Number 177 - 15th
November 2003
The
32nd International Magic Close-up Convention is just a few weeks away
(6th and 7th December). The Holiday Inn Hotel,
Kings Cross, has once again been chosen to act as the venue and rooms are
available at the convention rate of £90 per room per night (including full
English breakfast).
Click Here for hotel reservations. This year marks the 20th
anniversary of the Close-up Competition and also the introduction of the
Kevin Reay Close-up Trophy, in memory of Kevin, the first ever winner
back in 1984. There are still a couple of places available in the
competition which offers £1,000 cash to the first prize winner. Contact
Martin directly if you'd like to enter:
martin@internationalmagic.com.
The following artistes
have been booked to both lecture and perform, with more names to be announced:
J C Wagner (USA)
www.jcwagnersmagic.com
Armando Lucero (USA)
www.armandolucero.com
Carlos Vaquera (Belgium - photo)
www.carlosvaquera.com
Jean-Pierre Vallarino (France)
www.vallarino-magic.com
Ryan Swigert (USA)
www.ryanswigert.com
A fine selection of dealers will be exhibiting their magic, several of whom attend no other UK conventions. Here are all the contact details for the convention: Telephone: +44 20 7405 7324 Fax: +44 20 7831 2927 martin@internationalmagic.com www.internationalmagic.com International Magic, 89 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1R 5BX, UK. It'll be a great weekend. 15.11.03
David
Blaine makes a welcome return visit to the studios of GMTV on
Tuesday 25th November when, once again, he will be Eamonn Holmes's guest.
There's no stopping these two once they get together - can't wait!
TV Magic.
15.11.03
Magician
Impossible is currently in post production. Starring Swedish magic
star Joe Labero, this magic special was shot in the Mediterranean and will
air in December. Dates when we get them. Carlton Television.
15.11.03
Men
in Coats
are live on stage tonight (Saturday 15th) at the Camberley Theatre at 8pm.
Telephone the box office on
01276 707 600 for ticket
availability. We've heard nothing but excellent reports about their current
tour.
Street Map.
www.menincoats.co.uk.
15.11.03
Blaine's stunt helps
researchers. "David Blaine's 44-day fast in a glass box in London will
give doctors rare information on the effects of starvation and
malnourishment, the specialist who treated him said yesterday. He said the
stunt also highlighted the need for more nutritional support in hospitals.
Professor Jeremy Powell-Tuck, who cared for the illusionist at the London
Independent Hospital, used a picture of Blaine taken three days after his
stunt to illustrate the importance of the campaign to raise awareness of
the problem." Read the full story in
The Guardian.
15.11.03
Nicholas
Lezard enjoys Ricky Jay's elaborate portrayal of the celebrity-driven
society of yesteryear in Jay's Journal of Anomalies in
The Guardian. To order a copy from Amazon.co.uk
Click Here.
15.11.03
The
Magic Den are now advertising with MagicWeek. Founded by British Ring
member Neil Smith,
who'll be well known to members of the Nottingham Guild of Magicians, they aim
to supply quality magical effects and offer online shopping and
traditional mail order ordering. They also run Haywood Artistes, a
very busy entertainment agency representing all types of entertainers,
including magicians, in the UK and across Europe. Pay them a visit today!
www.themagicden.com.
15.11.03
Diagnosis Murder
has a magic theme on Wednesday. "Sloan's free tickets to a friend's magic show become an invitation to
murder when the magician mysteriously dies on stage during his escape
act." 11am on Hallmark, see TV Magic.
15.11.03
Policing illusionist
David Blaine's 44-day starvation stunt cost more than £64,000, the
Home Office said. Minister Hazel Blears said she had been informed by
Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir John Stevens, that the bill so far
was £64,135 before the costs of the final day have been calculated. Read
the full story in
The Guardian. His next stunt will be the "Dive of Death." For more
information
Click Here.
15.11.03
Wave of hope for
flood-hit magician. "Conjuring couple Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee
are hoping to magic away flooding problems from their Thames-side home by
raising it up on stilts," reports the Reading Evening post,
Click Here. More in The Telegraph,
Click Here.
15.11.03
Magic Circle Young
Magician of the Year winner Paul Dabek is going to help switch on the
Christmas lights in Oswertry on November 26th, reports the Shropshire
Star,
Click Here.
15.11.03
Max
Maven lectures at Another Escape! on Sunday - we're not sure if
there are any tickets left, try
www.magicinmind.com for contact information • Simon Cowell is
to be sawn in half for Children in Need,
Click Here • Alistair 'Monkey
Boy' Cook was profiled in last week's Sunday
Times Style magazine in a feature entitled "We're so in Love with" talking
about his pet goldfish and how it keeps being used in his act:
vanishing, reappearing and even reading people's minds •
Paul Gordon's UK Magic Club listings can be found at
ukmagic.net/clubs.htm and include details of both 'online' and
'offline' clubs •
An Ashton Sixth Form
College student has taken the next step to ensuring his dream of
emulating David Blaine is not just an illusion, reports the Tameside
Advertiser. Andrew Walde, who at 16 is the youngest member of the
Manchester Circle of Magicians, has just applied to join the Young
Magician's Club run by
The Magic Circle. To read the full story
Click Here •
"David Blaine To Go 44
Days Without Publicity" not sure if even we believe this one from
MSNBC!
Click
Here •
That's it for this week see you next week, Duncan.
15.11.03