Unknown Vernon
Are there enough superlatives to be tossed in Dai Vernon’s direction? The answer is no. I had the pleasure of sitting with The Professor on many occasions and each and every time I learned something new.
April 2025
VOL. 88, NO. 4
Questionnaire
The Genii Questionnaire: Tom Stone
Tom Stone, from Sweden, is well known to Genii readers for his long-running column of original magic and for his innovative performances on stage. At the moment, he is designing curriculums for his popular conjuring workshops in Stockholm.
The Eye
Penn & Teller and Saturday Night Live
“We were just weird, weird guys who did this weird little show that we really, really liked. And then, because of Lorne Michaels, Saturday Night Live changed everything.”
The Eye
Steve Cohen’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
For 25 years, Steve Cohen’s Chamber Magic has been a fixture of New York City.
The Eye
Tarot Exhibit in London
Tarot is getting showcased in London this year. From January 31 to April 30, the Warburg Institute is hosting an exhibit called Tarot—Origins & Afterlives.
Book Review
Effervescent
Oliver Meech has produced an easy-to-read collection of even-easier-to-do card material. It is quirky in a Paul Harris, Jay Sankey sort of way that screams “don’t take me too seriously.”
Book Review
Juan Tamariz’s Flamenco
Flamenco is the third in the series of “Bewitched Music” following Sonata (1989) and Mnemonica (2004). Distinct from the other celebrated trilogy that deals with magic in a more abstract theoretical way, this book is tricks and sleights from cover to cover.
Almanac
April 24: The Zig Zag Lady
In 1966, Robert Harbin performed his new illusion, The Zig Zag Lady, on the live variety show Sunday Night at the London Palladium.
The Eye
Podcast on Henry Box Brown
This February, the CBC put out a podcast episode about Henry Box Brown, an enslaved person in Virginia who, in 1849, shipped himself to freedom in a wooden crate.
Almanac
April 23: Paul Valadon
Paul Valadon died on this day, 1913, in Phoenix, Arizona. He was supposed to be Kellar’s successor, but in 1907 Howard Thurston raced back to America and secured the contract instead.
Almanac
April 18: Joseph Dunninger
“For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none will suffice.”
Book Review
A Visual History of Theatrical Levitation
From the early 19th century to the present, magicians have devised ingenious methods to defy gravity on stage. Intrigued by this graceful form of illusion, David Haversat has assembled a sumptuous visual record of its evolution.