Most children's magicians depend on props to entertain their audiences. Readers of books on the subject of children's magic expect to find detailed accounts of tricks and routines. While Paths to Enchantment has plenty of these, its central purpose is to set out in the form of a blueprint a method to enable readers to improve and devise their own routines.
The majority of children's entertainers are so obsessed with obtaining and trying out the latest innovation that they seldom search within themselves and discover what new ideas they can apply to props they already possess. One block to such personal invention is the lack of a systematic structure the performer can apply to the task, a foundation on which to develop entertaining ideas from the subconscious.
Paths to Enchantment is believed to be the first cohesive attempt to analyze those aspects of a successful performance that give pleasure to children. Malcolm Yaffe, a veteran of children's magic with more than thirty years' experience in the field, has identified and defined eleven essential techniques on which to build fresh and successful presentations for the tricks you already own—
THEY SEE, YOU DON'T
THE FRUSTRATED WIZARD
FANTASIZING
ANIMATION
BUSINESS, PARTICIPATION, INVOLVEMENT
THE MISCHIEF-MAKER
THE SUCCESS FACTOR
ADD-ONS AND COMPATIBILITY
STORYTELLING
CHAOS
EMOTIONAL APPEALS
After explaining each technique, he illustrates how it is applied, using dozens of examples drawn from his professional repertoire, among which are several prize-winning routines and presentations. Included are Yaffe's imaginative redressings of such classics as—
FORGETFUL FREDDIE
FANTASTIC FRAME
THE MULTIPLYING WANDS
ROPE TO SILK
THE CHAIR SUSPENSION
THE MUTILATED SUNSHADE
THE EGG BAG
THE GUNG HO PRODUCTION BOX
THE LIGHT AND HEAVY GLASS
THE GIANT AND THE DWARF
CRAZY COMPASS
THE LINKING RINGS
and many more.
Also revealed are completely original utility props and tricks, such as—
THE SKELETON HAND IN WAND
FLY ON LAPEL
MARVIN THE WATCH-REPAIRING MOUSE
THE MAGIC CARD SHOP
THE SKULL FROM BUCKET
THE MULTIPLYNG WAND BOX
Clear and engaging in its unique approach, Paths to Enchantment maps out the routes necessary to arrive at a higher level of success and professionalism for those who entertain children or who wish to do so. Its content breaks exciting new ground by giving children's magicians and clowns a step-by-step system designed to help them discover their own creative talents and increase the intensity of entertainment in their performances.
"This book is incredible.... You have not read another kid-show book like this one....be sure to get yourself a copy." —David Kaye
