Aspire for Better not More Tricks, says Ted Orlando
Inner Magic Club long-time member and international magician from Denmark Ted Orlando dropped me an email. He basically amplified my thoughts on the issue of the number of tricks a magician must perform in a given show. I discussed the topic in the article How Many Tricks in a Show?
Here is Ted’s letter:
Dear Leo,
F.Y.I. (copy to my letter to Ken (Kenneth V. Jackson, former,magician, illusionist, ventriloquist and theatre actor).
I have also written to him via the forum (in the Comments box of the article Bravo, Ted Orlando!.) , in which HIS approaching letter you have published.
Let me take the opportunity to express my constant admiration for your regular issues via that forum.
Not to mention several, but one of the most hitting-the-nail one, was in August, under your topic “How many tricks are you going to perform?”
The example of the “Mona Lisa” is just great!!!
I, in my now over 60 yrs. of performances (starting with 9 yrs. first on small stage), with over 50 TV appearances, and numerous privately paying organizers, several times had to cope with the question, like: “What, 1000 USD fee for just half an hour?!
I keep/kept answering : “If you want me to work for 2 hrs., I will do that, but your audience will not be able to digest magic that long”.
Besides, you know best yourself, Leo, that… for one: this half hour has taken many hours of practice and rehearsal for that particular event; -for two: you would not like to do too many effects, as your best highlights will “get lost” in a huge sequence of “common” tricks over a longer time than 30 to 45 minutes.
Best regards,
Ted
Thank you, Ted, for sharing with our members, Filipino magicians and lovers of magic valuable lessons taken from your years of performing magic. I’m sure many of our readers will take these lessons to heart and use them to expand their knowledge as performers.
Stay magical,
Leodini
Dear CRIS, dear ALEX, and last but not least,
Dear LEODINI,
I learned by your publication that you were elected,
dear CRIS as President,
dear ALEX as Vice-President
dear LEO as Chairman of the Board.
My congatulations, howver, same congrats to the members voring YOU, this could not have been resultet better.
I as a foreign member have been invited to meetings of other Magic Circles, like the famous Marble Arch one
in London, or Hamburg, but this y(our) IMC tops all, what the ability of leadership,organisations, and
likewise the skill, sleight of hand,and humorous showmanship of the individual members is concerned.
I am anxiously looking forward to my next trip to the Philippines being able to attend a club’s meeting
and to shake hands with this elected great team leading our IMC.
All the Best from
Ted Orlando