Brave and Bold
I love how brave and bold the new, new Genii is becoming. There are two articles in the September issue that were “worth the price of admission,” as the saying goes.
David Kaye’s “The Power of Magic Words” is absolutely correct in saying that magic words still have a place in performance. But, I would hastily add, that can also be true for adult shows, if magic words are treated with gravitas and attitude. It’s a shame that magicians have made them a throwaway, silly cliche, when they definitely still have a place and power, in the right circumstance. The rich history and variety of magic words is fascinating, and there’s no better place to explore it than Magic Words: A Dictionary by fellow conjuror, Craig Conley.
Harrison Greenbaum’s “Oz (and) the Great and Powerful” was the other stand-out in this issue. True art has a perspective and reflects the humanity of the artist. When magicians studiously avoid anything that smacks of opinion or world-awareness, it’s no surprise that magic is often regarded as trivial, and magicians as being interchangeable.
So, dear Genii, I rub the lamp and wish for more like this. Less fluff, more tough love. Magic needs it, and needs you.
—Gordon Meyer
The point about David Kaye’s piece, and the role of magic words in performance for adults, is a good one. It is also a good reminder to us all that David’s column is a worthwhile read for those of us who don’t perform for children as well as those who do. It is all too easy to dismiss David as someone whose name is silly and whose writing is only relevant to kid show magicians, when nothing could be further from the truth. The combination of lightness and deep thought is something that I believe is key in all aspects of magic, and the column is a perfect example of this.
Harrison’s column, meanwhile, encapsulates the transition I am undergoing as a magazine editor. In my past life, running a magic club magazine, my role was very much to produce a magazine that represented a century-old organization, and the views and approaches that it prioritizes. That is a very different proposition to editing Genii, a magazine which, since its founding, has been unafraid to express the views (not always in agreement) of its writers and editors. Part of this year, for me, has been about casting off some of the ideas I have internalized about what a magic magazine is—the chance to spend time thinking about what a magic magazine should be, and the opportunity to try and produce it, is what makes Genii worth working on. And the independence of Genii, and the opportunities that affords, is one of many reasons it is an essential part of our community.
The Little Man
I was happy finally to see the little man emerge from the basket at the bottom of the magazine’s spine with your June issue. I’ve been watching his progress monthly (hasn’t everyone?) and see him very close to the top with September. As he nears the apex of his travels, must we be kept in suspense as to when and why?
Kudos to whoever should be credited for this fanciful use of the dead space on the spine of the magazine! I’d ask for Volume, Number, and Month to be located there but I fear the font size would render them illegible…. The little man and his travels are certainly better than nothing.
—Steve Fernandes
Genii Emails
I really like the Genii emails we are getting. As much as I like paging through the printed version, the highlighted and linked content in the email is very engaging. Also, when I’m traveling I don’t necessarily have the magazines with me so it still gives me content to read while sitting in a ramshackle hotel room in some god-forsaken town in northern Canada!
—Clinton W. Gray
We encourage your comments, suggestions, and prohibitions. Reach us with the speed of email at editors@geniimagazine.com. We are, as the original genie insisted, here to serve.