Rick Maue LIVE (Penguin LIVE)

Character. Intention. Meaning. Those are three words closely associated with one of the most celebrated creators of deception in the modern age. Rick Maue has received critical acclaim from some of the most powerful performers in magic, and now he’s here to share how he creates, crafts, and performs his unique brand of theater. In this rare offering, Rick performs a deeply personal autobiographic monologue, which is seasoned with four pieces of solid theatrical deception, and all of that is followed by a lecture that may best be described as an extensive excavation into one of the most influential and theatrically minded magicians of the past four decades.

During the lecture, Rick will not only dissect his performance, but he will also dig deep into a comprehensive discussion of character, scripting, creativity, and a collection of other wide-ranging topics that reveal his philosophy, as well as his approach to engaging an audience and holding them with rapt attention.

In addition, Rick will teach the four powerful routines from his show. Yes, each one is a solid performance piece. Yes, all four fit Rick’s description of what he calls, “VdM Magic”, which means, from a technical perspective, the Venus de Milo could do them (in other words, there is no difficult sleight of hand). But no, none of them require expensive props, which may explain why Michael Weber once dubbed Rick “OfficeMax Maven” (a name Max loved, by the way).

The performance pieces are:

Heads & Tales
What appears to be a simple fifty-fifty decision gives relevant meaning to even the simplest choices we make, thus transforming the performance into a high-stakes piece of theater that commands the audience’s attention. Plus, the piece helps to define Rick’s performance character, the theme of his show, and the relationship between the audience and the performer.

Intermission
An open prediction card piece that demonstrates how Rick can control the thoughts, decisions, and physical actions of others. Plus, it unveils a reflective moment for the audience, one that makes them contemplate how they actually control the people in their own lives.

Collect Call
Another powerful demonstration of the performer’s ability to control the thoughts and decisions of others, not just others in the room, but folks located anywhere on the planet. It is the ultimate “packs flat/plays big” performance piece.

Gratitude
A running piece that extends throughout the show, ‘Gratitude’ leads to a final payoff that ties up all the loose ends, demonstrates true appreciation to one of the essential audience assistants, and reinforces the idea that the evening has been a successful partnership between the performer and the audience.

While the effects themselves have a profound impact on those watching the performance, the insight you’ll gain into Rick’s process is worth its weight in gold. This is more than a lecture; this is a lifetime of contemplation and an exploration of one creator’s passionate relationship with the world of Theatrical Deception. This is Rick Maue’s Penguin Live Lecture.