Since 1947, Abbott’s Magic has offered a parlor effect called “Hole in One.” Background, description, and a whimsical performance video is available on Martin’s Magic Collection. The trick is one of those you don’t see much anymore as a parlor performance with lots of props has gone out of fashion and replaced with material that can be packed in one case.
“Hole in One” is by no means a great trick. Nor is it a bad trick. It won’t elicit gasps or screams – maybe a polite nod and smile. What it does represent is category of magic where the workings are far more interesting than the actual effect. A friend performed this at a monthly show many years ago and afterwards we were talking about how the audience would be more fascinated by the clever mechanism than the trick. It was here that the “Hole in One” category of magic was born.
We magicians love a crafty, cunning mechanism, gaff, gimmick or technique. Our love causes us to overlook the fact that the trick really isn’t all that great. It’s not magical or necessarily entertaining.
There’s nothing wrong with this category of magic. There’s a whole community of Tenyo collectors who love this type of magic. Kept within the magic community is fine. Performing it for audiences is another thing altogether as they’re not magical.
We should strive to perform effects that look magical. When we select pieces to perform, we need to take off our magician’s hat and put on a participant’s hat and ask the question, “is this magical and astonishing?” We need to look beyond the mechanics.
