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
Steve Gore
What survives when you strip magic down to its strongest effects? We sit with creator-performer Steve Gore, known for Magic Castle highlights, family stage charisma, and a string of clever releases, to unpack eight routines that earn their spot in a working case and the stories that prove why. From a twin-deck Invisible Deck with a visual box appearance to a sweet, romantic handling of Gypsy Thread for weddings, Steve shows how small framing choices transform classics into fresh, heartfelt moments. He opens with Ambitious Card, complete with a 3D pop-up gag to release tension and explains why it’s his go-to icebreaker for strolling sets.
On the stage side, Steve shares the music-driven power of closing with Losander’s Floating Table and the way he normalises the prop by gifting from the table’s box and letting spectators feel it rise. We dig into Together Forever, his misaligned Anniversary Waltz that fuses two signed cards at an angle, and the pinch-me night it drew David Blaine and Patrick Stewart at The Magic Castle. Versatility drives the rest: Axel Hecklau’s Easy Cube that plays the same close-up and on stage, and his “Anything to Anywhere” utility that lands signed objects in lanyards, balloons, shoes, or mailers with clean, motivated staging.
We also tour the inventive back catalog, CasinoCon, GPS Deck, Amnesia Deck, Book To The Future and talk about practical philosophy: banishing dated, cheesy material, using organic props like USB cables for rope plots, and choosing a mindset book (Derren Brown’s Happy) to keep calm when the real world intrudes on show plans. If you perform close-up, parlour, or cabaret, you’ll leave with routining ideas, presentational pivots, and a sharper compass for what truly hits.
Steve’s Desert Island Tricks:
- Invisible Deck
- Gypsy Thread
- Deck of Cards
- Floating Table
- Together Forever
- Easy Cube
- Anything to anywhere
- Linking Rings
Banishment. Cheesy Tricks
Book. Happy
Item. USB Cables
Find out more about the creators of this Podcast at www.alakazam.co.uk
I performed this at the Magic Castle. I performed it for David Copperfield and Chris Kenner for David Blaine and his girlfriend, and uh Patrick Stewart and his wife as well. That was a highlight. I was performing it for David Blaine and his girlfriend, and then he said, Oh, you've got to do that again. So it drew a crowd around me in the castle, uh, one of which was Patrick Stewart, and his he got to watch his sky from England. Uh, so that was a definite pinch for me moment.
SPEAKER_02:Now, today's guest will be probably best known for some of his incredible creations and some of his trailers as well, which are always fun. So we're talking about tricks like trick photography, visions from Vegas, the casino con, uh, book to the future, the GPS deck, the amnesia deck, uh, Together Forever, the flight deck, and his most recent one, which is Famous Five. Now, he's even performed and lectured at the Magic Circle and the Magic Castle in Hollywood more than once. More than once. So, you know, he knows what he's on about, which means this list is going to be really interested. Uh, he also performs magic with his children in family stage acts, which I think sounds super cute. And of course, he does bill himself as the happiest magician on the planet, which I think it's very accurate. I'm very, very pleased to have him here. Please welcome the wonderful Steve Gore. Hello, Steve. Hello, Jamie. How are you? Very good now that you're here, Steve. So, in terms of your lists, like your tricks, you've released so many tricks over the years, and they are so practical, you can tell that they're from a working repertoire, you can tell that they're things that you use day in, day out. So, in terms of putting your list together, did you find it difficult to either choose things that were yours or other people's, or are they all workers? Are they from stage close-up? How did you go about making your list?
SPEAKER_00:There's a mixture. So I was really trying not to put all my stuff in the list and try and include other stuff as well. Uh some of the other stuff I've done fairly recently as well is I've taken classics of magic and I've sort of uh developed them on and sort of put a twist in them. So they started off as a classic, so some of those are in my list as well.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. And do you tend to go more towards like not that I'm trying to second guess your list, all right? I'm not I'm not trying to get a sneak peek. Do you tend to go for like close-up performances or stage? Because it says that you've performed and lectured at the Magic Circle and the Magic Castle, which are generally sort of parlor-y arenas for the most part. So do you tend to go towards more close-up or stage parlor?
SPEAKER_00:I prefer both. Um, the bulk of work does tend to be close-up. Uh, I do do some children's family shows as well, uh, but I also do cabaret shows for adults. Uh I had one last night, which was very good. Um so yeah, uh I like to do a mix.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, so I'm very excited to see what your your list is gonna be. So without telling us which ones they are, just so that we can play Steve Gorbingo, which we haven't we haven't done for a little while, how many of your own tricks are on your list? Don't tell us where they are or what they are.
SPEAKER_00:I think four.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, so if you're playing Steve Gorbingo, I want you to think right now, which of Steve's tricks do you think he's put in? Which four do you think he's snuck in there? Um, and we'll see whether we're right at the very end. Uh, but if you are listening to this for the first time, the idea is that we're about to maroon Steve on his very own desert island. When he's there, he's allowed to take eight tricks, banish one thing, take one book and one non-magic item that he uses for magic particulars. Who's there? What's there? All of that good stuff. We do not mind. It's in Steve's own imagination. So, Steve, let's go to your island. Uh, everyone's playing Steve Gorbingo right now, so let's find out what you put in position one.
SPEAKER_00:Hey, and I'll just put some sun lotion on just while I'm on the island. Uh, in number one slot, I have the classic that is the invisible deck. Recently, in part of my famous five collection. I also updated this. So I do a twin invisible deck in my sort of normal close-up routine. So start with uh a red and a blue invisible deck, and I give them the choice, uh, and then the select a card, and then the turn their card face up and put it in the other coloured pack, if you like, uh face down, so that then throw the cards, and then have a box appearance which appears around the cards, so the throw the cards, and then instantly the box appears around the cards, and then remove the blue pack of cards, and there's only one red card, which is their named card.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, so is this the way that you've always performed Invisible Deck? Because earlier today I actually had another podcast recording with another guest who will remain nameless, and he also said Invisible Deck, but he had kind of a unique way that he performs it because of sort of evolution in his performance. So have you always performed it this way, and is this the way that you would always perform it going forward?
SPEAKER_00:Yes, I I always perform it. I've I've done it like this for the last 10-15 years. Uh yeah, so it's part of my air set, you know, ever pretty much well, definitely every gig I'll do it a number of times exactly like this.
SPEAKER_02:Amazing. Well, I think that's a heavy hitter in at number one. Uh so let's go to number two. What's in your second spot?
SPEAKER_00:In number two, I have uh the gypsy thread, so which is a stage routine. Um, sometimes done as a gypsy balloon as well. Um so I always do this in all my family children's shows, just as usually just as the gypsy thread. Uh but I've also started doing it in close-up as well. So it's just a handy thing just to have a little bobbin of cotton in your pocket. Uh, it's just something very visual, right in front of the eyes. You know, you can do it right in front of the nose, um, and even let them sort of open and get hold of the ends of the thread themselves. And where the gypsy thread, you start with a piece of cotton thread, and you snap it into different pieces, and then you just roll it up, attach the ball of uh pieces onto one of the strands of thread, and then it restores to one continued uh piece of thread.
SPEAKER_02:Well, I think that's a great choice. Now, there are several sort of handlings for this. I know Eugene Burger has one. I know that Ben Hart has a really interesting version with a super duper long piece of thread. I know that Faye Presto also has a version which I think was based on Eugene Burgers. So, which version of the gypsy thread do you use? I think it's Eugene Burgers from memory.
SPEAKER_00:Um, because I've done it for quite a while. Um, I kind of forget where I first because it's one of those classics, and I I I used to do perform it one way and then I've twisted it the last few years to a different setup uh without going into methods, uh, which I think is better. And like I say, on stage I have some uh sort of UV, uh I think it's Ted Outerbridge U UV thread, so it's like some visual pops under uh lighting, uh, and then just uh some javi vanitas close-up, some nice little simple white thread for close-up.
SPEAKER_02:Amazing, and you build yourself as the happiest magician. So I'm guessing you're not going for like a spooky version of this because I know you know uh in spirit theatre, I think, where where this is taught in Eugene Berger's book, uh it airs towards the spooky, and a lot of people do it in a kind of spookier way. How do you present it that works with your persona?
SPEAKER_00:Just for the nice smile on my face. Yeah, so it's not spooky in any way, it's just uh yeah, just nice and visual. Um what I've started doing in the close-up version. Uh If I do it for like a wedding, uh specifically, uh you've got the bride and groom there. Uh I break the pieces into I usually have like break into five pieces on each of their hands, I'll I'll lay two of them as like a kiss, like a cross on their hands. Uh so then I take you know the the the two crosses from each person and then roll it together, put it onto the fifth piece, give them the ends, and then they open it up.
SPEAKER_02:So it's almost like a romance trick with each piece. It is. That's me, Mr.
SPEAKER_00:Smoother.
SPEAKER_02:Well, I think that's a great one. And it's one that I wouldn't have necessarily put in with you as well, with your with your uh list. So I think it's a really, really good one. So let's find out where this leads you to with at number three.
SPEAKER_00:Number three is a regular deck of cards. Um I perform ambitious card routine. Uh well, for listeners, it's where a selected card is freely selected, signed, and then it repeatedly goes into the middle of the pack or wherever and jumps up to the top. Uh, I've also changed that slightly with my uh famous five collection where I have um a pop-up card. So they shuffle the cards, and then the the top card hinges up, and then at the jack of spades, I think the 3D character leaps out of the top card, and he's holding a message which you can have whichever message on now, but I have unfortunately not. So I'll say, is it possible your card is now on the top to say no or yes? And uh I lift up the card, a little jack pops up and it says unfortunately not. It adds a nice little comedy moment into the ambitious card routine.
SPEAKER_02:Amazing. Now, regular listeners know what's about to happen. Uh we did just mention a deck of cards. Now, you have just mentioned an ambitious card routine, but Devil's Advocate always comes out when a deck of cards has just been put up. So if I could only let you perform one trick with your deck of cards for the rest of your days on this island, what is the one routine you would perform?
SPEAKER_00:Ambitious card, without a doubt. Every time. Just the reactions you get from everybody. It kind of shows that you've got some skills as a magician. Um, but yeah, just the reactions, because this is one that I I will always open with pretty much every group. Close up. And you just can't beat it because it's just multiple hit after hit after hit.
SPEAKER_02:Well, I think that sounds great, and I think your version sounds super, super fun as well. Uh, so we've got two card tricks and we've got the gypsy thread. So let's see where we go with number four. What's in your fourth spot?
SPEAKER_00:Number four is the floating table. Lysander's floating table, the original. Uh so I've done this in my family shows. I don't ever every time it's always my closer. Uh I always close with the gypsy thread straight into the floating table to one piece of music. Uh just very visual, just magical. Don't think there's any anything that sort of comes close.
SPEAKER_02:So is this something that you do in all of your stand-up shows? So is this something that you would necessarily do with a kid? How do you perform it on stage?
SPEAKER_00:If there's a family, I do usually pick a young child to perform it with. Um last night I had a cabaret show for 100% adults. So I just had a lady help me, so uh whichever. So yeah, it does always work very well.
SPEAKER_02:And you say that you always do it to just music?
SPEAKER_00:I do, yes. Never thought of doing it to Tapata, but I usually have a cold play track. Oh, and it's it's talking about a flock of birds flying high, and it's just the nice visual with the table lifting.
SPEAKER_02:So do you get them to write something and put it into the gravity box? Is that your presentation?
SPEAKER_00:No, I usually have a small gift in the box, like uh lollipop or some sweets, or a little flower if it's a lady or something, and I have my Jitsi thread in the box as well to start with. So I take the thread out of the box, put it back in, and then float the table. And I I get the assistant up. And I something I've started doing this last couple of years is is I get the person to float the table themselves. So instead of just both doing it together, they float it, I let go, I give them the gift out of the box, and then uh they let go and I carry on.
SPEAKER_02:Wow, that's really nice. I love the idea of almost normalizing the table with your gypsy thread in it beforehand. I think that's really smart. It's uh a nice way to just make it feel like it's uh just a normal prop table.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, if anybody does it, I always recommend using the table as your normal table as well. Have other props on it, use it throughout your routine and then use it just to finish.
SPEAKER_02:Amazing. Well, I think that's another great one. We have a good mix of sort of uh close up and stage things here. Uh and but I guess gypsy thread would be Parlour as well. So I'm really interested to see where this goes with number five. What did you put in your fifth spot?
SPEAKER_00:Number five is one of mine, uh Together Forever. Um, so that is where two sound cards are joined together as one. So it's traditionally it was the um uh anniversary waltz, uh, but I've uh changed it so that the some of the cards just been back to back. Uh mine are staggered, misaligned, so that like one car jumps away on an angle from the other one. So I performed this at the Magic Castle, I performed it for David Copperfield and Chris Kenner, uh for David Blaine and his girlfriend, and uh Patrick Stewart and his wife as well. So that that was a highlight. Being in the bar of the Magic Castle, the um I was performing it for David Blaine and his girlfriend. And then he said, Oh, you got to do that again. So he it drew a crowd around me in the castle, uh, one of which was Patrick Stewart and his he got to watch his guy from England. Uh so that was a definite pinch me moment. Until I created it, I've not actually even done an anniversary wall. So I was familiar with the with the effect. Uh and I just had a dream one night of and just visualized two cards being joined together but misaligned and staggered, and just sort of developed a routine from there. If there's a wedding, I'll do it. It's a perfect trick for a bride and groom. Uh, but if there's members of the families or if there's boyfriend, girlfriends, brothers, sisters, you know, you could do it as like a family thing that you've got a strong connection. Um, you could even do it as if you just got one person, you can say who's your celebrity crush, and you can like use it to manifest it into the universe.
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SPEAKER_02:Great. Well, I think that sounds great. That's not one that I've seen yet either, so I'm gonna have to seek that one out because I think it sounds superb. I'm a big fan of Anna Adversary Waltz effects, and yeah, that one just sounds phenomenal. Let's go to number six then. So, what's in your sixth spot?
SPEAKER_00:In the sixth spot is the Rubik's Cube, uh, Axel Heplow's Easy Cube is the one I do, but there are lots of other various uh ones of a similar method out there, but that's personally the one that I use. Uh do it in again on my family shows. I did it last night for the Cabaret show. Uh, and I do it close up as well. Uh so it's one of those ones which I'll have in my case. I'll do my usual set, and then when I'm going around again for the second time, I'll I'll bring the bag out and do the Rubik's Cube, uh, various groups, my favorite groups. A Rubik's Cube is in a little paper bag, give it out to be mixed up. You then say there's a world record of about three seconds. Uh some people can do it blindfold or with one hand as well. So I'll put the cube into the bag a couple of seconds, I remove the cube and it's solved. Uh, and then I pass that back out and then say, Oh, by the way, also in the bag I have have a spare, I've got a spare cube. So it's a bit of a joke that I've just got two cubes in there. Um, but I then say instead of solving this one which you've mixed, I will turn the solve cube so it matches the same pattern that you've mixed. Uh I do that. Uh obviously the match on all six sides, and then put one cube away, put the other one back into the bag, so they see that the bag's empty to put the mixed-up cube in, click the fingers, and then the salt cube comes out. Um, although there's another option of Michael Murray's uh spectator solves behind the back as well, I do sometimes.
SPEAKER_02:Now, why did you go for Axel Hecklaw's version over the others? What was it about his that that got you hooked?
SPEAKER_00:I don't know, I think it was just uh that was the one that came up in my uh social media uh feed. Uh and I thought, oh yeah, that's that's really good. So I bought that and then sort of found out there were other ones as well. But I'm quite happy with the one that I've got.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, Axel Hecklau's stuff is incredible and you know, Easy Cube is super smart. And how does it differ close up versus stage?
SPEAKER_00:No different. I've performing exactly the same. Um yeah, even if I did the Michael Murray behind the back, I I'd do that in close up and in stage as well.
SPEAKER_02:Great. That leads us to the tail end of your eight. So so far we've had invisible deck, gypsy thread, a deck of cards, uh, floating table, together forever, an easy cube. So we're on to number seven. What's in your seventh spot?
SPEAKER_00:Uh so in seventh spot is one of my famous five collection. So it's anything to anywhere. Uh so it links in slightly with the regular deck and the ambitious card routine. Uh for the finale, I'm wearing a VIP lanyard around my neck. Uh so the signed card appears inside the lanyard around my neck. Uh so that's what I always do in close-up. But anything to anywhere, it's any small object at any impossible location. So when I'm doing uh stage stand-up, I'll usually do um like a signed bill and I'll destroy it either with fire or with a shredder, and then it appears inside a balloon that's big on stage the whole time. Uh so it's it's yeah, it's just a nice way of getting any small object at any impossible location.
SPEAKER_02:So if I h held you to one way to perform this, so you're only allowed to do this one way, talk me through the routine that you would use.
SPEAKER_00:I do do it mostly just because it's in my close-up set number of times, I'll I'll do it with my lanyard. But every time I'm on stage, and I've I've done this for the last 20 years with the sign build to uh balloon. So it's a bit of a tough call.
SPEAKER_02:I'm guessing the the lanyard would be great for sort of corporate things and and walk-around things. How often do you get people just ask you what the the lanyard's about?
SPEAKER_00:Um yeah, it's a good conversation starter. It's good for corporate because you uh when I've done it at trade shows, you you don't you need to use a special lanyard, you can use the normal trade show, a corporate lanyard that you get given. Um and you can have your own advertising details on it, you can have your own QR code or your website, so you can um publicize various things about your show on a lanyard that you're wearing the whole time, and it gets people saying, Oh, what's what's it says that you do trade shows on there? What what's what's that about?
SPEAKER_02:So well, I think that one sounds super interesting as well. And with that one, what are the parameters with that?
SPEAKER_00:It's like a small envelope. So whatever I have, like um, like if it's a bill or a card or anything, it goes into a small envelope, and then that envelope is somewhere else. So it could be in a landing ad, it could be in a balloon, it could be in your shoe, you could mail it to a client. So just a small. It's usually if it's a playing card, I usually have it folded into four, so anything small. So anywhere you could put that, you could put it into some fruit, you can put it anywhere.
SPEAKER_02:Amazing. I think that sounds phenomenal. That sounds really, really cool. So we've got one more left, and there was one trick that I was hoping was gonna be in there when we were playing Steve Gore Bingo bingo, and I was hoping that was gonna be CasinoCon because that's such a favorite at Alakazam. We are huge, huge fans of it. It's such a wonderful, wonderful trick. So it may be in there, it may not be. Let's find out. What did you put in your final position?
SPEAKER_00:Well, casino con I actually have in my honourable mentions, but yes, number eight, I have one that's not mine, uh Lincoln Rings. They I usually do a standard three uh ring routine. Uh it also looks really magical uh with the floating linking rings, uh Victor Boykas floating rings. I think they're really magical, perfect on stage. Um but yeah, a standard three ring set is what I use. I've also done it as like a comedy routine. Uh so I did the Northern Magic Circle competition uh a good few years ago and won first place uh comedy and the originality cup as well. I think it was about the first act in 50 years to win all four awards. Um and that was like a comedy routine I did with uh myself and I had an assistant called Debbie Magoo, um, which was originally a gentleman called Steve Naylor, played him, and then he he sort of stepped aside and uh Stevie V, I don't know if you know Stevie V, uh he's a magician from Ilkley, he took over the role of Debbie Magoo. So we we did it to James Bon Tune uh You Only Link Twice. Uh and it was yeah, a comedy routine we started doing like bow into each other, and then uh the Debbie could not link or unlink her rings, but I could always and it was it was just a nice visual comedy moment, and then Debbie got the magnifying glass now to try and find where the hole was in the linking ring, and then the magnifying glass got linked onto the ring.
SPEAKER_02:That sounds great. Let's uh first talk about the the Lincoln rings themselves. So I'm presuming because it's for stage, you're using the full-size rings.
SPEAKER_00:Yes. I do have a small tiny set, um, like the shooter go a little uh ninja rings, but on stage, yeah, it's usually the big ones. I'm guessing what they're about 12 inches or something.
SPEAKER_02:How how do you even come up with the concept of James Bond and Debbie McGoo?
SPEAKER_00:I think we were just trying to think out of the box and what was funny. Um, yeah, uh with you know, me and Steve Naylor who created the act originally sort of just brainstormed various ideas and that popped up. Usually now it's just uh straight straight up, you know, just a classic three-ring routine. Uh I usually open my family shows, but with um a trap, Michael Boubler, um, and it there's various things that is ropes, there's rings, there's silks, so there's one sort of opening routine.
SPEAKER_02:Going forward, are you do you reckon that you'll ever bring back Debbie Magoo and perform that routine?
SPEAKER_00:Never say never.
SPEAKER_02:Which also sounds like a Bond film, doesn't it? There you go. It does. So we've got a great list there. We started with Invisible Deck to Gypsy Thread to a Deck of Cards, a floating table, Together Forever, Easy Cube, Anything to Anywhere, and Linking Rings. A really interesting list. But you did say that you had some honourable mentions. So let's find out. We we haven't had honourable mentions for a while, so it's exciting to hear what you would have put in.
SPEAKER_00:Uh okay, so starting off with my very first trick I created, which was on the case, which was through Mark Mason of JB Magic. Uh so that was my first one, which was probably about 25 years ago, I'm guessing, uh, which was like a glasses case with like uh eye chart letters on it. Uh and then a card was selected, and then the glasses case turned into a visual prediction of what the card was. Next on my honorable mentions, we have uh casino con, obviously, with Alakazan. Yeah, it's just a really good pocket trick. Uh nice casino themed jokers and gambling, and it's it's a nice three-stage routine.
SPEAKER_02:Well, let's talk about those two very quickly. So I remember this. I did just tell you uh about the method, and the method for it was so, so clever. I remember seeing it and thinking it was great because there was no, and again, we're not giving method away here, but we're we're sort of excluding it, but there was no need to switch the glasses case. There was nothing that sort of slid in and out, you didn't have to steal anything away. It was such a clever, clever method.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. My wife is an optician, so we went where she was working when these glasses cases came into the shop, which were like colour changing glasses cases. Um, and I thought, oh, that's an interesting concept. And the reception said, Oh, you must be able to do something with this. So I thought, oh yes. So I I got the glasses cases not to change colour, but instead have this prediction reveal instead.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's so so clever. Is it still manufactured?
SPEAKER_00:Uh it is.
SPEAKER_02:Well, if you haven't seen that, please do go check it out because it's super clever. And let's talk about CasinoCon. Yeah. So CasinoCon is one of our favourites at Alakazam, and I remember seeing it uh for the first time. It would have been, I think, beginning of last year, um, that I would have seen it. And it's just such a clever method. It's so, so clever. It's sneaky as like so so sneaky.
SPEAKER_00:I should be the sneakiest magician to the happiest.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I I'm that's it. From now on, Steve Gord, the sneakiest magician. That's it. We we've done it here. Um, I think it's just such a clever routine, and the way that everything flows and works, and you know, to have Greg Wilson of all people as a name on it because he enjoyed it so much and liked it so much. That's such a big accolade.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, originally, yeah, I brought it out with Greg and um a company called System Six originally, and then that sort of disappeared into the wind. And uh Harry Nardi said, I really love this effect. You know, can we bring it out or can we do it properly? So uh and yeah, the artwork's fantastic with Alkazan. And I like how it uh fits in with a couple of your other effects as well, the jokers and the another one that the name escapes me, but uh what happens in Vegas? That's the one, it's the same uh work, so you can do a full routine.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's such a great trick. So we've got two tricks here in our honorable mentions, but I think there's more. So what's in the third? What's in the third honorable mention?
SPEAKER_00:Uh the the uh GPS deck and the flying deck. Uh it's a regular deck of cards. Uh it can be severally examined, shuffled, and you know, in an instant where any card is in the deck without having to spread through just by holding them in your hand, you can locate any playing card.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, let's move on to the next honorable mention. Then it feels like we're gonna have another list of eight at this at this stage.
SPEAKER_00:Um, I had the amnesia deck, which is um for for years I I kept thinking, I kept seeing Magician's Lecture and saying, Oh, you can do do this with this memorized deck. And I was like, oh, one of these days I'll I'll sit down and memorize a deck, and the years roll by, and I just never got a chance to sit down. So instead of sp I spent several months designing a deck of cards that would do it for me. When I could have just memorized the deck in the I've now made it easy for everybody else to um, so yeah, that you you know you you could have the deck of cards and you can perform memorized deck routines for the amnesia deck.
SPEAKER_02:Lots of people wish they could do memorized deck tricks, and some people just for some reason cannot connect with memorising a deck. I don't think it's a comment on anyone in particular, I think it's just a skill set that you know you either have or you don't. Um so the idea of having a deck which functions the same as a memorized deck, but you don't have to worry about that aspect. I think sounds superb.
SPEAKER_00:I'd say I created this deck and then afterwards uh years down the line I I was uh doing s uh a different routine and then I just made my own memorized deck stack up uh using the sort of pattern that I had on Amnesia Deck. Because I found so maybe it's easier for listeners if they're wanting to get into it to try and think of their own stack, make it something that they can personally remember. Um so I had it so that I only needed to remember the in like groups of four, if you can picture like a grid pattern. So I had let's say the the number six in position one, position six, position twenty-six, and forty-six, you know. So you only need to remember you you make it how how you how you want your own stack. Um but if it's birthdays or try and get things that you can memorize yourself easily that you'll just know without thinking, and try and link playing cards to those positions.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, well that sounds fantastic. Any more honourable mentions?
SPEAKER_00:One last one, which is uh book to the future. Uh and uh its previous version was Visions from Vegas, so it's the same routine. I just uh streamlined it with book to the future. So it's uh a book test, but instead of reading somebody's mind, you're predicting which words they're going to pick in the future. Uh so they examine the book, they just they have like a practice run so they can see that all the words are different each time they perform it. Uh, but then you you write down on your pad or your business card, uh, three or four words, and then they pick them and it matches.
SPEAKER_02:Well, I think that also sounds superb. Um, and I think you're one of the only guests that has quite literally given two entire lists. So that's sneaky. That's sneaky, but they were only honourable mentions, guys. They're not the real list. Um, but we do have three more things. So obviously, you had eight tricks, in your case, 16. Um, but we do have one each of these. So I want you to imagine, Steve, that you are about to dig a big sandy hole and you're gonna throw something in there to banish forever. What are you gonna banish?
SPEAKER_00:There's certain like cheesy type tricks that I just don't like, for example, uh the 20th century bra, where it's just a bit corny, you know, taking a a bra out of a female spectator and having a silk appear, it just it's not for me.
SPEAKER_02:No, I also think uh that there may have been a time in history where things like that were acceptable, but certainly time has moved on now. We have evolved, we know that tricks like that are not really appropriate. And I think was there not a version where it was underwear as well? Used to tuck it in the trousers, and then when they were pulled, some some underwear came out as well.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it possibly would be appropriate for Debbie Magoo, my assistant. Um yeah. There you go, yeah, yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02:And the fact that I think you said Debbie Magoo was played by someone without a certain kind of uh body. Um so I th I think it may not be as bad that way as well. Um Debbie Magoo had a big curly wig and a big uh green tutu dress. Uh well, I think that's a great, it's a a perfect choice. Would you put any other cheesy tricks in there, or is it just that one?
SPEAKER_00:Uh I didn't have like vanishing bandana. Just doesn't do it for me.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, we've had vanishing bandana banished before, I think. Um on on the vanishing bandana. Yeah, I think someone, I can't remember who had it, forgive me, but I remember them saying that it was karaoke magic. Uh, the idea that it's sort of pre-written and you're just going through the motion. It's not necessarily the most original thing. So, okay, we we've got them. All cheesy tricks are now, unless your name is Debbie Magoo. Yep. Um, are now in the sandpit, they are gone forever. Uh, so we've got two more things. Let's go on to your book. So obviously, you're only allowed to take one book. What book did you take with you?
SPEAKER_00:Uh I brought a choice of books. I'm not a big book reader, to be honest. I'm not a massive uh I just don't comfortably read books normally. Uh I'd much rather sort of watch things, but that's just my personal thing. Uh but some books I have enjoyed reading, uh Happy by Darren Brown. Uh but isn't a magic book. It's just obviously I'm the happiest magician. It's rather fitting that I read the book happy. Uh yeah, just putting a different perspective on life and realizing that you you know there's certain things that you can't change in life, so just don't worry about them. That's the sort of big takeaway from that book I got. Another I can have an honourable mention in the books is uh Maximum Entertainment by Ken Weber. Not a trick book, but more just teaching you how to get the best out of performing. Uh and the last one I had was Nate Stannyforth. He had a book called Here is Real Magic. So I enjoyed that one as well.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, so we've got Happy, we've got Maximum Entertainment, 2.0 Real Magic as well. So if we're gonna hold you just to one, you're only allowed to take one, which one are you gonna take? I'll take Happy. You're gonna take Happy, I'll take Happy Absolutely, it's a great choice. I'm not sure if we've had it on the podcast, but Happy is one that I also read, and I think what was interesting was several years ago Theory Eleven had uh the launch of his deck, and as part of that, there was a limited edition box set, and part of that was you were taken on an online treasure hunt, which we spoke about in Darren's episode. So do go back, listen to Darren's episode because we speak about that, and in there uh there was an online stoic shop, so it was it looked like a real book shop, but it was all about stoicism. Um, and ever since then I've been really interested in the sort of the stoic thinking, and Darren's happy, and there's also another version which is a little bit happy, I think it's called, uh, which is like bite-sized chunks of that, so it's a bit more digestible. Um, it was yeah, it was all about stoicism and all about you know, you can only control what you're in control of effectively going forward. Now, how how easily have you found that to uh to put into your your working set and your life in general?
SPEAKER_00:Uh quite easy because uh I'm not a worrier type of person. Um I always can can distance myself from and when I was reading it, I was just like, yeah, that that's how it should be. You know, if if you can't change things, then why not spend your life worrying about them? So uh yeah, it's the type of person I am, fortunately.
SPEAKER_02:Amazing. Well, that is going with you. Happy is going with you. Now we've got one more thing, which is your non-magic item. What did you put in this position?
SPEAKER_00:Uh can have two.
SPEAKER_02:Maybe. Well, how about we we do what we've done all the way through? We get you to say both, and then we'll we'll get you to one of them.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, well, one is USB cables, because I brought out a trick just like Halle Kazan have uh with USB cables. So mine is called supercharged, yours is uh um remind me? Nightmare is nightmare recharge. Yes. Um so again, it's one that I've performed a very long time uh with ropes and then last few years with USB cables, uh, because it's just something that people handle every single day of their life. It's not a magic prop to them, but then you can do the unequal ropes or various other rope routines with it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I think that's a great shout, and you know, it is one that uh several people have played with this plot. Um, now it turns out, but it makes so much sense because it's such an organic prop. It's such a clever idea and a clever concept to take something that's organ, you know, maybe ropes aren't for everyone. I think we've had people on the podcast actually say they're not a fan of rope tricks. Um so I mean Professor's Nightmare is such an incredible, incredible trick to lose it to history because you know, ropes are not um in popular favour now. It makes absolute sense to do it with these cables. So the fact that several people have had this idea does not surprise me at all because it is a phenomenal idea.
SPEAKER_00:I always did, you know, many years ago I did the Yonicor ropes as part of my family shows. And then I started doing doing it in McLaur. Um I think I was at a gig and then I thought, well, what else can I do now? I had some extra time, and I got the ropes out, and I was surprised that the the adults were reacting to it even more than the children. Uh and I thought I'm on something here, so that's fun when I switched to cables, I say, a few years ago. Uh it's I just do it now. Yeah, it's in my AirSet, it's part of the famous five. It's one that I'll do numerous times every single gig.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's just a phenomenal trick, but we're not sure if that's what you've put in your item. We don't know if you put USB cables in there yet, because you did say there's a second potential one. So, what was the second potential?
SPEAKER_00:Uh it's by Steve Row and it's uh it's sweet pens. So it's uh a sharpie pen disguised as a pack of sweets. Uh so I have it as mentors, uh, because I have a it's 3D printed by Steve, so it feels like a tube of mentors, you know, you can feel all the ridges of all the mints in in the tube. Uh and then you say, I've got a magic pen, can you just sign the name on the card and you sort of gesture? And then they pick up this pack of sweets and they're signing the name, but nothing's happening. And and then you look back at oh, you need to take the cap off the pen. Um, it's just so funny. Um and then I say we now have a memento of the occasion, because the mentors. Uh and then I pop that away, and then halfway through my ambitious card routine, I'll get the other person if there's a couple, and so oh, do you want to sign your name on the card as well? And then I'll grab a real pack of mentors, hand it out, and then they're trying to take the cap off the pack of mentors and then say, Oh, sorry, that is my pack of mints, put it away.
SPEAKER_02:That's great. I love love his pens. It's a great idea. Now, you have just picked two USB cables or sweet pens. I'm gonna hold you to it. Which one do you want to take?
SPEAKER_00:I'd have to take the cables because at least I could charge my phone on the island as well.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, great. So we are gonna take USB cables. Um, we've had other guests take uh cables and phones, and we've been very kind to give them a little solar panel or a solar recharge panel. So we'll give that to you as well. You can take that with you. But that's a great list. We started with a visible deck, gypsy thread, a deck of cards, but to do ambitious card, floating table, together forever, easy cube, anything to anywhere, linking rings, your banishment is cheesy tricks, your book is happy, and your item is USB cable. And of course, we've added many, many honourable mentions. Um, but I think that is a great list, Steve. If people want to find out more about you, your creations, all of that good stuff. Do you lecture, all of that good stuff, where can they go to?
SPEAKER_00:Uh my website is happiestmagician.com, of course. Uh I have Instagram and Facebook uh at happiest magician. Uh and yeah, I've got an online shop uh which isn't sort of the normal pub public uh it's not part of my main website, which is shop.stevegore.co.uk. So that's where most of my products are for sale.
SPEAKER_02:Amazing. And do you lecture at all, Steve?
SPEAKER_00:I do, yes.
SPEAKER_02:Um yeah, I usually do quite a few lectures each year. And where can people go if they want to find out about your lecture or to book you?
SPEAKER_00:Uh just contact me through my website. Um, my phone number. Wait, is there a contact form on there? Or if you just Google my name, you'll find my phone number, I'm sure.
SPEAKER_02:Amazing. Well, thank you again, Steve. It's great to finally have got you on here. And thank you all for listening. Don't forget, we will be back next week with another episode. Do go check out Steve's tricks. There are some phenomenal tricks there. There's one or two there that I haven't heard of, so I'm definitely gonna go and check those out now. Of course, we're gonna be back next week with another episode. But until then, thank you for listening. Have a great week. Goodbye.
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