Blaine and Angel

Ssmagic: What do you think of David Blaine, Criss Angel and Derren Brown?

Paul Daniels: I have written all this up elsewhere on this site... Now that they are all bundled up together I will say one thing and not say to whom I am applying this principle...I haven't got respect for stuff that is set up with people before the show, live or TV, where the audience is led to believe that they have seen the whole process of magic. I know the 'argument' that it is better to fool millions and just have a couple in the know.... but it really doesn't wash with me.

If that is the ONLY way you can pull off the effect then let's just bring in an actor and let him/her do our job. There are SO many ways to bring about our Art of Deception that using the pre-stooge method seems to me to 'lose' pride in performance. Why not use camera tricks? Oh yes, sometimes some do!

Going back to your roots

El Lusion: Hi Paul, thanks for talking to us all here at Bunny.

I heard a while ago that you had got tired of all the large stage stuff and that you where going to go back to where you started out in magic, and you were going to do a series of shows in smaller clubs and village halls etc.

Did you do this? Or are you planning to do it. If so what were/are your driving reasons for doing so. And If you've already done it did you enjoy it and get what you wanted out off it.

Paul Daniels: I laughed when I read the newspapers feeling sorry for me 'HAVING' to do shows in village halls instead of big theatres and all that jazz. How little the press know about our business, and, I suspect, about ANY business.

I have always tried to do a real mixture of shows in each year. Sometimes you can't, like when I was in the Prince of Wales Theatre and the show ran for 14 months. Even then, in that time I managed to record two magic series, two game show series, be a Radio Two DJ every Sunday lunchtime, a radio series of Dealing with Daniels, make four films training people how to spot Credit Card Fraud, countless press and radio interviews, and even a golf TV show called A Round with Alliss. Get the idea?

Quite a few years ago now I became aware that Theatre Managers, certainly in the civic theatres, were no longer from show business but had qualifications in general business terms. Sorry, but that doesn't work in our business and, so sad to say, they failed to make their areas consider going to the theatre as an evening's entertainment option. Even in the old days the managers knew that showmanship and 'splash' was the key to getting bums on seats. I went back, as I say, years ago, to not touring illusions but rather to 'sell' ME as the product. This minimised my expenses enormously. No staff; no vans to hire; no get in and get out costs, and so on.

About four years ago I heard about jazz groups doing village halls and I did the sums.

If I hire a theatre, or split the box office, it is VERY expensive. Then I have to pay a publicity agent to promote the show. The theatre wants up to 100 large posters and up to 15,000 fliers. Incidentally, when you get to the theatres they frequently have not bothered to pass them out!!!!

Let's consider the village hall. Maximum 'rent' is £100, sometime it is free and most times it is £50.

One poster!!!!!! No fliers!!!!!!! The hall will seat on average about 150 to 250 and it sells out, for me, within a couple of hours. After I have knocked off the dreaded VAT, I pick up about a tenner a seat. Do the sums! The audiences are there to be entertained and because of the style of my show, when I use audience members the rest of the village KNOW them. It's a lovely atmosphere and I, ME, have a great time.

This year I have done 8 of them and will probably do the same again next year.

David Copperfield

The Magician: Hi Paul, do you think David Copperfield is the greatest stage illusionist of our time.

Paul Daniels: No, but he is very good.

Most Dangerous Trick

Furret: Hi Mr. Daniels I'm a big fan and I was wondering what was the most dangerous trick you performed or saw during your magic career?

Paul Daniels: ANY trick that uses Fire Water Electricity Height or where the human body is in any situation where they COULD get hurt is potentially dangerous and you should treat all such effects, large or small, with the UTMOST respect.

Do not, repeat, do NOT, get involved with them until you have read everything you can get your hands on to limit the chances of you getting hurt.

The most potentially dangerous trick I have done is to be tied to two powerboats on Windermere and escape as they shot off in different directions. Why? I can't swim!