Number
36 - 3rd March 2001
This years Blackpool Convention was one of the strongest ever. The Gala show was solid throughout with some truly excellent performances. Germany's Topas and Canada's Greg Frewin stood out for me. Topas, working with Roxanne, brought 'theatre' to his illusion sequences, performing an original version of the substitution trunk and a very clean, beautifully staged, levitation (photo
1). Greg Frewin proved himself to be a really powerful live performer
employing split-second timing. He presented another original and excellent version of the sub trunk
(photo 2), and his award winning dove act that literally thunders along to 'that' piece of
Cirque du Soleil music. I've seen the act on television before, but
live it was something else. He's taken the slickness, timing, and panache of a world-class juggler and applied it to a magic act. Superb.
For perhaps the first time ever I walked out of The British Magical Championships without a wave of depression coming over
me! Unlike this year's British Ring Shield Competition, which was a dismal affair, the Championships presented some
really good performers. The organisers also helped by breaking-up the competition into three sections, and closing two of them with a guest magician. So the whole evening had pace. The winners were: John Archer - Comedy (photo
3), Daniel Dean - Illusion, James Parker - Junior, and Mark Taylor - General and Grand Prix Champion. A number of magicians commented that Mark's act was far too close to the work of Peter Marvey though, and it looked that way to me too.
Colonel Custard (Paul Megram) won the Children's Entertainer of the Year Competition and Lee Davis the Close-up competition, with Ian Barradell in second place and Peter Roberts in third... Marvin Roy and Carol were awarded The Murray Award, and the Ken Dodd Comedy Award went to Mark Shortland. Congratulations to all.
For a review of the whole convention see
Reviews
3.3.01
Here's
some good news for anyone planning a visit to Vegas in the near
future. Following much speculation, Las Vegas icons Siegfried and Roy
announced on Monday that they would continue to perform at The Mirage,
where they have been performing since February 1990, through to the end of
their career. The new contract is for eight shows a week, 44 weeks a year,
until they decide to retire, which under the terms of the contract will be
2004 at the earliest. Respect!
3.3.01
Spyros Melaris (aka Mr Magic) is launching a new TV music series,
Showcase, on 15th March 2001. For two hours each night, seven nights a week, music hopefuls, of all genres, will get their fifteen minutes of fame, on the late-night satellite and digital and cable channel. In-between Spyros will be
popping up with magic 'stings and stunts.'
3.3.01
This year's Irish Ring 85 Convention will be returning to Bangor, County Down. The HQ Hotel is the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, situated on the outskirts of Bangor in its own landscaped grounds. 5th and 6th of May 2001. See What's On for more information. 3.3.01
Danish
magic dealer's Pegani, who were exhibiting at the Blackpool
Convention, have half a page advertisement in their house magazine Pegasus
advertising magic from Paul Zenon's Tricky Christmas show that was
broadcast there on December 1st.
3.3.01
I'm delighted to feature Bob Hamilton under Magic Profile for March. Readers who know Bob for his video work will, I'm sure, be fascinated to read his 'profile.' Keith Bennett opened his new magic shop on Friday, March 2nd, opening times are 3-8pm on Fridays and 10am-4pm on Saturdays, and the address is 12a Brennand Road, Warley, Oldbury B68 OSB mail@kbmagic.com for more information (good luck Keith). It would be nice to have a few more short articles on any aspect of magic... MagicWeek is now read by thousands of magicians so tell them what you think! Many thanks to Mandy Davis for her full review of the Blackpool Convention, under Reviews. See you next week, Duncan. 3.3.01