Number 305 - 29th April 2006
The
Original Chinese Conjuror - A musical diversion suggested by the
lives of Chung Ling Soo. Directed by Martin Duncan (Chichester
Festival Theatre) starring Richard Morris and Andrew Watts. Music: Raymond
Yiu, Text: Lee Warren. Saturday 1st, Sunday 2nd and Friday 7th July, at
9pm, Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, Islington, London N1 1TA (Map).
Raymond Yiu and Lee Warren's new music theatre work tells the extravagant
true story of William Robinson, whose onstage death at the Wood Green
Odeon in 1918 brought to an end a brilliant magic career. For years he had
fooled the British paying public into believing that he was a more exotic
figure than proved the case. Young composer Raymond Yiu and his librettist
(and magician) Lee Warren, have drawn on vaudeville, magic shows and
musical theatre to tell this engaging story. The production receives its
world premiere on Southworld Pier as part of this June's Aldeburgh
Festival (15th, 17th, 18th June) before heading to the Almeida in London.
Almeida Box Office: 020 7359 4404
www.almeida.co.uk. 29.4.06
Dynamo's
Estate of Mind. Thursday 11th May, 11.05pm, Channel 4. "Street magician Dynamo is emerging as one of the most exciting talents
around with his stylish and energetic approach to magic influenced by
underground poker clubs and the hip-hop movement. This programme sees Dynamo and Marcus (his best mate and cameraman) embarking on a
48-hour journey from their home town of Bradford to the bright lights of
London. Dynamo performs tricks in the infamous Delph Hill Estate where
he grew up, his old school, and the youth clubs, bars and kebab shops
where he first started performing his magic. Dynamo sets himself the
challenge of blagging food, transport and access to night clubs and
exclusive parties for the entire 48 hours with no money, using only his
magic skills." Zeal Television for Channel 4.
www.dynamoworld.com.
Dynamo will also feature in MTV's new worldwide series 'Barrio 19' which
starts on 7th May. 29.4.06
The
Magic Circle Collectors Day. Saturday 3rd June at 9.30am. A gathering
for people interested in the history of magic. There will be talks by
Joseph Atmore on the American mentalist Dunninger, Ed Hill on Kellar, Jon
Marshall on sideshow illusions, and video clips of Malini, Houdini,
Goldston, Piddingtons, Canasta and more, many never seen before. Also Scot
Penrose and friends will recreate some of the tricks of Karl Germaine. You
don't need to be a member of The Magic Circle to attend. Tickets include
lunch and are £30 for the day from The Magic Circle box office 020 7387
2222. The Magic Circle, 12 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD (Map)
www.themagiccircle.co.uk. 29.4.06
Houdini
in the Desert. "The greatest collection of magic in the world lies
hidden inside a nondescript Las Vegas warehouse. Want access? At midnight,
press the mannequin's brassiere. Enter the showroom of what appears to be
a mail-order lingerie warehouse in an industrial section of Las Vegas.
Press a button hidden in a mannequin's brassiere and a secret door swings
wide, revealing an Ali Baba's trove of sports cars, vintage automatons,
gargoyle heads, gadgetry and an electric chair. It's the secret workshop
of David Copperfield, magician extraordinaire, whom Forbes visited one
midnight. Here he keeps 80,000 books, illusions, posters and memorabilia
that together conjure up the whole history of magic." To read the full
story from Forbes
Click Here. "David Copperfield Tricked Muggers"
Click Here (includes latest video news). 29.4.06
Mind
reading challenge in York city centre. A unique mind reading challenge
is set to be performed in York City Centre. In an amazing test of mental
skills, northern mind reader Kennedy will locate an unknown object hidden
somewhere in the City Centre. Setting the challenge will be Paul Barrett,
York City Centre Manager, who will secretly select an object and place it
anywhere within the city's historic streets. Taking place on the morning
of Thursday 18th May, the mind reading stunt is a press event launching
the York Magic Festival, one of the first events of its kind in the UK.
Members of the press will be able to follow Kennedy as he locates the
object through the power of his mind. Kennedy says "This is going to be
one of my hardest challenges to date. I'll be using all my skills and mind
power my reputation is literally at stake!"
www.yorkmagicfestival.com. 29.4.06
One
Hundred by Warlock. Elizabeth Warlock presents a copy of her book "One
Hundred by Warlock" to The Magic Circle Library, seen here being received
by librarian Peter Lane. Published by Richard Kaufman it comprises 100
favourite effects of her father Peter Warlock that he had created during
his lifetime in magic, many of which had been published in various books
and magic magazines (a number now defunct) over a period of some 70 years.
Peter personally chose the effects for the book before his death at the
age of 91 in 1995. The book is a tribute to his great love of magic and
his very original thinking. 29.4.06
An
all-new
JezRose.co.uk launches (literally!). Jez Rose has a brand new website
(www.jezrose.co.uk)
which includes news of his fund raising foundation that raised £20,000 for
charities last year, plus the first DVD teaching mind reading tricks aimed
at the general public, and news of Jez Rose: All in Your Mind for
ITV1; his upcoming TV show which will be screened shortly. Dates as soon as
we have them. For more information visit
www.jezrose.co.uk. 29.4.06
Magician
is "Star Out of School" in new TV series. Teachers' TV is turning the
spotlight on teachers in the new series "Stars Out of School", revealing
just how talented so many are outside the classroom. One teacher featured
in the series is Andrew Jeffrey from Windlesham Primary School in
Brighton, who swaps being a Deputy Head and Maths teacher with being a
semi-professional magician. Andrew, who is President of the Sussex Magic
Circle, regularly performs close-up magic at the Komedia in Brighton. He
has even developed his own maths magic act in which he uses magic to teach
his pupils maths skills. "Stars Out of School
- The Magician" featuring Andrew Jeffrey will be broadcast at 12.15pm
on May 1st, followed by repeates. Teachers' TV broadcasts 24 hours a day,
365 days a year on digital satellite (Sky 880), digital cable (NTL 803,
Telewest 240), HomeChoice (845), and overnight for recording on Freeview
(88). After this date it is available
online via
www.teachers.tv. Also see:
www.andrewjeffrey.co.uk. 29.4.06
Congratulations
to Etienne Pradier on his recent competition win in France where he
was awarded 1st place in the Close-up Competition at the Colombe D'or in
Juan les Pins. Etienne is currently on tour with MSN Microsoft visiting
Singapore, China, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia and
India! 29.4.06
Jay
Fortune is featured in
Magic Profile this week.
Top Trick? "Immortal by Robert E. Neale. Its a card trick but uses the deck as
a way of finding out how long the spectator has left to live. I have
altered the handling and presentation making it highly comical (and
ultimately more sick) than it already is! It also has meaning to it as the
spectator actually cares about their card as opposed to most tricks which
have all the personal interest of a can of Spam!" To read the full profile
Click Here. 29.4.06
Blaine
plans underwater stunt. "David Blaine's latest stunt will involve
spending a week underwater. 'Drowned Alive' will take place in New York,
and it will feature the magician submerged in an aquarium, with food and
air supplied by tubes. He is also planning an attempt to break the record
for breath-holding, which currently stands at eight minutes and 58
seconds." To read the full story from ITV.com
Click
Here. The stunt will be broadcast on ITV we understand. 29.4.06
Buy
2 Get 1 Free! When you purchase two or more Sankey Magic products from
The Merchant of Magic
www.magicshop.co.uk you will receive one of the Sankey Magic "Classic
Series" DVDs worth £20 - free! For the entire month of May, chose from:
Sankey Very Much, Short & Sweet, No Card Tricks,
Sankey Live, Sankey 1999, and 45. (Let them know which
DVD you'd like when you place your order)
www.magicshop.co.uk. 29.4.06
Mark
Shortland lectures at Southend Sorcerers Society on 7th May.
Non-members are welcome to attend on payment of a £5 guest fee. The
Sorcerers meet at Saxon Hall (previously known as Flights Leisure Centre),
Aviation Way, Southend SS2 6UN (Map)
7.30pm for 8pm start. 29.4.06
Happy
and Glorious: A Celebration of the Life of HRM Queen Elizabeth II
"Featuring real life accounts of the pleasure and joy experienced by
members of the public when they have met the Queen." Jack Stephens's
report of his meeting, when he performed close-up magic for HRM Queen
Elizabeth II at a small private dinner, is included. To order from
Amazon.co.uk
Click Here. 29.4.06
Breaking the Magician's
Code is being shown once again ITV2 (6pm on Saturday 6th May). Switch
on your TV, see how it's done. Soulless magic - without any fun. 29.4.06
Dave
Allen AKA Magic Dave, Children's Entertainer of the Year, will be
lecturing at the Home
Counties Magical Society on Thursday 15th June and non members are
welcome (£5.00 door charge). The lecture will start at 8pm at the
Shinfield Parish Hall, School Green, Shinfield, Reading, RG2 9EH (Map)
More information: Dan Hudson, Programme Secretary,
programme@hcms.org.uk or 0118
93 10 981. 29.4.06
Magic
Cavern Open Auditions. The Magic Cavern is looking for a magician or
actor with magical knowledge to take the role of "first cover magician" to
present the current production created by Richard Leigh. 'The Magic
Cavern' is a stage show in the round at the intimate Barons Court Theatre.
It is a one man show scripted and performed to music. Most performances
sell out and audiences are 95% family audiences seeing a magic show for
the first time. For further details email
richard@falseimpressions.com
with your CV, a cover letter and photo. Auditions will be held at The
Magic Cavern, Barons Court Theatre, 'The Curtains Up' 28A Comeragh Road,
London W14 9AU on Sunday mornings on the 14th, 21st and 28th May. 29.4.06
The Magic Cavern season of Sunday Matinees now runs to September 10th. Every Sunday at 3pm with extra matinees during school holidays. Guest performance slots are available for most matinees. Contact richard@falseimpressions.com www.falseimpressions.com. 29.4.06
York Society of Magicians Annual Auction. Wednesday 10th May 2006. Once again this popular and well attended auction will be held at the Next Generation Centre, Windmill Lane, Hull Road, York YO10 3LG (Map). Doors open 6pm, auction commences at 7pm (till late). Admission £2.00. With 17 lots already booked in it looks like being another very full evening night. There is still space for another 3 or 4 lots. Contact Michael Shepherd on 01904 709500 or email michaelshepherd@castlemagicalservices.co.uk. 29.4.06
Teenager's amazing hat-trick. "A teenager has weaved his magic over judges at a top magician's convention. Joe Harper, 14, dazzled judges at the Northern Magic Circle's Easter Parade with his 10-minute routine, featuring five amazing tricks. Among the crowd was one of Joe's magical heroes, Paul Daniels. Driffield School student Joe, of The Mount, said: 'It was brilliant. It was a small convention so we got to meet everybody and Paul Daniels was really nice.'" To read the full story in Diffield Today Click Here. 29.4.06
Dade Freeman (Kinesis) emails: The Magic Experience - Leicester 22nd to 27th August will not be going ahead due to one of the funding bodies pulling out. I would like to thank all those who offered their time and assistance with this project." 29.4.06
"Magic and knickers in festival line-up" Click Here The Corporate Zone Magic Day is reviewed by Marc Dominic this week, Click Here "Magician pulls reappearing act" Click Here "Young magician's success no illusion" Click Here "Edward Norton starrer 'The Illusionist' to big screen in August" Click Here Thanks to everyone who submitted news this week - the deadline for all submissions is 12 noon Friday. Have a good bank holiday weekend, see you next week, Duncan. 29.4.06