run out and Gaston without sausages does not a happy German make to announce the next act – Martin Eisele.

Presenting close-up on stage is seldom a good idea and Martin’s little orange mouse FISM act confirms that rule. The act usually kills in a close-up setting. Presented in front of 1300 people with low res video makes it hard to follow and detracts from the humour immensely – which was a great shame.

Gaston ( now out of drag much to the relief of many ) performs a beautiful piece with everflowing salt from hands … each grain representing a moment of time and the importance of treasuring life before it runs out. Simple. Meaningful. Magical.

A quick diversion with Timo Marc and his performing flea – Helmut – followed by a hilarious improv session by – you guessed it, Gaston – as he presents a cut and restored rope routine in the style of random genres called out by the audience …. science fiction, musicals, Shakespeare and Westerns. How many other performers have the skill and capability to present a piece when the success depends entirely on your ability to think on your feet ? Not many.

Trust and Diamond are our penultimate act with an incredible cardboard sword box reminiscent of the Morettis in terms of speed. The swords are thrust … blood comes dripping … and there are shades of Teller. I would so wish they would downplay the comedy and see this as an exercise in the horrific … let the blood drip, saviour it, smear it, drink it, present Dexter live on stage … there is the start of something brilliant here – they only need to uncover it.

To end our journey – Gason turns into Gunther for his now famous magicians anonymous act. Made all the more impactful by him now surrounded by the rest of the cast - standing in judgement. It’s a small touch – but an important one … and a clear example of the thinking which under played the entire show … driven no doubt by Gaston’s extensive experience in theatre and drama.

I loved the performance for what they were looking to achieve. It was the antithesis of your magic gala show …. It was a piece of theatre.

[Bill Evans]

Hi Bill

Thanks for the feedback ... but if you concur with my thinking then I need to ask - why be forced to wear it ? Who requires it ? And why comply ? What possible benefit does it serve ? I've had the same discussions with Shawn ... and he also references "because it's required"

Then change the rules. And if there is a rule mandating the President of the Magic Club wears a chain that's even more depressing.

It's not relevant in 2014 ( and I don't believe it should have ever been relevant for a magic club of all possible things ) We do card tricks. We don't legislate.

It sends the wrong message. And makes the organisation it represents appear out of touch with reality.

Craig

Craig

Thanks for introducing yourself but I just don't agree. I told you that the reason I felt uncomfortable at times was for the reason you suggested...that is I didn't want people to think that I thought I was someone special because of my position. However, I want to make clear that I still feel you are confusing the office with the person. We wear the chain to honor the office and those that came before us and whose names are engraved thereon and did all for magic and the IBM. You said that that is wrong. I respectfully disagree.

I am also upset about what you said about Shank and Ed. You are so wrong about them.

I think we just have to disagree.

Bill

[CraigMitchell]

With regards to Shank and Ed - any act that plays on racist stereotypes is going to be on thin ice. What is funny to one person can be highly offensive to another. The question is if the group being lampooned is involved in the comedy does that make it any less offensive ?

[Richard Kaufman]

I should mention that, since Craig is the only person blogging and no one else at the convention is posting their opinions, the majority of people do not agree with Craig.

The German show was widely disliked (I thought it was a mess), while many of the acts Craig has disliked have been greatly enjoyed by other attendees.

Craig is entitled to his opinions, but there's no need to get worked up about them--he's just one guy and not necessarily representative of anyone but himself.

[Brad Henderson]

Craig

I really appreciate your write ups and opinions. I think I would agree with many of your comments. As Max Maven observed, (in paraphrase) out potential to ally profound art has been rendered trivial.

I know of no art where those who practice it coming so fervently to the established hackneyed - afraid it seems if anything that dare not follow the formula.

For people whose very existence speaks to breaking the limits Of the possible, we manage to swim happily in our comfortable top hat shaped fish bowls.

[TCG]

I agree with everything Mr. Mitchell has reported, regarding this convention.