This interview was conducted during the bonus edition of the School of Magic, Volume 1. Father and daughter talk in turn about their beginnings, what made them “fall in love” with magic, their inspirations and their career paths. To buy the School of Magic, Volume 1 click here.  

Videos were recorded for broadcast at the time, both in our store and in our café-théâtre. Here are some extracts, covering the period from 1989 to 1992. They are divided into two parts: Part #1: Mayette Part #2: Le Double Fond  

Every great artist has his truth... Before understanding the secret of his magical art, discover Christian Grace in this presentation video which will allow you to learn more about him and his specialties.  

The shooting of the program “School of Magic - Volume 1” was held in a “killer“ mood. We'd like to share this nice moment with you.  

The 17 Fundamental Effects of Magic

By Winston Freer

“Precious information that can change your life, not in the ordinary sense of the word, but fundamentally: change your life. By applying a few of Freer's precepts, you'll gain access to a magic that few use because they haven't understood the power of such discoveries. May your magic grow a little richer, as we should constantly desire!”

Dominique Duvivier

The items described were published in the 1900s(*). A study, a plan of work involves the search for a miracle, or at least the typical miracle trick. To determine what a magician can do, we're going to make a list of the effects that science can't achieve. This is the important point.

A miracle is a simple, well-executed fundamental effect that science can't achieve. Apparently, there are 17 of these fundamental effects that science cannot explain:

• 1 - Production: Science rejects the idea that material can be created. Material has always been there: you can't create something out of nothing.
• 2 - Disappearance or Destruction: You can't make something disappear without a trace of it remaining, scientifically speaking.
• 3 - Transformations and Transformations into... Changing materials (e.g., alchemists transforming metals into gold) seems impossible without the use of energy.
• 4 - The Shape of Materials: Changing the shape of a material without tools is humanly impossible.
• 5 - Size Change: A thing cannot grow or shrink spontaneously.
• 6 - Color Change: You can't change the color of an object without a chemical process.
• 7 - Change of Temperature: It's impossible to go from hot to cold immediately.
• 8 - Change of Position: Teleportation (moving an object effortlessly) is beyond the scope of science.
• 9 - Change of Weight or Mass: The mass or weight of an object is unalterable according to science.
• 10 - Magnetism: Making non-metallic objects adhere to each other without adhesives is scientifically inexplicable.
• 11 - Levitation: Levitation contradicts Newton's laws without any visible connection.
• 12 - Penetration: Two solids occupying the same space without damage is irrational.
• 13 - Restoration: Effortlessly restoring a damaged object is magic.
• 14 - Remote Control: Controlling an action from a distance is considered impossible.
• 15 - Sympathy: An action on one object transmits its effect to another (e.g., voodoo).
• 16 and 17 - Mentalism Effects: Include divination (finding hidden objects) and prediction (foreseeing the future).

“A basic, visual effect with apparent movement that illustrates one of these effects can be considered a miracle. Thus, we can take classic miracles to illustrate each of our 17 points.”

Winston Freer

• 1 - Appearance: The appearance of writing on a slate.
• 2 - Disappearance: The little birdcage that disappears between the hands.
• 3 - Change of Material: The egg on the fan.
• 4 - Transformation: The torn paper becomes a small hat.
• 5 - Change of Size: The dice that grows (Buatier de Kolta) or the egg that shrinks.
• 6 - Change of Color: Water becomes wine.
• 7 - Change of Temperature: The heating ball.
• 8 - Change of Position: The kerosene lamp disappears from one table and reappears on another.
• 9 - Change of Weight or Mass: Robert Houdin's Box, which becomes light or heavy at will.
• 10 - Magnetism: In the U.S., this effect is called “Sliding glue” (e.g., the pencil that holds itself).
• 11 - Levitation: The floating ball.
• 12 - Penetration: Linking Rings.
• 13 - Restoration: Bjork Lunde's cut rope (see The Encyclopedia of Rope Tricks).
• 14 - Remote Control: Rising cards.
• 15 - Sympathy Effect: Chinese Sticks (pull one and the other pulls up).
• 16 - Divination: Example: the sand trick.
• 17 - Predictions: Writing on the wall.

(*) References:

• "The Maxam Outline of the 17 Fundamental Effects of Magic," The Linking Ring, Vol.22, No.11, January 1942, pp.38-42.
• "Winston Freer [5]," Le Magicien, No.132, September 1993, pp.4523-4524.
• "Winston Freer [6]," Le Magicien, No.133, December.

 

Every great artist has his truth... Before understanding the secret of his magical art, discover Markobi in this presentation video which will allow you to learn more about him and his specialties.  

Dominique Duvivier entered the Mayette Magie Magic Shop for the very first time in 1958, when he was 8 years old! He shares with us his experiences and feelings at the time... Enjoy these memories in three parts..  

Card techniques: Dominique Duvivier explains one false cut of his own. The deck appears to be cut while it remains in its original order. To buy a regular deck of cards click here.  

Card Techniques: Dominique Duvivier explains a false cut in 3 packets ; the deck seems to be cut, but it remains in its original order at the end of the move. To buy a regular deck of cards click here.  

Jeff McBride is one of today's leading magicians. Among his many activities, every Monday evening he presents a live webcast featuring special guests, celebrity interviews and the magical wisdom of the world's greatest magicians. This Monday, it was Alexandra and Dominique Duvivier's turn to be interviewed by Jeff Mc Bride. They describe their individual and duo paths, talk about their iconic tricks, Alexandra's participation in Penn & Teller's “Fool Us”, but also about the café-théâtre (Le Double Fond), the training of professional magicians (Double Fond Formation), the streaming platform (Double Fond TV), the magic shop (Mayette Magie)... This interview is available in 3 episodes.  

Every great artist has his truth... Before understanding the secret of his magical art, discover Gabriel Werlen in this presentation video which will allow you to learn more about him and his specialty.  

Alexandra Duvivier introduces Peter Din, who then shares his secrets and experience of magic for children.  

Peter Din is a specialist in magic for kids. In this interview (in several parts), he answers the question: Why magic for kids? More than that, he explains the “how”, and his vision of this particular type of show.  

JeanLuc Bertrand presents his BLiNKiNG effect concept, which he applies in particular to his “BLinKiNG Influence” trick.  

Every great artist has his truth... Before understanding the secret of his magical art, discover John Bannon in this presentation video which will allow you to learn more about him and his specialty.  

Every great artist has his truth... Before understanding the secret of his magical art, discover Pavel in this presentation video which will allow you to learn more about him and his specialty.