Close up. Up Close

This was my first DVD set, and I have lots of fond memories of its filming. I wanted the set to be a comprehensive examination of my material and not just a collection of tricks and explanations. So in addition to more than 50 tricks performed and explained, we have also included lengthy clips from my one man show, At Home on Stage. It is these clips, more than any one trick or bonus feature, that continues to garner attention to this DVD trilogy. 

At Home on Stage is a show I wrote specifically for a small theater venue. I have purposely not released the show in its entirety or screened it for magicians, mostly because magicians are not its intended audience. But throughout this trilogy, you’ll see many clips from the show (several have since leaked on youtube, but they have led to some interesting inquiries, so I’m fine with that). And as you’ll see, the venue is ideal: raised seating, about 70 people, no screens or microphone, and a set that really accentuates close-up magic. You’ll see my gambling demonstration, my signed card through picture frame, a musical opener with cards, a chop routine using a lamp and its bulbs, and many other pieces that I have never published or explained. Most of these clips are not explained—that’s not the point. I just wanted to share my vision for close-up in a theatrical setting. 

But there IS lots of magic explained in this series, and I think it will be of interest to all close-up magicians. I worked for years in restaurant settings, and so this trilogy is full of practical material that requires no table or reset. There are lots of card items, but a surprising amount of non-card material as well. My handling of the Princess Card trick is often brought up because of the solution I found to “naming” the thought-of card. And “Prediction Piece” is an odd, odd trick that has garnered an unexpected amount of praise and use from magicians all over the world. For the card guys, I detail four bluff shifts, my unique “work” for jazzing with the memorized deck, and a complete survey of all the material using my Discreet Displacement sleight. 

We also included bonus materials on each disc. The best of these is a short film I co-wrote and starred in called the Heckler. It’s dark, but it’s kind of funny. You’ll find that on disc one.