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Introductory Letter From David London
Greetings,
This website is intended for fellow practitioners of magic.
If you are like me, you believe that the secret to magic are not only found in its methodology.
If you are interested in exploring, sharing and thinking about magic beyond its effects and methods, you have come to the right place.
But fear not, you will also find some of my original tricks, effects and routines.
So stick around. I’m glad you are here.
Cheers, David London
History
I began performing magic when I was seven years old. In my teens, my interest turned towards thinking about what else there was to magic than just tricks. Since then, I have spent over half of my life wondering just what magic is. I used to believe that I would one day be able to know. Surely, hidden in some tome was the golden ticket that unlocked all the answers. I was determined to read everything I could find. Though I remained interested in how a magician did his tricks, I also wanted to know why.
I read all the why’s I could find. I guess part of me was hoping I would discover in someone else’s words, my own answer as to why I was a magician. I felt like I had to figure this out before I could actually be a magician. Technique aside, what would I have to know about the world and myself before I could continue down this path?
I remained convinced that if I could continue to read about how other magicians thought about magic, certainly, at some point, someone must have figured it all out, and I just had to find it. When I was fifteen, feeling as though I had exhausted my resources I began to produce Behind The Smoke and Mirrors (the precursor to Beyond The Smoke and Mirrors), hoping I would one day receive the essay I had been waiting for. Of course, this never occurred.
With ideas about magic swirling in my head, I began to envision unexplored possibilities for magic. This desire to know was only heightened when I began working with Alain Nu and his wife Tanya Thielke, to create The Phoenix Gathering, an experimental retreat for magicians, which ran from 2000-2002. Here, I was exposed to varieties of magical performance I never even knew existed.
With ideas now blossoming, I began to create theatrical magic shows that at one point or another all seemed to answer my questions about magic. In 2001, Francis Menotti and I created and performed “Cerebral Sorcery.”. From 2004-2005, I created and performed “...Art of Dreams” with Hiawatha Johnson. In 2005, I collaborated with Rick Maue to create a family show for the Chicago Children’s Museum, called “The Adventure to the Imagi Nation.” And most recently, I have been working once again with Rick Maue to develop my current show, “(insert title here) - An Evening with David London.”
Despite my attempts to uncover the answers to what magic is, I have now come to believe that there is no golden ticket. Though there have been several times in my life where I thought I had found the key to it all, now I am convinced the key to it all is to never stop looking for the key.
The remains from my search can be found here.
The essays I collected and continue to collect from fellow magicians can be found in Beyond The Smoke and Mirrors. The ideas, routines and effect I developed, as well as various thoughts on magic can be found by clicking Words & Things. If you are interested in having me lecture or perform for your group, please visit David London Live. And if you are interested in knowing more about my shows and other work, please visit my website at www.divergency.com. |
