Parlour Tricks
Parlour Tricks










“Morgan and West are that rare thing, utterly unique, enormously entertaining and totally fooling. This gorgeous book contains all the secrets of their professional repertoire.....What the hell are they thinking! Buy it now before they change their minds”Andy Nyman
"We love you guys!"Penn & Teller
This is the debut hardbound collection from the sensational double-act of Victorian Time-Traveling Magicians, Morgan & West. Unlike most magic books which are comprised of trick descriptions, Parlour Tricks is the dissection of a full ninety-minute show. You'll learn how they approach their material, how they sequence each routine, and how they fit the material to their personalities and premises. This book is a masterclass in building a show and a rare insight into how performers work on a cohesive piece of theater.
It's 356 pages of full-color photographs and detailed description. There are a dozen tricks discussed, as well as deep-diving articles on magic theory. You also get full scripts for each of the effects so that are covered in the book to help you understand the level of detail and precision that go into a Morgan & West show.
You'll learn signature effects like "Ring on Ribbon," "Thought-of Cards Across," and a book test without a book, plus much more! While Morgan & West perform as a duo, this material is easily adapted for solo performers, and all of the advice and theory is applicable to solo magicians.
Bonus: To help ensure the best learning experience, we're also including the full show performance by Morgan & West so that you can enjoy and appreciate the contents of the book live and in action.
"I love this snuff-snorting duo more than I love my taxidermy. I want to climb into a tiny iron bed with them and tickle them in their nightshirts until they consumptively cough up every last filthy blood-soaked secret into their tatty gentlemen’s kerchiefs. Please no-one else buy this book."Derren Brown
“Morgan & West’s book – a full exploration and explanation of their very enjoyable show – is a wild flight of generosity.”David Regal
"Parlour Tricks is not just attractive, it’s informative as well. A real peek inside two minds worth peeking into. Even if they don’t know how to spell parlor." Mac King
"Excellent [...] Essential reading for anyone thinking of putting together a show."David Britland
Contents of Parlour Tricks
- Foreword (Hector Chadwick)
- Introduction
- Who Are Morgan & West?
- How to Use This Book
- The House is Now Open
Part 1
- The Restarting Bottle
- Opening Tricks and the Reworking of a Classic
- Magic Boxes and Strange Looking Props
- Mirror Mirror
- A Moment of Impossibility
- Magic Plots and Types of Surprise
- The Scripting and Development of a Trick
- The Impossible Ring on Ribbon
- Removing the Cards from a Card Trick
- Intra-Sensory Perception
- Humility and Vulnerability in the Performance of Magic
- The Instant Costume Change
- Dealing with Children and the Unexpected
- Number Writing
- Knowing the Unknowable
- Book Tests and Tricks that Make Sense
- The First Version of the Dictionary Trick
- Interval
- Theatrical Design for the Modern Magician
Part 2
- Explaining Misdirection
- Misdirection and the Presentation of Magic as Skill
- Setting up the Bag (Part 1)
- Thought of Cards Across
- The Evolution of a Magic Trick
- Nobody Trusts Magicians
- Writing the Audience into the Script
- Tonal Variety and Pacing in a Magic Show
- Setting up the Bag (Part 2)
- The Permanent Linking Rings
- Unanswered Questions and Permanence in Magic
- Setting up the Bag (Part 3)
- The 40 Digit Hyperbrain Act
- Problematic Predictions and Tricks with No Middle
- The Miraculous Escape of Mr West
- Danger and Magic in the Real World
"Parlour Tricks is everything a good magic book should be: clever, insightful, funny and filled with miracles. I can't think of a single magician who wouldn't get a kick out of reading this. The most enjoyable magic book I have read in years - maybe ever."Hector Chadwick (Stephen Long)
“I have just plunged into the new book, Parlour Magic. I have a feeling it’s going to be somewhat like taking tea with Robert Morley at the Savoy. (Too dated? All right: with Stephen Fry at Downton Abbey.) At any rate, Morgan & West are so English you can actually hear them pronounce the U in ‘parlour’. I’m hoping this substantial tome will explain how that is done. Their work is so carefully developed, and so very good, I am quite certain that I’ll learn a lot. And, as with their performances, I know it will be great fun.” Max Maven
“Parlour Tricks is a hugely welcome addition to magical literature. In its holistic approach to sharing how two of today’s hardest working and most dedicated magicians create, hone and perform a theatrical magical experience for modern audiences the astute reader will learn exactly how to do it themselves. Great tricks, trick essays and great insight that could change the way you approach your magic. Highly recommended.”Luke Jermay
Customer reviews for Parlour Tricks
member
There is a currently a bit of an upsurge in magicians putting on parlour shows. If you have ever thought of putting on a show, then you need to read this! If you have a cabaret spot, then you need to read this. If you are a children’s magician, then you are already performing a show, so you need to read this!
There are some great tricks in the book, most of which are doable as a single person act, some of which like “thought of cards across” are available from dealers. Brilliant as these items are, it is the bits between the tricks that contain the “golden nuggets”.
I loved reading about how they came to choose certain tricks and how they had to adapt them to fit their style. They worry about the perception of magicians to an audience and they work on breaking the stereotype that many people have of a smug magician.
I think that if you were to be chosen as a volunteer at a Morgan and West show, you would leave the stage feeling better than when you were called up, if only that were true in more shows.
For those of us who regularly perform for children we will recognize the idea that “children aren’t like adults. They are like drunk adults. Drunks adults who have sobered up a teeny bit and been put in a room where they are expected to sit down and pay attention.” A great thought when designing your next piece for children.
You will also learn about designing, scripting, sound design, prop decoration, writing the audience into the script and so much more, including how to make an impossible object!
The book is beautifully written with the full script for each trick and plenty of full colour photos. You also get access to watch the full “Parlour Tricks” show so you can see how everything works with a real audience.
A totally unreserved 5 Star review.
It's quite an education to watch them perform, then read the chapter in the text that explains everything (including the thinking behind the effect). Wow!
member
In the same way that most tricks are explained...Effect, Paraphenalia, Prep, Performance...these guys spell out the effect, explain their props, exact preparation (including where on the stage they put their stuff, i.e. stage left, center stage, back stage), explain their method, and then give a verbatim performance script (with important cues of when subtleties are to be performed). The best part is the follow up where they explain what they were thinking or what they have learned over the years of performing the effects.
Sure this is a collection of illusions performed by two people but magic is the art of performance and these guys really make that the reason this book is gold. They talk about the reasons they perform it the way they do...not just doing an effect, but making a moment of magic. You may not come away with a solo act, but you will definitely learn how to think about your act.
Love the act. Love the book.
The binding, design and layout of the book are first class; this does not affect or guarantee the quality of the content, but indicates a commitment to and respect for the material. (How pleased Messrs Morgan and West must be with the daguerreotype depictions, many in colour.)
A splendid demonstration of the refinement and adaptation of methods and techniques, rather than the adoption of novelty without merit or mere feckless complications. (This may not be a tome for Cristian Angelifans.)
A delightful read, thoughtful and informative with entertainment, not facile deceit, being the primary goal.
Well played, chaps!
member
Although not my performing style at all, I really appreciated the careful deliberations they make to ensure every detail is thought through, so that the audience gets the magic experience they want them to have. Something to aspire to!
When you see their shows, you know these guys are smart. But this book reveals just how many levels they're operating above most everyone else. There are wonderful detailed tutorials on the effects, but that's only half of it. The really good stuff is in the essays and discussions of how the shows are developed.
Two minor quibbles: a few typos (surprising in a book of such quality), and the photos are a little dark and murky, at least in my copy. They are legible though.
Thanks for the wake-up call, gents.
I think this book is great because it’s just a great read, but I don’t see any tricks that I feel like I identify with and want to perform it on such a stage. But it’s a great read, and I’m OK with that.
I’m not even done with the whole book or watching their presentation yet in full, but I hope that I will find a trick or two that I identify with and ‘yes ‘, there is something that I might want to perform. Since I’m not a working magician and nor do I have any desire to be one. I’m an actor and singer songwriter here in Hollywood California so I have my hands full with that. I still have dreams of performing parlor magic. I’ve always done closet magic all my life, but Morgan in West demonstrated what Pollard magic is all about so maybe somewhere along the line I will do one of these checks but for now it’s a really great book. And I love steam punk and I think they know what I’m talking about. So I give this book very high praises!
PARLOR Magic is where it's at.
The tricks are good, but don’t buy it for the tricks. This is a masterclass on show design, down to every last detail. Everything from sets to scripts to loading in and out the show to costuming.
Every magician should not just own this book, they should study it…they should take notes in it and dissect every part of it and than apply it to their own show.
Buy it now, you won’t regret it.
You then get a second video with commentary. This explains a little extra detail and adds another layer of humour to the show.
The book itself is very entertaining as well as providing lots of food for thought on my own performances. I doubt many people are going to replicate the effects, but that isn't really the point. It's all the advice around show construction and effect creation that offer value. It is also well written. Something of a rarity in magic books. Their humour comes through making it a very enjoyable read.
Community questions about Parlour Tricks
Have a question about this product? It's possible others do too. Ask here and other Vanishing Inc. Magic customers will be able to respond with assistance! Alternatively, email us and we can help too.
Harry asks: What format's the e-book in please? PDF? Could I print it if I wanted?
- 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds:It's PDF, yes. And I doubt we could stop you printing it. :)
Louie asks: Would this benefit someone who works mostly close up magic?
- 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds:It's a book of parlour tricks. So it would be ideal if you are considering moving to parlour material. But there are
Claus asks: When is the book available for purchase again?
- 1. Sgkyduyen responds:Please email Vanishing Inc magic for this kind of question
- 2. ZAP responds:
Arnaude asks: Hello, Are there subtitles in English in the video? Thanks!
- 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds:No, they speak English.
Eric asks: Piggybacking on Wadie’s question above, Though I believe that the greatest value of the work is in the non-trick material, I am one of those people who is, nonetheless, still pretty interested in the tricks. I appreciate the assurance above that “almost all” of the tricks it contains can be done alone. Does that include the teleportation of the signed pack?
- 1. Rhys (creator) responds:There are ways that I can think of to do that particular trick solo - much like a wrist watch to sealed tin of food or similar it is entirely dependant on how long you are willing to be fiddling around with things. But that could be broken down into stages. Can it be done solo - I would argue yes it can. Should it be done solo with this particular method? Probably not. But it should give plenty of ideas as to how to use an adapted method for solo.
- 2. Eric responds:*though
Sean asks: so for the props needed for the act can we make it our own or canwe buy them locally
- 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds:You could make most of the props, but some would be easier to uy.
MILOUD asks: Will we need special props to do the tricks ? I mean does it come with some props ?
- 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds:For some of the tricks, yes. For others, no. The book teaches everything in intricate detail but does not come with any props.
Ernest asks: What is the size and weight of the book?
- 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds:Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.5 x 1.5 Weight (lbs): 2.62
Michael asks: I love what I have read in the book so far. But please be accurate. It is not a "download" video of the 90 minute show. It is a streaming video. At least I can't find anyway to download it. A pet peeve of mine but an amazing book so far. MJM
- 1. Vanishing Inc. Magic responds:If you purchase from Vanishing Inc., the download is available in your account. If you didn't, email us a photo of you holding the book and we can add it to your account.
Dave asks: How do I get the video download since I purchased the book at Magifest?
- 1. Matt responds:It is available on the page adjacent to the table of contents
- 2. ZAP responds:
10 questions


