Magician Murray needs stronger jokes, better marketing

Joe Delaney

Friday, March 8, 2002 | 9:13 a.m.

Murray Sawchuk is the newest magician in town, performing 2 p.m. shows in the New Frontier's improved showroom. He bills himself as the "Guy with the CDs" and as the "Guy with the Hair." The hair is blond and in complete disarray. The CDs were a new and different prop and served to highlight his outstanding ability at manipulation and finger dexterity.

The opening of the show caught this week was effective, with a bit of single metamorphosis where, in a flash, Murray held up a red cloth, emerged in his trademark blue tuxedo and proceeded to operate his CD player. Substitute CDs for cards, cigarettes, birds or scarves and you had the first 10 minutes, sans talk. This was followed by five minutes of jokes that could use more punch.

Next came the inevitable shadow box, and after an overlong setup, Melissa, his comely assistant, emerged and was sent out to recruit an audience member for some business with a CD that apparently passed through a regulation basketball, which led to another box illusion called "Funnel Vision," in which Murray was "funneled" through a CD -- good stuff.

Another audience member was recruited and asked for a $20 bill, which was "burned" and later reappeared intact when a second audience member cut into an orange -- familiar stuff but nicely done. Melissa returned and was put into a third box, large tubes were inserted and, of course, she emerged intact once they were removed.

It was time for making a balloon animal (a dog) for another audience member. After which Murray returned to do several more effective CD tricks. Tieing a cherry stem into a knot while it was in his mouth was lost on the audience. It needed more visibility -- television monitors, something. He then made a bottle of champagne disappear and reappear.

Metamorphosis, complete with a trunk and Melissa, and the split-second switch in places of Murray and Melissa, completed a well-received hour. Murray's patter throughout, except for the jokes segment, was a complement.

Murray may sustain for a while, but he will need a strong marketing plan and equally strong word-of-mouth for a long run.