Number
984 - 4th May 2019
The
Magic Circle Foundation presents The Penguin Performances and Lecture
Season.
Juan Tamariz - Public Event - Wednesday 8th May at 8pm. Juan
Tamariz presents his mentalism act. Juan is arguably one of the greatest
card magicians in the world, but did you know he is also a mentalist?
You’re invited to The Magic Circle to watch the act. Bring non-magician
friends too. Tickets £20, plus fees. For more info and to book:
www.themagiccircle.co.uk.
Bébel and Paul Vigil double bill - Public Event - Thursday 9th May.
Bébel is already a legend in card magic and will be performing various
effects including 'A Thought Prior' and 'The Big Bang'. "Some people
call me a magician, others a mind reader, and a few perhaps some kind of
psychic. I can understand why people would want to say those things."
Vigil will be performing a selection of his classic routines including
'The Mind Melding Magician' and 'The Phantom Returns'. Joint ticket
price for both performances is £15. For more info and to book:
www.themagiccircle.co.uk.
Lu Chen Lecture - Strictly Magicians Only - Friday 10th May. Lu
Chen has worked in television for over 20 years and is an iconic magic
figure in China. His TV shows have been seen by more than a billion
viewers. Awards include: The Asia Magician of The Year (AMA & FISM), The
Magician of The Year (The Academy of Magician Arts), Grolla d'oro Award
(The Masters of Magic Festival), The International Magic Award (David
Berglas). Lu will be offering his take on the 'Tossed Out Deck', 'Add a
Number' and more, and there will be the opportunity for a Q&A session
too. Tickets £20. Strictly Magicians only. For more info and to book:
www.alakazam.co.uk.
4.5.19
David
Berglas was presented with his Member of the Order of the British Empire
(MBE) for his services to Magic and Psychology on Thursday, 2nd May.
The presentation was made by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and David
was joined by his family for the occasion. The original New Year Honours
announcement was made in MagicWeek on 29th December 2018, in issue
966. David Berglas’
extraordinary career started in the 50s. Six weeks at the Windmill
Theatre in London in 1953 was followed by a whirlwind tour of variety
theatres where he often topped the bill. He became a household name with
his regular performances on radio, conducting "Nationwide Psychological
Experiments" involving millions of listeners and had his own BBC
television show "Meet David Berglas" in 1954 which had an audience of
over 19 million and then hosted the first ever commercial TV series in
1955. In the 80s his series "The Mind of David Berglas" on Channel 4
entertained celebrity guests such as Omar Sharif, Britt Ekland and
Christopher Lee.
In the magic world he has received most major international
honours. He was President of The Magic Circle from 1989-1998 and helped
revitalise the society. During his tenure The Magic Circle admitted
women as members for the very first time, established The Young Magicians Club and acquired and
refurbished the old warehouse in Euston that became their first
permanent HQ, naming it "The Centre for the Magic Arts".
4.5.19
Jamie
Raven to launch unique Magic venue at Bluewater this Summer. From
the promoters: Giving you and your family the chance to get up close and
personal, Jamie Raven’s Bluewater residency through July, August and
September 2019 will comprise of over 250 performances in a purpose built
theatre, alongside a magic shop and a magic school set in a magic
workshop space, where children and adults alike can learn a number of
incredible tricks and take away one of 5 official Jamie Raven Magic
sets. Also available as a birthday party experience, this is a unique
opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade from an internationally
renowned illusionist and his incredible team. The lovable magician, who
shot to fame on Britain's Got Talent in 2015 and made Simon Cowell
exclaim "I now actually believe in magic!" can’t wait to get started.
See Vimeo. For
more information and to book see
www.makingmagic.co.uk and
www.admiticket.com/jamieravenmagic. Magical Theatre Staff and
Demonstrators Wanted: If you'd like to apply to work with Jamie in
July, August and September 2019, email
info@jamieraven.co.uk with a
link to your website and any performance footage. All levels of
experience will be considered, and training will be provided.
4.5.19
Matt
Sterling: May The Fourth Be With You! It's not every magician that
gets to appear on their own Topps Star Wars collectors' card, but Magic Circle
member Matt Sterling, who got four yeses on last Saturday's Britain's Got
Talent, appears on a few! Seen here as a Rebellion Commando in
Gareth Edwards' brilliant
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Best of luck as the competition
progresses Matt! DT. "Sterling Job. Britain’s Got Talent magician Matt
Sterling stuns Lorraine with incredible card trick as he opens up about
movie fame"
Click Here. Also see
www.stirlingstunts.co.uk.
4.5.19
The
MagicWeek Video Archive. This week, Geoffrey Durham on John Fisher's
'The Best of Magic' from 20th September 1989. See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with past weeks
Click Here.
4.5.19
Richard
Jones Escape. Just two dates remain in Richard Jones's sell-out
tour: May 10th at the Exmouth Pavilion
Click Here and June 21st at The Core in Corby
Click Here. "Winner of Britain's Got Talent in 2016, British Army
soldier and one of the world's greatest magicians, Richard Jones, is
bringing his outstanding new show to Corby. In Escape he has something
very different in store for fans – this time, he’s attempting ‘magic
with meaning’ – not just your normal set of tricks, but a programme by
which to live your life. Richard is travelling nationwide to stun and
mesmerise audiences once more, showing exactly what made him the stand
out act to win Britain’s top talent show."
www.richardjonesmagic.co.uk.
4.5.19
Kevin
Quantum on The Magicians' Podcast. Richard Young writes: Kevin
Quantum is a Scottish magician who was the subject of a Channel 4
documentary called Faking It. He was studying for a PhD in Physics when
he was set the task of 'faking it' as a magician in front of a panel of
professionals. Kevin succeeded and was bitten by the magic bug, deciding
shortly after to put his PhD on hold and try a career as a professional
magician. Initially he took the logical route into professional magic by
performing close-up magic at corporate events and weddings, however
having the Edinburgh Fringe on his doorstep took him to the stage soon
after. In this interview Kevin discusses why he thinks performing
close-up magic was bad for his mental health, how he took his stage
shows from Edinburgh to the Adelaide and Perth festivals in Australia
and his passion project, The Edinburgh International Magic Festival. Plus "What's Going On?"
with Alan Hudson. The Magicians' Podcast, listen now, via
iTunes,
Podbean
or
Spotify.
4.5.19
Smoke
& Mirrors: The Psychology of Magic with Dr Matt Tompkins on Talking
Tricks: Psychologist and Magician Dr Matt Tompkins joins us to
discuss the brand new Smoke & Mirrors: The Psychology of Magic
exhibition, which runs until September 15th at The Wellcome Collection
gallery in London. Matt discusses his live performances as part of the
exhibition, the artefacts within the collection, why mediums and
mentalism strike a chord with the general public, psychology and magic
and much more. He also tells us all about his new book, produced in
collaboration with the exhibition, The Spectacle of Illusion: Magic, the
paranormal and the complicity of the mind. The book traces the evolution
of the arts of magic and illusion from the 18th century onwards.
Listen via
iTunes,
Podbean and
Acast.
4.5.19
The
Spectacle of Illusion: Magic, the paranormal & the complicity of the
mind. "A spectacular treasury of treats. Page after page of utter
joy: I can't tear my eyes away" Derren Brown. "The Spectacle of
Illusion is a remarkable book. Even if you didn't read a single word,
the remarkable images seem to lift a lid on the Magic world. This book
both reveals the inner workings of the extraordinary and yet seems to
keep all its secrets too. It's wonderful." See Amazon.co.uk
Click Here.
4.5.19
Magicseen
Issue 86 May 2019. From the publishers: For a while there has been a
bit of a craze amongst magicians for Rubik's Cube magic, and our cover
star, Henry Harrius, has been one of those who has successfully built a
reputation thanks to his creativity with the popular puzzle. As well as
our interview with the Hong Kong based magician, we also chat with
straight talking illusionist Morgan Strebler from the US, and learn that
the pathway to success has not always been easy for Zak Stone. Want to
improve your magic without having to resort to knuckle busting sleight
of hand? Well, adopt some of the misdirection techniques from our
article entitled Look The Other Way and see the difference. And if you
want to avoid magical burnout, Dominic Reyes offers plenty of ways to
maintain a healthy long term interest in our wonderful art. Like product
reviews? Well, we have a comprehensive round up of comments on many of
the latest releases, so look no further than this issue to find out
what's hot, and quite frankly what's not! All this plus In The Phonebox
with singer/songwriter Leo Sayer, part 2 of The Magic Of South Africa,
and more can be yours via a 1 or 2 year printed copy or download sub, or
through the purchase of a single issue from
www.magicseen.co.uk.
4.5.19
The
Mark Leveridge Magic E-Video Newsletter. This month: The Teach In
- learn how to produce and vanish a coin in a clean and convincing
manner. Top Tips - a suggestion for how to keep all show details
to hand, both during and after the gig. The Strolling Magician
Unplugged - part 16 considers show booking paperwork and how to
organise it effectively. Web Offers - info and a dem on Mark's
current go to strolling effect plus a major E-Book, both items being on
offer this month. 60 Seconds To Success - advice on how to create
background music for close up shows. The Review Corner - Mark
raves about PropDog's The Mystery Blox. Access to the half hour video
programme can be had for as little as £2.00 with a 1 year sub. To watch
a trailer and to get more information or to order, go to
www.markleveridge.co.uk/evn.php.
4.5.19
Gary
Jones lectures at York Society of Magicians on Wednesday 8th May at
8pm. £10 admission for non-members. The York Society of Magicians, Red Lion Hotel, Boroughbridge Road, Upper
Poppleton, York YO26 6PR (Map).
www.yorksocietyofmagicians.co.uk.
4.5.19
Merlins
Magic Festival Day, next Sunday, May 12th at Birdwell Academy Theatre,
Take 2 Centre, Sheffield Road, Birdwell, Barnsley S70 5TU (Map).
The day features Matricks, Paul Gordon, Franklin, Thomas Anthony, Darren
Mac, Walt Lees, James Brandon, Matthew Tiffany and Workshops, Dealers,
Lectures and Sideshows. There is also a ‘Goody Bag’ for everyone who
attends the full event, which contains goodies which exceed the price of
the ticket. Join them all for a great day of magic and entertainment.
For details and tickets
Click Here. They also have new exclusives from 3D Magic Works:
Chip Shot and
Set in Stone, and the latest from Magic Wagon:
Casino Royale and
Mystic Slate - both limited editions!
4.5.19
Joe Pasquale guests on The One Show on Monday 6th May on BBC 1. "The first visit of the week to the One Show studio, featuring the usual mix of topical stories and celebrity chat with guest Joe Pasquale." See TV Magic. 4.5.19
British
Ring 'Magical Social' Sunday 26th May. Alan Maskell writes:
On Sunday 26th May the I.B.M. British Ring is holding a magical social
for magicians, members and friends at the Little Theatre Leicester.
Doors open at 10am and there will be a show, close-up magic, a light buffet
lunch, a trick swap-shop and a magical quiz! Tickets are £10 adults and £5
under 16's. Pay on the door but please reserve your seat for catering
purposes by calling 07771 613 894.
For further details see
www.britishring.org.uk.
4.5.19
John Gordon Lecture, Northamptonshire Magicians Club,
Tuesday 7th May. Mark Paul writes:
This lecture comprises of a carefully selected range of material from
previous lectures and John's current repertoire to inspire you to
explore your own routines, add more "you", and make them your own.
A lecture not to be missed.
Visiting magicians welcome, £10 charge.
The lecture starts at 8pm. Northamptonshire Magicians' Club, Brafield on
the Green Working Men's Club, 35 Bedford Road, Brafield on the Green,
Northampton NN7 1BD (Map).
www.northamptonshiremagicians.uk.
4.5.19
Mel
Harvey elected President of the Northamptonshire Magicians' Club. After
50 Years as a full time professional in the entertainment business Mel
Harvey was honoured to be voted in this week by the committee and
members as President of The Northamptonshire Magicians' Club, seen here
with retiring President Matthew Garrett. Mel is the winner of both the
NMC Stage and Parlour Competitions and is a Gold Star Member of The Inner
Magic Circle. Although Mel has one of the largest second hand magic
collections in the UK there is no truth in the rumour that there will
be an auction at every meeting, well, not every meeting!
In ten days time Mel will be off to America again with visits to Miami
and The Daytona Magic Shop for a meeting with Harry Allen to discuss
props for the forthcoming cruise season.
In September you will be able to catch Mel's comedy act here in the
UK at the IBM British Ring Convention at The
Congress Theatre, Eastbourne.
In addition to his comedy magic, Mel is also finalising the line up for
his band "The New Meltones" who have already been booked for The NMC's
President's Dinner in Northampton in March 2020. The current line up
includes an ex member of The Shadows as Mel is also a member of The
Warwick Shadows Guitar Club. Any magicians in the Northampton area who are not already members of the
NMC are invited to give Mel a call regarding the audition procedure on
07860 485578.
www.northamptonshiremagicians.uk.
4.5.19
Bexley
Magic Society Annual Stage Magic Competition. Roy Marsh writes: On
Wednesday 1st May, Bexley Magic Society held its annual stage magic
competition for the George Trophy. Five entrants with widely differing
acts performed for a lay audience and three judges from the world of
amateur theatre. The performers were Jason Simmons, Lisa Barber, PJ The
Clown, Jason Deverell and Sarah Campbell. All acts had to be more than 5
minutes and less than 10, or face disqualification. The eventual winner
was Jason Deverell, left, pictured here receiving the shield from Bexley
Chairman Kevin Doig. Congratulations Jason on his second time of lifting
the award. Commiserations and thanks to the other acts for providing us
with a great evenings entertainment. Roy Marsh
www.bexleymagic.org.uk.
4.5.19
Norfolk & Norwich Festival will return for 2019 from 10th-26th
May with a programme of over 100 events spanning music, performance,
visual art and literature. The festival shares exceptional arts
experiences across East England and collaborates with artists – from
down the road and around the world – to explore the unique physical and
cultural identities of the city and country and to make art which is
contemporary, international and audience-centred. This year's festival
features three magic related performances:
•
Vincent Gambini’s The Chore of Enchantment combines deadpan
reflections with jaw-dropping sleight of hand magic to expertly play
with our understandings of deception, artifice and theatrical
make-believe.
•
Fake Magic features some of the most daring, alternative and cutting
edge magicians working in the UK today, presenting magicians who offer a
different approach to conjuring.
•
Bells and Spells by Victoria Thierrée Chaplin with Aurélia Thierrée,
making its UK premiere, follows Aurélia’s peculiar journey as an
incurable kleptomaniac who is at the mercy of the objects she steals.
Using ethereal imagery, unpredictable props and enchanting dance, this
performance blends the wonderful with the strange in a surreal world of
humour and illusion.
The full festival programme can be seen here: www.nnfestival.org.uk/whats-on. 4.5.19
Houdini's Last Secrets, the four-part series, is being repeated on Discovery History. "How did Harry Houdini pull off his death-defying escapes? A team of experts investigate his illusions." See TV Magic. 4.5.19
"Penn
& Teller Teach the Art of Magic"
YouTube • "Newtongrange teenage magician plays his cards right"
Click Here • "Penny Mordaunt: From a magician's assistant to the UK's
first female defence secretary"
Click Here • "Comedian-illusionist Piff the Magic Dragon coming to
NM"
Click Here • "Our Heroes: The magician using circus skills to put
Newcastle on the map"
Click Here • "This is how illusionist Vivek became a magician"
Click Here • "Illusionist Ivan Amodei brings his national tour to
Phoenix"
Click Here • "Illusionist Cosentino kicks off 'Anything Is Possible'
tour"
Click Here • "Truth & Illusions: Russell Brand & Derren Brown"
YouTube • Your UK Magic news is always welcomed - see you next week, Duncan.
4.5.19