AS A KID I NEVER LIKED THE EGG BAG TRICK. When I saw a magician perform this effect I didn’t think it was very mysterious and the bit of ostensibly hiding the egg under your arm I thought was childish.

Until.

As a fan  of Jeff Hobson I once saw him do a 30 minute spot in a London West End theatre and get a standing ovation with just two tricks – one of which was the egg bag. It was then I realised that it was what the magician could add to the effect that made it a classic effect and with Hobson ’s unique camp patter and mannerisms it became an outstanding piece of entertainment.

Following that I saw Johnny Thompson achieve solid success with the prop but using the Malini version of the bag with its superior design, smooth fabric and careful needlework and of course Thomson’s handling and humour. Then a good friend, Tom Whitestone who presents the bag close-up at the table showed it to me  and made it very convincing and magical. He said he was influenced the day he saw Fred Kaps do the routine informally in Ken Brooke place with minimal patter but very convincing handling as you would expect from Kaps. Tom was so struck with how mysterious this age old prop could be made that he adopted it and today works the Malini design bag. A magician for whom I have a very high regard is Wayne Dobson and I saw a recording of one of his TV spectaculars before he was clobbered with M.S. doing the bag sitting quietly alongside a lady from the audience. No  endless crash banging the bag to prove its emptiness but a sheer piece of magic that used just three phases climaxing with the spectator making the egg reappear herself after proving that the bag was empty. It is a  real mystery and easy now to understand why it has been a classic for centuries…..when in the hands of a real artiste.

What’s this all about. It’s about taking a backward look at some of the magic we all met and passed by on our way to being a contemporary performer. It’s why some of the great entertainers who worked for big bucks like Al Flosso did Miser’s Dream, Cards Across, Paper Hat Trick and other considered hoary old tricks with big success. It ain’t what you do …………

Filed under: Magic Thoughts