Tops Article



Temple of Benares

Magic’s popularity is ever-swinging. That’s how it always has been as far back as I can remember. When the magic ‘bug’ bit me hard in the 1960s during my teen years illusions were not very popular. They were out of favor. Whether they were out of favor with the general public or just amongst magicians I cannot say, but there were few remaining ‘big’ shows and Las Vegas hadn’t exploited the appeal of flashy stage illusions.

Nevertheless illusions were the type of magic I was most drawn to. It may be that I had no interest or inclination to learn fancy, difficult sleights necessary for card flourishes. I discovered it was the performance and presentation of magical effects that captivated me; I couldn’t have cared less about the method. More than fooling people and being a magician I wanted to put on a show with mystery, drama, costuming, music and storytelling. I saw the then-unpopular illusions as the way to go

Temple of Benare Two decades later magic and illusions were top-drawing attractions around the world with star names we all remember (but, who hardly register at all with today’s generation). In Las Vegas I believe there may have been a little too much magic for awhile. And, too much is certain always to spoil it.

Consider ABC TV’s popular game show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” with Regis Philbin several years ago. It was an instant hit and so popular that once-a-week airings were deemed not sufficient. They added editions until it was on every night and, of course, it imploded. Less is more and somebody got greedy.

How many different ‘Cirque’ shows are in Las Vegas today? Can this unique kind of show stand that much saturation? Is there enough talent?

With only a single ‘Cirque’ show running the producers can scour the globe for the very best, unique variety artists. With each additional edition more acts must be found and it is only logical that some acts will be selected that would have been rejected previously. The pool of talent gets diluted.

If I produced ‘Cirque’ I would prefer to keep it very special with only a couple editions playing anywhere in the world. I’d know I could be very choosy and that my attraction would truly be a ‘destination’ for audiences who wanted to see it after hearing about it.

Having one in Chicago, one in Orlando, one in Tokyo, one in Myrtle Beach and how-many-are-there-now-? in Las Vegas makes it too accessible

Another example: Here in Milwaukee (America’s beer capital!) we used to ask anyone traveling west to bring back Coors beer for us. We wanted it because it was not available here. Now that it is sold here I think it lost some of its appeal.

Back in 1975 I was performing my illusion show in Las Vegas at the University of Nevada. Siegfried came to see it and we spent some time together during my run there on a couple of occasions. Siegfried and Roy were certainly well known, but they had done very, very little work on television. I asked him why they had not appeared more often.

Temple of Benare “David,” Siegfried explained to me, “I’d rather do our show ten thousand times for eighteen hundred people than once for eighteen million people on TV.”

How smart was that?

Back in 1966 I was fifteen years old when I purchased my first major illusion. I had bought an Abbott’s Super-X Levitation several years earlier, but I classify that as an illusionette. My order was for Abbott’s Temple of Benares. It was ‘in stock’ and so I had it in about a week. I had seen it in Colon in July of that year and I knew I had to have it. It took months of saving to come up with its price of $250.00.

You might say that I was astute and that my youthful purchase presaged illusions’ returning prominence. If so, that was just luck on my part.

When illusions became very popular again twenty years later that popularity did not extend to some of the older illusions like the Temple of Benares. And, I’m quite sure that that is so only because of magicians; the Temple has always scored well with the general public.

It’s an accepted fact that the illusion was “invented” by Jack Gwynne. In his show he called it the “Temple of An-Gee.” Jack’s wife was, of course, Anne Gwynne and she would have been Anne G (wynne).

Jack took Fred Culpitt’s Dollhouse Illusion and added swords to it. It was no longer a production effect; it was now a mutilation.

To be accurate, though, there is another difference between the two illusions today. The Dollhouse’s front opens completely; it is divided such that it swings open like two doors. The Temple, though, has a pair of doors cut into its front. The audience has a clear view of its interior, but it is not as ‘wide open.’

For a couple years I used my Abbott Temple as it was described in their catalog. The effect was the same as a sword cabinet. It was my closing illusion.

Temple of Benare But, at a Colon Get-Together in the late 1960s I saw illusionist George Goebel present a unique version of this illusion. Instead of having an assistant enter the little structure, he placed an animal inside. He thrust the swords in and the creature vanished. It reappeared when he removed the swords. And, just as everyone was puzzling about where the animal went and how it was not harmed he caused a woman to appear from the prop. A double climax!

I adopted that idea and have performed it like that ever since. It is now used as an opening illusion. The animal is always a big rabbit.

This illusion has a classic paint design. The prop looks like a miniature Taj Mahal. I would not want one if it did not have that paint job.

Like the ancient Hindu Basket it appears as though the Temple could not hold a woman, much less conceal her. For me it makes her unexpected appearance a real fooler.

You will find this illusion to be very practical. It’s big and flashy, but disassembles and is reasonably portable. The entire prop can be packed within its deceptive base although there won’t be much room for the padding you will want to cushion all its components. And, by taking it completely apart you have added to your set-up and strike time. Mine remains assembled 99% of the time. We just remove the structure from the base and carry it in two pieces (not counting the swords and their rack).

By carrying your own backdrops (like the popular Abbott Jet Set models) you can create an out-of-view area, but they won’t be much help at outdoor shows where a gust of wind —even a breeze— can spoil everything. So, you will learn to be creative… and, sometimes, very creative. I’ve long suggested that you cut a piece of magician’s rope the width of the Temple’s base. You can approach a doorway and instantly know whether the illusion will fit through it by just using the rope.

I have told this story before: I once worked with a Chicago-area act that had dogs in a Temple or Dollhouse-like illusion. I believe Billy Bishop had built the illusion. The act —all former circus performers— grew frustrated when their illusion’s deceptive base could not fit through a standard doorway. They fixed that by sawing and cutting the base down to a narrower size

But, of course, in so doing they removed all the aspects of a “deceptive” base. Their structure now was sitting on a brick that looked thick and suspicious. They could perform, but they certainly did not know magic.

One of my most memorable Temple experiences occurred when I was invited to appear at a surprise party for a woman in the banquet room of a Chinese restaurant. Her husband flew the couple’s college-age daughter in for the event. I saw a golden opportunity. I arranged to meet the coed at the restaurant before the show. I costumed her and taught her my Temple of Benares routine.

Temple of Benare The wife arrived and everybody yelled “Surprise!” She was. I opened my show by performing the Temple. The appearance of the girl received its usual reaction and then a second one when the mother and friends realized just who had popped up out of that little abode.

Milwaukee’s grandest hotel is the famous Pfister. It has a circular nightclub atop the 23rd floor of its tower. I worked there for several years in the 1980s. They had a novelty attraction called “Beauty & the Beat.” Their DJs were all young, attractive women… but very classy. On the nights I was there I would always produce the DJ with my Temple routine as they began spinning records just as I finished my magic.

Jack Gwynne himself gave me a ‘tip’ about the Temple when I was a teenager that I will share here. It’s important that when the assistant enters the illusion that the front doors be open and the folding gimmick serve as the floor she stands upon. She’ll be quite high next to the illusionist.

The performer closes the front doors and then the assistant steps back and down as she bends forward from the waist/hips. This is the same sort of deception used for an assistant entering a Hindu Basket or Origami. You want to convince the onlookers that it is a tight squeeze just to get her inside. It makes everything that follows so much more impressive.

Today, an Abbott’s Temple of Benares could probably be shipped by UPS since they have raised their maximum weight limit quite a bit. If I’m wrong Forward Air is most magicians’ choice today for shipping and delivering illusions.

In my youth we actually tied my Temple to the rooftop luggage rack on my Dad’s station wagon! I learned, though, that the physics of rushing air at expressway speeds could lift the illusion’s parts and on two occasions I arrived home with the side of the Temple missing. I had to call Abbott’s and order the left-hand side of the illusion and then install hinges when it arrived so it could be used. Thankfully it never happened going to a performance.

Insist on only the very best casters for this illusion. Mine are so efficient that I can revolve the prop with the assistant loaded inside with just one finger! That helps make it appear empty.

This illusion boasts bright colors, flashy swords and can be done at a fast, up-tempo pace. Please do not think it is an outmoded, old-fashioned prop.



David Seebach's Wonders of Magic
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david@davidseebach.com



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