Number 1017 - 21st December 2019

Just over 50 days to go and the Blackpool Magic Convention 2020 looks set to be their biggest and best ever (ever, ever!).

 

MAIN STAGE SHOW PERFORMERS
Lance Burton & Friends (Friday night Show), Arturo Brachetti - Solo (Saturday night Show), Christian Wedoy, Gaeton Bloom, John Archer, Kalin & Jinger, Maria Sarach, Marko Karvo, Michael Goudeau, Sergio Starman, Wayne Dobson, Fielding West, Keith West, Mac King, Max Fulham.

ONE-MAN SHOWS
Ben Hart, Mac King, Danny Buckler, Max Fulham, Max Maven, Rafael, The Evasons, Richard Wiseman - Seance, Avnar the Eccentric.

MEGA LECTURE
Uri Geller.

WAYNE DOBSON AND FRIENDS
Wayne Dobson and special guests.

CLOSE-UP PERFORMERS
Benjamin Morey, Craig Petty, Matt Windsor, Takumi Takahashi, Jay Sankey, Michael Ammar, Henry Evans, Lain Moran, Kyle Littleton, Marcelo Insua, Ryan Schlutz.

LECTURERS
Gaeton Bloom, Henry Evans, Jamie Allan, Jay Sankey, Kyle Littleton, Lior Manor, Lynette Welch, Max Maven, Marcelo Insua, Richard Wiseman, Michael Ammar, Patrick Kun, Ryan Schlutz, Sam Fitton, Sergio Starman, Takumi Takahashi, Paul Stone, Rafael, Master Payne, Avnar the Eccentric, Phillip Hitchcock.

POWER POINT PRESENTATION
Master Payne.

CLOSE-UP COMPETITION
Featuring performers from around the world.

STANDALONE EVENT
Juan Esteban Varela - Magic in the Dark.

BEAT THE WAND
Magic Sam.

TED STYLE TALKS
Hosted by Luke Dancy.

NOT THE GALA SHOW
Jack Gleadow, Ryan Gleeson, Gary Dunn, John Kimmons, George Firehorse.

KIDS SHOW LECTURES
Jozo Bozo, Keith Fields, Max Fulham, Noah Kelly, Phileas Flash, Master Payne.

Don't leave it too late... www.blackpoolmagic.com. 21.12.19

6 Days to go to the 10th Anniversary MagicFest! From the organisers: Can’t believe that we’re celebrating a decade of MagicFest with the opening Gala in just a week’s time! We have a rocking, festive line up ready to go, and although some shows have started to sell out, there’s still time to get your tickets or plan to come to our free exhibition! Festival director Kevin Quantum picks out a few shows to watch out for. See www.magicfest.co.uk. 21.12.19

Whisky & Wizardry at The Lost Close, Edinburgh. Enjoy a wee dram of whisky and some fantastic close-up magic at The Lost Close in Edinburgh. Whisky & Wizardry is a new weekly close-up magic show hosted by Wilf Keys, and situated just off the Royal Mile. Guests are led to the Lost Close where they are served a wee dram of whisky (or alternative soft drink) and a little bit of history, before being seated for a 45 minute close-up magic show. Tickets are £10 (includes drink) and bookings can be made via www.eventbrite.co.uk. 28th of December 2019 - 4th of January 2020, daily at 8pm. Venue: The Lost Close at Code Pod Hostels The Court, 1A Parliament Square, Edinburgh EH1 1RF (Map). 21.12.19

The MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week! This week Automaton Antonio Diavolo, brilliantly restored and rebuilt by John Gaughan in a guest appearance on The Paul Daniels Magic Christmas Show from 27th December 1986. See The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with more from The MagicWeek Video Archive Click Here. 21.12.19

Chris Wood Lecture, South London Magic Society. From the organisers: With a host of lectures to magic clubs across the UK and Europe to his credit, including an “At the Table” for Murphy’s Magic, Chris is an accomplished performer who runs The Magic Circle Close-Up shows and is known for his insight and attention to detail when improving effects. Recent talks at The Magic Circle have focused on topics such as scripting, an exemplar on physical misdirection, impromptu card magic and a master class workshop on clarity, rhythm and pace. His lectures similarly cover in depth the why as well as the how behind some of the routines from his working repertoire. If you have ever been to The Magic Circle you will find Chris “holding court” in the bar area; he can entertain, mystify and session with magicians for hours – this is why you should come to this lecture. Tuesday 7th January. Doors open at 7pm. £10 to non-members which can go towards Membership if you decide to join. Clock House Methodist Church, Clock House Methodist Church Hall, Clock House Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4JP (Map). www.southlondonmagic.co.uk. 21.12.19

Life’s a Beach Volume Two by Gary Jones is reviewed by Jay Fortune this week. "I was impressed with the first offering of Gary’s routines and this second volume packs a punch too. There’s mainly card work, but a few coin effects and even a flower production (think ‘weddings’). What is clear, again, in this volume is that Gary understands the commercial performing environment..." Click Here to read the full review. 21.12.19

Blackpool Magicians Club Christmas Message. The President, committee, convention team and members of Blackpool Magicians Club would like to express their best wishes to all fellow Magicians, entertainers and families for Christmas and the New Year and thank you for your continued support. We look forward to welcoming friends old and new to the 2020 convention. www.blackpoolmagicconvention.com. 21.12.19

Issue 3 of Slapstick is published today, celebrating the work of Terry Herbert. From the publishers: Terry is an internationally renowned entertainer of both children and adults, winner of both the Maskelyne and Carlton Awards and has performed for every possible audience, even taking Punch & Judy on ice! Slapstick can be read online, for free: Click Here. 21.12.19

DTrik's Deal of the Decade! For this weekend only, grab a deal or two from this year's top sellers. Lucky Card Deluxe (£25) down to £11 and Houdini’s Diary (£25) down to just £10. Hurry over to www.dtrik.com. 21.12.19

Mark Watson on Talking Tricks. Kane & Abel write: "On Talking Tricks, we gear up for Christmas by talking the miracles of Jesus with Christian magician Mark Watson. Mark gives us the full story behind Jesus's iconic miracles and his lesser known ones, plus how they have inspired magicians from Paul Daniels and Penn & Teller to Barry & Stewart and Criss Angel and Dynamo. Find out the true meaning of Christmas and learn about these miracles. Listen via Podbean, iTunes and acast." 21.12.19

The results of the 'Best Illusion of the Year Contest' were announced last week. The international competition is now in its 15th year and has showcased some of the most innovative perceptual and cognitive illusions of the 21st Century. Dr Matt Pritchard - The Science Magician - was one of the ten finalists with his ambiguous arrow illusion made from a toilet roll tube. When held in front of a mirror the arrow's direction and colour switch over. The illusion can be cut in less than 30 seconds, making it a fun family project exploring this type of illusion. More details about this year's competition can be found here: www.illusionoftheyear.com. Contestants from all around the world submitted novel illusions (unpublished, or published no earlier than 2015), and an international panel of judges rated them and narrowed them to the top 10. 21.12.19

All Star Family Fortunes. Paul Daniels v Joe Swash. Magician Paul Daniels and former EastEnder Joe Swash compete, teaming up with their relatives to guess the answers to surveys of 100 people in a bid to reach the final round, in which they can win up to £30,000 for a charity of their choice. Game show, hosted by Vernon Kay. Repeat. Monday 30th December on Challenge. See TV Magic for details. 21.12.19

Mind-bending photo illusions created by homeless young Scots go on show. An exhibition of mind-bending photographic illusions created by young people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, opens in Edinburgh just before Christmas. The Power of Perspective features a host of striking images that play with perceptions and perspectives – with shadow people flying real balloons and juggling coloured balls and “invisible” people reflected in water. The project involved a group of 16 to 25-year-olds from around Scotland supported by the Rock Trust who worked with illusion expert Professor Richard Wiseman and the Edinburgh International Magic Festival – known as MagicFest. Running from 22 December to 26 January, and free to see, The Power of Perspective is being hosted at two venues. The photos will be displayed at the Scottish Storytelling Centre and visitors can then go into The Museum of Edinburgh to find out the secrets behind how the illusions were created.

Prof. Wiseman, who is also the writer of the MagicFest children’s show You Are Magic, said: "I really enjoyed working with these young people – they had such enthusiasm and imagination. The pictures they have created are superb and it will be really fun for visitors to see if they can work out how some of the illusions were created. Illusions help people to perceive the world in a different way, and I hope that will happen here. Likewise, it is important that we make myths surrounding homelessness vanish and replace them with a more accurate way of seeing what’s really going on." Enjoy the illusions at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1SR and then see how they were created at the Museum of Edinburgh 142-146, Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DD. Free admission. See www.magicfest.co.uk for exact opening hours during holiday season. 21.12.19

Magia de Cerca Marathon. Paulino Gil has organised a 24 Hour Close Up Magic Marathon on the web. It's coming from Paulino's home town of Zamora in Spain. Paulino Gil writes: I would like to share with you my new project: 2nd edition of The Marathon of Magic the Close-up, 24 hours non-stop on 21st December at 7pm local time (Spain). From the Etnografic Museum in Zamora, Spain, 12 Artists will perform individually, changing every 20 minutes: Alex Louzao, Andrely, Carmilo, Vazquez, Daba, Imannol Ituino, Jose de Lemos, Juan Luis Rubiales, Jayto, Mad Martin, Martilda, Pablo Segobriga and Pepin Banzo. #24horasdemagia We transmit live online: YouTube (Thanks to David Britland for this). 21.12.19

Andrew Mayne: Ghost Diver, Thursday 26th December on Discovery. "Illusionist and inventor Andrew Mayne attempts to create a shark suit to overcome a great white's senses and make him invisible to it, before testing it in shark-infested waters." See TV Magic for details. 21.12.19

"Penn Jillette on Loose Ends" CLick Here • "Penn Jillette on Steve Wright in the Afternoon" Click Here • "Illusionist Derren Brown Is Broadway’s Best Kept Secret" Click Here • "Who is Ben Hanlin? Meet the magician joining Dancing On Ice 2020" Click Here • "Highest-Paid Magicians 2019: David Copperfield Conjures $60M To Top List" Click Here • "Magician Tom Brace to amaze young and old at Bournemouth show" Click Here • "Uri Geller claims he secured Boris Johnson's election victory" Click Here • "Mysto brings classic conjuring to concert hall" Click Here • "Mind-blowing displays in 'Criss angel Mindfreak'" Click Here • "The Illusionists will immerse Heinz Hall in magic" Click Here • "The Illusionists’ Dom Chambers and Eric Chien Reveal Their Magical Formulas for the Stage" Click Here. 21.12.19

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our readers, worldwide! From all the MagicWeek team, we hope you have a Merry Christmas, and best wishes for 2020, Louis, Amelia, Duncan and Keiko. 21.12.19

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