“An Evening of Intimate Magic with Eric DeCamps opened on May 2, 2007 to a sold out performance. many of who leapt to their feet at the conclusion of the 90 minute program. Eric breezed almost effortlessly through the show like a true master of his craft.
This is a beautifully paced show that delivers all that it promises. At the conclusion of the performance, the audience does indeed feel as though they spent time with a true professional, demonstrating his craft in the most classical manner.”
Ryan Oakes
Magic Magazine
“Any single gal in New York is used to smooth talkers. The last thing anybody hopes to encounter during a night on the town is a man who`ll use all his charming stories and fancy tricks to make a fool of you. Unless, of course, the man playing tricks is Magician Eric DeCamps. Having spent last Wednesday night being charmed and deceived by The Society of American Magicians award-winning Magician of the Year, I speak from experience.
After recently watching The Prestige, starring the delicious Christian Bale, I looked forward to an evening of illusion – the illusion being that I was Scarlett Johansson, called upon to fill the role of the beautiful and charming volunteer who disappears into thin air before the eyes of the audience. To ensure that was the case, I took a seat as close to the front row as possible. All said and done, that is not quite how it played out… but close enough.
The show was billed as An Evening of Intimate Magic, and intimate it was. Held in a room seating about 35 people at the old world (read: stuck-up) 3 West Club on West 51st Street, there was no room for smoke machines or invisible wires. DeCamps could only rely on the sheer skill that has made him the second person in 105 years to receive the prestigious Gold Medal of Excellence for Close Up Magic to amaze and delight us.
Upon entering the room, DeCamps instantly grabbed everyone`s attention by answering an age-old question: `Can you make money?` One after another, he made silver dollars appear, disappear and seemingly transport from one location to another, all while making sure we could each see that there was nothing up his sleeves, literally. Wives glared at their husbands as if to say, `Why can`t you pull money out of the air?` as DeCamps enchanted us with majestic stories and kept us laughing with his quick wit.
I perked up in my chair when DeCamps scanned the audience for a volunteer – it was the moment I`d been waiting for! His finger pointed in my direction, and I knew my moment was coming until he said, `You Sir, would you mind coming up here and helping me out?` He was speaking to, of all people, my boyfriend. Like an Oscar nominee whose name isn`t called, I shrunk back in my chair. Timidly, and with only an ounce of the strut I would`ve employed, my other half made his way the front of the room to be Mr. DeCamp`s `lovely assistant`.
For the next five minutes, my man assisted the magician as he made a fragile egg appear and reappear in a magic pocket. Even from such close proximity, neither a trap door nor blatant misdirection could be detected. Finally my boyfriend made his way back to his seat, and we sat and watched in amazement as the magic man finished his 80-minute show.
Even in this rough and tumble city, it turns out all it takes is a little magic to turn even the most hardened New Yorker into a kid again – if only for an hour. Now the only thing I`m left wondering is whether I can actually pull off wearing a top hat as a chic new accessory for Sunday brunch.”
Jane Marie
Glamourite
“This time around, I was dazzled by Eric DeCamps` wizardry with close-up magic. He`s lightning fast, and a master of misdirection who effortlessly pulled my eyes away from where I knew I should be looking if I wanted to see how it was done. At one point, three coins sit in a table, with a fourth about to appear. A subtle gesture of his left hand draws your eye away almost unnoticeably for a millisecond. And when you glance back, the fourth coin has materialized. He challenges you to catch passing silver dollars form one hand to th eother in increasingly rapid succession. But you can`t do it — and that`s part of the thrill and excitement of close-up magic. And the intensity of the rapport between performer and audience becomes exhilarating as the cat and mouse game proceeds.”
Bob Harrington
Bistro Bits, Back Stage Magazine
“I saw the performance of a charming Close-Up Magician, Eric DeCamps. He takes top-level magic pieces, and performs them perfectly: coins appear and disappear; his card work seems actual magic; he does cups and balls, the disappearing egg, uses a spirit box with ropes, and one I haven`t seen before that is surely actual magic: bread crumbs and a cup. DeCamps, an ingratiating persona, is a master of sleight-of-hand, and his show, one of the best you`ll see of this kind of magic, is entertaining from start to finish.”
Richmond Shepard, Performing Arts INSIDER and lively-arts.com
