Chan-tatachán!

One of my heroes in magic is the world-renowned Spanish magician Juan Tamariz. Like the famous Canadian magician Dai Vernon, who came to be known in his later years as "The Professor", he is often referred to simply as "The Maestro". He's one of the field's top thinkers and a uniquely captivating performer. Now in his seventies, he still performs and can still summon reserves of energy that make it appear as though 52% of his blood is caffeine. (Even though he once told me at dinner that he has only had a single cup of coffee in his life.)

Through my work with Magicana, I had the opportunity to spend a great deal of time with Juan — metaphorically speaking. In 1992-3, he hosted a program on Spanish television called Chan-tatachán. (As near as I can tell, it's a nonsense word similar to "Abracadabra".) He not only performed himself, but had guests performing magic close-up and on stage, which included some of the most notable performers of the era.

I got to digitize, edit and index about eighteen hours of performances for The Screening Room, a free online video repository of magic performances. The collection was finally published earlier today, ready to be watched and enjoyed:


Unfortunately, most of the content is in Spanish. However, I've found that many of the performers are capable of transcending the language barrier. Though I will admit, that it's only because I know these magicians by reputation that I'm willing to sit through pre-ambles I don't quite understand to get to the magic I fully expect to enjoy.

Having already watched the entire collection, I'll pull out a few favourites that might appeal to an English-speaking audience.


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This one is in English. David Williamson is one of America's finest comedy magicians. Here he presents a version of "The Cups and Balls" that had me laughing out loud when I first stumbled across the clip.


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This trick is performed silently (admittedly to some rather awkwardly placed Michael Jackson music) so no Spanish required. It combines one of the great classic illusions of balancing an assistant on top of a pole, suspended in midair, along with a strange construction of a newspaper tree. The trick keeps going getting more and more astonishing along the way.


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Finally "Mentalism" is more a comedy sketch than a magic trick (although the magic is baffling) featuring Juan and a French magician, Gaëtan Bloom. Bloom is speaking French so if, like me, you took French in school, you understand just enough to know that when he says, "Il sagit d'un tour de mentalisme," that nothing could be further from the truth. 

Magic & Martini is Moving

Promotional artwork by Kurt Firla

Promotional artwork by Kurt Firla

After eighteen months and over sixty sold-out performances at SpiritHouse, we've found a wonderful new home for Magic & Martini in Downtown Toronto. 

SpiritHouse closed its doors earlier this spring. They are now in Toronto's historic Distillery District and have moved from mixing and serving to distilling. You will be able to see their signature concoction "Founders Original" on shelves at the LCBO before long.

SpiritHouse Toronto - Photo by Tyler Sol Williams

SpiritHouse Toronto - Photo by Tyler Sol Williams

But, the show must go on and we've found a new secret spot for the magic to continue: 

The moment I walked in the door, I fell in love. Suite 114 is almost a magic trick unto itself. Even though it's a stone's throw from The Eaton Centre downtown, it's hard to find even if you know where you're going. The only hint you're in the right spot is a small golden silhouette of a martini glass frosted on the door. Tickets will now be available exclusively online as you will need the secret password included with your tickets to even get in. It's still a very intimate show with each performance limited to thirty tickets. 

The menu has some extremely cool stuff, including a number of cocktails named after characters from Monty Python, Star Wars and the Marvel universe. If you're clever enough to answer one of their riddles, you can even gain access to their secret menu. 

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We are not taking the summer off but do have a limited schedule through July and August. Tickets are now available at www.magicandmartini.ca/#toronto. Readers can use the secret code olive for a discount on tickets ordered online

Photo by Ivan Bekcic

Photo by Ivan Bekcic

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Magic at the Lockhart in June

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I'll be performing twice in downtown Toronto in June at The Lockhart. These strictly informal thing and completely free to attend.  You can just turn up for drinks and a bite to eat and ask to see some magic. No dress code, although if you were inclined to wear your most Harry-Potter-y outfit, that would be cool. And space is extremely limited so guests are encouraged to arrive early.

The Lockhart
1479 Dundas Street West
(Dundas & Dufferin, Toronto)

Tuesday, June 5 & Tuesday June 19
7:00 - 9:00 PM

 

On What Can Be Known

A wonderful short article appeared yesterday on the Scientific American blog about the limits of human knowledge — "How Much Can We Know?"

What makes my job truly special is that I get to show people things they can't explain. And — assuming I do my job well enough — they have no hope of explaining. But the fact that I can do this consistently means that what I do is not un-understandable, because clearly I understand it. Still I find many people are all to eager to rope off certain areas of inquiry, declaring in advance that no understanding is possible and therefore no attempt is necessary. 

The article begins 

“What we observe is not nature in itself but nature exposed to our method of questioning,” wrote German physicist Werner Heisenberg, who was the first to fathom the uncertainty inherent in quantum physics. To those who think of science as a direct path to the truth about the world, this quote must be surprising, perhaps even upsetting. Is Heisenberg saying that our scientific theories are contingent on us as observers? If he is, and we take him seriously, does this mean that what we call scientific truth is nothing but a big illusion?

But just like Darwin's treatment of the eye in On The Origin of Species this is a set-up. There is scientific light at the end of the tunnel:

Sometimes people take this statement about the limitation of scientific knowledge as being defeatist: “If we can’t get to the bottom of things, why bother?” This kind of response is misplaced. There is nothing defeatist in understanding the limitations of the scientific approach to knowledge. Science remains our best methodology to build consensus about the workings of nature. What should change is a sense of scientific triumphalism—the belief that no question is beyond the reach of scientific discourse.

A Most Stupendous Podcast

If forced to name the greatest human named Stephen, Stephen Fry has to be somewhere near the top of the list. Eloquent and witty with an unparalleled love of of both language and learning. 

He has a new podcast called Great Leap Years - The Stories Behind Inventions. Specifically he's focused around inventions related to communication and information technology. It starts at the beginning with the development of language. If you're unfamiliar with the intense verbal tango that is listening to Stephen Fry, here's a sample of what you're in for:

You may know that I’ve had a lifelong interest in technology but you should understand too, I am not a scientist, technologist, engineer of hardware or software by training nor talent. It takes me a long time to understand scientific ideas simply because they’re nearly always founded in the abstractions of mathematics and I, since childhood, had an attitude to numbers that approximates my attitude to tigers: they are, to be sure, beautiful beyond words, magnificent, strange, fascinating, powerful. But they fill me with awe, fear, a deep sense of inadequacy, and a presentiment that unless I run away, I will wet myself.
— From Episode I - "When We Were Young"

The podcast is available through his website, but also through Apple Podcasts and quite free to enjoy. As far as I'm concerned, the episodes can't come out fast enough. 

h/t @pennjillette