Ring 216 had the honor and the pleasure of learning from and being fooled by the delightful Curtis Kam on November 12, 2024. Introduced by Syd Kashima to the largest gathering of the year, Curtis talked about how, after fifty years of performing strolling magic, he thinks he has finally solved some problems, and would share his solutions that night.
Curtis opened our eyes to a fresh view on the 2-in-the-hand, 1-in-the-pocket theme, ringing changes on Vernon’s dice routine with a laugh-inducing presentation. Then, asking the perennial question, “Is it ever okay to start a set with a card trick?”, Curtis presented his solution for an opener that was especially good for quickly getting the attention of kids – the head-shaking appearance of three coins and then an invisible flight with the help of the spectators, a presentation that gives commercial enhancements to Vernon’s Silk and Silver.
What about the problem of using a jumbo coin as a finish to a routine? Everyone goes “wow” when it appears, but then they all want to see it -- they pass it around -- and the show trickles away. So he came up with a routine that both uses and dispenses with the jumbo coin. Then there was the problem of Leipzig’s Opener from Stars of Magic, which he had long employed but became unhappy that it was only a two-beat trick and something of a sucker effect. He solved both issues by adding a third beat for a powerful finish.
Then Curtis had fun with magic made to show magicians: an indecorous spectator-cuts-the-aces with a blank deck finale, a six-coin routine, and, from the “secret” issue of The Disclaimer, the Travelers with coins. More: an Ambitious Card that avoids the obvious moves, and finding satisfying endings to two Paul Harris effects. And more and more! Curtis’s approach to turning the four ace assembly into a spectator’s game was a real winner with the Ring audience. And he closed with his “new favorite thing”, a ring-and-rope routine with a massive ring and multiple penetrations.
We knew we were watching something very special that night. One of the warmest and most creative people in magic had chosen to share some of his vast experience with us. We are grateful to Curtis Kam for his wisdom, humor, and empathy that encourages us all to give the best we can to the world.
