Why Do I Love Magic?
The best experiences in life involve a sense of wonder.
Wonder (noun): The emotion of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.
Witnessing a performance of the impossible, the unexpected, that's the heart of a magic show.
The feeling of surprise, mystery, laughter, and astonishment that comes from magic is what makes this my favorite type of entertainment. The childlike wonder brought forth in an adult when witnessing great magic can be profound.
Of the many types of entertainment, a magic show is not the only one to present the impossible, but it is the focus like no other. That commitment to creating wonder is why a magic show is best as a live performance. This experience is most impactful in person, similar to how much more powerful it is to feel the rhythmic vibrations of live music. To witness pretended miracles with your own eyes is incredible.
I grew up as part of the 1960’s and 70’s television generation, and that was the only way I could see a magic show as a kid.
Magicians Mark Wilson, Doug Henning, and a few others shared their performances via television. Doug Henning is credited, almost single-handedly, with magic's resurgence back to the forefront of entertainment through his successful Broadway show and television specials. Henning's New York Broadway show, "The Magic Show," was a hit, and it ran for 1,920 performances making it the 38th longest-running Broadway show. Henning's television specials were terrific, and when I saw him live at the Opera House in San Francisco, he received a spontaneous standing ovation. I remember my wife saying to me that it was the best magic show she had ever seen. Exhilarating!
When you are at a live show, you become immersed in the experience of wonder from a "magic space" with others—this shared experience is unique to the fine art of magic.
Now, what about close-up magic?
This type of magic show creates a "magic space" for an audience at a much more intimate level. My first experience with close-up magic was on television, but when I finally had the pleasure of seeing "close-up" magic performed live, I realized that was the ultimate experience. Right under the audience's noses, seemingly, only inches away, the unexpected and impossible take place in a friendly, funny, and conversational way with a magician. These unfathomable surprises presented at such a close range produce the greatest experience of wonder that any form of entertainment can bring.
Walt Disney once said something along the lines of, do it so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends. Only a truly magical experience can make that happen, and those moments are why I love the fine art of magic.