Last time on Magic Tonight

We're up and running at our new location, just 400 feet from our old one, and we're loving the additional space. I was joined by comedy magician Chris Mayhew who recently returned from a tour across China with a new show which is replete with Mayhem.

Magic Tonight runs weekly at The Studio in Toronto. Readers of this blog can use the code reality for a discount on the price of tickets and dinner when purchasing online.

Fresh from the cutting room

With special thanks to Toronto's resident magic video elf, Chris Mayhew, I'm happy to share a compilation of my work over the past few years.

I can recommend his services most highly.

Last time on Magic Tonight

Here are a few photos from last night's instalment of Magic Tonight with my guest, Jason Palter, who is special in a way that defies description.

Magic Tonight runs Sunday nights in Downtown Toronto. Readers of this blog can use the code reality for a discount on the price of tickets and dinner when purchasing online.

More Magical Mathematics

This will be the first of a series of three posts dedicated to mathematics, for no other reason then the coincidence that they all appeared in my life more or less at the same time. I'll begin with an interview with Persi Diaconis on The 7th Avenue Project. It's actually a little bit out of date (over a year old) and it relates, ostensibly, to his 2011 book Magical Mathematics (co-written with Ron Graham) Professor Persi Diaconis is a remarkable figure in magic who falls into that category of "greatest magicians no one has ever heard of." Provided you're willing to allow being interviewed for podcasts, being a published author and appearing on the front page of the New York Times never being heard of.

The interview is fascinating (and long). Perhaps it's the confirmation bias talking, but he seems to spend a great deal more time discussing magic than math — not that I would think of complaining. It also highlights the important but subtle difference between magical mathematics and mathematical magic. I noticed when the interviewer tripped up on the title and realized that there really is an important difference.

The stories involving Dai Vernon and Ricky Jay are also moving. Enjoy.

Making Faces

It's been a while since I've posted one of these compilations. Most people don't realize how difficult it is to take photos of live performance. There is no chance to go back and try it again, the moments are gone forever. But what that also means is that sometimes the moments you capture are truly strange. So take a look at some of the funny faces performers made so far this year on Magic Tonight. Enjoy the lovely faces of Glenn Ottaway, Ben Train, David Merry, The Sentimentalists (Mysterion & Steffi Kay) and me:

Magic Tonight continues Sunday nights in Downtown Toronto at the Crimson Lounge. Readers of this blog can use the code reality for a discount on the price of tickets and dinner when purchasing online.

Last time on Magic Tonight

One of the things I enjoy most about Magic Tonight is the rich variety of performers we have in the city who appear on the show. Last week, I had the chance to see a new double-act forming: The Sentimentalists. The always-creepy Mysterion has teemed up with Steffi Kay (who came fabulously colour coordinated to our venue) to demonstrate some two-person mind reading or what has become known, for historical reasons, as "second sight".

Magic Tonight continues Sunday nights in Toronto at the Crimson Lounge. Readers of this blog can use the code reality for a discount on the price of tickets and dinner when purchasing online.