Steve Spill is a rare comedy-club magician who has honed his craft to the point where every trick, every joke, every riff he delivers reflects his own unique world-view. That puts him in some very elite company – think Mac King, Harry Anderson and The Amazing Johnathan.

This DVD – 10 Years of Steve Spill – offers a glimpse into his repertoire from about 1980 to 1990. Much of the material is original with him, but even when he tackles a classic of magic, such as “The Indian Needle Mystery,” the presentation and pacing are infused with who Steve is. As a result, despite the fact that he doesn’t actually teach any material on this DVD, it still serves as a kind of lecture, particularly when viewed in tandem with his insightful audio commentary.

The contents have been cobbled together from a variety of sources, including TV tapings, corporate shoots and living-room rehearsal videos, leading to an eclectic mix of material that ranges from three-second sight gags (such as Steve’s marketed “Eye-Popper”) to full-length comedy routines (such as his signature “Mindreading Goose”). Steve even performs a few dramatic, story-telling pieces with a single, magical punch at the end, including one of my favorite tricks on the DVD, “The Haunted Record Player.”

All in all, while some of the jokes, suits and haircuts are unquestionably products of their time, the vast majority of this material stands as tall today as it did 15 to 25 years ago. Very few comedians who started when Steve did could make such a claim, and that’s a testament to the quality of his thinking.

One final note - be sure to watch the DVD straight through without the audio commentary at least once before listening to what Steve has to say about the material, but don’t forgo the latter! In addition to his historical perspective, he offers some real-world advice on performing that will likely be of use to you regardless of what’s in your repertoire.

David Acer