Surrealist Performance Art

Discourse in Magic

It’s time for episode 114 and our monthly catch-up for Jonah and Tyler. The pair like to get together every four weeks or so to talk about their magic careers and to answer you questions. Tyler has been slow on the performing side but has been creating at steady clip. He’s had to prioritize his downtime because of his new job. That has forced him to set aside some quality magic time. Tyler also recently booked one of his first corporate gigs ever, so he’s been pretty excited about that. Tyler feels like he’s back in high school when his passion about magic was at its height.

Jonah has had a very busy month. He met a guy at a business conference that runs a candy company. He hired Jonah to produce a series of magic videos promoting one of their products. Jonah is pretty excited for the opportunity. Jonah also takes a weekly entrepreneur class from a well know online marketer. He has agreed to come to Toronto and together they are doing a private show for a business crowd. Meanwhile, The Toronto Magic Company has launched it’s Art of Magic show. It’s the most ambitious project TMS has taken on yet. They are about to stage their second show with The Evasons.

Jonah has been thinking about the definition of magic once again. He used to talk a lot about how magic was a much like a math theorem. The difference being magic ends in a paradox rather than a solution. Lately he’s been thinking more that magic has much more to do with the surreal. Theatrical premises and comedy has been dominating his effects lately. Achieving a dreamlike state is the goal.

Jonah feels strongly that contemplating the underlying meaning of magic is key to mastering the art form. Tyler argues that is not the case for every performer. A certain kind of comedy magician may not care that much about theory. Jonah agrees with that sentiment but says that the kinds of magicians he respects are the ones with very big libraries.

As the episode gets to the end of the podcast Tyler asks a questions of the audience. How many of you actually put your decks down when you listen to this podcast? It’s almost impossible to get our guests to do it. Can you?

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