All entertainers are on the verge of becoming obsolete. That's an enduring truth in show business.
To any creative or imaginative performer, this is a relief. This wisdom implies that there will always be room for something new.
Magic is no different. It's old-fashioned and in desperate need of fresh blood.
While there may not be such a thing as an "original" magic trick, there are fresh, original ways of looking at one. The Creative Tables by C. Golo Naito isn't about sleights or routines; it's about how to think about your magic and apply innovative solutions to your creations.
He starts by listing the ten primary effects of magic: production, vanish, transformation, etc., before giving his list of 31 thought-provoking questions and exercises that will make you examine your current tricks with new eyes. Here are three of my favorite:
Ten ways to use origami
Think of ten big illusions that you could make into a smaller close-up version
Think of ten things that could end up in a balloon
Naito also offers clever, out-of-the-box advice on time management and motivation.
Even after creating original card tricks for decades, I still found some ideas that inspire me to think differently.
Give a man a magic trick, and you entertain him for a day; teach a man how to create his own magic effects, and you entertain him for a lifetime.
I can't recommend this book enough.
