Hello!
We’re a ragtag team of magicians with unconventional ideas.
We post thoughts, ideas, essays and reviews roughly every week, but not each and every week.
Will you find this site useful? There’s really only one way to know. Read the site!
Learn more about our writers below…
Franklin – franklin@themagicoval.com
Franklin is an old fuck with a math and computing background. He performed his first magic tricks at the age of 7, but took another 9 years to get serious about the thing. He has never performed on stage in front of a giant screen documenting how his grandparents encouraged him to pursue magic. He has never performed a silent close-up act in front of a crowd with Hans Zimmer’s Time playing full blast. He has no fear of learning impossible sleights, but quite enough stage fright to make up for it. His favorite magic book is Magical Mathematics by Diaconis and Graham. His favorite Vegas show was Piff the Magic Dragon. He dreams of opening a magic restaurant venue but never will. He chooses beer over wine, likes roller coasters, and doesn’t read as often as he used to or should. His one redeeming quality is a willingness and intention to write at least half as much as Drew and at least twice as much as Jerry.
Anne – anne@themagicoval.com
When Anne was a young girl, her cousin showed her a card trick. She bothered him until he taught her the secret, and she has been bothering people with magic ever since. Anne will ruin any social gathering in the service of magic. We aren’t entirely sure if she works here, but she keeps writing in regardless. Her love language is doing bits.
Drew – drew@themagicoval.com
I’m the youngest writer at the Oval, and the one responsible for all those posts about card tricks. I’m partial to card magic and find pleasure in practicing sleight of hand. I consider it a type of meditation that happens to supplement my magic. In real world performance I favor psychology, being “hands off”, and participant-centric effects. Basically, I don’t like effects that just involve “look at me!”. My pseudonym is indicative of that personal philosophy, a nod to someone that’s been a big inspiration in that regard.
I believe it all started when my godmother first showed me her versions of the 21-card trick and Ambitious Card. I was roughly seven years old. Reflecting back on the way she used to perform for my kid self, I am reminded of Juan Tamariz’s performing persona. She was bubbly, goofy, yet very dramatic. I owe her for giving me a positive magic memory. She is one of my major magic influences.
When I turned thirteen, my amateur magician cousin showed me a card trick and offered to teach it to me. I remember it well. He forced a card on me and had a prediction. The prediction was wrong. It was a prediction written with a Frixion pen, and the writing morphed into the correct card when he held a lighter underneath it. As simple as that may sound, I remember prepubescent Drew experiencing a true moment of astonishment.
I eventually moved countries and started high school (as it’s called in the US). As cliché as it might sound, I believe being the new guy (no, not Michael Weber) in school was the final piece of the catalyst for me to start magic. The more I studied, the more passionate and interested I became. Magic inspired me to enter into a psychology program in university, and I tried to incorporate my passion for magic into my studies. It was during that program that the Editor recruited me. Here’s to the Editor for giving my passion and knowledge a platform, helping me to develop my literary prose, and being a damn good boss.
Jerry – jerry@themagicoval.com
Shit, you’re still reading? I thought for sure that everyone would tune out somewhere in the middle of Drew’s epic saga. Well, alright then, I guess I have to write something. I’m Jerry. I’m known for being responsible for the most retractions and errata of anyone involved. What can I say? I’m a flawed person.
Okay, the Editor is telling me I have to actually give some details about myself and not just be self-deprecatory. Fine. I performed my first magic tricks at the age of 7, but took another 19 years to get serious about the thing. I have never performed on stage. I have never—
Okay, the Editor is telling me I can’t just parody Franklin’s bio. I give up. I’ll write more later.