Magic Days

I have called this blog (and yes I do know it is way overdue) 'Magic Days' because that is what I have been focussing on for the past few weeks.

I have been doing other stuff of course, like the props for 'Scared to Death' at the Sonning Mill Theatre, and also props for 'Jack the Ripper' which will go on in Wargrave this week.   Debbie and I also went over to Great Yarmouth to do a show for the International Brotherhood of Magicians British Ring and they seemed to be happy with what we did.  It was great to see old friends again, isn't it always?

We managed to fit in a trip on a cruise ship, doing shows on the Adonia, so maybe I have been busier than I remember.   For me it is always 'what does tomorrow bring?' rather than looking backwards.

On weekends when I am at home groups of up to 10 magicians at a time have been coming to our house and they have been questioning me on all aspects and skills of magic.   The days go from 10 in the morning until 5.30 in the evening with an hour for lunch and yes, they can be a bit tiring for me, but also great fun.   It is time I passed on all this stuff that's in my head to do with the magic business and the response has been tremendous.

I can't remember everything that I have been asked but the range and depth of the questioning has kept me on my toes.   I have shown how even the simplest tricks can be handled better, made more entertaining, shown how to develop comedy, build routines, taught a couple of tricks they have never seen before, talked about the 'theatre' of magic and the knowledge that you should have.

And so on... it has been very good for me as well as for them, because it reminds me in detail of all the things that I would do automatically after so many years of performances in working men's clubs, nightclubs, theatres, arenas, village halls, private and corporate events, and of course, television.

On another tack, apparently (I wasn't in on this) a couple of magicians at the IBM 'do' asked Debbie if I was hard up.   Bless her, she didn't burst out laughing.    Their worry was based on the fact that I was still doing shows and that I was no longer driving a Bentley or Ferrari.

Well, I still do shows because people ask me to do them.    I had a manager who came of retirement age and thought I should retire too.   I had about a year of not doing much.   I went nuts.   That's not for me until it is forced up on me.   I like working.   Mind you, I have told Debbie that if I start to slow down and look like a doddery old fart on stage, she has to shoot me!

I simply do not understand why some people seem to revel in 'old age' and give up on living.  The world, to me, is now more exciting than it has ever been and I want to be part of that.

The cars question I found funny and then realised it came from two younger guys who still believed in the Clarkson syndrome, that cars are the be all and end all of status.   I am now of an age where wisdom has taught me that cars are very nice, but really they are just tin boxes that get us from A to B.   My Prius does that in comfort and quiet with plenty of room and I can't see why I should pay tens of thousands more for another box that does no more than the Prius.    It's that simple.  

Thank you for your concern if you think I am hard up and don't let the above explanation stop you sending donations.