Number 327 - 30th September 2006
Marc
Oberon stole the show at last week's British Ring Convention with a
brilliant card routine that you've just got to see to believe! At the
recent FISM convention in Sweden he presented a cut-down version of the
same routine, but in Eastbourne we were treated to the real deal. Superb.
Marc was awarded first place in the Close-up Competition, together with
the £1,000 cash prize and Trophy. Saturday's Gala Show set new standards
for a British Ring Gala Show with Paul Zerdin, Soul Mystique,
Jeff Hobson, Wally Eastwood, and Mac King being the
stand out performers for me. However the International Close-up Show, also on
the Saturday, was completely let down by the appalling performing/viewing
conditions. What a shame. The introduction of talks on Trade Show Magic
and the business side of magic was welcomed and the standard of lectures
and workshops in general, very high. The British Ring should give
themselves a big pat on the back for staging an excellent 70th Convention,
but they must sort out the performing conditions of the International Close-up!
Bob Hayden looks back over the week in his report, which includes all
the competition winners. (I didn't make it until the Thursday, so missed
the stage competition).
Click Here. 30.9.06
"After
the opening overture of the ‘Ian Mac Big Band’ and the ‘Sophistication
Dancers’ performing a Moulin Rouge type set, Charlie Frye & Co. was
introduced. Like most of the acts, Charlie is in great demand and it is
easy to see why. He romped through a highly energetic and entertaining
juggling act with some excellent sight gags and comic sequences and got
the theatre buzzing after an excellent start..." Kevin Gallagher reviews
Paul Stone's WOW! production this week, see
Reviews. 30.9.06
"Geoffrey
Durham was the second half of the show. Often described as one of the
country's finest performers and magical thinkers he went on to demonstrate
exactly why. You will recall that in his lecture he had postulated that
the performer has about 10 to 20 seconds to capture the attention of the
audience? Well the atmosphere was such that he had undoubtedly achieved
that whilst tying his shoe laces in the dressing room...." Graham Harper
reviews Geoffrey Durham's lecture (photo) and the Nottingham Guild of
Magicians Magic and Illusion show this week, see
Reviews. 30.9.06
Richard
Pinner sweeps the board! The Zodiac Magical Society, currently
celebrating its Diamond Jubilee, has six major competitions which take
place over two years. By winning the Rex Taylor Mental Magic Competition
on Wednesday Richard Pinner is now the current winner of all six
competitions. He is the only member to have achieved this outstanding
feat! Richard has also won The Magic Circle Close-up Magician of The Year
1999, The British Ring Shield 2003 and The British Ring Close-up
Competition 2003. 30.9.06
Perth
Magic Circle welcome Harry Robson to their club on Tuesday October 3rd
for a lecture and dealer demonstration at 8pm at Perth and District
Ex-Servicemen's Club, 8-10 Brown Street, Perth. The entrance fee is just
£5.00. Contact Michael McMillan on 07818 034396 to reserve a place.
Harry's brand new DVD Magic Under Fire! will be released any day
now by
www.rsvpmagic.com. 30.9.06
Magician,
entertainer and actor Paul Abbey has just received certificates
awarding him a City and Guilds qualification for teaching Magic as a part
time performance study course. Taking over from Michael Dow several years
ago, Paul modified, adapted and developed the class which is now taught at
a number of colleges across the South East. Richard Pinner MIMC was
brought in to vet the course "having Richard as my industry professional
observer was a great honour," said Paul. Paul's work has helped many
students take the entrance exam for The Magic Circle and encouraged others
to enter the world of the professional magician. (Photo: Richard Pinner
and Paul Abbey) 30.9.06
Latin-Magic
are cruising aboard the Oceana and Oriana until January 7th 2007. If you'd
like to catch the couple on a cruise then the booking reference numbers
are E625, X621, X624, X626 and X627. Or visit
www.latin-magic.biz
for constant updates and pictures of their adventure. 30.9.06
Campbell
McRae, who worked full-time with his manipulative magic act back in
the sixties, has launched what he describes as "probably the smallest
magic store in the world" from his home in Scotland. Campbell only stocks
and supplies his own creations and, currently, has two items on his new
website: Campbell's Cube-Off and The ISO Box. Visit
www.macsmagic.com
and, for a video demonstration of Campbell's Cube-Off,
Click Here
More to come in the future. 30.9.06
Unearthly
Magic have just released another new effect from Brian Caswell. This
latest release, Animal Instinct, is a very simple to perform mental effect
which is ideal for close-up work and can be performed strolling or at a
table. T website now has online video demonstrations of many of their
effects, including their best seller Cataclysm.
www.unearthlymagic.com. 30.9.06
A
group of children from
Chernobyl
visited Edinburgh recently. The highlight of their trip was a Magic
Workshop hosted by magician Gary James
www.themagicworkshop.co.uk. Although the children couldn't speak
English the interpreters coped admirably with Gary's fast-paced blend of
humour and magic tuition. Everyone had a great time, with the children
mastering some magic tricks to take home with them. 30.9.06
Sheffield
Circle of Magicians are holding their annual President's Dinner on
Friday 20th October (7pm for 7.30pm) at Tapton Masonic Hall, Shaw Lane,
Sheffield. Entertainment will be provided by top Radio Sheffield comedian,
Jimmy Carol and close-up magicians will be performing at the tables
throughout the three course meal, with music from 'One More Time'. Tickets
are £20.00 (lounge suits) and all are welcome. Contact Entertainment
Secretary Craig Frith on 01142 014770 or 07816 989946 or Dave Chambers
(President) on 01302 537720 or 07740 404948. 30.9.06
"James
started his lecture by asking us to forget the moves and just enjoy
the magic. The point being that we all need to have experienced magic to
be able to share it with others. Experience it we did. In performance he
comes across as likable and fun. He has quite an understated
presentational style that makes a good backdrop to the quite frankly jaw
dropping magic that he performs..." To read Terry Ford's review of James
Brown's recent lecture at the
Bristol Society of Magic see Reviews. 30.9.06
Magicseen
issues 8, 9 and 10 are now available to buy as downloadable PDFs for just
£3.00 each from
www.magicseen.co.uk. Each issue comes with hyperlinked contents and
the full back catalogue, including the sought after first issue, will soon
be available! Visit
www.magicseen.co.uk for more information. 30.9.06
"Now
you see it, now you don't. Within moments of meeting magician and
independent film maker Paul Squires, he made a silk handkerchief vanish
and reappear in a £10 note in the other hand. Having had a passion for
trickery since childhood, Paul from Merrow has just published his second
film 'Ever so Sleightly.' The live documentary begins in Surrey and spans
the country, featuring a host of magicians performing their favourite
techniques." To read the full article, first published in The Surrey
Advertiser, see Articles. 30.9.06
Celebrity
Scissorhands is a new BBC celebrity Hairdressing and Beauty show,
which needs you! Would you like a top celebrity to style your hair or give
you a beauty treatment on television? For this year’s BBC Children in
Need, a group of celebrities are being transformed into hair and beauty
experts, and are looking for clients to style and pamper. If you would
like to come in to the ‘Celebrity Scissorhands’ salon at BBC TV Centre in
London for a free treatment between 29th October and 17th November contact
hair@endemoluk.com supplying your
name and email address and request an application form. "Unfortunately we
can't offer any payment for an appearance as it's for charity - but it
really would be wonderful to have some magicians in to chat about what
they do and maybe show us a few tricks." 30.9.06
Johnny
Fantastica the first and only deaf magic lecturer will be at the
Cornish Magic Society at Camon Downs Village Hall, near Truro, on Sunday
October 15th at 3pm. Johnny will lecture on his life, how he became deaf
and the triumphs and frustrations of being a deaf magician. With magic
hints and tips and demonstrations of his own products. 30.9.06
International
News: 11th Prix Juventa Magica in Berlin, Germany (November 3rd-5th).
The Berlin Magic Circle have run their competition for 22 years and
welcome international entries. Visit
www.mzberlin.de for information. 30.9.06
The Portsmouth & District Magic Circle have just launched a brand new website: www.portsmouthmagic.co.uk • "Dueling Magicians: Whose Trick Is It Anyway?" Click Here • That's it for this week. Your UK magic news is always welcomed, see you next week, Duncan. 30.9.06