Out of the Box

Week 43 : Notes

For a long time it seemed that women were fated to no more that magicians’ assistants, being locked up, sawn in half or made to vanish. But there is more to the story.

As US-American magician Jen Kramer recounts a women’s history of magic, the idea that all magicians are men turns out to be an illusion.  Meet Adelaide Herrmann (1853–1932). Born in London she started as an assistant to her magician husband and went on to become a celebrity in her own right with the title of “the Queen of Magic.” The Got Talent format, a British invented TV show with spin offs in 69 countries, seems to provide the opportunity for female magicians to reach a wide audience. This is where Mandy Munden, British stand-up comedian and magician, Portuguese singer and magician Solange Kardinaly and Venezuelan Dania Diaz showcased their magic. 70 year old Fay Presto has many stories to tell. She is UK’s best known close-up magician. Her magic is based on ‘quick fingers’ and is performed in intimate settings to an audience that is usually sitting at a table.

Clear the stage for female magicians.