Card Table Artifice

Music by Gavin Bryars

Book by David Ben

Performed by The Art of Time Ensemble (with special guest Gavin Bryars)

Live Narration by R.H. Thomson

Card Manipulation by David Ben

Directed by David Ben

Set and Lighting Design by Glenn Davidson

Video Design by Cameron Davis

Sound Design by John Lott

Produced by Magicana

Jane Mallet Theatre

June 13 and 14, 8:00 pm.

Running Time – 60 minutes

No Intermission

World Premiere

(note by David Ben)

In 1902, a card cheat – S. W. Erdnase (a pseudonym) – self-published what would become the seminal text for sleight-of-hand, The Expert at the Card Table.

In 1992, inspired by that text and, oddly enough, the daily BBC broadcast of off-shore weather reports, composer Gavin Bryars and Spanish sculptor Juan Muñoz created A Man in a Room, Gambling, ten pieces for string quartet with accompanying narration.

In 2014, David Ben, master sleight-of-hand artist, lifelong student of Erdnase, and card cheating, brought a new perspective to the Bryars-Muñoz collaboration. The result is Card Table Artifice, and is performed here by the Art of Time Ensemble (accompanied by Gavin Bryars), with live narration by R.H. Thomson, and card table artistry by David Ben.