Genii Magazine October 2025

Living the Dream
Mat Franco’s first decade after AGT has been historic, and wonderfully magical. A look back at how his show first started and where it is today.

The Stories Onstage at Magic Live
This year’s convention offered new types of storytelling for the art of magic. And, an interview with Stan Allen.

Una Vida Para La Magia: An Appreciation
English-language look at the Spanish edition of David Bamberg’s biography.

In Practice

• Magicana – Richard Kaufman presents Kazayuki Hase’s Impromptu Play It Straight, a notable Triumph.
• Inventing Magic – Blake Vogt shares Slush Free, a few cups and Rune Klan’s insights.
• Spectator Cuts to the Aces – Adam Elbaum shares a professional approach to an appealingly impossible plot.
• Grandma’s Canisters – David Regal’s variation on A Nest of Boxes, direct from a Magic Castle performance.

In Performance

• The Magic Castle – Shawn McMaster on Taiwan's visit to The Castle, with a cast of innovators
• The Rhapsody Theater – Vanessa Armstrong on Ricardo Rosenkranz’s beautiful, magical theater

Marketplace

• Not Forgotten – David Regal shares his thoughts on "Bewildering", the trick that Doug Henning brought to television, and fooled everyone
• Book Reviews – Marlo’s Magazines; Sub-Genius Center Tear; Gold; Redemption.
• Staff Picks: Magic Land – The Onosoka family and their famous Tokyo magic shop—their popular tricks, their new customers
• Trick Reviews – Cosmos; No Risk; ProKito Coin Box.

Workshop

• The Warped Deck – Dr. Matt Pritchard shares omething that simply can’t be, but is.
• More You – Pete Mccabe explains how the key to personalizing a show is in the script.
• Negotiating – Sara Crasson shares how to use negotiations to make almost anything better.
• Ten Thousand Shows – Harrison Greenbaum shares his big milestone and some incredibly useful lessons.

Perspectives

• Sleightly Astonishing – Jim Hagy talks technology and the Netherlands posse.
• Jackie Merkle – Ben Winn shares stories of a kid mentalist who weathered the Great Depression.
• The Operation – Kevin James appears to cut someone in half and maybe he does!
• Café avec... Alexandra Duvivier – The amazing French magician talks about how she doesn’t talk about herself