In this exclusive interactive course Will Houstoun will share his thoughts on and approach to magic with coins, as well as a selection of the routines that form his performing repertoire. Pieces explained will include unpublished material and ideas, kept secret for over a decade, that he has used to win The European Championships of Close-up Magic (2006) and The Magic Circle Close-up Magician of the Year (2015).
Tricks and routines discussed in the course include:
Flip fly - Will’s first foray into the Three-Fly plot, this routine uses a less common gaff in an unusual way.
Baker’s Three Fly - This routine changes the feel and pace of the visible coins across plot, creating a different experience for your audience.
International Three Fly - Never before explained, this routine follows the same basic structure as Three Fly but uses three different coins: an English penny, and American half dollar and a ‘Chinese’ coin.
Coin 0.5 - Will’s current favourite handling of three fly doesn’t use three coins or feature several moments normally seen in the routine… it does however feature some stunning visual magic and detailed thinking on the plot! Will will explain how he came to this preferred sequence and teach the entire routine in fine detail.
Fire Coins - Three coins appear from, and disappear into, the flame of a candle. This is not only a beautiful coin routine but it also features and idea with a candle that anyone who uses flash-paper will want to try for themselves!
Bouncing Shadows - This is Will’s handling of shadow coins, one of the most magical coin tricks there is. Will has featured this trick on numerous TV appearances and will teach all the subtleties that he has discovered in over a decade’s work.
Impromptu Shadows - Bouncing Shadows is Will’s preferred Shadow Coins sequence, but sometimes you will find yourself without the ‘certain something’ needed to perform the routine. For those occasions Impromptu Shadows will ensure that you are still able to performa a beautiful, deceptive piece of magic.
Matrix - Will offers his thoughts on Al Schneider's modern classic, including the subtleties and finesse that make the routine shine. He also offers a variant handling on the final coin that allows you to change the pace of the routine.
Jumbo Production - Will has ended the vast majority of his coin performances with the production of one, or sometimes two, jumbo coins. Until now, he has never revealed the detail of how he handles these productions or the devious secret behind the double production.
In addition to these feature pieces, and a wealth of other hints and tips on various moves and pieces of sleight of hand, Will also discusses his thoughts on conjuring, steered by Alakazam’s very own Andy as well as questions from the Academy chatroom chaired by Sarah and H. In these wide-ranging discussions topics explored include: the nature of magic, naturalness, elegance, what coins to use, practice, rehearsal, how to evaluate a routine, the role of compromise in conjuring and the elusive question as to whether or not magic is an art.
Endorsements
"Will created one of my most used tricks and my go-to effect if someone stops me and asks to see something." - Dynamo
"Will is a natural communicator with bags of content to match the best.” - John Archer
"An original mix of eye popping sleight of hand.” - Ernest Earick
"[Will] is a really fine magician with some serious chops.” - Genii Magazine
"Smooth as silk... I loved your three fly and all your little touches. One of the best I've witnessed. Your shadow coins move so effortlessly and your attention to detail is unmatched." - Dean Dill
Biography
Will Houstoun has a PhD in the history of magical education, supervised by Dame Marina Warner, and is a winner of both The European Magic Championships and The Magic Circle Close-up Magician of the Year. He holds a Literary Fellowship with The Academy of Magical Arts in Los Angeles and a Research Fellowship with The Victoria and Albert Museum Research Institute. Consultancy credits include Martin Scorsese's Hugo, the BBC's Wolf Hall and The Almeida's The Twilight Zone. Other clients include The Wellcome Trust, The RSC and The ROH
