If you’ve ever been told to perfect five tricks and repeat them forever, prepare to toss that rule out. Craig Petty joins us to make a fearless case for evolving your set, testing ideas in the wild, and embracing marketing as part of the craft. He opens up about the morning mantra that fuels his output, how to handle criticism without shrinking, and why passion beats cynicism every time.
We move from mindset to mechanics with a desert-island kit that actually works: a Rubik’s Cube routine anchored by a tattoo prediction built for photo moments, the heavyweight surprise of an eight ball production, and Jon Allen’s Destination Box for clean, spectator-handled impossibilities. Craig digs into workhorse tools, rope and rubber bands, that scale from kids’ shows to banquets, with modular phases that survive interruptions and noisy rooms. Then he spotlights the Extractor E2 as a rare “method equals miracle” device, delivering signed-card power with zero heat.
Card nerds will love the marked Mnemonica segment where a memorised deck turns pick‑a‑card into name‑a‑card, unlocks jazzing, and frames Darwin Ortiz’s “Test Your Luck” as a perfect opener. And for stage lovers, Split Press earns its keep as a 360‑friendly, roll‑in illusion that lets you control angles and pace a full show. Craig’s forced choice on his own work lands on Chop, and he explains exactly why that utility tool still defines his career.
The heart of the hour is a banishment with teeth: cut toxicity and self‑doubt so more magicians create, publish, and perform with courage. We close with a nod to career-making reading, John Bannon’s Impossibilia and a deceptively simple non‑magic item, the humble paperclip, fuelling Jay Sankey’s Paperclipped. Hit play for hard-won insights, practical repertoire, and a reminder to back yourself.
Craig’s Desert Island Tricks:
- Rubiks Cube - Tattoo Reveal
- Trick Shot Prediction
- Destination Box
- Fibre Optics
- Strange Exchange
- E2
- Marked Deck in Mnemonica
- Split Press
Craig Petty Release. Chop
Banishment. Self Doubt
Book. Impossibilia
Item. Paperclip
Find out more about the creators of this Podcast at www.alakazam.co.uk