Acts, Not Tricks by Luis Olmedo

What separates an unforgettable magician from someone who simply performs good tricks?

In Acts, Not Tricks, award-winning Spanish magician Luis Olmedo explores the creative philosophy behind building meaningful magic that audiences remember long after the methods have been forgotten.

This is not a book of new sleights, clever gimmicks or secret techniques. Instead, it is a practical guide to developing your artistic voice, constructing coherent performances, and transforming isolated routines into complete theatrical experiences. From finding inspiration outside magic to refining scripts, creating emotional structure, developing originality, and learning how to think like an artist rather than a technician, every chapter is built from Luis’ own professional journey.

Throughout the book, Luis illustrates these principles with three complete performance pieces from his professional repertoire — Yellow, Sophie’s Choice and Alice Through the Mirror — showing how artistic ideas evolve into memorable performances.

Whether you are an ambitious amateur searching for your identity or a professional looking to elevate your repertoire into genuine theatre, Acts, Not Tricks offers a rare look inside the creative process of one of Spain’s most respected performers. A book about creating experiences, not simply performing tricks.

Selling points

• Not a book of tricks: a masterclass in artistic thinking
• Ten chapters from preface to “Magic as a way of life”
• Three complete performance pieces: Yellow, Sophie’s Choice, Alice Through the Mirror
• Written by an award-winning Spanish magician
• Hardcover edition

Product details

• Language: English
• Format: 16 × 24 cm
• Cover: Hardcover
• ISBN: 978-2-492983-34-4
• SKU: BKACTSNTSTDEN
• Publisher: 3 Monkeys Publishing
• Expected release: early December 2026 (pre-order)