Out Of The Ordinary

I suppose you could distinguish between stage magic, closeup magic, mentalism etc., but the absolute best piece of magic I’ve ever seen is David Copperfield’s “Flying”.  This piece avoids all of the tedious build up that plagues so many stage illusions.  “Flying” is the pure essence of magic, distilled into a perfect form and presented to the audience.  What makes this piece so incredibly powerful is not only simplicity, it’s that Copperfield makes the audience want to believe that it’s real magic.  

Copperfield beings on a bare stage.  He doesn’t use a fancy costume, or any kind of elaborate stage setting.  On the contrary, he’s wearing a pair of jeans and a black sweater.  His presentation begins with a lifelong wish to fly.  Not to fly with wings, or some kind of machine, but to “push against the air and fly”.  Copperfield lies on his back on the stage, and puts his hands out to the sides and makes a gentle downward motion.  As his hands come down, Copperfield rises into the air, achieving in one simple movement what mankind has dreamed of for years. 

Flying under his own power isn’t enough for David Copperfield though.  In any magic show, there “convincers” put into the illusions to make the audience believe what they’re seeing is real.  For example, when a magician performs the Sawing In Half illusion, the halves of the table are separated, apparently showing the magician’s body cut in half.  In many such illusions, the convincers are slightly forced, and can do more harm to the overall experience than good.  Jeff McBride says “don’t run when there’s no one chasing you”, and Copperfield seems to take that to heart when performing “Flying”.  

Copperfield does indeed convince us that he’s not held up by wired, harnesses or any kind of apparatus, but he uses the concept of convincers in a very passive way.  As he flies around the stage, he does mid-air somersaults, crosses the entire length of the stage and turns in the air, showing the audience that there are no wires wrapped around him.  As well, Copperfield takes off and lands at several different points on the stage.  All of these things are meant to prove to the audience that he really is just flying under his own power.  

David Copperfield shows us that he can fly.  Rationally, we know that it’s all an illusion, and that he’s not really flying.  However, Copperfield’s presentation makes us suspend our disbelief, and indulge the thought that maybe, just maybe it’s real magic.