Why am I stuck in magician Hell?

Modus est in rebus

There is a new effect soon to hit the market. I have had the chance to play test it as one of my friends got ahold of it. It is a variation on an old principle with some new twists. In it indeed a stage effect, but more than that it is a utility device for stage. Now I am not talking about a ball dropper or cigarette dropper.

Is it a hold out? A blackhole? A magnet? Nay it's merely a ball with a unique hook up. Because of it's construction it enables you to do odd and neat things with it. This got me thinking about how too many magicians get a hold of an effect that can do many things and then make a routine that incorporates it all. This is wrong. I'm talking Roseanne Barr in a g-string wrong.

Why you ask? Ever heard the saying, "Once is entertainment, twice is education"? This applies but in a different vein. Take for example a floating effect. Any floating effect. This is the audience chain of thought. WOW what a surprise - that's amazing - I wonder how that's being done - where's the string?

This can be broken down to ever 5 or so second intervals. By 30 seconds of an object being airborn they get an idea, get bored, or get skeptical. Just because something it can DO everything, doesn't mean you should. It all boils down to what works best in the routine, for your character, and for the maximum impact.

So in short when this effect, or others like it, come out don't beat a dead horse with it. Let it be a surprise... not tedium.

There is enuff of that in magic already.

Bizzaro.