Here’s a little magician’s secret: sometimes, the rabbit just says no.
One night during a show, I reached into the hat—confident, smooth, ready—and… nothing. I reached again. Still nothing. By now, the audience was watching, wide-eyed and expecting a miracle. Instead, they got a middle-aged magician talking to an empty hat like it owed him money.
Then a child in the front row whispered, “Maybe it’s invisible.” That got a big laugh—especially when I played along, lifting out the “invisible rabbit” and pretending it bit me. The laughter doubled. Was it the trick I intended? Nope. But it was magic just the same.
After 40+ years of performing, I’ve learned that things don’t always go to plan—and that’s often where the real magic begins. Because here’s the truth: magic isn’t just about flawless technique. It’s about connection. If the audience is with you, even the “mistakes” become memories.
Over time, I’ve built a toolbox of ways to recover with humour, improvisation, and grace. Practice helps, of course—but experience teaches you how to read the room, roll with the punches, and turn a flub into something fantastic.
And sometimes, a rabbit refusing to cooperate? That’s the trick people talk about for years.