Desert Island Tricks
Each week we invite one of the biggest guests in the world of magic to maroon themselves on a desert island. They are allowed to take with them 8 tricks, 1 book, 1 banishment and 1 non magic item that they use for magic! We discuss their 'can't live without' lists and why those items were chosen.
Episodes are uploaded every Friday and are available via all Podcast service providers!
To find out more about the team behind Desert Island Tricks, please visit: www.alakazam.co.uk
Desert Island Tricks
Stranded with a Stranger: Ken Hallgring
In this episode, we sit down with Ken Hallgring, a magician with over fifty years of experience, who shares the ultimate list of tricks he would bring along to his magical island if given the choice. From personal favourites to iconic classics, Ken dives into a selection of eight top tricks that resonate deeply with his magical journey, showcasing each trick's unique story and presentation style.
Ken reflects on his early years in magic, the pivotal moments that shaped his identity, and the other renowned magicians he had the fortune of meeting. He skillfully explains the power of each selected trick, navigating through card magic, mentalism, and stunning visual effects. Listeners will be captivated as Ken discusses the necessity for narrative in magic, particularly through his choice of Dean Deal's Blizzard and the emotional resonance of Gene Anderson's Newspaper Tear.
In addition to the tricks, Ken reveals his selected book, Greater Magic, a timeless tome he wishes to invest time studying. He also discusses the importance of technology in sustaining his magic passion with an iPhone and AirPods, tying the episode together with a personal appeal to fellow magic enthusiasts. This delightful exploration into the mind of a seasoned magician invites you to reflect on your own magic journey. Join us, and maybe you'll find a few tricks you want to take with you, too! Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave us a review!
Find out more about the creators of this Podcast at www.alakazam.co.uk
Thank you, hello, and welcome to another episode of Stranded with a Stranger. So we do have another stranded stranger. Firstly, let me just say thank you for the influx of these. We've had quite a few come in, which is great. It means we can get these a bit more regular again and, as always, if you haven't sent one in, please do send one in because, like I just said, the more of these we get, the more we can record. So today's stranded stranger is Ken Holgring. Now, I hope I said that right. I'm hoping I said that right, but Ken has given us a really cool bio, so we're going to start with that. He says Hello, jamie, my name is Ken Hallgring.
Speaker 2:I've been listening to Desert Island Tricks since you began. I've not missed an episode, nor a Stranded with a Stranger episode. I'll admit that I've looked up and purchased a fair number of the tricks and books mentioned by your guests. I'm hopeful that you'll keep this podcast coming for years and years and years. Spoiler alert I guess it's time for my background.
Speaker 2:I've been performing magic for the past 50 years. When I was quite young, I had a book that an aunt sent me for my birthday, as well as a magic kit for Christmas from my grandparents, but it wasn't until I was about 13 years old that the magic bug really bit. Like so many others, I spent those years scouring my local library for magic books. At the time I didn't appreciate the great number or variety of books our library had. That was because the head librarian was a magician, which I wouldn't find out until many years later. I spent my early teen years performing at birthday parties, scouting events, etc. By the time I was in college, I was performing a weekly strolling gig at a local restaurant, as well as all of the other usual shows. Since there were no clubs around, I took it upon myself to contact the Society of American Magicians and wound up founding Assembly 181. Naturally, we met at the local library, with the aforementioned librarian being one of our original members. Wow, that's amazing.
Speaker 2:Leaving college meant working, getting married, having children, etc. Magic took a back seat. I was no longer performing, but I was still keeping up with magazines, books and tricks. I retired a couple of years ago and have re-immersed myself into the hobby. I'm not performing professionally, but I spend many hours a week studying, practicing and getting together with friends in magic. As you can tell, I'm a big fan of magic. I've been lucky to see and meet many of the great magicians, including Doug Henning, harry Blackstone, jr Copperfield, penn and Teller, matt King, the Amazing Randy Banachek, steve Valentine, jamie Ian Swiss, peter Samuelson, asi Wind, steve Cohen, paul Gertner and so many others.
Speaker 2:I live in New Jersey in the USA, and I'm only an hour away from New York City, philadelphia and Atlantic City, so I have an opportunity to see a lot of magic. Most recently, piff performed in the next town over. I've also been to Las Vegas and the Magic Castle in the recent past. Next May I'll be in your area as my wife and I will be visiting London for a week. I'm definitely hoping to get to see some great magic and perhaps even visit the magic circle, which would be phenomenal. But enough about me.
Speaker 2:This is supposed to be about the tricks I'm going to bring on my desert island. Well, let's just address some of that. First off, please do come and see us. The Alakazam shop is in Ashford in the UK. It's only a train ride away from London. Half an hour train journey and you'll be into the centre of London. So if anyone's over in the UK, please do come over. Harry, emma, andy, sometimes Wayne, pete. Obviously everyone is in the store, so it'll be great to see you. And just looking at that massive list of people harry blackstone, jr copperfield, pen and teller, matt king, so on and so forth wow, what an incredible, uh amount of people you've had the chance to meet. And the fact that you I actually went onto your facebook page and looked up assembly 181 and it looks like there's regular events and meetups there, which is amazing and the fact that your librarian was a magician how cool is that? That is so cool. It must have been such a weird moment when you discovered that that person was a magician. So it's great. Now the cool thing is Ken has started with some honorable mentions, so this might give us an idea of his list. Okay, so this may give us an idea of where he's going to go.
Speaker 2:So, to begin, I'll have to give an honorable mention to a couple of my favorite tricks. First, the invisible deck. This was my get out of jail free card back in my table. Hopping days, I kept it in my jacket in the outside breast pocket. If I had a problem, I could always resort to that for my out. I admit that I rarely needed it, but just having it gave me tons of confidence. Nowadays I make my own decks. I'm quite pleased with my presentation and I use another prop with it, which I feel adds a great justification as well as a unique presentation angle. I'm also a fan of ACAN.
Speaker 2:I really like the Grail. It's such a clever approach. I've tried many different variations, aside from a method that is somewhat my own. The Grail easily bests all of the others. And I didn't even get to talk about book tests. I've got a ton of them. Tourist Trap is a great book and All About Eve is so clever in so many ways.
Speaker 2:I really think you need to give us another dozen tricks. Maybe we need to have like a sequel to the podcast, another Desert Island Tricks or Desert Island Tricks Extended. So let's get into it. What do we think Ken's top eight tricks are going to be there? We started off with card tricks, so maybe this is going to be a lot of card tricks, but then he also mentioned book tests, so maybe, and then A can. So maybe there's a bit of mentalism in there. Let's have a look. So in first position, ken has put New York Transpo. In first position, ken has put new york transpo.
Speaker 2:This is a peter samuelson trick from his theatrical close-up book. It's a chicago opener type trick with signatures that transpose. If I could only do one card trick, this would be it. As a matter of fact, it's the first trick that I performed for my wife and she still has the card. By the way, I'm I'm a very lucky man. My wife is a big fan of magic and thoroughly enjoys going to magic shows with me A definite keeper. By the way, peter Samuelson's version of Wildcard from his theatrical close-up book is the best script for Wildcard that I have ever seen. It really takes the trick to a higher artistic level Amazing. Again, it's not one that I've seen, so I'm going to be looking up that one after I finish this recording. And very lucky of you. It sounds like you are very lucky that you have a partner who is also into magic. I think most other people's partners are sick of it very quickly in the relationship. So very well done you. But let's find out what Ken's put in number two. So he has gone for B wave.
Speaker 2:I've been performing this for over 30 years. It's such a strong piece. I have the necessary items to be able to perform it with red or black jacks, queens or kings. I also perform Eugene Berger's variant. If I happen to be performing for a magician, it's a treat to see their faces when I place the cards on the table to be examined. I do agree with Eugene, however, that the original version is the best for lay people and that's the one I'd be bringing to be examined. I do agree with Eugene, however, that the original version is the best for lay people and that's the one I'd be bringing to the island.
Speaker 2:Great B wave is a phenomenal trick and it's just so direct and clean. I think it's an absolutely great choice. So so far we've got two card tricks. We've got New York transfer and B wave. B wave, of course, mentalism.
Speaker 2:Where do we think we're gonna go with number three? We've got, uh, skinner's monty. I have a bit of a quandary. I like the three card monty plot and I know several. Each has their strengths. I've been performing michael skinner's ultimate three card monty for close to 40 years. It's one of those tricks that I've performed so many times that I could probably perform it in my sleep. I also like Harry Anderson's the Last Monty, as well as Stand Up Monty by Garrett Thomas, but I know the rules.
Speaker 2:I have to pick one. There's no disrespect to the others. Certainly they are honorable mentions, but the Michael Skinner routine will get the nod simply because of its longevity, absolutely. I know lots of people that still perform skinner's monty. Uh, I think it's just one of those things. It's going to be a classic.
Speaker 2:And to the other ones that you mentioned, obviously, harry anderson's, the last monty and stand-up monty. Both of them are both phenomenal. I know lots and lots of performers who use stand-up monty at every single gig. So a great, great choice. And even though you've just picked three card tricks, they're all very distinct in their selection. So New York Transfer you mentioned that that was a signature transposition, which sounds quite unique. B-wave obviously is a mentalism prediction. And then Skinner's Monty, which is a three card Monty. So each of those tricks feels really, really unique, which is really cool. And it does bring us to number four, which is our great trick Dean Deal's Blizzard.
Speaker 2:As you can tell, I do like me some card magic. I love the plot of ending up with a deck of blank cards. Again, I have quite a few of them. Although I've owned Blizzard for a long time, I recently purchased the new version with the updated plastic gimmick. Again, I have quite a few of them. Although I've owned Blizzard for a long time, I recently purchased the new version with the updated plastic gimmick. It looks wonderful and handles like a dream. I think that the reason I'm selecting Blizzard is that at the end, everything is examinable. Most of the other variants have something to hide at the end, not so with Blizzard.
Speaker 2:I can still recall the first time I saw Blizzard. It was in the dealer's room at a convention. I was so fooled by the time I saw all those blank cards. There was no way to reconstruct what had happened. I feel that most folks have never seen a deck with blank cards. It's only natural that they'd like to examine them, and for me, that's what separates Blizzard from the rest Absolutely.
Speaker 2:I think we've spoken about this on the podcast before, but I distinctly remember the first time I saw it in Davenport in London when I was probably I don't know, maybe 17, 18. And it absolutely knocked me for six and I cannot imagine that there's any magician who had that performed on them that doesn't remember that first performance. It's such a phenomenal trick and it's so. It's so cheeky, like when you find out how it works. You just can't believe that it works so well. It really is phenomenal. So a great choice. And again, another card trick, but feels pretty different with that blank deck ending to everything else. That brings us to number five, which is gene anderson's newspaper tear. We've passed the halfway point on the list.
Speaker 2:I know I'm allowed to define my desert island exactly as I wish. Well, on my island people still read newspapers. There's so many magic tricks from days gone by that use props that are not commonplace anymore. Cigarette magic used to occupy a large section of magic catalogs. When was the last time you saw a magician manipulating thimbles In the United States?
Speaker 2:Coins are becoming quite rare. Very few people carry them anymore. I know that I don't, other than for magic purposes. I've made the decision to exclusively use either old, antique or foreign coins. That gives me a chance to talk about them and justify having them. Even paper currency is becoming somewhat rare. There are many establishments that only accept credit cards. Now I have to wonder if money and coin tricks will join cigarettes and thimbles in the near future, which brings us back to newspaper magic. There are so many wonderful effects that have been created for newspapers.
Speaker 2:I was lucky enough to see Doug Hennin perform Gene Anderson's newspaper tear on Broadway in the magic show when I was a teen. It was so powerful it really stopped the show. When I was a bit older, I purchased it and began performing it in my shows the show. When I was a bit older I purchased it and began performing it in my shows. There was always an audible gasp at the flash restoration of the paper. So on the island, newspapers will be commonplace so I can continue to perform it. Okay, so we now have a newspaper that we're going to have to develop just for our island, just for Ken.
Speaker 2:So I want name ideas for this newspaper. What are we going to call it? We need a good name for it. That's a great choice. I know that newspaper tears are still something that's used fairly widely. I know that we've seen it on talent shows like Britain's Got Talent and America's Got Talent over recent years, so hopefully there's always going to be a place for it. Seen it on talent shows like Britain's Got Talent and America's Got Talent over recent years, so hopefully there's always going to be a place for it. I know in the UK newspapers are still sold quite widely. I'm not sure what that's like around the rest of the world, but hopefully it will be something that you can carry on doing. So number six we've got Dean's Box.
Speaker 2:I was lucky enough to purchase one of the originals shortly before Dean Deal passed away. I've rarely seen many folks perform it and it's a shame. It's a wonderful small illusion. Dean Deal was such a creative guy. I have a number of his effects and they're all quite clever. I think what appeals to me so much about Dean's Box is that the box itself is interesting. It's quite easy to weave a tale regarding the origins of the box, or at least Absolutely true. I always wish that I got the chance to go to Dean's Barbershop. I think it would have been incredible to visit. And Dean's Box I remember seeing this one as well when I was younger and absolutely loving it.
Speaker 2:I think the mystery of the box, I think the simplicity of the method, but just how clever it is. And when you think about Blizzard as well, it's the same sort of thing. It's a really simple method, but just so, so cleverly thought through. Going back to andy nyman's episode of the podcast, when he speaks about magicians having strange objects, I think this is a perfect example and the boxes the original ones look so beautifully made. I've seen someone perform one of the original boxes up close, and every time I watch it I just have to sit in awe of how amazing it really is. So an absolutely great choice. So that brings us to number seven, which is Stephen Bargatz's I Hate Kids. I'm running out of slots and I have so many other tricks that I love. I hate kids Well, not really, but I do love Stephen Bargatz's trick by that name. It's a tough call, since I think Martin Lewis's Technicolor prediction is outstanding and similar, but I love the fun of I hate kids. I can't perform it as Stephen does and I don't think that anyone really should, but I do think it to be such a clever trick with so many opportunities for bi-play and comedy.
Speaker 2:I was at a weekend magic gathering in Washington DC a couple of years ago and Stephen was there and performed the trick the following day. I was fortunate enough to sit next to him during one of the other shows. Stephen is such a smart magician. He puts so much thought into his magic. We were sitting in the back of, we were sitting in the very back of the room and as we watched the magician on stage, stephen kept coming up with terrific ideas on how he could make the show better. It was just natural for him. Yeah, I remember seeing this trick years ago and thinking it was funny. I get that his presentation is probably quite unique to him. Absolutely another really great choice.
Speaker 2:And now we're getting into sort of a different territory. We've sort of started with those card tricks and then we've progressed into a newspaper tear Dean's Box and now I Hate Kids. So a really different mixture towards the end there, segueing away from the card tricks. So what do we think the last trick is going to be? Everyone? Do we think it's going to be cards? Maybe mentalism with cards? Maybe it's going to be another prop trick or an object trick? Let's see what we've got.
Speaker 2:Colossal Killer in number eight. This is my one and only everyday carry. I found a nice wallet, the type that I would normally use. I keep the cards in my wallet all the time. If the subject of magic comes up, I can easily slide into performance of Colossal Killer. One thing I did is made the decision to use double-decker cards. With these cards, my wallet is slim, really slim. No one would ever think I could possibly have more than an extra card or two.
Speaker 2:When I first read about the trick. I was concerned about the two out of three times that it wouldn't be a direct hit. Once I find the right presentation, I found that I actually am disappointed. When I have a direct hit, I always want to be off by one. When that happens and I turn the card around, the reaction is spectacular. For me it's the best everyday carry that I can think of, absolutely Again, one of the first card tricks I ever learned when I was in my teens, and I think anyone that performs it will say that they prefer it when the off by one option comes out, because I think it lowers the audience's expectations at that point and makes that reveal even more impactful. It also makes it feel a bit more preemptive when you've written something on the back and you knew that you were going to be off by one. So I think it's a great, great choice.
Speaker 2:So, just going back over your list, you've gone for new york transpo b wave skinners, monty dean, deals blizzard, gene anderson's newspaper tear dean's box, steven bagatzis I hate kids and we're ending with colossal killer. Now there are quite a few card tricks in there, but all of them are really different and diverse. So I think that even that as a selection of tricks for your island would be great to watch. Now it brings us onto our two curveball items. So, obviously, at the point that this list was sent in we didn't have our banishment. So we've only got a book and a non-magic item. So let's go for book. His book is Greater Magic.
Speaker 2:I'm a lover of books. I have so many wonderful books. My early books with fond memories are the Amateur Magician's Handbook by Henry Hay and Magic Digest by George B Anderson. Both were important books in my formative years. I'm lucky enough to have one of Robert Harbin's book, number 442, but the book that I'm going to bring with me is Greater Magic. I've owned my copy for over 40 years. While I've referred to it many times over the years, I must admit that I've never put the effort into really studying it. I tend to fall into the same trap as most other magicians the shiny new object is vastly more interesting. Being on the desert island would give me time to really study this massive tome.
Speaker 2:I do have one condition when Richard Kaufman finally finishes his update to the book, I'd like to have you magically replace my current volume with a new one. I think that seems fair, don't you. Absolutely, ken. We will do that for you. We will magically change it for you. Now, funny enough, a few days ago I recorded another episode and someone put the amateur magician's handbook in their book position. So you have to wait for that one. But greater magic is an absolutely excellent choice and, like you just said, I wonder how many of us would go back and take one of those early books and really study it on our island when we have the opportunity to do it.
Speaker 2:So that brings us to our last item, our non-magic item. Ken has put in iPhone with AirPods. Wow, technically, two items here, ken, but I'll let you have it. Let's see your reason. First.
Speaker 2:I have quite a few magic podcasts that I religiously listen to. I found them both inspiring and educational. I won't list them here, but suffice to say that I have more than enough to occupy my time on the island listening to the various podcasts to which I subscribe. Okay, because you're using it to listen to podcasts, I will let you have the iPhone and the AirPods, and no doubt you'll come up with a cool little AirPods trick as well. Absolutely great choice. Yeah, I'm a massive podcaster as well, not just in magic, but in other areas. I'm quite into comedy as well, and I think that there's a lot of information to be had by other creative industries that we can use in our own performing lives as well. And I think that there's a lot of information to be had by other creative industries that we can use in our own performing lives as well. So a great choice.
Speaker 2:So thank you so much, ken, for sending that in. It's such a great list. There's some phenomenal, phenomenal tricks there, and I'm going to look up the New York transfer at the beginning. So thank you for that. Now up the New York transfer at the beginning. So thank you for that. Now, ken is a stranger, no more. We know everything. We know about him. Now, if you want to send in your list, don't forget, you can send in your list of eight tricks, one book, one non-magic item and now one banishment to sales at alakazamcouk. In the subject line, please put my Desert Island tricks. Of course, include a bio and the reason for your choices as well. We'll be back later on this week with another episode of Desert Island Tricks, but for now, have a great week, goodbye.
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