CF Library hosting magic show
I experienced my first magic show when I was still in elementary school.
It may have been absent of tigers and wondrous blasts of smoke and glitter, but to be fair, it was in a high-school auditorium and not the Las Vegas strip. That didn’t detract from the feeling of awe I experienced as the performer selected someone from the audience and rigged them into what appeared to be a makeshift guillotine. Most performers bedazzle you with an extravagant display of panache and showmanship, but this man would halt just before dropping the blade to ask the volunteer some silly or mundane questions or to muse aloud whether or not he put the right blade into the device.
This is a common technique among performers that accomplishes three primary goals. First, it builds the audience’s anticipation and heightens the stakes of the spectacle as everyone’s mind begins to envision the worst possible outcome. Secondly, it tapers the first goal with a bit of humor, keeping the audience from panicking over a potentially traumatic event. Third, the most important goal of all, it misdirects your attention and allows the mechanics of the illusion to go unseen, because your mind is buzzing with everything that could go wrong.
The art of disarming tension through distraction is a skill employed by a number of big-time performers. Penn & Teller manage to ensorcell an audience with their fantastic illusions while also delivering a heavy dose of humor to keep your brain engaged and focused only on what they want you to see. There is a reason they are the longest running act in Vegas.
Some performers have opted not to allow humor to dismantle the supernatural spectacle of their illusions. The Great Houdini is still considered the greatest escape artist to this day, dazzling audiences with acts of unrivaled daring under the threat of imminent death, yet he was a notoriously poor showman. Criss Angel’s performances are always a massive spectacle, though he embraces the darker side of the human mind and allows the minds of his audience members to plunge into the most shadowy recesses before alleviating their fears with a miraculous reveal.
Have you ever had the opportunity to experience a magic show? The Clark Fork Library will be hosting nationally acclaimed magician — Bob Fellows — on Thursday, July 29, at 5:30 p.m. The event will be an outdoor open-air event and it will be completely free to attend. If you haven’t had the chance to visit Clark Fork, this event will give you the perfect excuse to enjoy the gorgeous drive down scenic Highway 200, grab some delicious food from any of the great eateries and then enjoy some incredible entertainment.
Rumor has it that Bob is going to saw someone in half — now that’s something worth seeing for free!
Brendan Bobby can be reached at the Bonner County Library, 1407 Cedar St., Sandpoint, or by phone at 208-263-6930.