Magic and Illusion

New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 671, 16 May 1952, Page 10

Magic and Illusion

AM one of those who regret the dis~ appearance of The Town Crier, 1YA’s sometimes patchy, but generally interesting, collection of interviews and topical bits and pieces. But the recent Magic Parade, in which Rex Sayers interviewed members of the Auckland Brotherhood of Magicians, and their guest, the American magician Virgil, at a monthly meeting, shows that the extended recorded interview-cum-docu-mentary is mot to be completely dropped. I was especially drawn to. this programme by a curiosity to learn how the special quality of a magical show would be conveyed without benefit of television. To my surprise, the patter of the performers combined with the economical descriptions of the commentator made the tricks tangible and alive to us. The uncovering of the nest of prestidigitational practitioners was in itself interesting enough, but Rex Sayers also showed how genuinely informative and entertaining interviews can be by his expert performance as the alert, but not too knowing, asker of the right ques-tions-I could not help noting, however,

the strenuous efforts Virgil made, when asked to distinguish between an "illusjionist" (as he described himself) and a "magician," to avoid mentioning mechanical devices, and to locate the difference in stage spectacle and costumes. A nice piece of misdirection, indeed.