Classics You Need To Know
Let's start first with a definition!
Classic (Noun): "A body of work considered great or lasting. A work of art, recognized of established value."
Ahh, yes, the classics. Certain mysteries in magic have stood the test of time. Many "effects" in magic, however, are based upon the following by and large. Surprisingly, these can be broken down into a small list of possibilities.
The basic types are as follows:
Appearance (production)
Animation (animating the inanimate)
Multiplication (produced item multiplies)
Disappearance (vanishing)
Transformation (this into that)
Transposition (here to there)
Penetration (solid thru solid)
Restoration (made whole again)
Levitation and suspension (anti-gravity)
Escape (restrained, now free)
Mind reading (ESP, telepathy)
If we were to think of what the classics might be to the public (non-magicians), it's probably something like pulling a rabbit from a hat, floating an assistant in the air, or sawing someone in half. A few mysteries such as these stand out as standards for magicians as stock-and-trade. But, when was the last time you remember a fellow magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat?
The actual classics are the mysteries that stand the test of time in front of audiences all over the world. Speaking of what makes an enduring classic, John Northern Hilliard words it best in his book Greater Magic.
"How far these go back into magical lore, no one can say with the certainty of an equation; but the fact that they have survived the rough-and-tumble of the years is significant... A book, a poem, a picture, even a magical effect, must have first-class stuff in it to live."
History in magic has seen that certain mysteries earn their place as classics.
A list of classic magic tricks would include:
The Chinese Linking Rings
The Miser's Dream
The Egg Bag
The Cups and Balls
Cut and Restored Rope
Torn and Restored Papers
The Rising Cards
Bill or Playing Card in Lemon
Substitution trunk mystery (Metamorphosis)
The Vanishing Birdcage
The Pick-a-Card Trick
Levitation of a Human Being
Productions and Fans of Playing Cards
Magic with Silk Scarves
The classics have a long and impressive history…
And are even referenced in books such as "The Discovery of Witchcraft," printed in 1584. Much of the importance of these classic tricks, even more so than the great impression they have on audiences, is what these mysteries teach magicians. These are fundamentals that make us, and we need more than just the printed instructions to really learn the classics well.
I remember seeing a magician perform the Chinese Linking Rings, and it was miraculous. I purchased a set of rings, and it came with printed instructions. After working with the rings for a while, I thought, "Gee, I wish I had a set of rings like that magician did." I did have a set just like his, but I what I didn't have was a really good book written by a master magician... or better, someone to mentor me. That's what was missing! A mentor to pass on their experience.
Houdini once wrote that he judged how good a magician was by his ability to perform the classic Cups and Balls mystery. Once again, a classic of magic that authentically demonstrated one's ability to perform the fine art of magic. These classics include aspects that reveal your abilities. Misdirection, sleight of hand, presentation... all of these skills, and more, are developed through the discipline of learning a tried and true mystery such as the Cups and Balls.
As I see it, here is another important consideration, how it relates to these classics and magic in general.
There is the visual art of magic, as well as the intellectual side of magic. I see a distinct division between the two. In my mind, visual magic has a kind of "gut level" effect of experience when viewed by an audience. Something that you cannot help but react to when it happens. If you wave your hand across a playing card and it changes, this is simply magical. It has the element of instant surprise, and it transcends language as well.
There are magic performances done just to music alone with no dialog, called the Silent Act: Doves appear, candles vanish, billiard balls multiply, and playing cards come and go, all done to a musical accompaniment. This is all heavily based on the visual aspect of magic.
Next, you have a talking magic act, which brings a different dynamic to the mix. This type of magic leans to the intellectual side. Generating dialog and developing situations to deliver a magical plot is something else on its own. Storytelling and/or comedy have always been an important part of performing magic. A magician may tell jokes, have conversations with the audience, or ask for help from someone in the audience. The ultimate intellectual experience for an audience is mentalism. Telepathy and its related field definitely have the strongest effect.