1. Todd Karr’s Bibliography of Magic
The issue prominently features Todd Karr’s Bibliography of Magic, a comprehensive four-volume set hailed as the most extensive compilation of magic literature ever published. Spanning 1584 to 2025, it details over 23,350 works, including rare antiquarian texts, modern stage illusion guides, and biographies (e.g., 700+ magician biographies). With a foreword by David Copperfield, the set is praised by scholars and practitioners alike as an indispensable research tool for historians, collectors, and magicians. It is available via The Miracle Factory and Amazon.
2. Mat Franco: A Decade of Magic in Las Vegas
The cover story, “LIVING THE DREAM,” celebrates Mat Franco’s 10-year milestone since winning America’s Got Talent (2014). His show Magic Reinvented Nightly at The Linq Hotel has redefined Las Vegas magic with intimate, audience-centric performances. Franco’s style blends close-up classics (e.g., Bill to Impossible Location, Three Card Monte) with humor, leveraging large screens to amplify small-scale tricks. Key to his success is his charismatic stage presence and personal storytelling, including tributes to his late grandmother.
3. MAGIC Live 2025: Stories and Innovation
The 15th MAGIC Live convention (Las Vegas, August 2025) centered on “Stories,” featuring diverse acts and experimental concepts. Highlights included:
- Elements: A Close-Up Experience: A Victorian-themed show blending monologues with magic, praised as “the best close-up show ever” by attendees.
- Experimental Theater Concepts: Risk-taking acts like Trigg Watson’s AI-driven illusion and Sanjeev Vinodh’s reverse-time routine.
- Doug Henning Museum: A curated exhibit of Henning’s props, costumes, and videos, showcasing iconic illusions like Lady From the Night and the Chinese Water Torture Cell.
- Young magician Kai McCullen’s journey: Fundraising via street magic to attend his first convention, embodying the event’s community spirit.
4. David Bamberg’s Legacy: Una Vida Para La Magia
An in-depth feature explores the Spanish edition of David Bamberg’s autobiography, Una Vida Para La Magia (A Life for Magic), edited by Martín Pacheco. Bamberg, known as “Fu Manchu,” revolutionized Latin American magic in the 1930s. The new edition restores his original prologue, unpublished photos, and the full script of his sketch Bazar de Magia, offering fresh context on his career and the cultural impact of his “yellow-face” persona—a controversial yet pivotal part of 20th-century magic history.
5. Magic Instruction and Innovation
- In Practice: Tutorials include Kazayuki Hase’s Impromptu Play It Straight (a self-working Triumph variation), Blake Vogt’s Slush Free (a cup routine avoiding slush powder), and Adam Elbaum’s Spectator Cuts to the Aces (a streamlined ace-revelation sequence).
- Dealer Insights: The Onosaka family (Tokyo’s Magic Land) discusses evolving customer trends, noting a shift toward online learning and the need for tailored props (e.g., their proprietary trick Backing).
6. Reviews and Marketplace
- Books: Marlo’s Magazines (6-volume reprint) is lauded as a masterclass in card magic theory, while Guillaume Botta’s Gold offers routines for the JOL Plus Wallet.
- Tricks: Nick Diffatte’s Sub-Genius Center Tear reimagines the classic billet peek, and Stevens Magic’s Cosmos (a Bluetooth thermal printer) enables real-time predictions, though its bulk and dependency on apps are noted as drawbacks.
7. Cultural Perspectives
- Magic and Trauma: A documentary profile of Norwegian magician Alexx Alexxander, The Greatest Illusion, explores how he processes memory loss through performance, directed by Oscar-nominated Benjamin Ree.
- Negotiation in Magic: Sara Crasson advises performers on balancing assertiveness and relationship-building, noting gender/racial biases in salary negotiations.
Conclusion: The October 2025 issue of Genii celebrates magic’s history, innovation, and community, from scholarly archives to cutting-edge performances, making it a vital resource for enthusiasts and professionals alike.
Comments0