Fun in the sun no illusion at county fair

Magic usually conjures up images of white rabbits, card tricks, maybe even disappearing acts.

But at the Orange County Fair Wednesday, the biggest trick magician Frank Thurston pulled off was getting his audience to smile despite the sultry weather.

Thurston, who has been in the magic business for 22 years and has a business in Bakersfield, regularly performs routines at the fair and, judging by Wednesday’s show, is quite popular.

All available seats were taken, and people sat and stood on the ground to fill in all the gaps. Everyone who passed by the stage, which is painted black and decorated with neon flowers in keeping with the fair’s “Flower Power” theme, wanted in on the fun.

At Wednesday’s show, Thurston featured such acts as cutting a rope into sections and then reconnecting it, pulling scarf after colorful scarf out of a jacket and struggling to make a limp magic wand cooperate.

During an act with many pairs of scissors, Thurston joked that Rule No. 1 was “do not cut the magician,” and requested the help of the children in the audience who were more than eager to volunteer, jumping up and down and begging for the coveted position as the magician’s assistant.

Jokingly, Thurston said the show would begin with “the amazing, incredible, world-famous cutting a girl in two with a chain saw” routine, but the bulging eyes of his young assistants quickly persuaded him otherwise.

Doing magic seems to run in Thurston’s family.

“I had an uncle who owned a magic shop when I was a kid, so that’s where the inspiration came from. I started in high school, doing library shows and small-time stuff for date and gas money.”

This is Thurston’s 12th year performing what he calls “a family comedy magic show.”

By that he means it should be fun for all.

“I just mean that this isn’t a kiddie show. It’s for both kids and parents,” he said.

He seems to hit the mark. He had everyone in Wednesday’s audience ? kids and parents alike ? gasping at his tricks. Kids squealed with delight at each act, and adults chuckled at Thurston’s more mature quips.

Judging by the abundant laughter and frequent “ooohs,” he had a captivated audience.

Thurston’s finale was impressive, too: A young assistant popped a big blue balloon, a cloud of glitter exploded and a white dove emerged. It wasn’t too clear where that dove came from, but that’s OK. After all, it is magic.dpt.13-fair-magic-1-CPhotoInfo2E1SSPBN20060713j2bm9qncCredit: MARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT Caption: (LA)Joselin Lopez, left, of Bakersfield, holds onto her end of the rope as Frank Thurston, center, pulls on the rope with Austin Wilson, right, during “The Magic of Frank Thurston” show. dpt.10-ocfair-logo-CPhotoInfo2E1SSJ7J20060713j207elncCredit: Caption: (LA) dpt.13-fair-magic-2-CPhotoInfo2E1SSQVV20060713j2bm9yncCredit: MARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT Caption: (LA)Frank Thurston makes a bird appear from a popped balloon.