Big event of the past month was David Bamberg’s New York opening at the Teatro Cervantes on March 19th. The name has been changed, because of copyright complications in these states, from Fu Manchu to Fu Chan, a combination of Fu Manchu and Charley Chan. Those who have seen it opine that it is the most beautifully dressed show to hit these shores. The opening ran almost three hours, and the illusions, for the most part worked into sketches, are of a type, and carry an atmosphere totally different from what American audiences have seen. When I talked about the show two months ago, after seeing it in Havana, the boys all put on a pained look. When they read in the Feb. Jinx about the 300 genuine Chinese robes they did only grunt. Now they’re all around in circles, and seeing the show three times in a row! With the right management, and very few revisions, Fu Chan could well become the country’s best magic road show. By the way, I wonder who the first American louse will be to steal his idea on the buzz saw illusion? He has it revamped into a real thriller as Poe’s Pit and the Pendulum. Three days after the show opened, U.F. Grant had a total of 41 calls for the colored sand trick! Too bad they all can’t buy a Chinese name too. Something like Dum Crum.
Momentary odds and ends: Jack Gwynne has returned from Nassau where the family vacationed with one nightly show at the British Colonial Hotel. On the way north he met one independent road show magus who was booking himself through Georgia, and on the off nights pitched potato peelers on the corner. — And one of the best known New York club magicians recently accepted a job for $15 at a place where they had always paid $75. When he got there they only wanted to see the rope trick which took about 2 minutes at the speed this fellow works. No one can kick at performing one trick for $15, but the fact remains that he accepted the price and went prepared to give his all. — At the Miami Cabaret in Havana, they are presenting as part of the floor show a version of the old Flyto illusion and ’tis very pretty. There are quite a few of these old principles that can well be adopted to modern stage presentations other than magic, and for the man who can dig them up and revamp them it means money in the pocket. — Frank Ducrot has told me about his originating the 20th Century Handkerchief Trick, and when I saw his first method, wherein the trick is done with but three unprepared handkerchiefs and no pull, I could sincerely assert that the old timers did know what they were doing. — The Jarrett book really went up in price as advertised, and will continually do so monthly. Bill Larsen has gone on record as definitely against it, but those who have known Guy Jarrett personally, and sat around beeries till the wee hours, know only too well of his sincerity and love for magic, and realize his hard bitten experiences as a creator, builder and assistant. Road show magic of the full evening type, is not the glorified living usually thought of by those who make of the art a parlor, club and part-time hobby. The book definitely is not for them, but as a rare bit of magicana it will be worth three times its price in a few years to come.
I have stuck in a couple of vaudeville reviews from Variety, not alone for their interest, but as a bit of comparison with the writeups reproduced on the next two pages. These were written by two different critics in two different cities, and illustrate that critics on the trade papers generally put in straight language the dope on an act, giving the good points a boost, and mentioning the weak spots in criticism. However, as we go on our way to press, a new point has arisen as to whether or not the Variety reviewer had an “ethical” or “legal” right to review the Heckscher show, regardless of the quality of the subsequent review. We’ll have the dope next month.
The following clipping appeared in the March 4th New York Times, and illustrates a cute effect which has been written about a few times but seldom used in actual practise.
Perhaps the fact that someone else is actually doing it will start magi off on the same track. It’s possible of many, many variations, and as a publicity effect is very strong, and novel for a change.
Among the minor annoyances of the month was the usual postcard from Lane, the Beantown Comic, who did type “It used to be the passe passe bottles, but now it’s the passe passe Jinx.” Then he proved himself a pediculous psychologist as well as a space chiseler by scribbling “If you can take this one, kid, I’ll give you credit.” So itsy bitsy Frank’s quips are passe passe on this page from now on, no matter how accidentally clever they may be.
But for that last remark, he might have kept on fooling me for months to come. Val Evans also claims the “cutting of a pack of cards under the handkerchief”, as per Jinx #26 trick by Orville Meyer, as well as Jean Hugard’s claim for it in #27. The letter sounds very authentic and sincere. — Dignified magic is when you pay ten dollars for a current item and it arrives in a label covered suspender box! — à propos, from Winchell: Never take praise from people you wouldn’t take criticism from.
