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Jonah is joined by Alex Boyce, a millennial magician who, rather than something new like other magicians his age, focuses on the old school and classic eras of magic.

Alex Boyce is a NYC magician performing for corporate events and at institutions like The Friar’s Club, The Player’s Club, and The Rainbow Room. He can frequently be found performing at Speakeasy Magick at the McKittrick Hotel.

It Was Probably A Rerun

Alex’s introduction to magic was a television broadcast of World’s Greatest Magic: 5 when he was about four years old. The images of magic tricks got him very excited and his mom was able to find a colour changing silks through the hand, which she assured the young Alex was a professional’s trick and not like those other tricks in his beginner kit. 

Soon came the summer camps and a memorable experience when he was eleven where he failed to make into the finals, despite what he believed was a great James Bond act involving a rocky racoon and a flipped over box. Eventually he’d focus on acting and attend NYU.

The Frame Of The Moment

Alex puts a value on different stage pictures and images with the goal of creating interesting magic. Using props just for the sake of using props isn’t the purpose but a great scene with a great frame is really exciting. The interesting prop comes from the choices to create memorable moments.

What’s A Classic

Alex isn’t surprised that young people don’t focus on the classics of magic. When their introduction to magic is a David Blaine special then that’s the path they’re going to go down. But Alex will also question what it means to be a classic act? There are lots of acts happening right now that everyone does that should be considered classics. Whenever someone performs acts like Coins Through Table, Coins Across, Ambitious Card, Cups and Balls, or a variation thereof, they’re performing classic magic, even if they don’t realize it.

Wrap-Up

Endless Chain

Todd Robbins

What do you like about modern magic? What do you not like?

Alex loves the ability to connect with people and magic across age and experience. The community is what he enjoys beyond the actual performance of magic.

What Alex doesn’t enjoy is the backend of the marketplace for magic. He feels it puts the goals in the wrong places, making products for magicians that might not be as good as they should be because that’s where the incentives are.

Take home point

The same way Alex has been able to reach out and create relationships he hopes that others can reach out to him and create relationships too because he gets so much out of the relationships he has in magic.

Plugs

Boycemagic.com
Instagram – @boycealex