Americas Got Talent 9 Live Shows - David and Leeman

For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers

How Did David and Leeman Do?

David & Leeman, Quarter Finals 1 ~ America's... by HumanSlinky

For their live show performance, David and Leeman began by taking a "Selfie" of themselves and the judges and uploading it onto Twitter. They then took out four books (all of which were autobiographies which had been written by the judges during their career outside AGT), and had each judge choose a book (Not their own), tear a random page out of it, and tear that page up into smaller pieces.  They then got Howard to choose a number between one and ten. He chose seven, and David gave Howie the seventh scrap of paper in the pile. He then told Howie to pick the longest word on his scrap of paper, which turned out to be "Camera-Ready". David and Leeman then showed the "Selfie" that they had uploaded to Twitter- "Camera-Ready" was the opening word in the tweet containing the photo. Furthermore, they had also changed their signature name tags to show the chosen word.

The trick was not as original as David and Leeman's audition, but it was still clever, and the presentation was funny and creative. However, there were two major flaws which almost ruined the performance. The first of these was the use of all four judges as volunteers. As Collins Key found out on several occasions last year, they are not very co-operative, and their banter proved to be an annoying distraction. A more serious problem was the fact that David and Leeman were unusually specific when telling Howie to pick a word, advising him to pick the biggest word he could, and making him change his choice because the first one he picked ("Wrong") was not impressive enough. This damaged the trick, because reducing Howie's freedom reduced the impact of the correct prediction. In spite of the errors, David and Leeman did well enough to avoid being an outright disappointment, but their performance could have been so much better.

What Did the Judges Say?

Howard, Mel B and Howie gave David and Leeman a standing ovation. Mel B called them "Genius" and Howie said their tricks were "Baffling". Howard was more reserved, enjoying the trick but feeling that the delivery dragged. Heidi said that she preferred their audition and agreed with Howard's criticisms of the delivery.

What Was the Competition Like?

For the most part, David and Leeman's competition was strong. However, two acts can be ruled out very quickly. JD Anderson repeated stunts from his earlier performances and made a number of mistakes, whilst Sean & Luke's performance was too noisy and not precise enough. Valo & Bobby provided a spectacular performance, but the levels of danger involved may prevent viewers from voting for them. The Willis Clan's appeal may be limited to fans of country music, whilst Julia Goodwin squandered her haunting voice on an inappropriate song choice ("Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls). Dan Naturman was funny, but his material is better suited to a deadpan approach instead of the hyperactive delivery he uses. Jasmine Flowers were beautiful to watch, but bad staging and lighting distracted from their performance. The two other dance troupes in the heat, Flight Crew Jump Rope and Baila Conmigo were fast-paced, energetic and precise, but i'm not sure if they're unique enough to be major contenders.  Two acts are almost guaranteed to make it through. Emily West provided a unique and spectacular rendition of Sia's song "Chandelier", whilst Miguel Dakota blended his heartthrob looks with the voice and style of a Rockstar twice his age.

What Are David and Leeman's Chances of Reaching the Next Round?

With five acts going through this week instead of the usual four, David and Leeman have a good chance of reaching the semi-finals due to their creativity and the American public's love of magic acts. However, due to the fact that their Live Show performance was not as professional or unique as their audition, they might have to advance as a Judge's Choice.

Americas Got Talent 9- Judgment Week

For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers

Last week, all the acts who made it through the auditions competed in New York for one of the 48 places in the Live Shows. As is the norm for Americas Got Talent, this included a large number of magicians. Which ones made it through?

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At the start of the episode, the judges and host Nick Cannon were shown visiting eight acts and telling them that they had made it through to the live shows. Among these acts were the magic duo David and Leeman, who received the good news from Heidi. They deserved to go through based on the creativity of their audition, and I can't wait to see what they do in the live shows.



Judgement Week ~ America's Got Talent 2014... by HumanSlinky

Apart from these acts, another eight were later confirmed by the Americas Got Talent website to be competing in the live shows despite the fact that they were not seen in New York. One of these acts was the close-up magician Smoothini, another fan favorite from the auditions. Unless there is evidence to confirm otherwise, it can be stated that Smoothini passed through automatically as well.

The Magicians Perform

Six magicians competed in Judgement Week. Two of them, Patrick Gable Marinelli and Stephen Knight were seen backstage, but their performances were not aired.

The first Judgement Week performance to air was that of Mike Super, who brought back his "Spirit Energy" Desmond for a mentalism trick. Mike used Howie and Nick as volunteers. He gave Howie a pair of blank chalkboards, told him to hold them in his hands with a piece of chalk sandwiched in between, and think of a chosen name. He then told Nick to name a random two-digit number, and summoned Desmond, who made the chosen name appear on one of the chalkboards. The other chalkboard contained a magic square in which all the numbers added up to the chosen number, 23. As if that wasn't enough, Mike added up the months of the judges birthdays, and the combined total of these was also 23. The trick was creative and executed well, but magic squares are not a very good choice for short routines, because they take too long to explain.

Psycho Jack, the horror-themed magician with a latex mask, performed next. He did a trick in which he put an assistant in a box and divided it into eight pieces. Unfortunately, he struggled to put the sawblades into the box properly, slowing down the trick and making it seem less convincing. Furthermore, he struggled to line the pieces up properly when he put them back together at the end. As a result of these major errors, Psycho Jack was eliminated on the spot.


America's Got Talent 2014, Boot Camp by HumanSlinky

Of the six magicians who performed in Judgement Week, the only one who had not been introduced at the audition stage was Franklin Saint, who performed close-up magic with a supernatural theme. He appeared to crush a water bottle without touching it, and turned an empty can of soda into one that was both closed and full. They were both good tricks, but they work better in close-up then they do on a stage.

Last to perform was Mat Franco, who provided the judges with yet another card trick. This time, he told Mel B to pick a card and shuffled it back into the deck. He then took the deck and used it to form a picture of Howie holding the chosen card. Whilst the trick is not difficult to figure out if you're an expert in card magic, it was unique and Mat performed it well.



America's Got Talent 2014, Boot Camp by HumanSlinky

Who Made It Through?

Of the Magicians who performed at Judgement Week, Mike Super and Mat Franco were the ones who made it through, joining David and Leeman and Smoothini in the Live Shows.

Who Will Perform in the First Live Show?

David and Leeman will perform in the first live show, where they will be up against...

• Strongman JD Anderson
• Chinese Dance Troupe Jasmine Flowers
• Jump-Rope Team Flight Crew Jump Rope
• Singer Emily West
• Singer Miguel Dakota
• Singer Julia Goodwin
• Family Band The Willis Clan
• Comedian Dan Naturman
• Salsa Dance Troupe Baila Conmigo
• Tap-Dance Duo Sean & Luke
• Balancing Acrobats Valo & Bobby

Americas Got Talent 9 - Vegas Week Preview

For British Viewers, This Article May Contain Spoilers

Americas Got Talent is now in its ninth season, and there is more talent than ever. This year, A record total of eight magicians were shown passing through the audition stage, and we are likely to see more in the "Judgement Week" round (Which will now take place in New York instead of Las Vegas). The successful magicians were:

• David and Leeman

David and Leeman performed a very unique magic trick based on the concept of "Pressure Phrenology". Many of this year's magicians used a judge as their volunteer, and David and Leeman chose to use Howie. David showed the judges and audience a set of words related to Howie, then showed Howie those words whilst Leeman squeezed his head. Howie was unable to read the words properly whilst Leeman was applying pressure. It was a great trick, as it was clever and hard to figure out. If David and Leeman can retain their unique approach, they could do well in the competition.

David & Leeman ~ America's Got Talent, 2014... by HumanSlinky

• Magic of Stephen Knight (Shown in the montage before Smoothini)

Stephen Knight performed an illusion inspired by the "3 Shell Game" trick. He used three buckets, and had a female assistant, who was hiding under a covered table, appear and disappear from beneath them. When Stephen removed the cloth covering the table, the female assistant was replaced with a male one. The twist at the end was executed well, but Stephen does not appear unique or spectacular enough to compete with his rivals.

• Patrick Gable Marinell (Shown in the montage before Smoothini)

Patrick performed a trick in which one of his assistants got into a box and vanished. Two flaming spears were thrown into the box to prove that she had vanished, and when they were removed, Patrick made his assistant reappear in the box, along with another one. The trick has been seen dozens of times before, but the presentation was slick and energetic. 

• Smoothini

Smoothini performed a close-up routine at the judges table. This consisted of a number of very simple tricks with cards, sponge balls, saltshakers, and a pen. It was beginner's magic, but it was performed with flair. I love Smoothini's "Ghetto Houdini" image, and he could be a potential winner if he blends his colorful persona with more unique tricks.

Smoothini ~ America's Got Talent, 2014 Auditions by HumanSlinky


• Mat Franco

Like Smoothini, Mat Franco performed a close-up routine on the judges table. He did a "storytelling" trick similar to the classic "673 King Street" routine, in which he made cards appear from a shuffled deck in an order that reflected a story he was telling. This meant that whenever he mentioned that he was performing on Season 9 of AGT, he pulled a nine from the deck, and in a line mentioning Heidi's "Sex appeal", pulled out two sixes. This was simple but creative,and probably the best magic trick seen at the auditions this year. I am looking forward to seeing what Mat does next.

Mat Franco ~ America's Got Talent, 2014 Auditions by HumanSlinky

• Mike Super

Mike Super, the winner of 2007's short-lived mentalism competition "Phenomenon", performed a trick using Heidi as a volunteer. He gave her a glass pitcher, and told her to hold it in midair inside a plexiglass container. He then summoned a "Spirit Friend" called Desmond, who made his presence felt by shattering the pitcher. The presentation of the trick was excellent, and Mike's paranormal theme is interesting. However, if the "Spirit Friends" are overused, viewers might lose interest.

Mike Super ~ America's Got Talent, 2014 Auditions by HumanSlinky

• Rogue

Rogue performed a variant of the "Russian Roulette" trick with four staple guns. He had Mel B put a pile of staples into one of them, and mix them up in a bag.  She was then told to take three of them out and fire them point-blank at Rogue's temple. The three she picked were empty, and Rogue went unharmed. The trick wasn't too hard to figure out (Similar routines have been done by Season 6's Frank Miles and Landon Swank and Season 8 finalist Colins Key), but Rogue succeeded in engaging the audience. He needs to keep the element of danger, but has to provide more unique tricks if he wants to win over the viewers.

Rogue, 35 ~ America's Got Talent, 2014 Auditions by HumanSlinky

• Psycho Jack

Psycho Jack's audition was not shown during any of the six regular audition episodes, but was instead shown in a "Best of the Auditions" episode during a montage of "surprise packages" - Acts who the judges and audience were prepared to see as jokes, but actually turned out to be quite good. Psycho Jack performed a trick in which he got into a crate and made it levitate in midair with him inside. Whilst this trick has been done before on AGT by Landon Swank, Psycho Jack's presentation of it was unique and memorable. There will definitely be an audience for Psycho Jack's blend of horror and comedy, but this approach could also put off a number of viewers.

Judgement Week airs next week, and I can't wait to see how all these magicians fare in New York. If you want to find out who made the Live Shows, then stay tuned.

Penn and Teller at the Hammersmith Apollo

Last week, I saw the magic legends Penn and Teller perform at the Hammersmith Apollo. They performed 17 tricks in total. Many of these had been performed by the duo on their 2011 show Penn and Teller: Fool Us, but they also performed a number of illusions I had not seen them do before, as well as a few traditional circus tricks.

What Tricks Did They Perform?

(N.B: If I made any mistakes in my descriptions below, please excuse them. I saw the show on the Wednesday night and therefore my memory of it is not 100% clear)

First Half

• For their first trick, Penn and Teller chose a volunteer from the audience and took her phone. They appeared to make it "vanish" from a paper cup by throwing it into a bucket which was lifted over the stage. They then showed the audience a polystyrene box which had been hidden under an audience members seat throughout, and opened it to reveal a fish. They cut the fish open and revealed that the volunteer's phone inside it. 
• They then performed an illusion with a giant metal detector, similar to those seen in airports, as they made an assistant appear inside it. I enjoyed the unique and creative presentation.
• Their third trick was a version of the "Cut and Restored Rope" trick which involved a large sheet of polyester.
• Next, they did a close-up routine centered around Teller. He performed a few close-up effects involving an apple and cigarettes, then Penn explained how they were done, with Teller showing the effects from a different angle to highlight the secrets. However, there were still some elements, such as Teller turning an apple into a pear, which remained unrevealed and were therefore even more effective.
• Penn and Teller then performed an escapology routine in which Teller was sealed in a bin bag which was filled with helium. The stage went dark and a popping sound was heard. When the lights came back on, Teller had escaped from the bag, which was completely undamaged and floating above his head. 
• They then performed a routine which they had apparently not performed on stage before. It involved Teller giving a speech about the universe (It was actually Penn speaking, and Teller miming to the words) and illustrating the points he made with a number of card tricks, such as the Six-Card repeat, and making a chosen card appear inside a balloon. This was another instance of great presentation making a simple set of tricks appear unique and spectacular.
• Afterwards, Teller performed a solo routine based on the classic effect "The Miser's Dream", involving a fish tank, a glass bowl, and a volunteer. He made coins appear from a number of unexpected places, putting them in the glass bowl, which was being held by the volunteer. He finished by making a number of Goldfish appear in the tank.
• Penn and Teller then performed a mentalism routine. They had three volunteers choose a joke each from a series of joke books. After correctly predicting the jokes chosen by the first two, they had the third volunteer read the first part of their joke aloud. They then produced an envelope which had been signed by a number of audience members in the hour before the show. They opened it to reveal a giant banner which had the punchline of the chosen joke on it.
• The last trick that Penn and Teller performed before the interval was one of their signature effects. They performed a version of the "Sawing a woman in half" using a giant buzzsaw, then stopped to reveal how the trick was being done, opening the fake table they used to reveal the assistant's midriff inside. They then turned the buzzsaw on and appeared to cut through her midriff, apparently sawing her in half for real. The twist was great, and this was the best trick to end the first half on.

Second Half

• Penn began the second half of the show with a juggling routine in which he juggled fire and broken bottles. The most important part of this trick was the build-up, as Penn highlighted the risks involved in what he was attempting. This increased the tension, and the relief when he pulled the trick off successfully was felt throughout the audience.
• Teller then performed a solo trick, in which he appeared to eat 100 needles and a length of thread, then removed the thread from his mouth with all the needles attached to it. 
• The next trick was a simple stage illusion in which Teller asked a volunteer to pick a card. He got into a glass box with fans beneath it, and tried to find the chosen card (A Queen of Hearts) as the deck was blown throughout the box by the fans. A curtain was placed over the box, and when it was removed, Teller had vanished and been replaced by an assistant dressed in a "Queen of Hearts" outfit, representing the chosen card.
• Penn and Teller then did a comedic routine with a volunteer. They did a set of effects involving a hoop which involved them passing it from one of the volunteer's arms to the other. The tricks were unusual due to the fact that the audience were fully aware of how they were done (One involved a second hoop), but the volunteer did not know due to the fact that her eyes were closed throughout.
• This was followed by one of the best routines of the night. Penn performed a set of close-up tricks involving toy cows for a volunteer, who filmed them with a camera. However, these tricks were accomplished by Teller extending his hand out from behind the backdrop and providing the required props, seen by the audience but not the volunteer or his camera. During the course of the routine, the changes secretly accomplished by Teller became more elaborate, At the end, the backdrop was lifted up, but there was no-one behind it. Instead, Teller was sitting in the volunteer's place, wearing the volunteer's clothes. It was a very original routine, and the final twist was incredible.
• Teller then performed a solo trick in which he cut the buds off a rose by "Cutting" the shadow with his knife. He then appeared to cut his finger, and made blood spurt from his shadow in the affected area.
• After this, Penn did his signature "nailgun" trick. A strip of nails was placed in a nail gun, with a number of empty spaces scattered randomly throughout. When Penn believed there was a nail inside, he fired the gun at a wooden board, and when he believed that he had reached an empty part of the strip, he fired it at himself. All of Penn's predictions were correct, and he avoided injury.
• For the final effect of the night, Penn and Teller decided not to do a conventional magic trick. Instead, they performed a fire-eating routine. Again, Penn succeeded in creating the perfect atmosphere for the routine, and made the fire-eating seem really impressive.

Overall, Penn and Teller were great. Their presentation was top-notch, and their tricks were clever and innovative. I was glad to have seen them perform live, and I hope that they perform in London again in the future.

Britains Got Talent- The Final

How Did Darcy Oake Do?

For his performance in the Britain's Got Talent final, magician Darcy Oake chose not to do a traditional stage illusion. Instead, he did an escapology routine. He was placed in a straitjacket and suspended beneath a bear trap in midair, and had 53 seconds to escape before the trap closed. I've seen this escape before (The Australia's Got Talent Runner-up Cosentino performed it in the Australia's Got Talent final), but Darcy's version was one of the best I have ever seen, due to the creative presentation. He based his routine on the idea of his life flashing before his eyes, and played videos of his life in the background, going backwards from his time on BGT to his childhood, whilst making his escape. This helped make it even more spectacular and suspenseful. Overall, Darcy's performance was brilliant- he couldn't have done any better.

The judges were all praise, with Simon Cowell claiming that they were witnessing "The birth of a star", and Darcy ended up finishing in fifth place, with Musical theatre group Collabro, who had beaten him in the first semi-final, winning the competition. However, the fact that Darcy did so well is a victory in itself. For the first time in the eight years Britains Got Talent has been on the air, we got to see a truly great magician.

Britains Got Talent - Darcy Oake Makes the Final

After eight years, a magician has made the final of Britain's Got Talent for the first time. At the end of the week, Darcy Oake will compete with ten other acts to win the grand prize - £250,000 and the opportunity to perform in the Royal Variety Show at the end of the year.



How Did He Make It This Far?

For his performance in the First Semi-final, Darcy provided a big, elaborate and entertaining trick. After repeating a couple of the dove productions from his audition, he sat in a chair placed on the centre of the stage, and was covered with a sheet. A cameraman circled the chair, providing a view from all sides. As he reached the right of the stage, the sheet was removed to reveal that Darcy had vanished from beneath the sheet. The cameraman then turned around, removed his equipment, and revealed that he was actually Darcy.

As with his audition, Darcy took a fairly cliche and familiar trick, but provided a new and exciting presentation. The use of the cameraman was clever and unique, and although the illusion itself is not hard to figure out if you're a expert magician, Darcy was able to conceal the secrets reasonably well, not making any obvious errors.

The judges were full of praise, and Darcy found himself in the top three for the Semi-final with two other big favourites: The musical theatre group Collabro and the impressionist Jon Clegg. Collabro won the public vote, leaving Darcy and Jon to face the judges. Although David Walliams and Alesha Dixon chose Jon, Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell voted for Darcy. This meant that the act who received the most votes from the public would progress to the final, and that act was Darcy.

Who Will Darcy Face In the Final?

Apart from Collabro, Darcy Oake will be up against four other singing acts: James Smith, Lucy Kay, Bars & Melody and Jack Pack, all of whom won the public vote in their respective heats. The other acts who made it through as a judges choice include three dance acts: The Addict Initiative, Yanis Marshall, Arnaud & Mehdi and Paddy & Nico, and a violinist, Lettice Rowbotham. The judges will also pick a wildcard act to join the final from the acts who lost the judges choice, with Jon Clegg and teenage singer-songwriter Bailey McConnell the most likely choices.

Can Darcy Win?

In order to win, Darcy Oake needs to do two things: Provide us with a spectacular trick, and avoid making any mistakes. Although he only came second in his heat, Darcy is one of the better acts in this year's final. Victory from his position is not impossible (Diversity managed it in series 3), but Darcy needs to provide a truly amazing performance if he wants to have a chance of winning.

Britians Got Talent 8 - The Semi-Finals

Today, Britain's Got Talent announced its Top 45 for this year, and one of the semi-finalists is the magician Darcy Oake. Can he become the first magician on the show to make the final?

What Does Darcy Need To Do?

Darcy Oake auditioned with a routine centred around dove productions. Though the tricks themselves  were not especially unique, Darcy wowed both the audience and the judges with his slick and charismatic presentation. If he applies it to a more spectacular illusion, then he could be a real favourite.

Darcy has to deal with two major problems, but both of them are beyond his control. The first of these is the high standard of opposition, with the theatrical quintet Collabro and the teenage rap duo Bars & Melody amongst the numerous stand-out competitors. The second problem is the fact that he has recieved some criticism online for being foreign (He is based in Canada) and professional. I don't mind Darcy's nationality or level of experience, as the best magic acts on Britian's Got Talent, such as David and Karen, Brynolf and Ljung, and James More, have all been professionals too. However, the opposition to Darcy puts him at a disadvantage, and he will have to work hard on impressing the audience and solidifying his position as a potential contender. If he can manage this, Darcy has a good chance of making the final.