Houdini’s A Magician Among the Spirits carefully picks apart Doyle’s Spiritualism claims. We were lucky that in addition to personal correspondence between the two, both Houdini and Doyle had competing lectures about Spiritualism-Houdini touring to educate the public against the dangers of fraud mediums tricking them out of their fortunes, and Doyle touring in hopes that this “great philosophy” would bring comfort to the many people who had lost loved ones in the wars.įurther, both men dedicated full chapters of their books to debate with the other. The Hidden Room’s Houdini Speaks to the Living is largely verbatim theater-about 75 percent of the text is quoted straight from the two men’s letters, essays, and books. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Photography CollectionOn the trail of these miles of papers, a play began to take shape. Just a few aisles away in the stacks live the papers of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, where his back-and-forth debate with Houdini over Spiritualism (the scientific possibility of communication with the dead) feels as fresh and continual as though the two men never stopped arguing, even after death. It’s a nice, clean, woodsy smell-like Old Spice and shaving cream, with a note of coffee.īut it wasn’t until I discovered that Houdini had a friend whose collection was also housed at the Ransom Center that I truly felt like a more complete picture of the man came into view. I even have a hint of how he smelled, or at least how the safe where Bess kept his things smelled. I know that he greatly admired Abraham Lincoln, so much so that he named his trained eagle after our sixteenth President. I know how he loved to collect stories and artifacts from magicians and actors throughout history. Friends said he could hold his breath underwater for ten minutes or more. I know how hard he trained, both physically and mentally-he speaks of it often, and others often cite his almost super-human regimen. Note from Harry Houdini to Bess Houdini, undated. I know how strong he was physically-just trying to lift one of his ball and chain props was difficult. “SNAP SHOT PHOTOGRAPH OF ME LOOKING FOR YOU!!” The letters and notes between he and Bess were particularly dear, and Houdini’s sense of humor often shines through. Well, through the many boxes of his personal correspondence that live in the Ransom Center, I know how he interacted with his wife Bess, his mother, his siblings, his friends, acquaintances, fellow magicians, rivals, and enemies. Letter from Harry Houdini to Bess Houdini, 15 December, 1907. But how well is that really? What do I really know? He wouldn’t have liked it.) I do feel like I’ve gotten to know him, and certainly I could argue that I know him as well as I can know anyone I’ve never met. In my many months of exploration of Harry’s life, (May I call him Harry now? Probably not. But how to turn Houdini’s papers into a picture of Houdini the man? My task, as artistic director of The Hidden Room theater, was to dive into the treasure trove of the Ransom Center’s Harry Houdini collection, and see what secrets lay waiting to be told on stage. The Harry Ransom Center is declaring October the month of Houdini, and the Center is marking the ninetieth anniversary of his death (October 31, 1926) with a display in his honor, a cooking class dedicated to some of his favorite Hungarian dishes, a screening of his film The Grim Game, and indeed a piece of theater illuminating at least one aspect of his fascinating life. Gelatin silver print, 20.3 x 25.4 cm.Or “activate the Houdini collection through performance.” Same thing, basically. Let us hear him speak, watch him make his magic, feel his presence among us, let Houdini live again!
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