Mark Leveridge Magic

 

But the fact is, coming up with the initial concept or ‘wish list’ of what I want to achieve, is only half of the process. The other half consists of getting the bits and pieces together needed to perform the trick, devising and then practising any moves required to make it work, and of course trying to evolve a presentation that will pass muster in the real world.

 

Often it is in the course of practising the intended moves that things start to change as I realise that there may be reasons which make what in theory had seemed like a good idea, actually pretty impractical! Sometimes a move can seem wrong, but actually all it needs is a lot more handling practice and then it will come right. Other times, no amount of handling will ever make the thing work, because the concept is not lived up to by the reality, and on these occasions, once I have come to this conclusion, I try to re-think the method and work up another, better solution.

 

With some tricks, everything drops into place relatively quickly and easily, while with others it can feel like you are bashing your head against a brick wall. Some ideas soon become favourites, others never seem to get past the drawing board stage. But one thing is certain, at some point in a trick’s development, I will have to take the plunge and actually try it out in a show.

 

You see, no amount of thinking, of preparation and of practice can ever replace an actual road test of a new idea. Even when you think you have worked out every possible potential problem, and even when you have practised your proposed handling until it is second nature, there can still be unforeseen problems which only a real performance will highlight.

 

An example of this is an idea I had with a borrowed watch. To practise this I used my own watch, and I had the handling completely sorted. The first time I performed it for real, the watch I was handed was hugely heavy, far heavier than mine. This meant I found it much harder to handle it as I needed to and although I got through it, it was really tricky. The second time I tried it, a lady handed me her watch, and the strap was very thin and very limp, with the result that again, I struggled to handle the trick smoothly.

 

The upshot of both of these experiences is that I have gone back to the drawing board to see if I can come up with a more robust handling in order to get round the variety of watches that I may be required to use. 

 

So if you are trying to be a bit creative, don’t forget the importance of road testing. It can be stressful but in the end, if you genuinely want a good trick, it’s the only way to get something truly workable.