My second day...
I got here a lot easier today...I just followed all the badges.
I then collected my goody bag, set up a wi-fi spot for twenty-four hours (£10) and tried to get into the competition.
I was reffused as it was in the middle of an act...I wandered over to the closed circuit television and watched it there...
It was Rocco doing something with water bowls...neither of his thumbs lit up. Art Emmerson was heard to say...
"I hope he paid Jeff McBride for that."
I have not got Rocco down as one of my winners.
Now it was in between acts and I was able to enter the theatre and watch the rest of the day's proceedings "live" (assisted by two giant screens on either side of the huge stage.)
One doesn't want to be too cruel given that a lot of the entrants seem to be amateurs but only in a FISM competition could you possibly have such a weird collection of concepts all under the banner "Magic Acts".
I had missed Tatu who apparently stood on stage in a thong and, dare I say it, fiddled with a ball.
Reggie Simon did a "manipulation" act with coins and notes and Brinum-X played with bubbles. Two things stood out for me. Firstly his lady assistant appeared to be considerably higher than him and secondly, to my ignorant ear, the words of the piece of operatic backing music sounded like
"Do get a life, Do get a life, Do get a life..."
I am going to see if I can find out what that music was because it appeared (if that is the correct word) again in the next act which was from Japan and featured very high up on the "cute" scale. A couple of young boys (11 or 12 years old) The Yamagami Brothers did some illusions, a levitation and a kind of sword box/substitution box. The audience loved them...well they were cute.
Vidar Strat from Norway made a promising start to his manipulation act which looked good in ablack and white theme but he lost his way a little in the middle. As I pass comment on these acts I really should remember as one who has competed myself that nerves come into play and can screw things up a bit!
Fernando Arribas from Spain did a mental act where the revelation was "on video" and shown on screen. Nothing much to say here. He predicted ten things and got them all correct. Maybe, only maybe, if it had only been three things I would have enjoyed it more.
Alexandre from France did a "youth" act which, shall we say to be kind, seemed to be highly "inspired" by Magic Wave from Holland. It may be that Alexandre has never seen Jan and Jasper's surf act but I wouldn't be surprised if he has. It was the first time in my life that I have ever seen a "substitution" ruck sack!
And now an act I nearly loved...
Brando and Silvano from Argentina did a "street" style act where he does the cups and balls and she, playing the role of a flower sellar, picks his pockets. The final loads are the items (pocket watch and wallet etc) that we have seen her "steal" from him. I liked this act and with a little tuning I could grow to love it.
Another act I quite liked was Erix from Germany who did a "Rock and Roll" act complete with old fashioned juke box and GREAT music...he was a bit Topas like (the sun glasses being switched for combs)...and I have to say I was the only one of the "group" who did like him.
Next came and act from Spain that I knew Rafael Benatar wanted to see. The Dream Makers (a man and a woman) who did a "night club" act (in so much as it was set in a night club.) She was a glamourous woman and he was trying to "pull" her...I believe he might have had better results if he used conversation and charm rather than magic tricks. But this act did provide an unforgettable moment. Yes, even in 2006, in the World Championships...wait for it....the Bra trick. No I kid you not...Dream Makers performed the Bra trick on stage at FISM, Stockholm.
And now for the act of the day for me...David Sousa from Portugal (and I do not know him) did a beautiful manipulation act with style, skill, charm, imagination and originality. I LOVED it. A very, very famous magician was heard to say..."an act from my country which makes me proud to be Portuguese." I hope to be able to write more of David's act later but I must get this piece finished.
Dion was next and was the best supported act of the day. I HATE nationalism in magic so wasn't best pleased with football like chanting for Holland at the start of this act. With that sort of support you have to be good (Lance Burton in Lausanne) but Dion wasn't. I thought the act was messy...no apparent theme or rationale to it...but I learn he is only 14 years old so is very skillful for his age. My question is...why be so impatient...why not wait a couple of years and then really storm it?
The last act of the day's competition was Latko from Argentina. Talk about theme and rationale...this act had it!
It starts in blackness to the sound track of a road accident. The curtain opens to reveal the wreck of a Harley Davidson and a biker in black leather. To the backing of American style hard rock (but sadly not Metallica) he proceeds to use magic to put his bike back together again. I thought this act was superb fun but I doubt it will win anything (or what about Originality).
I then collected my goody bag, set up a wi-fi spot for twenty-four hours (£10) and tried to get into the competition.
I was reffused as it was in the middle of an act...I wandered over to the closed circuit television and watched it there...
It was Rocco doing something with water bowls...neither of his thumbs lit up. Art Emmerson was heard to say...
"I hope he paid Jeff McBride for that."
I have not got Rocco down as one of my winners.
Now it was in between acts and I was able to enter the theatre and watch the rest of the day's proceedings "live" (assisted by two giant screens on either side of the huge stage.)
One doesn't want to be too cruel given that a lot of the entrants seem to be amateurs but only in a FISM competition could you possibly have such a weird collection of concepts all under the banner "Magic Acts".
I had missed Tatu who apparently stood on stage in a thong and, dare I say it, fiddled with a ball.
Reggie Simon did a "manipulation" act with coins and notes and Brinum-X played with bubbles. Two things stood out for me. Firstly his lady assistant appeared to be considerably higher than him and secondly, to my ignorant ear, the words of the piece of operatic backing music sounded like
"Do get a life, Do get a life, Do get a life..."
I am going to see if I can find out what that music was because it appeared (if that is the correct word) again in the next act which was from Japan and featured very high up on the "cute" scale. A couple of young boys (11 or 12 years old) The Yamagami Brothers did some illusions, a levitation and a kind of sword box/substitution box. The audience loved them...well they were cute.
Vidar Strat from Norway made a promising start to his manipulation act which looked good in ablack and white theme but he lost his way a little in the middle. As I pass comment on these acts I really should remember as one who has competed myself that nerves come into play and can screw things up a bit!
Fernando Arribas from Spain did a mental act where the revelation was "on video" and shown on screen. Nothing much to say here. He predicted ten things and got them all correct. Maybe, only maybe, if it had only been three things I would have enjoyed it more.
Alexandre from France did a "youth" act which, shall we say to be kind, seemed to be highly "inspired" by Magic Wave from Holland. It may be that Alexandre has never seen Jan and Jasper's surf act but I wouldn't be surprised if he has. It was the first time in my life that I have ever seen a "substitution" ruck sack!
And now an act I nearly loved...
Brando and Silvano from Argentina did a "street" style act where he does the cups and balls and she, playing the role of a flower sellar, picks his pockets. The final loads are the items (pocket watch and wallet etc) that we have seen her "steal" from him. I liked this act and with a little tuning I could grow to love it.
Another act I quite liked was Erix from Germany who did a "Rock and Roll" act complete with old fashioned juke box and GREAT music...he was a bit Topas like (the sun glasses being switched for combs)...and I have to say I was the only one of the "group" who did like him.
Next came and act from Spain that I knew Rafael Benatar wanted to see. The Dream Makers (a man and a woman) who did a "night club" act (in so much as it was set in a night club.) She was a glamourous woman and he was trying to "pull" her...I believe he might have had better results if he used conversation and charm rather than magic tricks. But this act did provide an unforgettable moment. Yes, even in 2006, in the World Championships...wait for it....the Bra trick. No I kid you not...Dream Makers performed the Bra trick on stage at FISM, Stockholm.
And now for the act of the day for me...David Sousa from Portugal (and I do not know him) did a beautiful manipulation act with style, skill, charm, imagination and originality. I LOVED it. A very, very famous magician was heard to say..."an act from my country which makes me proud to be Portuguese." I hope to be able to write more of David's act later but I must get this piece finished.
Dion was next and was the best supported act of the day. I HATE nationalism in magic so wasn't best pleased with football like chanting for Holland at the start of this act. With that sort of support you have to be good (Lance Burton in Lausanne) but Dion wasn't. I thought the act was messy...no apparent theme or rationale to it...but I learn he is only 14 years old so is very skillful for his age. My question is...why be so impatient...why not wait a couple of years and then really storm it?
The last act of the day's competition was Latko from Argentina. Talk about theme and rationale...this act had it!
It starts in blackness to the sound track of a road accident. The curtain opens to reveal the wreck of a Harley Davidson and a biker in black leather. To the backing of American style hard rock (but sadly not Metallica) he proceeds to use magic to put his bike back together again. I thought this act was superb fun but I doubt it will win anything (or what about Originality).
posted by JJ at 1:48 PM
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