Some magicians set themselves apart by performing unusual tricks, while others perform variations on familiar tricks with ordinary objects. Robert Jägerhorn uses playing cards, strings and handkerchiefs, but his performance is unique. For one thing, he barely speaks during the entire forty‑five minutes, instead relying on musical cues and changes. He also takes on the persona of a magician’s assistant who, at first, appears not to know what the heck he’s doing. It’s very entertaining to watch him express himself with only non‑verbal communication, such as smiling a lot and looking confused or frustrated. In one bit, an egg constantly keeps reappearing in his hand, after he’s made several attempts to place it in his pocket. This goes on for a couple of minutes, as the comical magician becomes more and more frustrated that he can’t get rid of the egg. Mr. Jägerhorn uses other foods, too, and to my dismay, some tricks involved pulling items out of his mouth. It was a tad uncomfortable to watch him drink a full glass of water, and then proceed to pop four ice cubes out of his mouth. However, this was clever, and I still can’t figure out how he did it. He placed these ice cubes into a glass of orange juice, and covered the glass with a playing card. He turned the glass upside down and removed the playing card, but the orange juice remained suspended in the glass. I was sitting in the front row, as I always try to do at magic shows, to attempt to figure out how each trick is done. At Mr. Jägerhorn’s show, I was too busy trying to figure out what the heck was going on, as he switched between different personas, or pulled a very lengthy string from his mouth. He then made an audience member’s ring disappear, and then reappear attached to his shoelaces. It was wild to witness. Mr. Jägerhorn also invited audience members on stage with him, to confirm that he wasn’t using any mirrors or trap doors. He sat next to a woman, and had her tie a series of handkerchiefs together. He then made the handkerchiefs mysteriously come apart. I spent much of the show trying to figure out what Mr. Jägerhorn was going to do next, and I enjoyed myself. It certainly was “just for fun.”
“Just for Fun: A Pop-Up Magic Show” Written and performed by Robert Jägerhorn November 2 at 2PM Photo: courtesy of the production 2019 United Solo Theater Festival Theater Row 410 West 42nd Street New York City
DANIELLE CREAN is an aspiring writer and editor living in Brooklyn, New York. She is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a degree in Communication Arts and Journalism. During her college career she was a writer and editor-in-chief for the Odyssey Online. She is also currently writing a novel based on her own personal experiences with mental health.
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