David Copperfield performed three big shows here in Melbourne. Brendan Croft reports from his front row seat on the closing night

Five rows from the front and right in the middle for arguably the greatest and most famous magician alive today, yep, I was excited and I’m not ashamed to admit it. With child like anticipation I even measured the remaining days in sleeps, “x more sleeps until Copperfield”. My wife and kids knew exactly when it was as did every one around me, what can I say, I’m a child at heart. Originally I hadn’t planned on going, I simply couldn’t justify $250+ for a ticket and I wasn’t going to get a cheap partially obscured or “bring the binoculars” seat. My family had other plans. After asking me if I’d like it as a combined present from my parents and sister I happily agreed. No Christmas presents for me this year from them or birthday present next year, but I’m happy with that, presents well chosen I think.

When I arrived I was surprised to see no merchandise, I probably wouldn’t have purchased a t-shirt or anything, but I was planning on getting a program, but nothing of the sort, just food and drink. As waiting for the doors to open I was amused when they announced that no photography was allowed in the auditorium, without missing a beat they then said “however, alcohol is allowed inside the auditorium”. So they don’t allow you any aid with remembering the night, but doing something to the contrary is fine, and anyway, audiences are better after a couple of drinks I suppose.

Once I was in and seated I ran into a couple of other local magicians also sitting up the front. I moved down to the front row to say hello to Chuck Fayne and then got lucky. An usher came up to confirm his meet and greet with David, Chuck had me sitting in a spare chair next to him and including me in his group, then another usher walked along the front row speaking to each person asking if they were supposed to be there. Chuck just grabbed my arm, “shh, just come with us” and off we went, as the first usher had returned to get us. A quick trip backstage and a chance to say hello and shake hands, quick introductions, and back to our seats, for me that meant my actual seat, as the ushers were looking for the extra person in the front row as we were ushered off back stage.

Then the show started. I have listed the effects presented in the show below, I’ve done my best to get them in the right order – even made 3 phone calls – but I think the order is still wrong. Over all I thought it was a good show, but there were a couple of disappoints. Firstly David seemed tired or disinterested, especially in the Grandfather speech. I couldn’t decide if he was looking at a cue card or examining his cuticles, he certainly wasn’t “in” the story. Perhaps he tired of the same show or maybe tired at the end of a tour, but either way it’s just wrong. When I worked on camps we always reminded our selves that those in the latter weeks paid and expected the same as those who came the first week. Along with a couple of other people I’ve chatted to, I also thought the show was a bit short, excluding the 2 videos of 4-5 minutes each, the show went for about 1 hour and five minutes. At the end the audience seemed to be expecting more and not sure it was really finished, I guess you are supposed to leave them wanting more and he did.

The Show

I’m famous video – Obviously that’s my name, it never actually said that, but it was about 4-5 minutes of references to David in the media with TV exerts, news reporters using his name to describe something Ala “he did a Copperfield” and lots of them. I suppose it was to warm us up and remind us that we were in the presence of a true super star, someone whose very name has now invaded the modern English vernacular. Motorcycle appearance – Big white empty box, I’m sure we’ve all seen it, and it’s just as impressive live, a great way to start the show, there’s something innately energetic about a motorcycle and the rise in the audience feel was noticeable.

Hand thing – The classic crossing of the arms and clasping hands then turning them thumbs up. It certainly got some laughs a few mutterings of “how did he do that” from the audience around me, but I thought it seemed to drop the excitement level and David seemed a little tired (or sick of the same show at the end of a tour). He did certainly come across as likeable, and during the night even his more risqué comments were all within my prudish range of what’s appropriate for a family show. He just seems so damn nice.

Steal plate – One of my favourite Copperfield tricks is his building implosion escape, but it’s the appearance on the sheet of steel at the end that I actually like, in fact it’s one of the best illusions I’ve ever seen in my own humble opinion. I assume this effect is the same method and the indoor “small” version. David lay in the middle of a frame and a sheet of examined steel is lowered into place above him. A stretchy cloth is then pulled down over the plate and only about 50cm down the sides. The cloth then stretches in the middle of the steel plate as David penetrates up thru’ it. This was my favourite illusion of the night.

Ring Flight – I know of people that don’t like this trick because most presentations tend to trivialize what is most likely a very special item to the volunteer. I myself perform this and put great effort to ensuring I never trivialize the ring to nothing more than a magic prop. David would make the fore mentioned people cringe at best. After borrowing a ring he examines it with a magnifying glass and declares it cheap, he then produces a small sign with a marked down price on it, then turns it over to show www.cheapassrings.com. It got plenty of laughs tho’ and I’m not the average Joe (see prudish reference above). The trick was wrapped in a story about his youth and him showing a small sneaker and putting in his “back” pocket (after getting the female vol to check it was empty) The story went that he made rings vanish and they would appear on the lace of his shoe……you know the rest. He did seem to hold the ring very tight to his right hip which isn’t really required if handled well, but then he’s surrounded by cameras so maybe he knows better, the oddest thing tho’ was at the end. After revealing the ring on the shoe lace, he unclipped it! It really detracted from the illusion and I think partially tips the method, why not untie the laces?

Ties – David borrowed a tie from an audience member, an appropriately shiny red one at that, the tie is then animated and dances around with the obligatory show of no strings. It rose, it fell, it wiggled and wobbled and in the end it was joined by 3 more ties popping up from another box. This was the fun trick of the night I felt, light hearted presentation of something most layman pretty much know about, proving the adage that the audience will kind of self censor themselves if the routine is entertaining. What I mean by that is that they know about invisible magic strings, but as long as they don’t see them, and you make the routine entertaining enough, they just ignore what they know while they watch.

Scorpion Card trick – Two female volunteers and a bloody great scorpion, after some fun by play, a card is chosen and the scorpion retrieves it from the deck held in tongs. I certainly wasn’t expecting that, I thoroughly enjoyed it, I like nasty critters a I especially like volunteers feeling uncomfortable (when appropriate of course, not just when possible) I’m still perplexed about why this was in the show, but I’ve since been told that David owns a scorpion so maybe he just wanted to use it.

Squash – He lay in a box, head out one end, feet out the other, arms out the top. He then uses handles on top to pull the box in and shrinks himself.

Grand father prediction and production – First was the prediction of 6 2 digit numbers and a thing or place or time, story about his grand father, apparently he was a bastard, at least that was my interpretation of the story. The prediction obviously matched and then matched his grand father’s number plates. At this point large curtains are held up and the car appears on 2 pedestals. The car production was impressive, very impressive, but for me the prediction was good but the revelation was let down by the shear confusion with black clad helpers seeming to be every where so I simply remember too many possible times for a switch.

Duck Bucket – Watch the linked video, what more do I need to add.

Floating Rose – Another one you can just watch.

“I do amazing escapes, but not now, so here’s a video” – Admittedly I have paraphrased that, but that was essentially it, we then watched a video of his flaming spikes escape.

Fan – Ala walking thru a wall, he walks into the fan and doesn’t come out the other side. He then appears in the middle of the audience.

THE END

ENCORE

13 – Thirteen volunteers are chosen with big grey balls thrown around the audience and they come forward, once on stage there are more than 13 and some are seated on “the seating” and some are sat on stools on the stage to act as close up witnesses. Those to be vanished are handed torches to shine thru’ a curtain that is placed around them, the torch lights play across the curtain for a moment then vanish, the curtain is torn away and all 13 are gone. David then uses a torch he has to point to a place at the back of the audience where the 13 are standing and waving torches. It really is quite impressive, but there were a couple of bits where it lost continuity, like all the torches behind the curtain changing a little. The other was saying one thing and doing another, but then again, it was once more confused by too many people on the stage.

So there you have it, overall not a great show but a good show non the less, and now I can say I've seen Copperfield. One more thing crossed of my list.