Describes the secret activities of the Caretakers of Wonder, who perform such magical tasks as putting up new stars, keeping the night buttoned up against the cold, and mending old clouds, all while we sleep.

    Includes valuable advice for misdirecting audience's attention, handling props and equipment, developing a smooth line of "patter" and much more.

    A magician skilled in the craft is able to convince an audience that he or she can read minds, communicate with the spirit world, make objects appear or disappear, and perform other acts of seemingly genuine magic. Without having mastered the art of presentation or “showmanship,” however, even the most competent sleight-of-hand artist can fall short in performance. With this in mind, noted authority Henning Nelms goes beyond the basics to show how techniques developed for the stage by playwrights, directors, and actors can heighten the dramatic effect of a magician’s performance.In this instructive book, Helms analyzes every phase of conjuring — from sleights, devices, and illusions to misdirection, controlling the audience’s attention, incorporating “patter,” and the effective use of assistants. Of particular interest is a chapter on body language, posture, positioning and movement. Also included are some 60 original routines — from simple card tricks to such major illusions as having the performer suddenly appear at stage center.Indispensable as an instruction manual for novices, this how-to guide — enhanced with nearly 200 of the author’s illustrations — will also serve as a lasting source of advice and inspiration for veteran conjurers.

    But Louise meets Charlie, a local boy, and manages to get her own kitten, Casca. From then on life begins to change in the most mysterious and dramatic ways. Through Casca she receives a magical but alarming gift which brings her into very unexpected situations, including travelling back into the past, and the arrival at Deep End of visitors from the Victorian era. Reality and history begin to get very muddled indeed, but surprisingly it’s Aunt Harriet who provides the ideal solution.

    Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition software. Showmanship for Magicians is a treatise on the presentation of magic to achieve the greatest audience response, including a detailed analysis of spectator appeals and how to incorporate them into the presentation of magic. Step by step, you will learn how to create a favorable reception through choice of material, style of performance, character of work, timing, pointing, pacing, building up to climaxes, emphasis, arrangement of material, and more. This is a classic work on stage craft written by a master showman and theoretician.

    

    Gives an introduction and overview of the ancient Indian healing system, known as Ayurveda.