Vanish Magic Magazine no. 39

gospel magicians, and kid show magicians,
etc. They all fit the definitions above and,
by merit of attention to special skills, a
sub-category. The assistant, female or male
also fits.
The individual who helps the magician
has an undeniable set of unique skills. The
proper handling of magic props requires a
complete understanding of the workings
of those props. You can't set an effect, or
in the case of a mishap, reset an effect if
you don't know how it works. There is an
art and psychology to misdirection which
often falls to the assistant. Throw illusions
into the mix and the physical skills
of flexibility, grace and countless other
subtleties come into play. The success of a
performance can depend on an assistant
knowing not only her part but, the magician's
as well and an ability to call on that
knowledge quickly. It is not, by any stretch
of the imagination, an unskilled job. It is a
part of magic which demands special skills
making it's practitioner, by definition, a
magician.
But, what's in a name?
“That which we call a rose by any other name
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