Is there a link between a trick and a joke?
I’VE always been fascinated by the way stage magicians present their tricks and illusions with such confidence and panache.
Until I knew better, I thought ‘panache’ was the grey dust under the grate in the fireplace that had to be cleaned out every morning.
Have you ever heard anyone say, “I’m a bit of an amateur magician?”
No?
Well you have now!
I’m a bit of an amateur magician.
And I think there’s a link between a trick performed by a magician and a joke told by a comedian.
They both have to be set up in such a way that, when the magician’s ‘reveal’ or the comedian’s ‘punchline’ is delivered, it gets the appropriate audience reaction.
Their reaction to a comedian’s joke shouldn’t be the same as their reaction to a magician’s sleight of hand because a comedian doesn’t want, just after he’s told his best joke, his audience turning to each other, muttering “How did he do that?”, looking baffled.
I do realise stage magicians tend to divide people. Especially when they have a saw in their hand.
Which leads me neatly into telling you that Sunday, January 17, marked the 100th anniversary of the very first time a magician performed the “Sawing A Lady In Half” trick on stage.
Magician P.T Selbit (his real surname was Tibbles!) who created the trick, first performed it at the Finsbury Park Empire and caused a sensation.
He accidentally cut through his leather belt and his trousers fell down.
No he didn’t. cheap joke.
If you want better ones, send me money.
After that,
That was wherever a he sawed a lady in half, to heighten audience anticipation, an ambulance waited outside the theatre. It was needed when he used fake blood in the act, as audience members would often faint.
Which only helped enhance his reputation.
An amateur magician had attempted the trick before Selbit and failed, due to his technique.
Foolishly, he started at the lady’s head and sawed down through her middle to her feet, rather than across her tummy.
Of course, he only did it the once…