Question For Copperfield Audience Vets

[Guest]

I just booked to see Copperfield (live, first time) at the MGM in Las Vegas on Sept. 1, early show.

I really hammered the phone booking agent about my seat placement and he promised ten rows from the stage center section. (I've learned from reviews on this board and others that if you get an obscure seat back/side you are really robbed).

My question is this; is David still performing the Fearson invented Laser illusion? I'm really interested in seeing that.

Further question; any hints for an experienced magician to be on the lookout for to especially enjoy the show? I know that's a vague request; I just want to make sure I get my hundred dollars worth!

Thanks in advance for any advice about this show.

[Steve V]

Unless there is a restriction due to the venue (meaning he can't set everything up for some reason) he should be doing it. It looks amazing by the way. As for your last request I've no idea what you mean. Why not just go and enjoy the show?
Steve V

[Dustin Stinett]

It's been two years since I've seen him live, so there is no telling what he's performing (the program differs depending on the limitations of the venue, though I'm certain the MGM is state of the art).

My only advice to you would be to try your damnedest not to view the show as a magician. It's my opinion that you will have a much better time.

Have fun!

Dustin

[Brad A._dup1]

Originally posted by Stefan Rupar:
any hints for an experienced magician to be on the lookout for to especially enjoy the show? I know that's a vague request; I just want to make sure I get my hundred dollars worth!

There are some things David does that are really quite astounding. As a magician you can certainly try to "figure out" how he's doing some of his feats. I didn't really want to, though. I wanted to retain that certain feel of wonder and mystery.

Magicians, in my thoughts, should take note of the way everything is coordinated and timed to make the show one hell of an entertaining event. You'll see great effects, with strong reactions from the audience--it's so fun watching laymen.

(When DC performed here in San Diego he did not do the laser illusion..... probably because of what Steve V said.)

-Brad

[Guest]

As Dustin and Brad said, just sit back and enjoy the show, trying to forget for a couple hours that you're a magician.

To view it as something to analyze, take apart, and look for little "tells" and the like, or as anything other than a chance to be entertained by a truly talented performer and to enjoy yourself, I feel you'd be robbing yourself of a lot of money.

It should be a learning experience by way of seeing how what he does works/doesn't work to entertain you and the rest of the audience, but don't over analyze it.

[Kendrix]

I saw David C.'s show last night in Orlando and he did not do the Laser Cutting. His production of the Lincoln convertible is incredible. He ended the show with "13"; the mutiple audience member disappearance.
I, also, agree it is best to sit back and just enjoy the show.

[Chris Aguilar]

I saw DC in Sacramento a few years ago with my fiancee and a few other friends. When it came time to present this effect the gaffus was blindingly visible about 90% of the time. He got a very poor reaction from the crowd, probably not realizing the extent to which the lighting was exposing the gaff. Directly after the effect, my fiance and her friends rolled their eyes and tipped the method to me! We were dead center, about 20 rows back, so it's not like we had a weird angle or anything.

I know that this effect can be very effective when the lighting, angles, etc. are correct (as they were on his TV special), but it makes me wonder if anyone else experienced this effect live as I did.

____________________________________________________
www.conjurenation.com - 'Cards Only' Forums

[Guest]

When I first saw him do it I was about three rows from the last row in the theater and it didn't look great. The next time I was in the 10th row a bit right of center and I expected it to look the same and it shocked me how good it did look. My hat's off to DC and crew.
Steve V

[Guest]

I saw the show in February, and the laser illusion was not performed. I think it has been replaced in the current tour by the new "Baby" illusion. I saw the show last year, and the laser looked very good from about 10 rows back center, but it was different from the televised version. I also saw it about 6 years ago from a balcony and noticed the gaff was visible. The lighting wasn't quite right. I'm disappointed that it is not part of this tour, as I'll be attending another show in about a week.

The show and DC's presentational style have dramatically changed from even a few years ago. Forget about analyzing it, at least until later. Enjoy the show!

[Guest]

Well, based upon the responses on this thread plus a recent thread on another board, looks like I won't see Fearsons/s Laser, Flying, or Grandpa's Aces. Dang! Looks like I'm a day late and a hundred dollars short of seeing the Copperfield show I wanted to see. And to think I'll be walking from the Flamingo to the MGM in the hot sun!

I sure hope that audience vanish rotates my thumb tip. Er, mean Fearson's. . .Regards, SR. . .

[Kendrix]

Stefan: You are right. Those were 3 of my favorites, too.

[Richard Kaufman]

The Laser illusion was also one of my favorites. Only the basic idea was Steve Fearson's--David, Chris Kenner, and their crew worked on it for well over a year before putting it on stage.
The first time I saw it was very early on, and it didn't look quite right, but more importantly, David was performing it as a serious piece. The next time I saw it, it looked perfect, and the presentation had taken a humorous turn that really gave it the right edge.
No one has mentioned the Spook Cabinet that David did for several years--another one of my favorites.

[Guest]

Best advice you're going to get regarding the show:

Take a cab, don't walk, from the Flamingo to the MGM.

Due to the immense scale of the LV cityscape, everything is farther than it seems.

--Randy Campbell

[Steve V]

I'm a Barclay House guy myself...
Steve V

[Dustin Stinett]

Boys, boys, boys: The Voyeur has to be the winner!

Dustin

[Guest]

Richard K: Pretty nice to have been witness to the evolution of a terrific illusion; I'm just po'd I don't get to see any part of it.

Randy: I'm well aware of the topography of Las Vegas and your advice is well taken. But. . .here is the cool mans way of travsering on the hoof from the Flamingo to the MGM;

Enter Bally's; take the route thru Paris to the southern exit; do the same damn thing thru Alladin; crawl to MGM; have some bottled water on 'ya. . .and yes, I'll prolly take a cab anyway!

Steve V: do your medications work as well in Las Vegas as in San Diego, or is it a height from sea level kind of thingy?

Regards, Stefan. . .

[Guest]

Richard K: Pretty nice to have been witness to the evolution of a terrific illusion; I'm just po'd I don't get to see any part of it.

Randy: I'm well aware of the topography of Las Vegas and your advice is well taken. But. . .here is the cool mans way of travsering on the hoof from the Flamingo to the MGM;

Enter Bally's; take the route thru Paris to the southern exit; do the same damn thing thru Alladin; crawl to MGM; have some bottled water on 'ya. . .and yes, I'll prolly take a cab anyway!

Steve V: do your medications work as well in Las Vegas as in San Diego, or is it a height from sea level kind of thingy?

Regards, Stefan. . .

[Randy DiMarco]

Stefan - they used to have a monorail that ran from Bally's to the MGM. It was there a few years ago. Is it still there?

[Richard Kaufman]

The monorail from Bally's to the MGM has been shut down until next year when the entire Vegas monorail systems opens. It will carry people up and down a very long way on the strip, though it's a long damn walk from the monorail stations, which are stupidly way BEHIND the hotels, to the strip. This may actually keep many people from using it because the walk will be so long.

[Guest]

I just saw Copperfield in Atlanta this weekend. It's the best performance he's done here for 3 years. He's left the "I'm hip and do outdoor stuff like David Blaine" effects out and gone back to being himself. His license plate prediction and production of the car are incredible and took me by surprise. Instructionally, he still gets one of the best responses from the audience from the Webster the duck routine. He didn't show video of other things he's done somewhere else; just one great effect after another. His scorpion finding a chosen card gets a great reaction, and drags you through a variety of emotions. At the risk of being thought a prude, I think his "baby" effect is in bad taste. From the premise of the effect: "who wants to have my baby", to the lowbrow humor, which included but was not limited to him worrying that someone would be upset if they were hit in the head with "Copperfield's pickle" and his pulling an enormous pickle from a briefcase and deeming it "kosher". All through the show there was an endless stream of pee and poop jokes, along with a comment about "sticky gloves" to the very very young assistants brought up for the scorpion effect. During his prediction, he asked an audience member "when was the last time you got busy". When the man replied sheepishly, "two days ago", Copperfield said "No, I mean with a partner!" I'm not sure if a mid life crisis has set in or what. I wouldn't be particularly happy if I took the kids to the show. The jokes aren't funny enough to overcome their inappropriate nature. I can watch South Park for that.
On a better note, he had much more energy than I've seen out of him the last 3 visits, and was engaged fully with the audience, including shaking hands and talking to people in the front of the audience at show end. This show is the best in a long time. Copperfield is still king of theatrical grand illusion.
You're in for a great show

[Guest]

I am going to see him in November and I have booked front row center. I am attending both shows in the saame seat. The first sho I will enjoy as a layman, second is when I pay attention a bit more as a magician. He is really great live. And I am probably the most baffled by the Barclay House, but I really enjoy watching him do Run Duck Run.....it is the perfect illusion(in plot and presentation).

Jakks

[Michael Dustman]

The last two times I have seen the show (March 02 Cincy) (March 03 Cleveland) the Laser had been replaced with the Passing Through A Steel Plate. Previously, he was performing Laser right off the bat after the opening appearance. Now it is the Steel Plate Illusion.

I have to say...after seeing the Lottery Illusion evolve over the last year (pre-car production, etc) you should not be disappointed for making the trek. I have quite a few favorites over the years, but the Lottery Routine now ranks at number one on my list.

By the way...any more word on a Chris Kenner Genii Feature????

[Guest]

Just caught his 6pm show here in Biloxi. Awesome, I was lucky enough to be on stage for the Lincoln production and my wife was chosen for the baby set. He isn't going to be doing laZer at all on this tour. If you want to know specifics feel free to email me.

[Richard Kaufman]

I think he produces an Oldsmobile, not a Lincoln.

[Guest]

To tell you the absolute truth I couldn't tell what kind of car it was, I had a bumper 3 inches from my face. I was impressed by the timing on this illusion, one crew member orchestrated it from back stage (unfortunately his commands were audible because of my position on stage). It was still rather amazing.

NH

[Guest]

The car David is using is a vintage Lincoln. (I promise! :)

[Guest]

To update you, I'm Stefan and I started this thread. I'm just back from my Las Vegas vacation where I saw David Copperfield live for the first time. On this post I will make some general observations; tomorrow, I will initiate a post under a different headline giving my ideas on how he does one of his major illusions of this show.

General observations: (show; Monday night, 7:30pm, MGM Grand, Hollywood Theater, Sept. 1 '03).

My experience of David Copperfield was limited to the TV specials he did in the early nineties ( I haven't seen the late ones). The image then was of a tall dark mysterious stranger doing a seductive dance with a beautiful scantily clad female before he stuffs her in a box with fog machines churning out the stuff and faux disco music in the back ground. . .

. . .Wellll, this new show was a total 180 from what I expected.

David was in nerdy street clothes, likewise the assistants. There were two sexy female assistants, but they were dressed in street clothes, blue pedal pushers and a plain white top.
(Ha! You young guys don't even know what pedal pushers are!. Plain clingy slacks ending mid-femur).

The main job of the female assistants was to assist the many, many, many audience members chosen to help with tricks on and off the stage.
There was no dancing, no production numbers.

There was some big box tricks, but the apparatus was played down and the boxes looked like scrounged warehouse refuse rather than Okito decorated magic gear.

David's persona was the opposite of the TV specials, his funny and sarcastic quips were more on the order of your funniest, wisecracking fraternity brother; he never forced himself to be a hard core comedian like Michael Finny, but he was chuckle-funny and great at ad-libbing quips with audience members which could not be scripted, although there were plenty of scripted gags which he delivered as if he just thought of them.

In reading interviews of the Copperguy in past issues of Genii, he hints of this radical transformation but it doesn't hit you until you see the current live show.

Ok, tomorrow I will post my guess how he does one of the signature illusions of the show (hint: go to tropical island, then, come back)

Regards, Stefan

[Michael Jay]

Stefan, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I'm really wracking my brain trying to figure out why you'd want to post a theory on how another magician does his signature piece on an open forum...

Mike.

[Guest]

Hey: I'll wait awhile, and if several other posters object to me outing how I think this trick works, then I won't do it. I'm not out to upset the applecart.

However, Richard K. has posted that he has no objection discussing secrets, unlike most other anal retentive internet magic boards.

Plus, my theory is basically how I would accomplish the effect. Mr. Copperguy will probably still have his secrets intact.

[Steve Hook]

Right on, Michael.

[Michael Jay]

It's not a matter of being anal retentive, it's a matter of ethics among magicians. I had thought this board had ethics, but, if you are right in your statement:

...Richard K. has posted that he has no objection discussing secrets...

Then I guess I'm in the wrong place. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I'd rather be in an anal retentive environment with ethical men and women than stuck with a bunch of hacks who feel that openly discussing another magician's secrets for the public's perusal is a good thing to do. Sorry if that opinion bothers you...

Well, I don't need to wonder anymore why the public thinks that magicians are second class entertainers. It is attitudes like that above that are responsible, in part or in full, for the bad rap that we get.

Mike.

[Guest]

If someone who knows how an effect is achieved posts the secret, that's exposure, and is perforce wrong.

But if someone who doesn't know the secret speculates as to how it's achieved, that seems (to me) to be fair enough.

But that's just my personal opinion. Doesn't make anybody's actions or opinions right, nor does it make them wrong.

Dave

[Pete Biro]

I don't want to know how you think someone else's material is done. :whack:

Let us be surprised and enjoy what we see. :)

OK??? :p

[Herman Koster]

You're absolutely right Pete. As I mentioned on the Mac King thread, let's try to focus less on the trick side of magic and let's just enjoy what we see.
The less we know of others, the better our own magic will get.

[Michael Jay]

Sorry about this, but I wanted to expand on my comments above...

There is a difference between discussing techniques for a side steal, or helping someone work their way through it and openly theorizing another magician's signature piece.

If Richard is refering to discussion of methods and techniques to accomplish sleights, etc., then I have no problem with this idea at all. If, however, it is the latter, then I stand vehemently opposed to such things.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Richard was referring to the former and not the latter in his statement.

And, I fully agree with the distinguished gentelmen who've said (or agreed with):

...let's try to focus less on the trick side of magic and let's just enjoy what we see.

Mike.