Peterborough's 31st Sale, Exchange & Lecture Day
Sunday 22nd September 2019
Reviewed by Keith Downs

Peterborough's 31st Sale, Exchange & Lecture Day took place on Sunday 22nd September with a disappointingly small attendance. Those who did support the event were treated to three excellent and extremely entertaining lectures and some delicious food.

The day kicked off with Steve Rowe and for those of us who love a bit of magical DIY and messing about making our own gimmicks this was a lecture to savour. Included was how to melt a spectator s signature off a currency note, (I can't wait to use this!) and how to split cards. In fact he split two cards and made a first class double faced card in just a few minutes and gave excellent instructions for this operation with which I have always previously struggled. Well known for his effects using sweets there was much fun to be had from a tube of fruit pastilles and inevitably he spent some time demonstrating his very popular Lolli Hero effect. Steve's magic is fun magic and this was a hugely entertaining way to begin our day.

There was more DIY for us to consider at the beginning of Nick Einhorn's lecture when he demonstrated a very clever triple prediction effect which must just seem impossible from a spectator's point of view. It was not at all difficult to make. Amongst other things he also explained a series of 'ring off string' effects, culminating in his Pro-Flite. He finished by demonstrating some of the amazing effects which can be achieved with the Digital Force Bag devised by him and Craig Squires.

After a delicious lunch, courtesy of our member Robert Windle and his wife, Julie, it was time for our final lecture.

Chris Rawlins began with a clever version of that old stand-by of mentalists these days, a drawing duplication. Not at all difficult to make this was a strong platform or parlour effect. Later on he showed a close-up drawing duplication using some very clever subterfuge which I personally found extremely effective. The chair test also received the Rawlins treatment. This can sometimes seem somewhat convoluted but Chris has streamlined the effect so that although nothing has to be previously attached to any of the chairs, making the trick very easy to prepare, the ending is still extremely visual.

I have only picked out what for me were the highlights of the lectures, plenty of other stuff was explained and I would recommend all of them to other societies. Everyone who was there declared it a wonderful day but with such a low turnout the future of this well established event is now in question.

© Keith Downs, September 2019

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