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There are Always new ideas - Topas
First, let's agree on one thing: there are new ideas. One of the most disheartening statements I hear from some magicians is that "there is nothing new under the sun." If you belong to this group and believe that everything has been done before in some way or another, we have no common ground to talk on, so please disappear. I fear you because you handicap the creative process. Moreover, if someone voices this opinion, even after some serious thought, they should be deprived of some great and recent ideas to make them realize the obvious. For example, have they ever performed the "Zombie" with a hinge? Yes, Tommy Wonder probably introduced it, but you may not have used it. So, no floating table for you either. I'm sorry. Just as there are constant developments in industrial engineering, there are new ideas in magic every day, some groundbreaking and some not so good, but new nonetheless. Claiming that there are no new ideas is just another way of saying "I cannot think of anything myself. Â Those who deny originality argue that everything new is just a combination of what is already existing. That is fair enough, but unfortunately, it is quite hard to find these interesting new combinations, and at some point, they seem to be something surprisingly different. Plus, now and then, there are inventions and discoveries of new material that can hardly be traced down to any origins at all. Creative people don't seem to think about these labels; they just enjoy creating.
Certainly, performing a classic is more memorable than standard original material. It certainly does not handicap, let alone prevent success. It just does not bring success automatically. I think success with original material is hard-earned, but maybe it's lasting longer. Even if it's just for the sake of art, don't we contribute to what we love so much? So, let's be original.