Trip to B\u2019klyn is in the cards<\/p>\n
Magician Denis Behr. German. In NYC now. Pay attention. Word is he\u2019s the world\u2019s best in card tricks<\/a>.<\/p>\n His English, perfect. Black shirt, black pants, perfect. Imperfect is his small \u201ctheater.\u201d\u00a0It\u2019s behind a secret partition<\/a> in a smaller than my john Brooklyn store selling shticks and tricks. He\u2019s behind a simple table. The tiny clustered room has no video, no cameras, no special effects, no clever lights, no soft cushiony seats. Nothing. Just him. Audience of maybe 20,\u00a0it\u2019s 69 Atlantic run by\u00a0Hal Schulman<\/a>, who charges $200. He\u2019s there through Saturday.<\/p>\n Why was I there? My friend, lawyer\u00a0Stuart Slotnick\u2019s dad\u00a0Barry Slotnick\u00a0is the famous lawyer. Between lawsuits, Stuart loves card tricks.<\/p>\n Behr: \u201cI began age 7 after I was given a set of magic tricks. It fascinated me. I began to learn the truths behind them. I then bought whatever books I could find on magic. Mail order. We didn\u2019t yet have the Internet, I watched others on TV who did these tricks.<\/p>\n \u201cI went to a magic shop in Germany. My family supported me. They even helped my first early shows. I fell in love with it. I began to see how a trick was done. I then performed at home. At parties. And for friends. I fell in love with the audience reactions and more and more I got into it. It became more than card tricks.\u201d<\/p>\n Ever eff up?<\/p>\n \u201cLittle mistakes happen \u2014 but not often. I haven\u2019t recently screwed up but if I drop a card or pick the wrong one nobody notices it. In Europe, they are more quiet. Here, more outgoing.<\/p>\n \u201cI travel with 20 decks of cards. I\u2019m doing 10 shows in America. We\u2019re a community so I even meet with fellow magicians here. There\u2019s not as much fear for me today as there was long ago. I know all the tricks. I use one deck of cards per show. In the beginning I\u2019d accidentally drop them on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n So why doesn\u2019t he work in a big splashy expensive casino? Like maybe Vegas? Or Reno.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause there is no such stage in Reno or Vegas. Magic I can do \u2014 but not on a big stage.<\/p>\n \u201cI need a small avenue. There is no such place as that. I can do magic \u2014 just not on a big stage.\u201d<\/p>\n Sick rumors spread<\/p>\n Are unhappies out there making trouble? Or mischief?<\/p>\n