September 2009

Member Marc DeSouza has a four DVD set, “Masterworks of Conjuring” for sale. Many of us plan to purchase the set from our fellow magician, who is always so eager to share his knowledge of magic. We also saluted Ed Schmitt who won the Mentalism award at the MAES Convention, and Peter Pitchford, who won awards on the national scene at the IBM and SAM Conventions this summer.

Tonight members taught subtleties of rope magic. Some effects are well-known, and others are twists (sorry for the pun) on rope magic that we know. Al Angelo tied six knots onto a rope, and then the knots disappeared from the rope in a small bag. He did several effects that extend the Professor’s Nightmare effect. Dick Gustafson explained that he takes the core out of magician’s rope to make it more pliable before he does any rope magic. He then performed and tipped the Panama Rope Trick, where a rope is cut in two, to circles are tied on the ends, they are cut, and the rope magically gets restored. Dick then showed a special piece of “endless rope” onto which he melted a short hank of rope and had a whole routine with the rope.

George Hample did a cut and restored rope that used a special loop of rope, and George showed how he introduces the gimmick into the routine, and how it fools those who think that they know the cut and restored rope trick! George then did a killer effect with a dollar store jump rope. The kind with plastic handles! He cut the middle of the rope, and then restored it.

Bob Little demo’d special rope shears (that he just happens to also sell!). He also did some of the moves by George Sands.

Finally, George Hample showed how to take a long piece of rope and cut it into three pieces for an “impromptu” Professor’s Nightmare.

A great night of usable magic!

 

DAVE KELLY, Recording Secretary

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