John Archer

Desert Island Tricks

In this weeks episode, comedy magic legend John Archer takes us on an unexpected journey through his magical influences and philosophy. Rather than showcasing his signature repertoire, John reveals the eight effects he'd take to a desert island, most of which he's never performed professionally.

What makes this episode particularly fascinating is John's vulnerable admission about why he doesn't perform certain tricks: "If I see a trick done so well that I think I couldn't do it better, then I don't want to do it." This refreshing honesty leads to wonderful stories about watching Andy Nyman's "Sophie" trick, being mesmerised by Harry Blackstone Jr.'s Floating Light Bulb, and appreciating the masterful comedy of Bob Reed's Knife Through Coat routine.

The episode delivers a masterclass in performance philosophy when John introduces his "FIRE" principle, ensuring every moment of a routine is either Funny, Interesting, Relevant, or Entertaining. This approach transforms even the procedural aspects of magic into engaging moments. "A lot of the time the process is relevant," John explains, "but just relevant on its own isn't often enough."

Between colourful anecdotes about his early days at Alan Alan's Magic Spot and a mysterious American magician who bought him his first Rainbow Cascade, John offers invaluable insights for performers of all experience levels. His passionate banishment of what he call’s "karaoke magic" and in particular the Vanishing Bandana, it provokes thought about originality versus imitation in performance.

Whether you're a seasoned magician or simply curious about the psychology behind great entertainment, John's practical wisdom, delivered with his signature humour and sincerity, will transform how you think about creating meaningful moments for audiences.

John’s Desert Island Tricks:

1. Crazy Mans Handcuffs
2. Rainbow Cascade
3. Tossed Out Deck
4. Invisible Deck
5. Sophie Trick
6. Floating Light bulb
7. Knife Through Coat
8. Aerial Fishing

Banishment. The Vanishing Bandana

Book. The Amateur Magicians Handbook

Item. Ukulele

Find out more about the creators of this Podcast at www.alakazam.co.uk

Chapters

1. Meeting a Mystery Magician (00:00:00)

2. Introduction to John Archer (00:03:00)

3. Close-Up Origins: Crazy Man's Handcuffs (00:05:40)

4. Rainbow Cascade and Davenport's Story (00:16:10)

5. The Tossed Out Deck Philosophy (00:27:30)

6. The "FIRE" Approach to Performance (00:48:40)

7. Admired Effects: Sophie to Floating Lightbulb (01:02:00)

8. Final Selections and Banishments (01:22:55)