Number 232 - 4th December 2004
Qdos
Entertainment presents another magical family pantomime at the Beck
Theatre, Hayes, this Christmas. Beauty and the Beast is told with a
live orchestra, fabulous costumes, lavish sets, special effects and lots
of pantomime magic provided by master magician Paul Daniels and his lovely
wife Debbie McGee. 17th December 2004 - 9th January 2005. To book tickets
Click Here or call the box office on 020 8561 8371. 4.12.04
South
Tyneside's 2nd International Magic Week convention takes place from
March 18th – 20th at the
Little Haven Hotel. Provisionally booked: Richard
Osterlind, Falkenstein & Willard, Michael Finney (photo), Jamy Ian Swiss,
Paul Daniels, Quentin Reynolds, Loki, Martyn James and Pat & Tanya Fallon.
This year's convention features a 'voice coach workshop' and a Midnight
Show on Saturday, featuring Michael Finney for magicians only, with
limited availability (first come first served). The two main gala shows
will be held at the Customs House Theatre, Mill Dam, South Shields. Extra
tickets for friends or family can be booked direct from the theatre,
telephone 0191 4541234. For a convention registration form email Karri
Prinn (Events and Operations department, South Tyneside Council)
Karri.prinn@s-tyneside-mbc.gov.uk. 4.12.04
Magic!
Available at Post Office counters across the country from Tuesday, 15th
March, 2005, a special set of interactive magic stamps from the Royal
Mail: "Pick a stamp - any stamp - and you won't believe your eyes. To
celebrate the centenary of The Magic Circle, we've conjured up a set of
'magical' interactive stamps. Just like that! Be prepared for trickery,
mystery and fun on these five Special Stamps. They've all been designed to
guarantee you a trick before you lick! What's really special here is that
we've used a variety of ingenious printing techniques to bring the stamps
to life. Scratch a coin over a stamp to show heads or tails, use the heat
from your finger to reveal all, or test yourself with an optical illusion
or two." The special stamps, Presentation
packs and First Day Covers will be available from the Royal Mail, via the internet, from
Tuesday, 15th March:
www.royalmail.com. 4.12.04
International
News "In the past decade or so, Las Vegas has become home to more
magicians and illusionists per capita than anywhere else in the country,
if not the world. Siegfried & Roy may have opened the doors in 1967 when
they first appeared as the novelty act in the Tropicana's Folies Bergere,
but even their move to the Mirage in 1990 wasn't responsible for the flood
that followed. Really, all they did was show that a magic act could hold
its own on the Strip alongside name performers and huge production
reviews. They paved the way for the likes of Lance Burton and Steve
Wyrick..." To read the full story by Jaq Greenspon in Las Vegas City
Life
Click Here. 4.12.04
Hey
Presto Family Magic Show. The Bradford Magic Circle present their
annual show at Bingley Arts Centre on Saturday 12th March 2005 at 7.30pm.
Featuring: Myst (award winning illusionists), Duane Laflin (from the USA),
Steve Gore & Co (comedy illusionists), Darren McDonald (comedy magic),
Oliver Parker (talented manipulator), Keith Pickles (top children's
entertainer) and the Spotlight Dancers. Admission: £7 for adults (£6
concessions) in the stalls. £6 for adults (£5 concessions) in the rear
stalls. Tickets are available from all Bradford Theatres booking offices
and agencies, or by phoning 01274 432000. Further details can be obtained
from Keith Pickles: 01274 818305. 4.12.04
Five of Hearts Magic Productions
still have a few places left for the first of their 'Signature
Magicians' series of lectures and workshops featuring Alex Elmsley on Saturday, 11th December at
their Magic Studio in Lincolnshire. Daytime Workshop: 2pm - 5pm
£75.00 per person (includes Christmas buffet and refreshments). Evening
Lecture: 7pm - 9pm £25.00 per person (includes mince pies, mulled wine,
refreshments and free Lecture Notes). Workshop and lecture together
£85.00. Book early for this special one-off magical event as spaces are
limited. Telephone Sharron Rose on 01775 840103 or
Click Here for more information. Five of Hearts Magic Productions,
Tovenaar, 30 Lowgate, Gosberton, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE11 4NL. Email
ColinRoseMIMC@aol.com Website:
Click Here. 4.12.04
This
month Mark Leveridge Magic is running an online competition which is
offering the following three prizes: 1st Prize - a complimentary full
ticket to the 9th British Close Up Magic Symposium on April 10th 2005
(worth £70), 2nd Prize - a copy of the hardback book entitled The British
Close Up Magic Symposium - The First Decade (worth £30), 3rd Prize -
copies of the 7th and 8th Symposium Books (worth £20). As you can guess
from the prizes the competition theme is the Symposium, but it is very
easy to enter even if you have never attended the event before. Anyone can
enter provided that they have made at least one online order with Mark
Leveridge Magic at some stage in the past. Closing date for competition
entries in December 30th 2004. For more information visit
www.markleveridge.co.uk. 4.12.04
The
Leicester Magic Circle would like to congratulate their member Will
Gray in coming third in the British Inter-society Close-up championship
held at Blackpool Pleasure Beach on Sun 14th November 2004. Will was put
forward for the competition after winning the LMC's Roy Johnson Close-up
shield in March 2004.
www.willgray.co.uk. 4.12.04
Following
his appearance at the 9th British Close-up Magic Symposium in Bath on
Sunday 10th April 2005, top Canadian magician Richard Sanders will be
embarking on a lecture tour of the UK and will be appearing at the
following clubs and events: 11th April - The Magic Circle; 14th April -
Surrey Society Of Magicians; 15th April - Home Counties Magical Society;
18th April - Leicester Magic Circle; 19th April - Coventry Magic Circle;
21st April - Hull Magicians Club; 24th April - Ace Magic Circle One Day
Convention; 25th April - Manchester Circle Of Magicians; 26th April -
British Magical Society; 27th April - Wolverhampton Circle Of Magicians;
28th April - Blackpool Magicians Club; 29th/30th April + 1st May - SAMS
Convention (Scotland); 3rd May - North Wales Magical Society. If any
societies in the midlands or north would like Richard to visit on 20th
April, 22nd April, 23rd April or 2nd May, please could the club secretary
contact tour organiser Mark Leveridge on 01392 252000 or
magic@markleveridge.co.uk. 4.12.04
Wales
Millennium Centre, on Cardiff Bay waterfront, was opened on Friday
26th November. The VIPs and stars in attendance enjoyed an after show
party featuring magicians Peter Hopkins (photo) and Colin L Tilley from
Wizard Entertainments. Peter writes that it was fun to baffle Gandalf!
(Sir Ian Mckellen). 4.12.04
Magic
on the curriculum at Aberdeenshire based Secondary School. Fifth
Dimension has been showing third year pupils at Meldrum Academy how
starting up in business can become a reality through specially created
workshops combining magic, humour and chocolate! The workshops ran during
National Enterprise Week, which aims to highlight the importance of
enterprise and entrepreneurship to the nation's youth. Fifth Dimension has
undertaken over 50 sessions at schools throughout Scotland since launching
this service.
www.fifthdimension.biz. 4.12.04
The Qualatex
Roadshow is coming to you! David Grist, winner of four top awards at
the International Balloon Arts Convention, is touring the country with the
Qualatex roadshow. If you would like David to come to your magic society
during 2005, please contact Debbie Magill on 01279 756148 or email
debbiem@qualatex.com. 4.12.04
IBM Shield winner's
Safire have just been invited to appear as special guests on BBC TV's
Chuckle Brothers 2005
UK Theatre Tour. The show is once again themed and
is loosely based on Pirates of the Caribbean. This will be the third time
Safire have appeared on a Chuckle Brothers tour. As well as their own
spots they'll also play parts in the story and perform some magic and
illusions with The brothers. The tour takes in 65 major UK Theatres and
runs from February 5th to 19th June 2005.
www.magic-of-safire.co.uk. 4.12.04
Mister "E" Enterprises new giant catalogue for 2005 containing Hypnotism, Mentalism and Magic is now ready and will be sent free of charge to MagicWeek readers who fill in the 'Request a Catalogue' form on the website during December. From January 1st 2005 it will cost £5.00, or will be sent free with orders of £25.00 or more. Visit www.mreenterprises.co.uk to order your free copy today! 4.12.04
Here are the results of last week's International Magic Competition, congratulations to all the winners. 1st prize Ferenc Galambos (Hungary), 2nd prize Kevin Gallagher (UK), 3rd prize Marc Oberon (UK), Awards of merit to Mickey Silver (USA), Hayashi (Germany), and Adam Keisner (UK). 4.12.04
Mystic Rythyms. Sunday 12th December 7.30pm at The Pleasure Unit Bar, 329 Bethnal Green Road. An Evening of Psychological Entertainment and Psychedelic Beats. Join Excalibah (BBC1Xtra) and friends for a mixture of funky beats and mind altering entertainment. Two stage demonstrations from James Cheung and Daniel Young (Mentalism +). "Walk around performances continue the theme of the night up close and personal. You may feel touches although there is no one near you. See metal bend, twist and warp right before your very eyes. You will have your very actions predicted and even psychologically directed. Have your mind read." Free Entry. Nearest Tube: Bethnal Green Bus Routes: 8. 4.12.04
The Swedish Magic Circle www.svenskmagiskcirkel.se in cooperation with Casino Cosmopol invite you to a Magic Tournament in Stockholm on April 22nd and 23rd 2005. First Prize 20,000 SEK (approx. £1,500), 2nd 10,000 SEK, 3rd 5,000 SEK, 4th - 6th 2,000 SEK. The competition is specifically designed for "stand up" magic acts between 8 - 10 minutes in length. For more information and registration details contact the vice President of the Swedish Magic Circle, Kjell Svanholm, either by email, svasse@komikerklubben.se or by phone + 46 708 842249, + 46 8 254286. 4.12.04
MagicWeek
recommended Christmas reading: Magic: Stage Illusions, Special
Effects and Trick Photography Compiled and Edited by Albert A. Hopkins
Click Here, Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the
Impossible by Jim Steinmeyer
Click Here, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Click Here • Mike Danata's Magic Studio in Bournemouth is packed
chock-a-block with magic - currently even the ceiling is being used to
display stock!
Click
Here • Penn Jillette (the vocal one)
married TV producer Emily Zolten in a Las Vegas wedding chapel last
Monday - congratulations!
• Thanks to everyone who sends in news. See you next week, or at
www.klubmagic.co.uk
on Monday,
Duncan. 4.12.04