Number 230 - 20th November 2004
The
33rd Annual International Magic Convention takes place at the end of
this week, Friday 26th to
Sunday 28th, at the Shaw Theatre (part of the Novotel Euston), London. On
the Saturday they'll be staging the Close-up Competition as usual with
£1,000 first prize, and every evening the same gala show will play in the
theatre, allowing registrants to pick an individual day or attend the
entire convention. The line up: David Williamson (USA), Ray Grismer (USA), Vito Lupo
(USA), Piet Forton (Switzerland), Flip (Netherlands), Mickey Silver (USA),
Nina & Nikolai (photo - Russia), Leo Ward (New Zealand), Magic Wave (Netherlands),
Vassily (Russia), Ailona (Russia), Lennart Green (Sweden), Mirko
(Argentina), and Noel Britten (UK). Plus magic lectures and dealers from all
around the world. For more information, and to book,
Click Here or for telephone bookings call 020 7405 7324. 20.11.04
The
Blackpool Magicians' Club are now gearing up for their 53rd annual
convention in February 2005 - the world's largest! On the Friday night: a
star lecture by Mahka Tendo, a star lecture by Doc Eason, a star lecture
by Jay Sankey, the 'Mainly Mental Show' with four performers including
Kenton Kneppper, The European Close-up Championships... and that's just
the Friday night! Visit
www.blackpoolmagic.com. 20.11.04
Seaside
Sorcery organised by Blackpool Magicians Club last weekend proved to
be a very enjoyable 'mini' convention that focused on inter-society
Close-up and Stage competitions, with six different magic societies taking
part, and The British Junior Magical Close-up and Stage Championships. The
convention also featured lectures, two evening shows and 20 dealers. The
whole event ran very smoothly under the guidance of convention organiser
Derek Lever. Here are the results of the competitions: The British Junior
Magical Close-up Championships 1st place Joe Ray, 2nd Dazzling Darren, 3rd
Cosmo. The British Junior Magical Stage Championships 1st place Jonathon
Shotton (photo, with Arthur Casson presenting the award), 2nd Magic
Michael & Co., 3rd Josh Miller. The British Magical Inter-Society Close-up
Championships 1st place Peter Roberts for Manchester Circle, 2nd Robert
Temple for Durham Society, 3rd Will Gray for Leicester Circle. The British
Magical Inter-Society Stage Championships 1st place Robert Temple for
Durham Society, 2nd Shane for Nottingham Guild, 3rd Stuart Brown for
Manchester Circle. The standard of all the competitors was high
throughout. 20.11.04
The
following performers have just been added to the line up for next
year's British Magical Society Centenary Convention in February: In the
stage show Paul Dabek (photo) the current Magic Circle Young Magician of
the Year, in the close-up gala Sean Carpenter a former IBM British Ring
close-up champion and Gavin Ross, who will both lecture and appear in the
close-up gala.
The venue is the recently refurbished
Sutton Coldfield Town Hall in Birmingham. For more information visit:
www.britishmagicalsociety.co.uk. 20.11.04
MAGIC - Programme
Six: Violent Magic is on tonight (Saturday 20th) at
9pm on BBC 2. The magician destroys... and then restores "January 10th 1921, and a brand new illusion is performed in London.
Sawing
Through a Woman was to become an immediate and enduring sensation. It
might be a magic cliché today but a member of that first ever audience
described it as "like watching a murder in your own living room."
The last in the series. Also features Paul Daniels, David Copperfield's sensational
Buzz Saw illusion and rare
archive footage. 20.11.04
TVMagic.co.uk
is the new home of British television magic. On the site you'll find
background information, interviews, exclusive souvenirs and products from
all your favourite television magicians. Current exclusives include
products from Derren Brown, Andy Nyman, Marc Paul, Anthony Owen, Thomas
Solomon and the Monkey Magic team. You can also register to receive the
TV Magic Newsletter which offers exclusive information on all the
latest TV Magic, free interview downloads and new product details. Plus
there's a special 'Magicians Only' area for bona fide magicians where, for
a limited time, those who subscribe to the Magicians Only newsletter will
receive a free trick download by Marc Paul. Visit
www.tvmagic.co.uk
today! 20.11.04
Martin
Sanderson has just returned form the Telindus exhibition in Brussels.
This is a specialist trade show dealing in "the latest IT switch
technology" and Martin managed to weave the company's message into his
magical presentations. The CEO said that they have used magicians before
but "Martin was truly outstanding!" In the next few months Martin performs
at three more trade shows, this time in Holland, and he also has a number
of trips to the USA lined up.
www.sanderson-magic.com. 20.11.04
If
you missed Jim Steinmeyer's interview on BBC Radio 2 last week, he is
being interviewed on BBC GMR on Dianne Oxberry's lunch time show between
12-2pm on Thursday, 25th (day and times to be confirmed). You can listen
to BBC GMR on 95.1FM and 104.6FM, on DAB in the Manchester area and all
over the world via
www.bbc.co.uk/gmr. Jim Steinmeyer's Hiding the Elephant is now
available in a hard back edition, with 30% off from Amazon.co.uk:
Click Here. 20.11.04
Who's
a cheeky boy then? Julian James, pictured here with the infamous
Cheeky Girls during a surprise party celebration in Dover Street, Mayfair
last week. Julian entertained with mind reading.
www.julianjamesmagic.com. 20.11.04
Scott
Penrose lectures at the Bexleyheath Society of Magicians on Wednesday
1st December. Visiting magicians are welcome (£5 charge). Doors open at
7.30pm, evening ends 10.30pm. The lecture is from 8pm - 10pm. Venue:
Bexleyheath & District Club for the Disabled, Barton Close, Bexleyheath,
Kent. If you need further information telephone Mark Styles on 01689
818984. 20.11.04
Derren
Brown Trick of the Mind is being repeated on E4 and associated
channels starting next Sunday "Psychological illusionist and former
magician Derren Brown demonstrates his unique powers. In this first show
Derren amazes magic fan Stephen Fry, appears to erase the 'knowledge' of a
London cabbie and simultaneously plays chess with nine of Britain's
leading chess masters." See TV Magic. 20.11.04
Issue
one of the new glossy magic magazine Magicseen, due for
publication in early 2005, will contain an exclusive interview with
Alistair Cook and Pete Firman, prior to their new TV series being aired on
Sky TV. The magazine is inviting magicians and fans to email any questions
they may have for Alistair and Pete to:
grahamnhey@aol.com. They are also
looking for products to review for issues 1 and 2. Manufacturers and
dealers should send products (with full details) for review to: Phil Shaw,
Magicseen Reviews, 18 Portal Road, York YO26 6BQ. 20.11.04
James
Dunn is a boy with a skin condition who lives in Liverpool. The
'Mersey Cats' (The Rock'n'Roll Children's Charity) have been fund raising
to make his dream come true which is to go to Las Vegas and see the magic
shows. BBC North West Tonight have taken a camera crew with him and he'll
be meeting Lance Burton and the stars of Cirque du Soleil. The exact
transmission date is still to be announced but it will be on one of BBC1's
North West Tonight's between 22nd - 26th November, 6.30pm - 7pm.
(Also Sky digital channel 948). 20.11.04
The
Magic Circle Awards Banquet featured the following special
presentations last Saturday, November 13th: The Cecil Lyle Award for the
best effect submitted for publication in The Magic Circular during 2004 to
David Howarth; The Close-up Magician of the Year 2004 to Andrew Murray;
The Stage Magician of the Year 2004 to Duncan Trillo; The Carlton Award
for Comedy to Paul Nardini; The John Nevil Maskelyne Prize (awarded
jointly) to Anne Davenport and John Salisse; The Maskelyne for outstanding
contribution to British Magic to Wayne Dobson; And finally The Devant, for
outstanding contribution to International Magic, presented to Marvyn Roy.
It was also announced that Ali Bongo, a long serving member of The Magic
Circle, has been elected by the Council to the position of Honorary Vice
President. 20.11.04
David
Redfearn's magic was featured in Tatler last month "I had the arduous
task of decapitating and levitating some of the world's most beautiful
models for a photo shoot. The magazine called me, and asked if I could
'levitate some models in Hyde Park' and I just had to say 'yes!'" David
revealed afterwards that he thoroughly enjoyed himself and would have
done it for nothing!
www.redfearn-magic.com. 20.11.04
Safire
have just filmed some segments for S4C (Channel 4 Wales) for a forthcoming
television Christmas variety special. It was filmed at the Lyric Theatre,
Camarthen and not only features their 'Legs Off' illusion and Clear Sub
Trunk but also a routine with the host who finds himself being compressed
in their Shrinker! The transmission date is to be confirmed, but it will
be Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
www.magic-of-safire.co.uk. 20.11.04
Magician
Geoff Brown, a member of the Associated Wizards of the South in
Hampshire, sends in news of a 'Magic Chest' that he has developed that
should be of interest to both magicians and mentalists. "Any item or
message placed in the box by the spectator can be revealed..." For more
information and wholesale and retail enquiries, telephone: 023 80 445212. 20.11.04
The
Charity Magic Auction at Blackpool last Friday proved to be a marathon
as the last Lot was sold at 1.45 am. Auctioneers Mike Shepherd, Derek
Lever and Steve Eastham battled through hundreds of items over a 7 hour
period without a break but everything was sold and Cancer Research will
benefit by several hundred pounds. The next Charity Auction in Blackpool
is on Friday 21st January, 2005 at 7pm at the Savoy Hotel, Queens
Promenade, Blackpool. Contact Derek Lever on 01253 810113 or email
deriko@skynow.net. Several Lots
have already been booked in. 20.11.04
Alan Wakeling. 78 year old Alan Wakeling, who worked many years for Mark and Nani Wilson on TV shows such as The Magic Land of Alakazam and The Magic Circus as well as scores of industrial and amusement park shows, died peacefully on November 10th in hospital in his hometown of Westlake, California. He is survived by his wife, Helen, and three sons, John, Peter and Tom. Alan Wakeling's ideas have worked their way into the performances of many professional magicians and his inventiveness will provide inspiration to magicians and illusionists in the future. To quote Channing Pollock, "Alan is a one-of-a-kind genius. I see him as one of the best kept secrets in magic, someone who was so good at what he accomplished that you’d want to keep him a secret." Alan's creations and life are documented in Jim Steinmeyer's The Magic of Alan Wakeling. On November 1st Scott Penrose presented an evening at The Magic Circle dedicated Alan Wakeling's creativity and members witnessed the recreation of his Sawing a Lady routine, the Billiard Balls and Handcuff Escape. 20.11.04
The Ipswich Magical Society's 17th Annual One Day Convention, which took place just over a week ago, is reviewed on their website, Click Here • "Magic & the Power of the Mind" Click Here • Congratulations to 13 year old Michael Jordan, winner of the Huddersfield Circle of Magicians "Trick of the Year" competition. Michael presented an off beat zombie ball routine. Michael came second in the recent British Junior Magical Stage Championships with his sister Siobhan • "Kreskin Offers Services to N.J. Governor" Click Here • Next week we'll bring you a review of Everybody's Magic, that's it for this week, your news is always welcomed, Duncan. 20.11.04