THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CARD MAGICIANS AROUND THE WORLD and over half a century I’ve seen many of them. I’m not a card man myself but know enough to know the difference between a demonstrator of card tricks and an artiste who can really entertain with just a pack of cards. In the distant past one that comes to mind is Ricky Jay’s show at the Old Vic – “Ricky Jay and his 52 assistants” It was unique.  Recently in London I saw a second, supreme entertainer with just a pack of cards. Guy Hollingworth with his Edinburgh Festival one-hour show “The Expert at the Card Table“.

I’ll not go into a listing of the effects but just to say that what Guy added to his outstanding teechnique (performed in a slow, natural style a la Dai Vernon) was a brilliant playlet that told the story of the ubiquitous Erdnase whose book “The Expert at the Card Table” has defined card work around the world for over a century. Presented by Guy in full evening dress and setting with just a card table, some chairs, a desk with mirror, tumblers and other ephemera, he wove an intruiging tale of the legend of Erdnase interspersed with card deals, card routines and other effects including his amazing torn and restored card, in a manner like an unfolding plot by Raymond Chandler with an ending that had a  touch of Alfred Hitchcock.

It was sheer theatre and the packed, largely non-magic audience were clearly enthralled and the performance restored one’s faith in the belief that magic for the public should be an entertainment and not a demonstration of digital skill. For me Guy Hollingworth has crossed that line that separates the thousands of demonstrators from the true artistes of magic that in the present day can be counted on the fingers of two hands. Guy Hollingworth has added an extra finger.

In the audience was one who in my view is part of that select coterie – Richard McDougall. As we left the theatre together, it was he who uttered the single word that summed up the performance, Sublime! 

Filed under: Magic Miscellanea, Magic Reviews