Description

Known as “The Wessex Wizard,” William Stickland enjoyed a long performing career and went on to be president of the I.B.M., although this sixty-page book of “novel and interesting tricks” comes from his earlier days on stage, when he specialized in magic for children. That’s not to say that the material Stickland describes in IT works only for younger audience members — the opening section sees a variety of stage productions, vanishes and transformations explained in full, and every routine Stickland offers would appeal to spectators of all ages. While some effects require a little preparation, Stckland’s preference is for simple props that achieve striking effects with little effort on the part of the performer. Highlights include a cleverly routined and gimmick-free bare-handed silk production, in which the magician is able to make no fewer than sixteen coloured handkerchiefs appear at his fingertips, and a very entertaining laundry-themed children’s routine in which a pair of gloves repeatedly transforms before ending up monstrously large.