The Magic Memories (169)

Folded Card to Box in “Nada por aqui”

Last week I reported about Jorge Blass and his Magic Festival in Madrid, and this reminded me of a few more things: I had worked with Jorge years ago, but had completely forgotten about this. I guess this is why I have called this blog The Magic Memories…

It was the occasion of the FISM convention in Stockholm in 2006, the one where I spent most of my time as a member of the jury…

Jorge Blass, together with Luis Piedrahita and Ines la maga, had already done a magic program on Spanish TV by the title of Nada x aqui, pronounced Nada por aqui, an idiomatic expression in Spanish meaning something like “nothing up my sleeves”. The magic show ran over several years, was very successful, and it lay the foundation to the future career of Jorge, Luis, and Ines, who would all become house-hold names in the Spanish entertainment business.

Ines la maga

Jorge and Luis have attained international fame, with Luis publishing a much-noticed book on original coin magic, but Ines might be less-known to most of you.

In the video below you can see Ines do a very interesting prediction trick.

Even though it is in Spanish, you will be able to follow the plot, which is simple: The spectator names any card, in this case the Two of Hearts. Ines says that she has two predictions, one of which is a Joker, which stands for any card (the old gag), and the other being, precisely, the Two of Hearts.

Good, eh?

It uses an old principle discussed in chapter 14 of Hugard’s Encyclopedia of Card Magic 🙂 Plus another principle and a sleight.

This fact of being based on multi-layered operational principles is really why card tricks are usually superior to most other magic tricks, especially mentalism and large scale illusions, where all too many tricks rely on one single principle that an intelligent spectator can see through (and sometimes even not so intelligent ones do…).

The danger with such card tricks, however, is that the hobbyist falls in love with the wonderful method, and then forgets to take care of how to stimulate the spectator’s Logos and Pathos.

Now, Ines has all of this clear, and does an excellent job.

Luis Piedrahita

If you do not know Luis, who nowadays is more famous in Spain as a stand-up comedian than for the magic, and want to get an idea of how clever he is, watch the clip below. It is in Spanish from the aforementioned program, but sub-titled in English, although I think you could enjoy it as much if you simply turned the sound off.

The Folded Card in Box (Giobbi Version)

Anyway, back to the taping at FISM: Jorge came up to me and asked me if I would be willing to tape a piece of mine for their program, and so we did in the lobby of the hotel, with some conventioneers as an audience.

I have just watched it again on YouTube, almost ten years after it had been taped, and was surprised to read all those nice comments people made on it, and it occurred to me that some of you might want to watch the few minutes where I do “The Joker Folds up” (from Card College Volume 5) in the lobby of the convention hotel. The performance was taped there and then included in an upcoming episode of Nada x aqui.

Seminar in Paris

For all of you who are living in and around Paris, but also for those who are looking for an excuse to comme to the arguably most beautiful city in the world (with 15.834 million tourists per year on rank 6 of the most visited cities in the world), I will do a Seminar on Sunday, 5th May 2024, from 1 to 5 pm, at the premises of the FFAP, the French magic association, at 257 rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris.

The seminar is titled “Sleight-of-mind – The Psychological Construction of Magic”, and I will perform, explain and discuss tricks, techniques and presentations with a focus on the psychological concepts therein. So, this is going to be very practical. Tout en français, évidemment!

Limited to 20 attendants, € 80 p.p. Details to follow in the upcoming The Magic Memories 170.

I plan to devote The Magic Memories 170 to one single subject, namely Dai Vernon’s Cups and Balls routine, and especially to the final loading sequence, which I think is one of the most brilliant compositions in magic. So, if this is your cup of tea, I look very much forward to seeing you next week.

Wish you all a successful and happy week,

Roberto Giobbi