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Halloween Magic at Great Easton
Reported by Diane O’Brien
I had heard rumours of a very good magic show that takes place every year
around Halloween in darkest Essex. After making a few enquiries of people
usually in the know I was lucky enough to get a couple of tickets. The
shows are in fact put on by Brian and Audrey Miller to raise money for the
local churches. I arrived at the venue to find it was to take place in the
village hall at Great Easton. I was a bit disappointed when I saw the
venue as it didn’t seem the kind of place that a great show would be put
on in. However as soon as I entered the building I realised that I was
about to experience something different as I was greeted by full size
figures of ghosts and skeletons. I then went through a door where the
function was to be held to find that a superb Halloween atmosphere had
been created with various scary figures fixed to the walls and spiders
dropping down from the ceiling. After a very enjoyable meal during which
close-up magic was provided by Alan Shaxon, Michael Alderman and Dennis
Patten we sat back in our chairs ready for the show.
Brian Miller compered and opened with some good gags before introducing
the first act of Paul Dabek. His production of doves was greeted with loud
‘ah’s’ from the mainly lay audience and his final vanish of the doves and
cage brought a gasp. It was a great opening act. Brian then introduced
Geoffrey Durham who started with his signature piece the torn and restored
newspaper. He also performed a picture transposition, banknote in playing
card and finished with a magic square with a twist. Having completed the
magic square he then produced from an envelope a prediction forecasting
what the audience’s randomly chosen number for the magic square would be.
For the last act Brian and Audrey had got Tensai. What a wonderful and
colourful act this is. It moved at a fast pace and I was able to see their
excellent levitation again which stunned the audience before they broke
into tumultuous applause.
Brian and Audrey must be congratulated on putting on such an excellent
show in aid of charity. Apart from getting the acts to appear they had
organised the decorating of the room which brought about such a fantastic
atmosphere. We all left having had a good evening and knowing that a
significant sum had been raised for a good cause. I hope that I can get
tickets for next year as the tickets are limited and hard to come by.
© Diane O’Brien, November 2007