Ricky Jay and his 52 assistants

I've seen Ricky Jay work his magic with cards in David Mamet movies, on "Deadwood" and in "The Prestige," but there's nothing like seeing him live, on stage, as he is this month at the Geffen Playhouse, reprising his Mamet-directed show, "Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants." His performance last night brought out a host of fans, including Buck Henry and his wife, Irene, who arrived with a posse of pals that included George Segal, Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss. Like everyone else in the packed house--including the woman in my row who brought a pair of binoculars to get a closer look--I stared intently at Jay's soft, supple hands, trying to steal a glimpse of how he was manipulating the cards and pulling off his tricks. All to no avail. His secrets will clearly go to the grave.

What's especially great about his act is that it combines a magician's bravura technique with a writerly passion for language. Part of the fun is hearing Jay lovingly recite all the arcane slang that earlier generations used to describe the colorful cheats who pulled off their audacious hustles and cons. Every dazzling demonstration in the art of deception is interwoven with a vivid tale about pioneering magicians of the past.

My favorite story was about Max Malini, a great early 20th century magician who performed for presidents and kings. A master of misdirection, Malini would borrow a gentleman's hat and fumble with a coin trick. When he'd finally remove the hat--voila!--a giant block of ice appeared. Malini was once invited to dine with the American governor of the Philippines, who, knowing Malini was Jewish, served a roast suckling pig with an apple in its mouth. Feigning horror and disgust, Malini hurriedly covered it with a tablecloth. Then, just as quickly, he swept aside the cloth, revealing a nice kosher chicken.

One of Jay's best routines, which he did last night, is a riveting dissertation on "The Cups and Balls," which you can watch here:

Photo of Ricky Jay in "Deadwood" by Doug Hyun / HBO

Comments

[Furious D]

I've seen his routines on TV, and would love to see him live, because he does the best form of illusion without the lights and smoke machines, just pure mastery of his craft.

[Tony Tuccillo]

Thanks for the review.

I'm an unabashed Ricky Jay fan and believe he is one of our national treasure. Arguably one of the best sleight of hand artist in the world today, Jay is also a historian, collector, consultant, author, screenwriter, lecturer and actor who specializes in theatrical close up magic with a concentration on frauds, cheats, gamblers, scam artist and what can be described as unusual forms of entertainment (singing mice, learned pigs, one-armed dulcimer players, etc).

He possesses a once-in-a-lifetime mind, has the highest regard for true practitioner of the art, whether they are professionals or amateurs and refuses to compromise his standards. Jay’s talent and contributions are recognized by critics and artists not only in the magic community but in other fields like Hollywood's film industry, law enforcement agencies and in the world of antique books.

While he has public ally stated he is most comfortable when performing on stage the fact is a one-man shows like '52 Assistants' is physically and mentally demanding. How many more opportunities will we have to enjoy these performances is anyone’s guess but if one has the opportunity do not miss the chance to see him perform live.

Political pundit Charles Krauthammer is quoted in a 2004 Smithsonian Magazine piece ("Some people can tell their grandchildren that they saw Muhammad Ali box,…..You'll be able to tell yours that you saw Ricky Jay deal.") urging people to see Jay perform which is a testament to his cross over appeal in the world of performance art.

I fully expect the majority of reviews to be positive for this run of '52 Assistants' and while it appears most shows are sold out tickets can still be found. Do yourself a favor, acquire one and go enjoy a wonderful night at the theater.

[Bob]

Ricky's show is the hottest ticket in L.A.