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 elManuscrito
EDITOR
Dani DaOrtiz (Grupo Kaps)

A
SUB-EDITOR
Katja Engblom
katjaengblom@hotmail.com
new issue. On this occasion, dedi- created by the experience and blessed
COLUMNISTS & cated to my great friend Rene passion for this art, that makes each
COLLABORATORS
Lavand. Two great articles written issue totally different and interesting, as
by Roberto Mansilla. One, with the theme well as provide a continued source of
Juan Tamariz of “The Great Pretender” a recent docu- wisdom for all fans of magic. Gabi
Gabi Pareras mentary about the life and work of the Pareras, Raúl Jimenez, Luis Otero,
Raúl Jimenez great Rene; and the other, a delicious Roberto Mansilla, Woody Aragón, Amilkar,
Luis Otero theoretical article which shows us Salvador Sufrate, Lennart Green...
create, once again, a passionate issue
Roberto Mansilla
Roberto’s personal perception of Rene,
which brings us closer to the genius full of tricks, anecdotes and theories
Wooy Aragón Lavand. which will surely keep your interests
Howard Hamburg suspended through the new 40 pages.
Amilkar I always say that each issue is special.
Salvador Sufrate And there is always a reason to cele- In conclusion to these brief introductory
lines, I’d like to emphasize the colla-
Lennart Green
brate. Well, in this issue, I am proud to
welcome another great friend and boration of Ignasi Ruiz, a friend and stu-
personal teacher: Juan Tamariz. His con- dent of Gabi Pareras, who speaks to us
TRANSLATORS tinued travels and many engagements of the Catalan genius, through his own
Martin Kaplan have stopped him from writing and sha- words. A recompilation of phrases and
classics of Gabi, which bring us closer to
Raahul Srinivasan ring all he wishes to, but now, with the
this fascinating genius.
magic of recorders and video cameras on
Álvaro Rojas Zamora hand, it will be I who transcribes each
contribution Juan offers us, in the column As always, it is a pleasure for me to work
SPECIAL THANKS starting in this issue. on each issue, and to feel that the "work"
Martin Kaplan reach your hands. For this alone, it is
I always say that it is I who learns the worth the effort.
PROOFREADING &
most, when I sit in front of my computer
and work through each publication. And it Come and read.
ADVERTISING MANAGER is due to the quality of the columnists, Dani DaOrtiz
Christian Engblom

PHOTOGRAPHS CONTENTS
Photographs, if have not reference Oil and Water Without Touching,
by author, belong to Grupo Kaps.
Juan Tamariz...............................................................814
SPONSORS Simplifying The Suit Apparation,
www.conjuringarts.org Gabi Pareras...............................................................818
www.geniimagazine.com Magic Effects in The Theater,
Raúl Jiménez..............................................................821
Your Favorite Four of A Kind,
Issue 25 JAN - MAR 2014 Luis Otero....................................................................822
All rights reserved. No part of this René Lavand - El Gran Simulador,
publication may be reproduced or Roberto Mansilla ........................................................824
transmitted in any form or by any
means, unless requested written René Lavand - The Image of The Artist, Remember:
authorization from the editor. Roberto Mansilla.........................................................830 When you see
For more information, please contact: Hecklers this square, you
contacto@grupokaps.com Woody Aragón.............................................................836 can access the

Vernon Anecdotes..., Part 2,

associated video
on the web (with
Howard Hamburg........................................................838 Ref number) or
Vanishing Card in the Handkershief, on mobile (thanks
to the QR code).
Amilkar ........................................................................840 Go to site:
Four 3, www.grupokaps.
Salvador Sufrate ........................................................842 com/kapsstore/

Card Techniques,
mediakaps/index.
php
Lennart Green .............................................................846
www.GRUPOKAPS.com
www.elmanuscrito.com 813
 CARD MAGIC
Photo by Javier de Agustín

TamarizLand Juan Tamariz

(Original transcription by Dani DaOrtiz)

Translation by Raahul Srinivasan

Oil and Water

WITHOUT TOUCHING
T
he magician removes the cards time, we signal them to place them on
from the deck. The ideal would top of the pile of black cards so the
be that they’re taken out by the spectator places their pile on top of the
spectator themselves, however black cards. It is never said, just im-
1 this takes a long time and for plied by our gesture. If they do not
this reason I prefer to remove place the red group on top of he black
them myself. The removed cards group it isn’t very serious, as you can
are four reds and four blacks. always just, nonchalantly, put the red
They should be high number packet on top of the black packet your-
cards (8, 9, or 10s) and from self (both unsquared, showing all of
different places in the deck, their cards, and one group on top of
thereby giving the spectators the other), as shown in photo 2.
a sense of unpreparedness.
Now, with the pretext of letting Now take the cards face up and fan
them see that there are four them between the hands, doing a Semi-
reds and four blacks, give Cull (semi-debex in spanish) of the
both groups out, to two spectators. fourth card from the top (the last red).
Personally, I like the spectators to spend We say Semi-Cull since the
a while touching the cards. While the card is not going to be slid all 5
spectators “examine” the cards, and in the way out of the spread
order to avoid making this moment (underneath the spread), but
boring, I show my hands very clearly only slightly, as shown in
empty (with my thumbs closed), sta- photo 3. (Black cards have
ting: 4 reds, and 4 blacks. This gesture been eliminated for clarity.)
will serve us later to metaphorically The right pinky should be
VideoRef:
symbolize the cards (photo 1). situated along the inner edge
JT816 of the spread of cards, as
Video of Ask the spectator who has the black shown in photo 4 (in which we
Juan Tamariz
cards to leave them face up on the have eliminated the image of
making the
table. And after, ask the same of the the black cards for better com-
effect.
spectator who has the reds. But this prehension), leaving the displa-
814
 2 3

ced card below the spread (photo 4 also has the black That is to say, the new order of the cards are, from the top
cards eliminated for better understanding). down of the face-up packet, red, red red, black, red, black,
black and black (photo 5).
Whenever using the techniques of Culling, Semi-Culling,
Packet Culling and in the Anti-Cull, the pinky must be in this Next, slide the red cards inward ,and the culled card even
position, to facilitate us in sliding the card in a diagonal more, so that they are in-jogged and the black cards are
direction backwards (towards the magician), instead of in a out-jogged. Leave the unsquared packet on the table.
linear direction, this way preventing it from being seen from
the front of the packet. The prepared card, which is to say, the red Semi-Culled
card, does not appear to be in contact with the black cards,
What we really do is interchange the positions of the two but really, as seen in the following photograph, it stays
central cards (the fourth and the fifth). To do so, we fan the below the first black card, however just by it’s corner, as
cards in our hands and say: 4 reds and 4 blacks. shown in photo 7 (the rest of the cards have been removed
for easier understanding).
At this very moment, we do the Semi-Cull, and proceed to
insert the card that was slid underneath the spread, under Now say: "The blacks are below. When you turn over the
the first black card. pile, they’ll be on top."

815
 8

9 10

Following this, tell the spectator to square the cards. This down, and tell them to drop the card face down in a forward
is a delicate moment, as there is a risk that the spectator position, between the two piles.
could inadvertently displace the culled card. To avoid it, we
must clearly gesture, referring the spectator to diagonally In the same way, still gripping their wrist, you direct them to
push on the corners, as indicated in the following picture take a red card (the first on top of the red pile, which is
(photo 8). really a black card) and place it well squared on the black
card we’ve already placed earlier. Obviously, this card can’t
"You yourself," we say to the spectators, "turn over the be shown.
packet (letting it fall face down on the table) and spread it
without separating the cards." You release your grip on their wrist, since they’ve already
learned, and ask them to take the next black card (the top
Only we know, that the two center cards, in the spread, are of the black pile) and leave it on top of the two previous.
alternating. Ask them now, always gesturing with your This can be shown. (Esditor’s addendum: you could ges-
hands, to separate the four reds and the four blacks, into ture them to turn it face up, by appearing slightly puzzled
two piles. and feigning uncertainty. Juan sometimes achieves this
with a simple open-ended question: "...and the next card
Now we begin to alternate the colors. If we ask the is...?" This compels the assistant to respond and show the
spectator to take a card (the first of the blacks) they will black card.)
surely take it and show it without intending to. For this
reason, we guide them. And to do so, while we say that Point to the next red card (the top on the red pile), asking
they should take the card clearly, we show how: gripping it that they take it. Ask them - and this is? This obligates them
with the thumb on the edge of the card closest to us - in to show it, before placing it on the other three on the table.
Biddle grip (photo 9).
Direct them to place the rest of the cards, on top of those
Once they have taken it, we grip their wrist, and at the already on the table, one by one, the next black (from the
same time we ask them to show the card, we turn their top of the black pile), the next red (from the top of the red
hand palm up (always holding by the wrist) and show the pile).
card this way (photo 10).
Both can be shown before they’re left on the packet, but
Once done, turn the wrist back, placing the palm face we do this the exact same way, asking what colors they

816
have, the moment they grab them.

With just one apparently black card on the right (in

reality it is red) and one red card on the left (really red),
we have formed a mixed packet of cards, apparently
alternating, in the middle.

Ask them to take and leave on top of the packet the

last black card (the card is really a red) But since we
can’t show it, you grab their wrist once again and tell
them: “hurry up so we can finish…". You guide them in
the act of taking and placing, thus avoiding any
accidental flashing of this card.

Ask them to take the last red card and to place it on top
of the packet that has been formed. You will now show Are you familiar with MediaKaps
metaphorically the state of the cards, interlacing the from Grupo Kaps?

MEDIAKAPS.com
fingers of both hands.

Look at a spectator and point. Say - “There are always

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Ask the spectator to lift the pile and to count them to Acquire tricks, ebooks, downloads and DVDs
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When they deal the third, suddenly stop the dealing
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Find everything in the same place
Ask him now to take the next two cards together, and Thanks to the virtual library, you can find all your
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Once done, ask them to place these two cards, Acquire new DVD medias and play them online on our
together, on the three previously counted on the table. DVD player with menus and chapters… a rich experience.
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Concluding, ask them to continue dealing one by one Accessible

counting the cards onto the pile on the table… and at You can acquire whichever media, ebook, video or DVD,
the last card, we ask them - “and this should be?” This like the online ElManuscrito publication from the official
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you may experience it all through a computer, tablet,
Ask them to pick up the pile, square it and turn the smart TV's or on any other mobile platform.
packet face up. Your hands are close in case you need
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 THEORY ARTICLE

Useful
Fictions
Gabi Pareras

SUIT
Translation by Álvaro Rojas Zamora

SIMPLIFYING THE
APPARITION
N
ight after night I anxiously awai- “The Unwary Rascal”, “Flying Aces”,
ted the start of José Carroll’s “Cannibals” with cards that are drilled
magic séance, with which he and shrunk, “Reflections”, “Instruc-
always finished the show at Llantiol tions”, and “Red and Black” where two
Café-Theatre. There was movement of white gloves are also changed for a
chairs and tables moving towards the red and a black one, yes! In a close-up
sides of the venue, leaving a space situation and inches from your eyes! I
where the public could come together was a witness to the magic power of
around a green-felted table at the front the effect and the cleanness and
of the stage. Some folding screens to intelligence put into this effect. And
the sides and a chair for the artist let’s not forget, of course, the stacking
completed the setting. And the show up routine with the unforgettable
started: a close-up show of the highest Gaylor Ravenal and the mysterious
level from start to finish. And the first white lady, a routine where near-
trick of the séance was, as you’d impossible balancing, growths, trans-
expect, one of his favourites: Suit positions and dice transformations,
Apparition. In José Carroll’s own and where little whiskey glasses ap-
words: peared repeatedly, ending with the
“It’s a routine that may very well be a stunning apparition of the bottle.
closing routine…, but to challenge
myself I usually do it as a starter, So, night after night, I was left jaw-
forcing me to produce the rest of the dropped before the unexpected trans-
VideoRef: GB820 session in crescendo” formation of the spades onto hearts. It
Video of Gabi Pareras was impossible to detach oneself from
in which he speaks of As Cecil B. DeMille said: “Movies must the séance to appreciate the technical
this effect. execution of the top change. When the
start with an earthquake and continue
growing in action”. This requirement moment came, I was always submer-
was met 100%. Let us remember that ged in the dynamic of the audience as
we would later see (although I can’t a whole. This was obviously, the sole
remember the order), tricks such as merit of José Carroll.

818
W
Apparition Sequence

e will use the apparition naming that José Carroll take out the four Aces, force the spades one and load the
uses in “52 Lovers” to describe the movement of 5 of spades (having gotten a prior break). At this moment
the cards along the routine. we are ready for the continued apparition of the 2 (Carabias
style), the 3 (Variant of the Bill Simon cut with spin) and the
The initial order is as follows, from top to bottom: 4 of spades (Charlier cut and flick).
- 5, 4, 6, 10, J, Q, and K of spades
- 9 of diamonds, 10 of diamonds, and 5 of hearts Mentioning that now is the turn of the 5 of spades, we peel
- K through 2 of hearts 4 cards (6, 7, 8 and 9 of spades) and continue with an
- The four Aces distributed between the rest of the cards Overhand Lift Shuffle that leaves them again on top but in
- 9, 8, 7 (face up), 3, and 2 of spades reverse order. In a continuous flow of action, we peel one
card (9 of spades) leaving the rest on top, and two more
The order that we will use is that of the spades suit in order cards (8 and 7 of spades), leaving the rest again on top,
from 2 to K, followed by the hearts suit also from 2 to K. If but leaving an injog. We obtain a break over the two bottom
we want to use the Marlo’s Triple Buckle, it’s necessary to cards (8 and 7 of spades) when we square the deck as we
put three indifferent cards between the spades and the move towards our left spectator, asking if he’s kept an eye
hearts. on the Aces; as we ask, we turnover these two cards with
The apparition sequence is as follows: a H. Christ Twist. We leave the deck on the table and
spread the Aces, showing that in between them is the 5 of
2 of spades: Carabias style. spades.
3 of spades: Variant of the Bill Simon cut with spin.
4 of spades: Charlier cut and flick. We are now ready for the apparition of the 6 (Paul le Paul
5 of spades: Apparition between the Aces. apparition), the 7 (Bruce Cervon apparition), the 8 (Piet
6 of spades: Paul le Paul apparition. Forton’s “Pop-up”) and the 9 and 10 together (Classic
7 of spades: Bruce Cervon apparition. apparition by top and bottom retention), leaving the cards
8 of spades: Piet Forton’s “Pop-up”. ready to end with the Marlo Triple Buckle.
9 and 10 of spades: Classic apparition by top and bottom
retention. As can be seen, we have a first phase of set-up, that is
J, Q, and K of spades: Marlo’s Triple Buckle. done before the “beginning of the trick”, and a second
preparation stage that is justified with the idea of looking
This sequence must be maintained to be consistent with for the 5 of spades, until we realize it is between the aces
the reason for this article; otherwise, we would be talking that have been set apart and that have been under
about a different version. No, what we’re always keeping supervision since the beginning of the routine.
in mind is that a given stack can be simplified by sacrificing
less deck and adding new advantages. It’s not always These phases are characterized by the simple action of
possible or practical, but the important thing is never to peeling cards, by means of an Overhand Lift Shuffle and a
assume it can’t be done. H. Christ Twist that is perfectly covered when we turn to
our left, as we point with our right hand (that’s holding the
Following the apparition order, the routine starts by an deck) to where the Aces are. On the other hand, the
overhand shuffle were the two first cards (2 and 3 of apparition of the 5 of spades acts as a cooling down of the
spades, on the bottom of the deck) are peeled off singly deck after the previous handling, as a parenthesis of
and the rest of the deck is thrown on top. In a continued forgetfulness, that allows us to later pick up the routine with
action, we peel the next two off (4 and 5 of spades) and we great fluidity.
continue with an Overhand Lift Shuffle that leaves them
back on top but in reverse order1. These actions take place
in the phase “before the beginning of the trick”: the theme
hasn’t even been introduced yet. Now comes the time to m

S
Additional thoughts

About some apparitions the first case, what usually happens is that either more
cards come along for the ride2, or that the appeared card
ome of the apparitions can cause some problems bounces a bit on the table, showcasing where it came from.
that are difficult to control, as happens with the Le In the second case, what can happen is that more than one
Paul apparition or the Bruce Cervon apparition. In card slides from under the deck at the moment we move

819
 the 7 to the intersection of the two action of turning them over. I also add
VideoRef: GB822
packets. a continuity action by extending the
Video of Pepe Carrol
making the Suit Apparition. turned-over Aces with the left fingers
In the Le Paul apparition case, it is as the right hand extends the switched
sufficient -having the cards over- packet.
lapped- to slide the 6 of spades out-
wards. Once the moment comes to Let us remember that even so, night
shake the pack with a certain force, it’s after night I missed the Le Temps
more than likely that only the 6 of change, which means that the mo-
spades will shoot out. As always, it ment of the change comes at the
takes practice. highest magic tension moment, be-
cause the apparition of the court
The solution is very simple in the case cards, one way or the other inevitably
of the Bruce Cervon apparition. Once create a false ending as the audience
the 6 of spades has appeared, the understands that the magician has
overlapped pack is moved to the left successfully completed the feat.
hand that holds it from above at the
place where the cards are over- Some time ago, I wrote a brief article
lapping. Now when the moment about the first notes published by J.
comes, half of the deck is cut and Carroll that revolved around the sub-
placed on the table. When we’re ject. At the end of it I wrote:
reaching over for the second half, the
left thumb separates the 7 of spades “Every time I’m asked why José
at the same time the left hand moves Carroll, I explain that I would like to be
to the left, sliding only the 7 of spades transformed into Mr. Jacob Marley, the
to the intersection of both packs. ghost in Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol”,
so I could take them to that time where

A
they would have the opportunity to see
About the Le Temps Top him perform at least once. It’s not
Change mere nostalgia from the past, it’s
something else, something much
s J. Carroll presented his rou- more intense even: because from that
tine, and after the applause experience they would know, without
1. J. Carroll, before commencing the generated by the Marlo Triple a shadow of a doubt, the level of
sequence, cut half of the deck in an Twist, he localized and held a pinkie magical excellence that they would
NOTES

Overhand Shuffle position, and in the

action of simulating that he intertwined
break at the hearts suit, he focused his like to achieve.”
them, he obtained an injog. He then attention on the face-up Aces, and he
proceeded to a dealing grip and cut at picked-up the spread of appeared A clear example of that magical ex-
the injog, thus obtaining the initial order.
We can simulate this by –instead of cards, doing the packet change. This cellence is the “Suit Apparition”, and
doing an Overhand Lift Shuffle- preten- is to say, to the audience the trick how the different apparitions are fused
ding to intertwine the cards, obtaining
that injog that will allow us to cut on the continued without pause, until the together, fulfilling thus the double goal
table, at the same time we proclaim the great outcome at the end. of this magical art. A well-designed
“Carrollian” war cry: “Last shuffle and
last cut”. and oiled internal structure that allows
In my case, I’ve always chosen to us to fall into the external life and that
2. Let us remember that this apparition
is spectacular as a four Ace production.
generate a false ending when pre- all-powerful “Magical Self” capable of
The Aces are palmed and the deck is senting the “Suit Apparition”, with the imposing its will onto the deck and
handed out to be shuffled. When the apparition of the court cards of over chance itself.
deck is returned, the Aces are placed
on top of the deck in a squaring-up spades, thus creating a dip in attention
motion; we then position ourselves into as a cover for the Le Temps Top
a Faro position, cutting and mixing both
packets: the exterior packet that Change. During the applause, I also
contains the four Aces and must end up find and hold the hearts suit with a
sandwiched with the lower packet. It’s
enough to hold the group with the right break, I pick-up the spread of ap-
hand by the inner edge and shake it peared cards and shift the attention to
until the Aces shoot out everywhere.
Carroll also used this apparition as an
the face-up Aces, which is the moment
introduction to his Cannibal’s routine. I chose to do the Top Change in the

820
 Br ushstrok es
History Article

of Ma gic Histor y
Translation by Álvaro Rojas Zamora
Magic Effects in the Theater
by Raúl Jiménez

I
n truth, our knowledge of ancient Greece and
Rome is very incomplete, as is our knowledge of
ancient Egypt. However, we know that specta-
cular events were staged in theaters and magic
effects were interspersed among them.

Roland Barthes in his work “Le Théâtre Grec” talks

about the machinery that the Greeks used in their
theaters and he says that they had a machine
called Méchané, which was used to have gods and
heroes fly on stage. He said that it was a crane that was portraying Daedalus and Icarus flew through the air
painted gray to camouflage it and the actor was using the Pegma and was killed in a fall that caused him
suspended from it by a cable. He also talks of the use of to land at the feet of the Emperor. Juvenal also talks
trapdoors and hidden staircases in theaters and that about the use of the Pegma and the Emperor Claudius
was, in its way, a form of illusionism. Raymond Chevallier ordering that, if the machinery failed, those responsible
says that in Roman theaters dramatic representations would have a date with the gladiators.
included exhibitions by magicians and tightrope walkers.
Stabo speaks of the use of a collapsible Pegma to
The mentality of the spectator in the face of the impos- portray the execution of a Sicilian soldier on Mount Etna,
sible and magic during the first centuries of our era as well as the execution of the criminal Selurus. The
certainly must have been similar to that of present day. Jewish historian Josephus talks about Pegmata,
We say that because we are talking about the same machines used on stage whose magnificence was both
reality in different time frames. The impossible will impressive and enchanting and were often decorated
always be the impossible. Nevertheless, the apprecia- with silver and gold. If the machinery were visible on
tion of magic by the Greeks or Romans must have been stage then, obviously, it would not fall under the category
different because of their knowledge of the sciences, the of either magic or illusionism. Pliny says that Caligula
world and, above all, their religious beliefs. If in that time created a Pegmata for use in the Roman Circus adorned
people believed that there were humans who, in reality, with 24,000 pounds of gold and silver.
were gods, then people could also accept the possibility
of their actually being able to fly. Pullux talks about another piece of machinery called
Geranos that allowed actors to fly. He also describes the
Richard C. Beacham in The Roman Theatre and its Aorai that used a series of cables that allowed gods and
Audience refers several times to the use of a machine heroes to take flight. He talks about scenic devices used
called Pegma that could be used to elevate scenery and in theaters but we must proceed with caution here
actors. According to Beacham, Seneca talks of machi- because we do not know if these were used by the
nists whose job it was to move scenery and props using Greeks or the Romans. Mullin and Bell talk about the
machinery and who also accomplished amazing effects. same problem. Pullux also talks about Ekuklema, a
Phaedrus, in his fables, tells us about the famous platform with wheels that was used in the 4th century,
pantomime artist, Bathyllus, who, when performing for and of the Mechane, a series of cranes used in the
Emperor Augustus, fell and broke his back because of performance of Greek comedies and tragedies, that
the failure of the Pegma that was allowing him to fly. allowed actors to take flight.
Suetonius says that during the reign of Nero an actor

821
 CARD MAGIC

Your Favorite
Four Of A Kind
by Luis Otero
Translation by Raahul Srinivasan

M
y favorite ”Gemini" by Allan the four bills placed in the deck as well
Ackerman, is one of those ef- as the cards directly adjacent.
fects that has all the ingre-
dients to entertain and surprise an And although it seems impossible, the
audience. 4 cards are exactly the four 8’s!

But after many years of doing it, I PREPARATION

wanted to add to it, a touch of im-
possibility, something which would This requires a full deck set up, from
make it more potent. What you’re top to bottom as follows:
about to read is the product of this
search, and it has given me a lot of A,A,2,2,3,3,A,A,2,2,3,3,4,4
satisfaction. It is one of those effects, 5,5,6,6,4,4,5,5,6,6,77,8,8,9
which after creating it, I had no idea 9,7,7,8,8,9,9, 10,10,J,J,Q,Q
how the method occurred to me. But K,K,10,10,J,J,Q,Q,K,K
here it is for you! Hope you enjoy it!
(suit order is of no importance)
EFFECT
METHOD
A spectator names a number or letter
from the deck which they like. Sup- We begin by showing the four bills we
pose they choose the 8’s. The magi- are going to use for the effect. We ask
cian deals cards to the table in order a spectator to tell us a number or letter
to show what the spectators are going from the deck (understood as Ace
to do, stops somewhere, marks the through Jack, Queen or King). Once
position with a bill and places the rest we know the number, we present the
of the deck on top. Then the deck is effect and talk about the bet. Suppose
VideoRef: LO824 they choose 8. Now spread the deck,
Video of Luis Otero given to a spectator, so he can do the
same: deal cards, and mark the faces towards ourselves and look for
making this effect. the second pair of 8’s from the face
position of their choosing with a bill.
This is repeated with two more specta- (continue passing cards face up
tors so that we end up with four bills between the hands), and cut between
inserted in the deck. The magician them so that one 8 comes to the top
spreads the deck and cleanly pulls out and one goes to the bottom of the
822
 1
You have to do the movement just
once during the whole routine. Now
everything is ready for the finish;
spread the deck face down and very
clearly remove each bill with the card
just above it, until you have four bills
with four cards face down on the
table as shown in photo 2. Incre-
dibly, if you follow these simple
steps, the cards will be nothing less
or nothing more than the four
eights.

NOTES
deck (this entire sequence, of spreading
and cutting, should be done casually, as if As I commented, earlier in the trick, there
just toying with the cards). are a few exceptions, if the spectator
chooses a 10, J, Q or K. In this case the
Next, we demonstrate what we want the magician also cuts between the second
spectators to do: we deal exactly 5 cards pair (from the face) but has to deal 7 cards
(it will always be 5 except for a few instead of 5.
exceptions that I’ll talk about in the end),
from the top of the face down deck, on the The rest of the routine plays out exactly
table, into a face down pile, and place a the same.
bill on top of them. Drop the rest of the
deck on top of the bill. This way we have Also, if you prefer, you can ask directly for
introduced one bill, in the bottom part of a number and not a figure, avoiding this
the deck. way the chance of them naming a J, Q, or K.
This leaves just the Tens as the
We give the whole pile to the first specta- exceptions.
tor, so he can do the same: deal cards one
by one on the table in a pile and stop This is the trick. I hope you will enjoy it,
when they want. Once done, he marks the and we’ll see each other in the next issue
position with another bill and we guide of ElManuscrito.
them to place the rest of the deck on top of
the bill.

Now comes the one “move” of the effect:

We pick up the deck and as if by acci-
dent, leave the bottom card on the table
(it should appear as a careless error)
as seen in photo 1. The idea is to pass
the deck to a second spectator and at
that moment, we realize the "error", 2
take the card from the table and
place it on top of the deck. And thus,
we have accomplished to move the
bottom card to the top in a very “un-
caring” manner. If you put minimal
importance on "the move", it flies
by without suspicion, and is very
efficient.

The second spectator repeats the

same procedure as the first, marking a
new position with a bill, and they them-
selves pass the deck to the third spectator
who does the exact same, and marks the
fourth position with the last bill.

823
The Front Page

“You see him and he’s a movie."

An Interview with Néstor Frenkel, the Director of El Gran Simulador.
by Roberto Mansilla

T
Photo: Néstor Frenkel

he telephone rings in René Lavand’s -Wow! I can’t

house. believe it. I’ll be
there in ten
-Hello! Could you please send a car around? minutes. And
-You’ll need to call a chauffeur, sir, because he is. -A thou-
this is not a car hire agency. sand pardons.
-Ahhh! Sorry! These things
-No problem. bother me and it bothers me even more since
(Click) I am the culprit.
-What a pain in the ass!
I tell him not to worry and I ask him about the
RENÉ LAVAND INSULTS, cracks jokes, film. We talk about Lavand and his work in
lunches, buys grappa with honey, goes to the general. He always replies with both energy
doctor and reviews the script of the film. And, and enthusiasm, with modesty and conviction.
of course, he does magic. He performs. In his He’s happy to have made the film and he is
house, on the Ed Sullivan Show, on other TV happy with the way it turned out. He’s also
programs in Spain, Argentina, Venezuela and happy with the reviews and the results thus
a long list of other countries. In El Gran far, although when I ask him how the picture is
Simulador, a film by Argentinean director doing ay the box office, his answer is mildly
Néstor Frankel, René Lavand plays the role of ironic.
René Lavand.
-You were able to get a ticket, right?
Reviews of the film in all forms of media were And he laughs.
unanimous. Everyone was enchanted with the -It’s not a blockbuster, but it’s in its fourth week
subject and the way in which he was por- in theaters and, given the fact that it’s a
trayed. The only objection came from a critic documentary and the expectations for a
who was of the opinion that the film was too documentary at the box office, it’s doing well.
easygoing on its subject and that because of Also, keep in mind that there has not been a
his infatuation with his subject Frenkel had lost huge publicity campaign to advertise the film.
the chance to “show certain contradictions or I’m not giving “Iron Man 3” serious compe-
misfortunes with regard to Lavand.” When I tition, but I am happy with its success.
asked him about this, his response was simple -And what motivated you to make a film about
and forceful. René Lavand?
-I prefer a Lavand dressed in a tails to a
Lavand in his boxers. On the one hand, there was the admiration
that I have had for him ever since I was a kid
*** and I watched him on television. My admi-
I am to meet up with Frenkel at 11:00 this ration, however, was latent and forgotten. But
morning in a cafeteria. Since it’s 11:30 and he two years ago I was in Tandil – the city in the
has yet to show up I am afraid I misunders- Province of Buenos Aires where René has
tood him or that we do not recognize each lived for decades – and I saw him at a cocktail
other (interviews are very much like a blind party or a luncheon and there he was in the
date). I give him a call. In the background you flesh. When I saw him all that forgotten
can hear the sound of children playing, a emotion that I had for him came rushing back.
sound equal to the image of a father’s car He was wearing a hat, the black coat that
strewn with cookie crumbs, toys, hangs below his knees …just like always.

824
René Lavand
El Gran Simulador
Translation by Martin Kaplan
825
 A movie! You see him and he’s a movie. only thing missing is the camera, but the
The whole experience moved me. story, the subject and the setting are all
here.”
At that moment I was with someone from -And so was the director…
Tandil who saw how I reacted. “I can’t -In truth, anyone could be the director.
believe it! It’s René.” He told me to come Someone had to do it. That was my feeling.
with him and he would introduce me. So, I The truth is it fell to me, fortunately. I felt like
went with him. I am not star struck and it was a true bond, rather than the chance to
meeting and greeting the famous doesn’t make a film. A little later I wondered why it
faze me. I have no posters, no idols, and no was that nobody had already done so with
dreams of meeting so and so. However, him being a personality of that caliber, a
that moment was really impactful and when celebrity and a gifted movie actor. I thought
they wanted to introduce me I said, about what he does, how he does it, what
“Mmmmm.” And I went along. I did not want he tells you, his face, his voice, his
to even breathe the same air as that gestures, his way of relating a story, how he
gentleman. He seemed larger than life. lives, and where he lives. I investigated, I
worked, I wrote a script, I brought ideas, but
I went and I was left thinking: What happe- I was quite relaxed. I knew that if I could
ned? There’s something there. There’s establish a true bond between the two of us
substance. There’s a road to be traveled. and he agreed to the project then the only
There’s a job to be done. Thinking on a less other thing needed would be the camera.
emotional plane, I said to my self, “This guy
is who he is. What he means to me has to And the camera is always there. Stopped,
be what he means to many others.. I know subjective. Feigning objectivity. Construc-
it.” At the same time I said, “He’s not one of ting atmospheres: the black cat that yawns,
VideoRef: those people that show up in the news with the leaves of the trees in motion, the water,
RL828 all too much frequency. There’s probably the canes, and the smoking candle. The
Video: Trailer people out there who have not heard about work of the directors of photography,
of “El Gran him for the last twenty years.” Guillermo Nieto and Diego Poleri, is out-
Simulador”. standing. And so is the sound. Since the
When I began to talk about him, some spoken word is important for Lavand, the
people were surprised to discover that he sound in this film is important, too. The
was still alive. With that thought in mind, I music of Gonzalo Córdoba is the perfect
picked up the phone and called him. I went accompaniment for these warm and inti-
to his house and when I saw the house I mate atmospheres: the sound of the wind,
said to myself, “There’s a movie here. The the dry leaves, the birds, the rain and the
826
 On the left, Poster of the docu
mentary “El Gran Simulador”.
Above, René posing next to
the sculpture in Tandil, Buenos
Aires, Argentiina.

-And how do you resist the temptation to provide

all the information?
-I honestly don’t know. I tried to find a balance.
I’m not a historian and I ‘m not a journalist (no
offense intended to historians and journalists). I
don’t know what I am (laughter). I don’t know
and it’s not important. At least I know what I’m
not. I was not interested in doing Lavand’s
biography. The film doesn’t talk about where and when he
was born, who his parents were or where the accident
fountain, René’s voice and that sound of a telephone rin- happened. That’s another way of approaching the subject
ging once again. and it’s both clear and praiseworthy. Using that format and
point of view you could make another film that would be
-Hello! entirely different. Mine is not the definitive documentary, but
-Could you send a car, please? rather it is the documentary that I ended up making. It’s
-Don’t you want my car? This is not a car rental agency. similar to what we said about Chirico. In the end you
I am fed up with you, dear sir. Fed up! understand everything: he appeared on TV before the
advent of color; from there he goes on to appear on some
*** of the most important television shows worldwide. You can
When Frenkel talks about El Gran Simulador it’s clear that see that he traveled everywhere. You understand that he
he thinks of it more in terms of a movie than a documentary. has been traveling for the last fifty years. You see him as he
It is a documentary but his idea and his desire were not to is today. His whole life is there for you to take in, in spite of
make the traditional, chronological one with an off screen the fact that there are missing details and everything is not
narrator and on camera interviews. He wanted to make a in chronological order.
movie with many different climates or atmospheres. His
goal was a climatic film. I wanted to do something atmospheric, to make you feel
like you were there with him, to balance his depiction a bit
For example, when Rolando Chirico appears – Chirico has since it is not a pure, old school biography. I wanted to
been Lavand’s friend for many a year and is the author of make the house one of the protagonists. He is the magician
many of the stories that accompany Rene’s effects – there of the forest. I can say that René is the magician of the
is no graphic that identifies who he is. We discover who forest, insert a shot of the house and you have a different
he is in the course of the film. way of telling the story. All the time that something is
happening and all the time that you are listening to him
-I try to stray a bit from the more schematic and classical speak you feel like you are inside that world, inside that
documentary format. At time’s it’s worth it and other times atmosphere, inside the black cat. It’s also the magic of his
it’s not. At times, clinging to the idea of having to provide persona. His greatest trick is himself. He is his own
information, you use a graphic and when you eschew the creation. René Lavand is his invention. He is a refined
use of a graphic you say what needs to be said in a gentleman who lives in the forest; drinks wine from a glass;
different way and the result is noticeable. It’s not a question and lights a candle every noontime when he has lunch.
of transmitting information, but rather of you seeing That is his creation.
something and then the information will arrive a bit out of
sequence, but that’s not a problem. In this case you watch -Do you think that the character devoured the person?
and from the dialog you understand they’re friends, you -He says so with these very words: “René Lavand
understand how they met, and you understand how there devoured Hector Lavandera.” He himself says that there is
was some sort of chemistry in that relationship by means of no difference and he is not sure where one ends and the
the words they use. other begins. He plays with that idea and he does it well. He
827
tells you about the statue they
made of him in Tandil and he says,
“It resembles René Lavand more
than I do. René Lavand is a statue.
The other one no longer exists."

***
The main characters in the film are
René Lavand, his house and Nora.
Although she constantly appears in
the background we understand that
she plays a major role in Rene’s life.
Néstor Frenkel with René Lavand on the set of “El Gran simulador”.

She is the woman who has accompanied him for more than
thirty years and is the underpinning of all that he does. one that is made of gold and worth seven
René, quoting Spanish philosopher Ortega Y Gasset, thousand dollars”.
frequently says that she is “the tender of his soul.
They also separate photos: René on a
-Nora is fundamental – Frenkel assures us. If we are talking cruise, René wearing tails and a top
about René Lavand today it’s because of Nora. She coaxed hat, René using a table with a
him out of a period of ostracism and convinced him to tablecloth that has fringe and his name
return to Europe in the 80’s. Peaceful and silent, she is the embroidered on it, René embracing
one who accompanies him everywhere. She answers his two people. “We weren’t together for
mail. She is the one who keeps him centered. He is a that photo. Had we been you would not
terrible curmudgeon. He’s neurotic, obsessive and para- have worn that jacket with those pants!"
noid. Everything makes him nervous. I say this because
that’s what he says and because I love him and because he ***
says it I confess that I am a little bit like him. I am a non- There are two outstanding moments in El Gran Simulador
conformist, finicky and obsessive. To have a woman who that are the reason why the word film is a much better
keeps you balanced is priceless. And it’s not burdensome descriptor than documentary. They are both fictional. One
for her. She does it with joy, with love. The atmosphere you scene is a dramatization of a short story by Rolando Chirico
inhale in that space is beautiful. She is beautiful and what in which René plays a croupier threatened unless he
transpires between the two of them is beautiful, too. "Thank conquers fate by having the roulette ball land on the
you, Nora!" number 13 at midnight. Frenkel felt that it made the film
more powerful and that it added something special – a new
Frenkel does not show her working outside of their home at atmosphere.
her job as an inspector for the Department of Education,
but we certainly see the importance she has and has had The second is his recreation of Contrapunto entre ambas
in Lavand’s career and we can appreciate the value of her manos (Competition between Two Hands) where Lavand
companionship. meets his right hand, which confronts his left.
You can view a version of this effect on YouTube:
Thanks to her we see footage of Lavand in black and white, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oiRJ-TnrAU.
as well as color. We see Lavand working on his English The idea was Lavand’s and the story was Chirico’s. It was
and working with a Spanish deck. From a bed filled with recorded for the first time in Spain, directed and produced
videotapes and DVD’s Nora shows the marvelous archival by Miguel Puga (MagoMigue). Nora loved the idea in spite
material that they hold onto in spite of the slight importance of the fact that Lavand shared it with her at 5:00 AM. What
that Lavand gives to said archive. “I have had to rescue she did not like was the shirt that Lavand wore when it was
some from the trash”, she says. One film that stands out filmed.
among all the rest is one that Frenkel found when he was
doing research for the film. It turned out that neither Nora -When I was doing my research I discovered the video and
nor René knew it existed. Frenkel got it from a person it seemed very powerful. I felt it was an element that
whose parents were acquaintances of Lavand. It’s a film brought everything together. Contrapunto is the thread that
shot in Brazil in the 60’s in which we see Lavand on the brings together the disparate elements: magic and the
balcony of an apartment and he is lighting matches, magic of film; the impossible trick of regaining his right
producing cigarettes and cards with such freshness and hand; film helping him to do that trick that he cannot do.
innocence that Frenkel chose to begin the film with this The action is accompanied by Lavand telling a story that is
footage. poetic in nature. That is very powerful. Maybe he wants to
not talk about it or he can talk about it pathetically or he can
Thanks to Nora we also see photos and a lifetime’s worth talk about it in a dark and mysterious way. Be that as it may,
of awards and recognition. We see this while they are de- he turns it into art. He turns it into poetry. The story begins
ciding what to bring to the Lavand Museum in Tandil. First like this.
they separate the prizes. He says, “All of these except that
828
“Legend has it that an old oriental puppeteer lost his right -Yes, everything was finished in two years. In May, when
hand at the height of his fame. He suffered greatly. With it the film debuted, two years of work had come to an end.
he had delighted thousands upon thousands, both young -And how do you deal with the sense of invasion that your
and old. One day he cursed the gods of fate and he was subjects feel under such circumstances?
condemned. He was condemned to live in a dungeon -Little by little. I tried to respect his schedule, let him take
whose door could only be opened by his right hand. He his siestas so that he would be in a good mood. I did not
spent many a cruel year there. But one day, unexpectedly, demand many hours of his time because he is larger than
the door opened. He left his cell crying for joy and thinking life and it is all René all the time. I proceeded with caution
that he had been pardoned. But he was brought up short and during the week the relationship improved. He relaxed
when he saw that his hand was hanging from the and got used to our presence. The material we shot those
doorknocker .… last few days is the best. He is very relaxed when we shoot
His lost hand had come to rescue him. the business with the canes. You see him speaking in a
different way. His style of speaking is more like that of a
*** resident of Buenos Aires with dashes of slang added. The
The questions that I ask him are those of an illusionist and first days he addressed everyone as “tú”. It was as if he
a great admirer of Lavand and not those of a journalist. I were on stage. I wanted to film him on good days and bad.
want to know the intimate details of the making of the I did not want just one or the other. If you go and film him
movie, some secret that I may not know. As a true fanatic I for two days he’s going to give you what he wants, what he
want to know more than the movie shows. knows, the celebrated phrases, as well his well-known
stories.
-What was the production process like?
-First came the idea followed by a long period of -He chilled out a lot because at first he
researching, writing, phoning and visiting. I said to myself, was very demanding with himself. He
“I am not going to try and create a relationship but, rather, wanted all my takes to come out well.
just the opposite. I am going to start slow and create a “Were they good?” he would ask me.
relationship during the filming.” We lived together for the “Please tell me!” “Last night I was
three weeks of filming. We were housed in a cabin behind thinking about what we shot yesterday
Rene’s place, but the rear wall of our cabin backed up to and I want to shoot it again.” “I VideoRef:
his. We would have breakfast together; we would walk remembered another thing that I want RL831
under a tree and collapse under it. Things like that. I to do over.” I thanked him and I would
returned home and I edited for several months. I retuned for say to him, “Calm down, maestro! I
four days in October to film specific material. By December have more than enough footage with
I had just about finished the editing. During the summer I what we have done.” “No, no! I
worked on the music and the sound. Everything was remembered one…” “If you want to,
finished by April. maestro, I am not going to say no.” In
fact I have a ton of effects that I
-That was kind of quick. recorded and I think that when the
829
 René Lavan
DVD comes out it will be a double one so that I can include
those effects.
-Yes, please!
-Yes, because there was way too much material for the film.
The film has enough sequences and they are well
presented. This is unique material because he has never
been filmed in this way.
-What you have is a treasure that needs to be preserved for
future generations.
-Indeed! Especially because film of René doing magic in
his home does not exist. You can see him working in other
venues, theaters and TV studios, but not at home.
-Yes, plus the fact that he wanted to show it to you.
The Image of the Ar
-Well. It was necessary to convince him, to give him several
reasons. (Frenkel makes it clear that he is talking about by Roberto Mansilla
money.)

R
-Honest?
-Yes and I agree. I am very much in agreement. “Me talk?
I’ll talk to you. Come, get your camera and I will tell you
Translation by Martin Kaplan
about my life. But taking out a deck of cards is my work.”
He’s right. He’s very right. And it was of no use to make a ené Lavand is one of the best magicians
film without that. I could have done what they do on TV – of all time and contrary to the anguish
interview him and show archival footage. I knew that his that I feel for not having seen the greats
talking while fiddling with the deck was something unique. of the past like, Cardini, Malini, Bertram and
Besides I had him in his element with his cards and his Downs, not to mention Robert-Houdin and
stories and he grew enthusiastic. You see that dialogue that Hofzinser, I am happy knowing that I am his
borders on cynicism. contemporary and that I can say that I have
-That’s a major success. known him for many a year and I have seen him
-Indeed and that’s because he had just done an effect and work up close and personal.
he had gotten caught up in it.
Lavand says, “It’s not a question of using deception or lies
Every time that I have seen him work live I have
but, rather, cynicism. I lie in such a way and so clearly that
known, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was
it is indeed cynicism. I often say, ‘But if this isn’t shuffling,
seeing an Artist. Nobody doubts this fact and the
what the hell am I doing, you sonofabitch!’”
reason is simple… René Lavand is an artist.
***
The telephone rings in René Lavand’s house. But there is something else. He looks like an
-Who do you wish to speak to? artist in both thought and deed and he has
-With Alas Rentals. dedicated a great deal of time and effort to
-No, Alas Rentals has a number similar to this one and for creating this impression. That is something that
that reason you and others bother me at least forty times a has always fascinated me and something that I
day. But, don’t worry! I forgive you! have always wanted to write about. How has
René Lavand managed to create his image as
*** an artist?
-Can I ask you a question from magician to magician?
What was the deal with the phone calls and requests for René makes effective use of expressions, con-
cars? cepts and some rhetorical devices that we
-You want me to tell you if there was some trick? understand as being artistic in nature. There
-Yes, please! also are additional elements present such as
And he tells me. originality, style, effort, the torment of the artist in
I thank him for his time and energy. I bid him farewell with creating and living his life, knowledge of the
a hug and I watch him walk away. I am certain that he is whys and wherefores of everything that one
going to catch up with his daughter and I remember the does, one’s body of work as the reflection of
noise in the background when I spoke with him on the one’s soul, and a personal vision of the world.
phone.
I pay the bill and shut off my recorder.
Making use of a variety of resources – his
And I smile.
books, his videos, the many interviews I collec-
ted over the course of fifteen years and the
numerous opportunities that I have had to watch
him work – without any pretensions of any kind
I intend to share with you the different re-
sources, that in my opinion, René Lavand has
830
nd
rtist

used more or less explicitly and more or less intentionally of an opponent, knowing everything about the way in which
to construct his image as an Artist. gamblers work, I did not permit myself to participate in
games of chance. It was a moral principle that made me
DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM MAGIC leave my former life by the wayside and to set out on a
different path: the road of art.” (2)
“I shy away from the word magic. I am an expert with a
deck of cards. Nothing more and nothing less. Magic is Moving away from the image of a magician and appro-
what we see when we look at the objects of nature through aching a specialization in an instrument like a deck of cards
our window. Love and friendship are also forms of magic. I has a clear purpose: becoming an Artist.
love the word but please do not call me a magician. I am an
illusionist.”(1) At an event that took place in the city of La Plata, Argentina,
a group of magicians arranged for Lavand to be inter-
I cannot even begin to count the number of times I have viewed. (3) Someone asked him how he was able to
heard complaints and even anger with regard to the generate the emotion that made it seem like he was doing
foregoing statement. “What do you mean he’s not a each of his effect for the first time. Lavand’s reply was quite
magician? Then, what is he? Who does he think he is?” blunt.
Those are a just a sample. However, when one gives it -Look, I will be brief, but I will answer your question. Either
sufficient thought, you understand that what René is doing you are a magician or you are an artist. It’s one or the other.
is distancing himself from the stereotype of a magician, Period!
from the banal image that the public has of us, from the
lack of depth and richness which tends to characterize There isn’t much more to say, right? Well, yes there is! If he
illusionism. His style, attitude and words go in a completely is an Artist and not a magician then what he does is best
different direction. referred to as compositions rather than tricks. “Trick is a
very inappropriate word. A trick is what a gypsy does when
He prefers to be called a specialist in cards. He prefers the he sells you the mailbox on the corner. The word “effect”
image of a gambler or a cardsharp. His show in which he would be better than trick. If you can’t create a composition,
does a number of his classic routines – “The Story of if you cannot reach the level of excellence that a
Victorio de Pardú”, “The Story of Antonio, the Gypsy”, “Duel composition requires, use the word “effect” instead of trick.
in the West”, and “The Greek” – is called The History of Why? Because when the public shows up – unaccustomed
Gamblers. He cultivates the image of a man of the world and disoriented with respect to the art that you and I love
who frequented some of the shadiest places on earth and so much because it deserves our utmost respect – they will
managed to survive in order to earn the applause of his say to us, ‘C’mon and do a little trick for us!’ Why do I have
public. These are, more or less, the words that he uses in to tolerate such things? I don’t do little tricks. If you like what
his shows, as well as in his book Slow Motion Magic. I do, great. If you don’t, tough. Fortunately most people like
what I do. But I do not do little tricks.”
“I played just about every betting game until the age of 22 Period!
when, overwhelmed by my desire to create techniques for
the advancement of the art of illusionism, I abandoned GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE ARTS AND ESTABLISHED
gambling forever. (…) As I was progressing, technically ARTISTS
speaking, until I mastered the false shuffle, the second
deal, the third deal, even the eighth deal, canceling the cut One of the greatest writers of all time died blind. One of the
831
greatest musicians of all time died deaf. One of the grea- ON ORIGINALITY
test illusionists of all time has only one arm.
“Without honorable ambition, no man can become a high
In an interview René states, “I still remember the look on Ed artist. And without originality no man can become a great
Sullivan’s face and the astonishment of those around us. artist. Of course, we cannot all attain the greatness to which
Imagine what it was like for a North American to present on the Master Magicians are so worthily entitled. We cannot all
nationwide TV a one armed prestidigitator. It was like pre- hope to become exponents of the highest art in magic. But
senting a lame dancer”. (4) we can all, at least, try to do so, and in proportion to our
united efforts in this direction, we shall raise the status of
Tragedy or irony, as Borges would say in his “Poem of the magic as an art.”
Gifts”, clearly unites them, but that is not to say that Lavand
compares himself to Borges or Beethoven or other artists The words are Nevil Maskelyne’s from the theoretical
of renown. section of his book, Our Magic that he wrote with David
Devant. (7). It is a work that reflects a Positivist or a
However, he does say things like: Modernist conception of Art as applied to magic. This
“If Johann Sebastian Bach could create this marvelous conception of Art is the source for the definitive and defining
melody with only seven notes, perhaps I can create an standards of Art that, in turn, are the focus of this article.
illusion using only four cards.” The standards in question are style, an almost scientific
Or: knowledge of what one does, effort and, above all, origi-
“I don’t know how a crazy Van Gogh was able to change nality. And what’s more original than a magician with one
nature’s colors…you will never know how I change the hand?
color of my knives.”
Or: He was asked if a magician were to come along and
“I could not compare myself to the genius that was Dalí seriously offer you the chance to rewind your life so that
without seeming pedantic and ridiculous, but I can say that you end up living an anonymous existence but with two
Nora is to me what Gala was to him.” hands, would you accept? He answered by saying, “No. It’s
Or when in his shows he jokes about his pride – “Pardon not necessary to remove the hump of a hunchback. He
my immodesty. Were I modest, then I would be perfect.” loses his appeal. I learned how to take advantage of my
He also states, “As long as I live there will always be losses. Any idiot can capitalize on his strong suits”. (8)
someone who speaks well of me.” On another occasion he
defends himself by making an allusion to Picasso and his When asked if he was afraid that others would copy his
total lack of modesty by telling how the owner of a tricks, he replied, “No. How can I be afraid if they cannot
restaurant would not allow Picasso to pay his bill, but steal what I do? First, they have to cut off a hand. Then
instead asked for his autograph. Picasso replied, “I offered they will need to invest 60 years filled with love and
to pay for my dinner, not to buy your restaurant.” sleepless nights.” (9)

“Why this compulsion to mix quotes from poems, along with In his autobiography, Barajando Recuerdos (Shuffling
the history of oriental philosophers and Borges’ short Memories), he says, “Obviously none of the books written
stories?” they asked him many years ago. about my specialty were of any use to me because I
needed two hands to apply the techniques described
“It’s my Art. I compare illusionism to music. Music is the therein. It was also true that no teacher could teach me
harmonic balance between sounds and silences. I seek out illusionism using only one hand and the left one at that.
a balance between the movement of the deck and my There was only one road for me to follow and no other. I
stories. I would be a bad illusionist if my movements were needed to break the rules and create my own techniques.
less than perfect and I would be disrespectful to the poets If unsuccessful, everything would be a failure. Were I
were I to cover up their text.” successful I would be different from everyone else.” (10)

“So, you are a liar.” the Argentinian poet Jorge Boccanera ON STYLE
says to him in another interview and René answers him by
What makes René Lavand original is his style and as he
saying, “Of course. I lie without lying. I lie to create illusion.
says, “There is no artist without style.” On April 29, 2001
But hear me out. Illusionism is not a puzzle where if I solve
the Diario Popular asked him, “Professionally, how do you
it I win. Illusionism is an art and the deck is like a violin in
differ from others?” He replied, “I have my own style be-
the hands of Nuregev or the castanets in the hands of Lola
cause I could not copy anyone else. I lost a hand in an
Flores. It is an instrument to bring about artistic and human
accident when I was nine years old and nobody dares to
communication.” (6)
copy me.”

Slow motion magic is what René calls his style. It combines

832
stories written for him by others who
know him so well that there are made to
measure and they are spoken and
combined with his effects with a ca-
dence, an intonation and an enviable
sense of timing.

Jorge Boccanera describes his style

thusly: “When it seems that the ability of
Above: Roberto Mansilla (16 years old in 1996)

a magician is in direct proportion to what

with René Lavand and (right) 10 years after .

opponent make lar-

he causes to disappear, accom-panied only by his deck of
ger bets. I am going
cards he models silence and creates a rare sense of
to lose. That is to
expectation adding lyrics to the music of his deck.”
say…I am going to
René says, “It’s a question of reaching the depths of lose if you want
anguish. Not the anguish of a mother dealing with a sick me to lose. If that’s
child, but rather that of a human being who cannot not what you want
rationalize the subtle beauty of art’s deception. Picasso I will win. Do you
said that all arts lie and the mission of the artist is to make want me to win or
the world believe the truth of his lie.” do you want me
to lose? The
It is a perfect combination of rhythm, cadence and studied choice is yours. Do you want me to lose with
pauses that allows him to achieve what he calls the this hand or that one?
glimmer: that moment of final suspense when it remains to
Once again I heard a voice behind me say ‘MAHTUB!’ ‘The
be seen if his goal has been met. (10)
gentleman loses not because he wants to but rather
And the way his forced originality became an exquisite and because it is written.’ I felt more than a little bothered and I
unique style is addressed with tongue in cheek when René continued more pedantically than ever. ‘I have a better
interprets, in his own way, Nick Trost’s “Ten Card Deal”. idea. I’ll shuffle and you deal. I am going to beat you, sir. I
“Many people ask how I shaped my artistic personality, how cannot lose!’
René Lavand was born. In truth it was not I who shaped it, ‘He cannot lose because it is written!’ said the voice behind
but rather life itself, which at times cruelly takes away and me and even more bothered and even more pedantic I
at times generously gives. said, ‘You shuffle and I’ll deal.’
‘He cannot lose because it is written!’ said that voice again.
One afternoon, many years ago, I lost a hand and many I turned around to see a tall, thin and sallow-complected
years ago in a luxurious casino of an elegant hotel in Arab staring at me. I challenged him to play me. He
Marbella, destiny was lying in wait for me; and I found out confessed that his religion did not permit him to drink or
then why I lost my hand. gamble, but he accepted the challenge philosophically. I
decided to play it straight…without tricks”. (After dealing
I was thirty years old and filled with myself I used to do the hands the Arab receives four Aces)
things like this.” (René deals two hands of poker one for “You win, sir!
his supposed opponent and one for himself. In order to fill “No, you win because it is written. And since it is not the
the void produced by the time it takes to deal ten cards for eyes that reveal the true light to a man, I will tell you your
the first time he says what is to become a refrain and he cards without looking at them. You have a 9, a 10, a Jack,
says it in a very immodest fashion.) a Queen and a King.”
“It can’t be done any slower… sir. I am going to beat you. I “I felt a strange sensation take hold of me as if I had a gift,
cannot lose!” (Here René turns over the two hands to as if I were invincible and I decided to take on all comers.
reveal that he is the winner.) One of them would have to beat me. I could not be con-
“But I have a better idea. It can’t be done any slower, sir! I demned to win forever. I believe it was there that René
am going to beat you again. But this time you will have a Lavand was born when that Arab said to me, ‘You must ac-
choice. Do you want this hand or that hand? Whatever your cept your destiny. You will always be incomparable. For that
choice, (René wins again.) I cannot lose. But I have a better reason you should never compare yourself to anyone. If
idea I said to them. At that very moment I heard a voice at you do it you will not be the better, you will feel like a failure.
my back saying ‘MAHTUB!’ It was only later I learned that If you do it and see yourself as better you will be nothing
the word is Arabic for ‘It is written!’. I paid no attention and more than a fool!’ and he left the room leaving the sen-
I continued on more pedantically than ever. sation that there had been a reason for his participation. It
It cannot be done any slower! But an advantage player also was that night when I discovered why I lost my hand,
must know how to lose… to avoid suspicion… to have his gentlemen.” (12)

833
IN SPITE OF EFFORT AND TORMENT “how” of things but who also knew the “why”. He who knew
rather than intuited. In that sense the true artist of illusion
The Argentinean writer Alejandro Dolina states, “It is in- is he who knows why he is making every movement, every
dispensable to make the world know that you have to pay pause, every gesture, and he who can predict the reactions
a high price to be an artist. You must resign yourself to of his audiences.
studying arduous technical questions. You must suffer and
pass through difficult moments that others pass on by. You It is very common for Lavand to explain to his audience why
must learn to see secret signs where no one has ever seen he is doing what he is doing. When he proposes repeating
anything. You must torment yourself when you feel that the effect he explains that “it is to reinforce the climax of
there is a verse that you will never be able to write. You the effect” or when he tells a story at the end he says that
must blindly follow mysteries that call to us and which he does it in his own style and it helps to reinforce the
always lead to misfortune. You must fight against destiny dramatic effect of the performance.
knowing that defeat is the only outcome. Later – if you are
fortunate – it is probable that fame and fortune will be It is also common for him to refer to his things using
yours. But that will not be of any import to you.” (13) technical terms or in a way that approaches the concepts
that are used in portraying the fine arts. That’s why he calls
René Lavand confirms what Dolina explains to us in great his effects “compositions” and the space where he gets his
detail by saying, “And the road to perfection, which only art inspiration and rehearses for hours on end for him is his
and science encourage us to travel, the unending road; the laboratory. He often says in his performances that his
one you walk down without the expectation of any reward, improvisations are the result of his deepest deliberations.
knowing that you are fully compensated by merely walking
it or, as Antonio Machado said, creating the way as you UNTIL YOU BECOME A MASTER OF YOUR ART
walk; that road that we traverse during all our waking hours;
the one that causes us to know the immense, indescribable They tell a story about the famous pianist Arthur Rubinstein
and profound joy of creating; that very same one that, when who was approached one day by an ardent admirer.
life’s blows worsen and seem to prey on you, is like therapy “Maestro! I would give my life to play like you do!” said the
that will help you maintain your mental equilibrium in the admirer. “I already did!” replied Rubinstein. (17)
crucial moment of unrelenting grief.” (14)
Every great artist ends up being, almost by definition, a
After the accident that caused him to lose his right hand at great master. Maestro in fact is the term that is used to
the age of nine he tells us that he entered into “a period of describe great artists. René knows this and he reinforces
deep and difficult psychological processes” and he began this idea in his interviews and in his books. In Barajando
to create his own techniques. “I had lost things in my life Recuerdos (Shuffling Memories) he says, “With respect to
that were weightier than my hand, and cards and the noble Academia, one of my greatest desires was to impart this
art we construct with them gave me back – not without a style to some of my students. As the years went by, I
great deal of work – a sense of joy and the ability to realized how impossible it was to give it concrete form; the
communicate with people openly and frankly. The cards only person to whom I can be of use, academically
allowed me to lift the veil of melancholy and gave me back speaking, is someone whose personality is in tune with his
my life.” (15) true self. Some students copied my style, in spite of my
insistence that they not do that. They failed and did not
And that process is constant in both work and in life. On become artists. They only succeeded in becoming your
several occasion I have heard him say what he wrote in average manipulator.
Slow Motion Magic. “I have spent more than three months
not putting together or practicing a trick, but rather looking The failure was mine as a teacher because I did not
for the precise words to create the right climax and I have succeed in making them understand that more important
spent another three months trying to find the right tone to than effects was the necessity to discover one’s style and
use with each and every one of those words.” (16) so they tried to copy me. What a shame. The story goes
that when they told Beniamino Gigli that he would be the
ALWAYS KNOWING THE WHY ‘Second Caruso’ he replied that he would prefer to be the
‘First Gigli’.
Maskelyne in The Art of Magic tells us in addition to
knowing the “how” of magic it is important to know the But I still hope to help someone some day in some
“why” of magic using knowledge of artistic principles as a measure and to receive the title of ‘Maestro’ that these days
jumping off point. By doing so we will enjoy a great ad- is only my nickname.
vantage that will grow with acquired experiences.
MORE THAN ANYTHING, YOU HAVE TO BE IT
Maskelyne, following Aristotelian philosophical logic,
considered the true artist to be him who not only knew the When I was writing the original version of this article I

834
realized that Darwin Ortiz and I shared some of the
concerns that motivated me to write my study. In Strong
Magic he writes, “Practically every comment that I have
read or hear about him reveals him to be a true artist. There
is no doubt that Lavand is an artist but, in my opinion, so is
Del Ray, for example. I have heard magicians describe Del
Ray as brilliant, amazing, extremely entertaining, but he is
never described as an artist. One of the reasons is that Del
Ray does not try and project such an image, while Lavand
does everything possible to transmit that idea. (18)

What I I have done up to now is to sketch my impression of

how René Lavand succeeds in transmitting that idea; how
he has managed to appear to be an artist.

But now as we conclude it is necessary to repeat the most

important point of all. The primary requisite, the essential
strategy for appearing to be an artist is…to be one. Dolina
(Translator’s note: These are the citations that appeared in

NOTES
says in El Arte de la Impostura (The Art of Imposture), “It is
the Spanish version of this article. Where there are quotes

worth the effort to travel the most difficult, painful and

from a book that has been published in both Spanish and
English, the page numbers refer to the Spanish edition of
longest road because it is the safest. It is the road of truth. that book.)
Let he who wishes to appear honest be just that. He who
wants a reputation for being brave should do so by dint of 1.Boccanera, Jorge; Artista de la Ilusión, en Revista “Viva”
bravado. de Clarín, pp.45-50.
Period! 2. LAVAND, René. LENTIDIGITACIÓN Vol. II, Ed. Frakson,
Madrid, 1991

POSTSCRIPT 3. Entrevista pública en “La Galera Mágica”, La Plata,

Buenos Aires, Argentina. Febrero 2011.
I wish this article could have been about how to become 4. D’Addario, Fernando , El Rey de la Baraja, Suplemento
an artist and not about how the words and deeds of some Cultural “RADAR”, Diario Pagina/12, (27 de abril de 2001).
construct that image. However, now that I think about it, it’s 5. del MAZO, Mariano. La Mentira es Bella, En Suplemento
possible that, deep down this is only an attempt to achieve “Espectáculos”, Diario Clarín, Domingo 25 de abril 1999.

that end. Martín Caparrós, a recognized Argentinean jour- 6. Boccanera, Jorge; Artista de la Ilusión, en Revista “Viva”

nalist and author confessed that, when he was young, he de Clarín, pp.45-50.

had decided to translate Quevedo into XVII century French,

7. MASKELYNE, Nevil; El ARTE EN LA MAGIA, Ed. Escuela

because it was the most intimate form in which he could

Mágica de Madrid, España, p.5.

relate to the poet. It occurs to me that these types of essays

8. del MAZO, Mariano. La Mentira es Bella, En Suplemento

or profiles are a little like that too. It is a desire to relate in

“Espectáculos”, Diario Clarín, Domingo 25 de abril 1999.

a different way to my subject. It is, in essence, a gesture of

9. Selser, Claudia; “Los Herederos de Fu Manchú”, en

love. It is a way to share as a spectator all that moves me,

Revista “Viva”, Diario Clarín.

but is also a manifestation of the desire of a seeker to

10. LAVAND, René. BARAJANDO RECUERDOS, Tandil,

understand, longing to understand, comprehend and know

Betbeder Ediciones, 1998

how in the world can one be so good, so unequivocally an

11. Boccanera, Jorge; Artista de la Ilusión, en Revista

Artist.
“Viva” de Clarín, pp.45-50.
12. LAVAND, René. LENTIDIGITACIÓN Vol. II, Ed. Frakson,

(*) Originally this essay was intended for a journalism class

Madrid, 1991.

that I was taking at the university. Then I published it in

13. DOLINA, Alejandro; CRÓNICAS DEL ANGEL GRIS,

“Profonde” (a blog devoted to magic) and now rewritten and

Ed.Colihue,Buenos Aires, 1996. p.262/263

polished I submit for your consideration in this magnificent

14. LAVAND, René. BARAJANDO RECUERDOS, Tandil,

magazine.
Betbeder Ediciones, 1998.
15. Ibidem.
16. LAVAND, René. LENTIDIGITACIÓN Vol. I, Ed. Frakson,
Madrid, 1988, p. 89.
17. LAVAND, René. LENTIDIGITACIÓN Vol. II, Ed. Frakson,
Madrid, 1991, p.35
18. ORTIZ, Darwin “LA BUENA MAGIA”, Madrid, Ed,
Páginas, Trad. Rafael Benatar, 2001, p 210.
19. DOLINA, Alejandro; CRÓNICAS DEL ANGEL GRIS,
Ed.Colihue,Buenos Aires, 1996. p.208.

835
 WoodyLand
by Woody Aragón

CARD MAGIC

HECKLERS
First part

T
he term “heckler” refers to a particular type of react in such a negative way.
spectator. We are talking about that individual who
behaves impertinently and confronts the magician. With that as a given, the solutions I propose will work
He interrupts the show, he tries to be funnier than the depending on the characteristics of the magician who
magician; he tries to figure out how the trick is done; or he adopts them. Keep in mind that I am talking about things
even ruins the trick for the magician who is using the that work for me and I will also refer to the advice of several
“magician in trouble” strategy. The bad news is that this other magicians, however you are the only one who can
type of spectator is showing up more and more frequently. find the best solutions for who you are.
One of the most often asked questions posed to me by
beginners in my magic classes is what do you do when PREJUDICES
confronted by this type of spectator. They don’t know why, However, there are some prejudices that we magicians
but it seems that a majority of their audience behaves in have earned for ourselves over the course of many years.
that way. Among them is the idea that a magician is a comedian
whose humor consists of teasing his spectators, or
Although this is a common concern that most beginners or laughing at them, or making them feel ridiculous. Then
amateurs experience, it’s also a phenomenon for all of us there’s the feeling that the only thing a magician wants to
who do magic. For that reason I have decided to start this do is fool the spectator and, in the process, make him feel
series of columns summing up how I answer the question, like an idiot.
including some additional thoughts and strategies that I
use. I hope you find them useful! That’s the reason why a layman’s first tendency, when
seeing his first magic trick, is to go on the defensive and
The first thing that I want to share with you is that I am an even more so if it is friend of his who is doing the trick.
authority on the subject. As a native of Toledo I doubt that Because the spectator is our friend we are more likely to
there are many magicians who have had to suffer this type use jokes – often at his expense – as part of our
of spectator more than I have. I’m not proud of this, but I presentation.
think I can boast of living in one of the cities of Spain that
has the most difficult audiences. At least that is what many I think a goodly share of the blame for the aforementioned
of the magicians who have worked here have told me. If prejudice falls to none other than professional magicians
you want to test your mettle in the face of professional who at times pick on the spectator to cover up their
hecklers, I invite you to come to Toledo. shortcomings. Pepe Carroll himself said in “Conflicts”, his
well-known excellent article on theory, that having the
Jokes aside, the truth is that each person is different and so spectator be the source of laughter is a great help for the
is their behavior. This type of spectator is not a problem magician who is not funny by nature. It’s possible that there
that has a universal solution. In truth, different people adopt are many spectators who go to see magic hoping to have
this attitude in a variety of ways not only in the face of a good time by going on stage and being made to cluck
magic, but, specifically, towards YOU when you are doing and act like a chicken. On the other hand, there are many
magic. So, the first thing we need to analyze is what is it we people who go to a magic show hoping to experience the
do, when we are performing, that causes our audience to impossible and to see an egg appear in a bag that was
836
Translation by Martin Kaplan

empty without having to worry if the what card I looked at! Aren’t you
magician will bring him on stage to act supposed to be a magician? Then The good news is that, with time,
the clown in the next trick. guess it!” these things happen less frequently.
One day your friend is with a colleague
The truth of the matter is that under These “friends” are those whom I of his whom you don’t know and he
certain circumstances when you are colloquially call sons of bitches. asks you to do a trick for his friend and
going to do a trick for a spectator who that person reacts like a normal
has never seen magic, his attitude is However, if we think it through, their spectator. What usually happens is
going to be one of, “You’re going to reaction is almost reasonable or, at the that your friend experiences for the
tease me.” very least, understandable. The first time what you are able to
collision with logic that the impossible communicate with your magic tricks
”Nice” frienfs or the magical produces, happens in a and, in the process, his relationship
If there were some sense of order in surrounding of complete confidence with his friend improves.
our magic life, our growth would be where your friends do not accept your
such that as we learned and acquired role as a magician. It’s more or less From then on your “nice” friend turns
resources we would then encounter normal then that those spectators do into your best representative. He
the troublesome spectator. However, not react the same way they would begins to ask more of you. Little by
unfortunately, they tend to be among while watching a professional little you will achieve the role of
the first spectators that a “newbie” has. magician or in the presence of magician that was denied you at first
Imagine playing a video game in someone they don’t know. although your friend will constantly
which, as soon as you begin, the bad remind you how bad you were at the
guy shows up and kills you. Such is So, when this happens to you, bear in beginning and how he always knew
the frustration of many magicians mind that they are not doing what they how you did all your tricks. Ironically,
when they begin. do because they are bad or evil. They he will feel responsible, in part, for the
come to the event with certain improvement in the quality of your
We all recognize these situations. You prejudices and, in addition, there are magic and for the fact that it has
are going to perform an effect that you no socially accepted norms for how improved thanks to his help. Let him
have been rehearsing for quite some one should behave when watching rejoice in his ignorance and think that’s
time for a group of friends. You ask the close-up magic. That is because of the case. Although it’s not entirely true,
spectator to give you a number infrequent opportunities to see close- there is a grain of truth in what he
between 5 and 10 and he says, “10”. up magic. No one in his right state of says. Their bad reactions and their
You tell him to look at a card and he mind would stand up in the midst of a annoying behavior will have given you
replies, ”No I won’t. Turn your back play to tell the actor playing Cyrano “legs”, as well as certain resources to
and I will take the one I want.” When that he is not fooling him and he deal with these situations in front of an
asked to pick a card your spectator knows that he is an actor and that it’s audience not made up of friends.
takes either the first one or the last really not the 17th century. Nor would Remember that every cloud has a
one. If you turn your back so that he they shout at a tenor in an opera to silver lining.
can do something, he does what he ask him why he has begun to sing
shouldn’t do that can be anything from when his father has just died. The In the meantime while we are waiting
not following instructions to stealing above-mentioned attitudes are not for time to pass, there are a number of
cards from the deck. Then there’s the limited to the arts. No one would resources that can help solve these
guy who grabs your hand that’s challenge a friend who is a medical situations so that there is no loss of
palming a coin. Out of the blue he student by saying, “Operate on me! control. We will review the most
grabs your deck, peeks at a card, Aren’t you a doctor? Well, operate on important ones in my next column.
closes the deck and says, “Guess me!” Until then…May the force be with you!

837
From The

Photo by Tannen Magic

Magic Castle by Howard Hamburg

Vernon
Anecdotes & More...
part II

R
BREATHER CRIMP
afael Benatar had me pre-seated for his close up big favor?" Rafael responded, "Of course." She removed
show. When he was introduced, in his low voice with the deck from her purse, took out the cards and went
his charming smile, he selected the most beautiful through the deck and removed about 5 cards and looked at
woman in the audience to sit at the close up table. them very closely. She placed 4 of those cards back into
(Surprise) the card box with the rest of the deck, placed the deck back
into her purse, looked at the one card she had selected and
At the conclusion of his act, Rafael thanked the woman for said to Rafael, "Would you please sign the breather."
her assistance and handed her the deck of cards as a gift. I noticed a strange expression of surprise on Rafael's face
The audience departed the room and I went to the Vernon and he signed the card.
table and sat down.
Rafael saw me sitting 30 feet away and came over to me,
Meanwhile, Rafael was standing near the mail bar area sat down and I noticed a little sweat on his forehead and I
shaking hands with everyone and thanking them for coming asked him if he was okay. He responded, "Howard, do you
to his performance. I was about 30 feet away from him. remember the woman that sat at the table and I gave her
The beautiful woman approached Rafael and I heard her the deck after the show?" I said that I remembered that.
say, "Mr. Benatar, when you selected me from the audience Rafael than said, "She removed one card from the deck
to sit at the table, I was nervous but when at the table, you and I thought she was going to ask me for my autograph
made me feel very relaxed and your magic was wonderful. but she asked me to sign the breather." I asked Rafael, "So
Thank you for the deck of cards." Rafael, in his very low did you?" I could not hold it back and I started to laugh
voice thanked her and he asked her to call him Rafael. because I had taken that woman to the side and instructed
her what to do when she approached Rafael. Rafael
She then said to him, "Rafael, would you please do me a laughed for a long period of time.

838
O
THE LAST TRICK
ne day a received a telephone call from
one of my best friends, J.C. Wagner who
at the time was suffering from cancer. J.C.
said he wanted to get together with me so I
responded that I would drive from Los Angeles to
San Diego any day or any time J.C. wanted. J.C.
told me that he wanted to meet me at the Magic
Castle that Wednesday evening and I said I
would be there.

That evening as I sat in the Vernon corner, J.C.

walked in with another friend, James Patton,
who had driven to San Diego in order to drive
J.C. to the Magic Castle. J.C. Wagner surrounde
d by his friends Howard
Grant Carden, Derek Del Hamburg, Norman Bec
gaudio and Alan Merso k, James Patton,
n.
J.C. sat down and some magician friends of mine who saw
J.C. wanted to give J.C. and I some privacy so they did not Some time after, Norman Beck and I were at the bar and
join us. J.C. told me that he wanted to show me an effect we looked at each other and both of us had tears in our
and I asked him if he would not mind a few friends to join eyes because we both realized that the reason J.C. wanted
us at the table. He responded that he would like that. to come to the Magic Castle was to perform one last trick.
Joining us was Norman Beck, Derek DelGaudio, James
Patton, Grant Carden and Alan Merson. A chair was I telephoned J.C. that Friday and his wife Sandy informed
brought to the Vernon corner and I immediately summoned me that J.C. was very weak. She handed the telephone to
Najee Williams, the Magic Castle photographer, to take a J.C. and we told each other we loved one another. Two day
photo of our group. J.C. proceeded to perform his effect later I received a telephone call informing me that J.C. had
and after he was finished, Najee took our group photo. J.C. passed away J.C. was a great friend, a superb performer
told me that he was tired and needed to return to San but most important, a great human being.
Diego. We both hugged each other and kissed one another
on the cheek.

O
FOR YOU, JOHNNY
ne evening at the Magic Castle, Johnny
Thompson, Dai Vernon, Michael Skinner,
Charlie Miller and I were sitting in the
Vernon corner and I was doing a card effect for
some friends of Dai's.

In the middle of the effect, there was an

overhead page by Jim Patton who then was
working behind the main bar. The page was,
"Telephone call for Howard Hamburg; telephone
call for Howard Hamburg." I continued with the
effect and there was a second page, "Telephone
call for Howard Hamburg."

I handed the deck to Johnny Thompson and

said, "Johnny, please hold the break until I get
back." Needless to say, the "boys" had some
trouble trying not to laugh.
Howard Hamburg with
a very good friend Joh
nny Thopson

839
 Vanishing card in
Handkerchief
By Amilkar
Translation by Álvaro Rojas Zamora
CARD MAGIC

T
Before we start…
his is the apparition I use for the last card in the routine Cards
through Sleeve by Arturo de Ascanio. I think that, although it
introduces a new element such as the handkerchief in the routine,

A
it serves to create tension and expectation among the audience, thus
empowering the effect even more.

Effect and Execution

card is wrapped in a handkerchief and, holding it in the left hand,
it disappears to travel through the sleeve, up to the left shoulder.

You will need a handkerchief of 30x30 cm and to have previous

knowledge of Arturo de Ascanio's routine.

When you arrive at the routine’s climax, you stop short to hold the
handkerchief and the card in the position shown in Fig. 1. Next, you
extend the handkerchief over your left hand and, showing the card again,
you place it in dealing position in the left hand, on top of the handkerchief.
This grip allows the left thumb to hold it on the left long edge and the left
fingers on the right long edge. The right hand is still holding the card with
the index and thumb. Fig 2.

Next, with the help of the right hand as it pivots the card using the left-
hand fingers as an axis, the card is placed into a right-handed Tenkai
palm, and at the same time the left index and thumb pinch the
VideoRef: handkerchief between these two fingers.
AM844
The left pinkie is moved back a bit, pinching the fabric from underneath
along with the ring finger. The handkerchief is turned upside down, giving
the sensation (because of the finger position) that the card is inside it.
Look at Fig. 3 and 4.

Just afterwards, in a transit motion, the card is left behind the

handkerchief and held in place by the left thumb as you go to caress the
handkerchief with the right hand. You show the right hand empty, palm
840
 1 2

facing the audience. In Fig. 4 we can see the performers

view of the situation we have arrived to.

Now you caress the handkerchief as the lower right

corner of the card is pinched between the thumb base
and the palm, taking it into classic palm as it
4
is lowered through the entire length of the handkerchief.
Fig. 5. The only thing that’s left is the vanish. You grab
the lower corner of the handkerchief with the right index 5
and middle finger (the same hand that is palming the
card), and whisk the handkerchief away from the left
hand, thus showing that the card has vanished. Fig. 6.

To end the action and give a feeling of emptiness, the

fingers that hold the corner of the handkerchief go
upward, and drape the handkerchief to rest upon the
palm of the left hand, while moving the right hand (with
the card palmed) upward to the inside of the jacket at
shoulder height, and thus make the last card appear.
Fig. 7.

841
 SUFRATE by Salvador Sufrate

Translation by Álvaro Rojas Zamora

Four 3
CARD MAGIC

A
card is chosen, and subsequently lost in the deck. deck.
Let’s say it was the 3 of clubs; when we make it Now we’re going to make the Ace of clubs appear: this
appear, it’s not the 3, but the Ace of clubs. It then is the card that’s at the bottom. To do this, we execute a
changes into the 2, and again into the 3 (the chosen cut separating a packet of cards with the right index
card), and is left on the table. Lastly the other 3's also finger – Fig. 3, making it swivel until it’s caught in
appear very visually. between the left thumb and hand – Fig 4. Before the
hands are separated, the left middle finger is placed on
Set-up the face of the card at the bottom of the right packet (the
Place under the deck two of the 3s, then another one Ace of clubs), and the left index is placed on top of that
face up, and then the 2 and the Ace of clubs face down. packet.
The 3 of clubs is placed on top of the deck. So from top
to bottom: 3 of clubs, rest of the deck, any 3, any 3, any
3 reversed, 2 of clubs, Ace of clubs. 1
Presentation
We start by forcing the 3 of clubs, by your preferred
method. Next, we’re going to simulate losing it into the
deck, but in reality placing it third from the bottom. To do
that, we take a pinkie break above the bottom two cards.

Before putting the card into the break, we use it to push

a few cards from the center of the deck – Fig. 1, then we
pull the card back out and place it into the break – Fig.
2, and we finish by squaring up the deck. This gives the
sensation that the card has been lost in the middle of the

2
3

842
 4 5

8
The middle finger extracts the card towards the left – Fig.
5, until it becomes pinched between the index and middle
fingers – Fig. 6.

Once in that position the fingers turn the card over – Fig. 7.
Now is the first time the face of the card is seen, the Ace of
clubs.

The spectator will protest that it is not their card. We leave

the Ace for a moment resting on top of the right-hand
packet – Fig. 8.

After a brief instant, the left hand is turned palm down, 9

turning it's packet face up in the process, until it is in contact
with the Ace of clubs – Fig. 9. In this position the left ring
and pinkie fingers can make contact with the card on the
bottom of the right-hand packet (2 of clubs).

Now the left hand returns to its position, turning it's cards
face down again, taking with it the 2 of clubs (this is
accomplished by applying pressure with the ring and pinkie
fingers) and leaving everything as shown in Fig. 10; during
the same movement, the right index finger lets go of the
Ace of clubs, so that after the turn it is left on top of the left
packet.

The 2 of clubs still isn’t the spectator’s card, so we leave it

again in the position of Fig. 8. clubs that is below the right-hand packet.

Next, the left hand is moved until it’s in front of the right The left hand returns back to its forward position taking with
hand – Fig. 11. In this position we rotate the left hand cards it the 3 of clubs (this is done by applying pressure with the
backwards on top of the 2 of clubs, accompanying this thumb on the face of it) while the right index finger frees
movement with the left arm – Fig. 12. the 2 of clubs, leaving it on top of the left packet. The
spectator can see that his card has appeared and will
Now the left thumb makes contact with the face of the 3 of assume it’s the end of the trick, but this is not the case, as

843
 the best it still to come. it to the right, side-jogging it about two centimeters. The
left pinkie pulls down on the three, obtaining a break
Once the spectator has seen his card, we let it fall on the above the face up 3, as it squares the three even with the
table, face up. Then the left hand places its cards below rest of the deck. All of this happens as the two packets
the right-hand packet, thus bringing the deck together, are brought together, leaving it in dealing position in the
but as this is done, the left middle and ring fingers contact left hand.
the 3 that is face up under the right-hand packet, sliding
The right hand the cuts the deck at the break, making the
face up 3 appear – Fig. 13 (Editorial note: though fig 13
10
seems to show that the cut is a swing cut, we believe it to
be an error, and should in fact be a normal cut). At the
same time the left middle finger is placed on the bottom
of the right-hand packet, sliding out the other 3. The latter
is pinched between the index and the middle finger, and
crossing them makes the 3 turn face up (as before) – Fig.
14.

Now to finish, the right hand turns its packet face up,
showing the fourth 3 – Fig. 15.

Everything is left on the table as in Fig. 16.

11 12

14

13

16

15

844
 CARD MAGIC
Photo by Vanesa Viana

Techniques of
Card Magic
Translation by Raahul Srinivasan by Lennart Green

A
Classic Steal From The Middle

steal that is very easy to do, which is executed in the

action of squaring the deck. To do it, you have the
deck cut into two piles, each held by a different hand.
The left hand holds its pile in dealing position, and the right
hand holds the other pile, as shown in photo 1. (Biddle grip).
1
The card which we will steal, is on the bottom of the pile
which is held in the right hand, which could very well have
arrived there by means of a previous control.
2
The right hand approaches the left, to square the deck and
just in this moment, the long fingers of the left hand, rest on
the face of the right pile, as shown in photo 2. They serve to
keep the card in place as the packets are squared. Once the
card is side-jogged (to the right) the right hand ring finger and
thumb hold onto the card, and the deck is moved slightly to
the left. The card ends up resting against the curled right ring
finger, as shown in photos 3 and 4.muestran las fotografías
3 y 4.

3 4

L850
Classic
Steal

846846
 L851B L851C
L851A
Lapping Lapping Snap

T
Preparation

Preparation For
Double

A Double Card
he deck is held in the left hand in dealing grip.
5 The thumb pushes the top card to the right, by
it’s top left corner, as shown in photo 5.

The left index finger is introduced under the upper right

corner of the card, and the left long fingers curl on top
of the card, pinching the card between them, as shown
in photo 6.

In this position, it is easy to open the index and middle

fingers, and thus pivot the card (photo 7).

At the same time, the left thumb pushes the new top
6 card slightly to the right, as shown in photo 8, while
inserting below it the left bottom corner of the pivoted
card (photo 9).

The right hand swings the protruding card clockwise

and squares it underneath the other card (photo 10
and 11), and in a continuous motion turns them over
as if they were one, as shown in photo 12.

7 8

9 10

11 12

847
 T
Lapping Of A Card
he card is placed on the table (photo 13) Just
15
when both hands join (photo 14), while the left
hand covers with its long fingers, the fingers of the
right hand (photo 15) flick the corner of the card, which
shoots into the lap.

Both hands move forward (photo 16) and open (photo

17), directing all the attention forward (away from the
lap) and the audience discovers the disappearance of
the card.

13 16

14 17

T
Lapping by Snap Deal
he right hand holds the card (photo 18) in
readiness to simulate placing it on the table, but 19
you really do the “snap deal” technique. As you do
the technique, the left hand apparently covers the card,
as shown in photos 19 and 20. Really the card is stolen
by the right hand, and is brought to the border of the
table, while the left hand, which apparently has a card
underneath it, advances, drawing everyone’s attention.
Just in this moment, the right hand lets the card fall into
the lap, and the left hand lifts, showing the
disappearance of the card.

18 20

848