Submitted by David Ben on
For the love of it. That’s why I perform magic.
Some people think musically, some visually. I think magically. I always have. My brain is wired to unravel paradox and to explore beauty inherent in the mysterious. It is what I love to do. And, I have been doing this for forty years. The passion is stronger and deeper now than in any other point in my life. So I am pleased to be sharing my "tricks" in an upcoming show—appropriately titled—Tricks, at Soulpepper starting Dec 5.
I have been exploring and experimenting with this material for decades. The routines are, in essence, my arrangements of the magical equivalent of "the great American Songbook”, that canon of material that form the standard repertoire in any art.
The inspiration for constantly revisiting the work is Dai Vernon, the most influential magician of the 20th century. Jay Marshall (one of the most popular and frequent guest performers on the Ed Sullivan Show, and who kindly took an interest in my work) once described Vernon—his dear friend—to me in these terms: “Vernon may not have invented anything in particular, but he exercised perfect editorial judgment.”
Perfect editorial judgment.
If something took three steps, Vernon explored how it could be reduced to two, and then one. He labored over his material, for years. I have done the same, chipping away at the block of marble, removing the extraneous, to reveal beauty in the mysterious.
Tricks is a snapshot of a work-in-progress, or rather, works-in-progress. I hope you will join me on the exploration and journey.
- DAVID BEN
David Ben appears on stage this December at Soulpepper. Tickets available. Use promo code MAGIC10 for 10% off regular ticket prices for shows happening before Dec 20.
