Max Maven Interview

Max, how long have you been interested in magic/ When did you start?
I have been involved with magic for over forty years. My interest began when a cousin showed me a couple of simple card tricks. Shortly thereafter, an uncle taught me a cut-and-restored string trick, and I was hooked.

You have created/devised an enormous body of magic over the years - which do you prefer, writing/inventing or performing?
I prefer diversity, which is why I perform, invent and write, and also lecture, direct, and consult. Each activity has its own points of interest; each affords a different way to explore and express. Asking which I like best would, I suppose, be like asking a parent to choose a favourite child.

Do you have any advice for young magicians starting out in magic?
Take it one step at a time. There is a vast amount of information out there, and a rich history that deserves study. There's more to magic than just gobbling up as many technical secrets as possible, as quickly as possible. Slow down; you'll find that the pleasure is in the journey.

Do you have a favourite trick?
I assume you're asking about the things that I do, rather than what I watch others perform.

Yes.
Not really. I have an extensive repertoire, and various routines have been designed to fit specific performing conditions.

Who are your magic heroes?
Ah. This is a much easier question, although in a way it's 'too' easy, as I could provide a very long list. I will offer just a few names that are among the first to come to mind: Dai Vernon, Theo Annemann, Stewart James, Maurice Fogel, Chan Canasta, Albert Goshman, Jack Chanin. (You'll note that those mentioned have all passed away. I'll refrain from mentioning any of my living heroes, to avoid inadvertently leaving someone out.)

Is there such a thing as a bad audience? (or just bad performances/shows?)
Every audience almost immediately develops a group identity. And, just as with individual people, there are some who are unpleasant. So yes, I do believe there is such a thing as a bad audience. Having said that, I hasten to add that more often than not, when a performer disparages an audience as having been bad, it's usually a means of shifting the blame away from an inadequate performance.

You have a very strong image for your performance. Have you always had this character or did it developed over time?
My character is an extension of myself, so in some ways I have always had it, at least in a very basic sense. Over the years, I have continued to explore my persona, and it was evolved and increased in depth and complexity. I expect that process will continue for the rest of my life.

How important is creating a character/image when performing magic?
A defined character is a key ingredient for any performer, in or out of magic. It is the foundation upon which everything else is built.

Thank you very much, Max Maven.