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74th British Ring IBM Convention
22nd - 26th September 2010, Eastbourne
Update 5, April 2010
Bob Hayden, British Ring PRO
Mr Manual Muerte. On hearing or looking at his name you may think he comes from
Spain. Not so. He is German and hails from Hamburg. It is a name that in this
country a large number of magicians are not well-acquainted. This will change
after he is seen at Eastbourne in September when he performs in the Saturday
Night International Magic Show, the International Close-up Gala and has
delivered a lecture. For over ten years he has been performing internationally
and multilingually as an entertainer and magician.
What is the background to Manuel? It was in 1977 that he obtained his first
magic kit becoming a freelance magician in 1986. It is interesting to note that
in 1988 he was German Champion of Magic before graduating nag from college in
1988. He toured central Europe with various bands between 1990 -1994 coupling
this with being a student at the faculty of cultural arts in Luneberg. Further
awards came his way when he was crowned World champion of comedy magic and
presented with the ‘Sarmoti’ award by Siegfried and Roy in Las Vegas. He is
proud to have finished in the silver medal position for close-up magic at the
Lisbon F.I.S.M. in 2000. Whether at the close-up table or on stage Manual gives
a wide variety of original performances by mixing the art of magic with his
dazzling entertainment qualities to create his own unique brand of comedy magic.
In his stage show he treats his audience to a series of good humoured digs at
the expense of established magical entertainment by impersonating an ageing
magician by mixing the traditional school of show-biz with modern comedy. The
main victim of his cultivated chaos is his charming assistant Silvana Busoni who
not only sings like an angel but is often in danger of becoming one. His
close-up show combines irreverent comedy and brilliant magical skills performing
with cigars, banknotes, white mice and a whole lot more. His lecture provides an
insight to his magical techniques. He has lectured all over mainland Europe as
well as at the F.F.F.F. Convention and the Magic Castle. For many it is
predicted Mr Manual Muerte will be the highlight of their Convention.
The line-up for the International Close-up Show has been completed with the
confirmed addition of Sean Carpenter. It’s going to be a great show!
In contrast to the relatively unknown magician in this country to one who really
requires no introduction to Conventioneers is Peter Scarlett close-up and
corporate magician, inventor and dealer. Magic came into Peter’s life in 1950
when he read in the Christmas issue of the ‘Meccano Magazine’ of that year a
trick described by Norman Hunter with wooden blocks. He set to and made it up in
cardboard and performed it at his school’s Christmas party. He was fortunate
enough to meet Bill Fargie ‘The Vest Pocket Magician who became his early mentor
and who introduced him to his first magic club ‘The Sussex Magic Circle’ where
he became a student member alongside Nick Lewin, Peter Steadman, Janet Clare and
Cynthia Neptune all now professional magicians. They must have been some
outstanding tutors in the Sussex Magic Circle to turn out such a distinguished
quintet of magicians!
With Marconick’s ‘Silken Bombshell’ and Lewis Ganson’s ‘Bags of Everything’
Peter won his first talent competition at the first ever Burgess Hill ’Goose
Fayre’in 1956. His first experience of appearing on a full size stage came when
he met Len Jennings and became a member of the ‘Bognor Regis Magic Circle’. Each
year they produced a magic show at the town’s ‘Esplanade Theatre’. It gave Peter
the chance of becoming a regular performer on the show. For him it was an
opportunity he eagerly awaited each year and most especially at Easter 1961 when
the show ran for a whole week.
The first trick he invented, manufactured and marketed was ‘Twin-set’ an effect
that just keeps on selling. He formed Sound Ideas in 1990 changing it later to
Peter Scarlett Magic and becoming a full time dealer/performer in 1993. In
twenty years of dealing Peter has brought to the magical fraternity a multitude
of commercial effects that have become regular items in many professional
magicians’ acts.
His early magical influences were Slydini, Al Koran and Marvyn Roy but it was
Ken Brooke demonstrating the vanishing card case and diminishing card routine at
a Harry Stanley Day at Victoria Halls in London that gave him the very effects
he was looking for to open his act, two effects that he still uses to this very
day.
As a compere Peter is superb giving precise introductions to each act with
assurance at the same time, if required to do so, provide fitting and amusing
fill ins with an unbelievable confidence ease and with such panache. To have
Peter Scarlett in any show is a prodigious asset.
Here are another two of the Stars of Magic that you will be able to enjoy by
being at the British Ring Convention in Eastbourne September 22nd to 26th. Make
your registration today!
Bob Hayden, British Ring PRO, April 2010. www.britishring.org.uk