Number 356 - 21st April 2007

Billy McComb Tribute Night at The Magic Circle - May 8th. A tribute evening to Billy McComb is being held at The Magic Circle on Tuesday, May 8th, at 7.30pm. Friends and fans from around the world are meeting to honour the memory of "Ireland's Largest Leprechaun" who passed away a year ago this week. It promises to be an evening filled with hilarious anecdotes, previously unseen footage of Billy performing, and video tributes from many of the great names of magic, including Lance Burton, Penn & Teller, Mac King and Johnny Thompson. Non-members who wish to attend should contact Noel Britten: noelbritten@talk21.com. 21.4.07

Electric Empire presents 'Magic Night' at Soho Revue Bar on Friday May 4th. "For contemporary comedy and cabaret you can't do better than this show of talent whose performers are literally magical" Zara Rabinovicz, The Times Epoch. May's Magic Night features the self destructing talents of Jonathan Goodwin, the sharp wit of magic man Danny Buckler and the mind reading of Phillip Escoffey. Jonathan will attempt to recreate one of Houdini's greatest routines, live on stage. He'll be bound and cuffed and then suspended in his very own "Water Torture Box" all for your entertainment and Phillip Escoffey (aka the Grey Man) seen recently on Channel Five's Britain's Psychic Challenge, will replicate classic Soviet psychic tests, and Danny Buckler will work his own kind of magic. Plus comic Tara Flynn, resident magic night compere Tiffany Stevenson, and close-up magic from Lee Hathaway and Neil Henry. Tickets: www.ticketweb.co.uk or call Ticket Web on 08700 600 100. Friday 4th May, Doors open 7.30pm, Show starts at 8.30pm, Tickets £8 (concessions £6) at The Soho Revue Bar, 11 Walkers Court, Soho, London W1. Tube: Piccadilly Circus. 21.4.07

The Fourth Magic Circle Heritage Weekend - London, 2nd/3rd June 2007. Dedicated to the memory of John Salise CBE. Saturday 2nd June: 10.30am - 5.30pm The 32nd Collectors' Day. With Speakers Ray Ricard, Donald Bevan and The Magical Claudine. Films from Peter Lane, plus 'Scott Penrose and Friends'. Arranged by Eddie Dawes and Peter Lane. Tickets (including coffee, light lunch and tea) £32.00. 6.30pm - 10pm John Fisher presents A Tribute to Channing Pollock, A celebration featuring surprise guests. Tickets (including buffet supper) £37.50.

Sunday 3rd June: 10.30am - 11.30am Chris Woodward presents The Amazing Fogel 'In Search of the Sensational'. 12 noon - 12.30pm ‘Educating Archie’ A celebration of the famous radio show starring ventriloquist Peter Brough, with personal appearance of Brough’s famous partner, Archie Andrews. 9am - 1.30pm Auction Viewing. 2.30pm - 5.30pm The Heritage Auction. A sale of quality material of interest to both collectors and performers. Auctioneer: Henry Lewis, Sale Manager: Tim Reed Auction. Catalogue (includes admittance to the auction and Sunday morning events) £12.00.

Admission to all events £75.00. Reservations and enquiries to: Heritage Weekend Reservations, The Magic Circle, The Centre for the Magic Arts, 12 Stephenson Way, London, NW1 2HD, England. Telephone 020 7387 2222 Fax 020 7387 5114 Email cma@themagiccircle.co.uk. Payment may be made by cheque (payable to The Magic Circle) or by Visa/MasterCard. All events will be held in The Centre for the Magic Arts. The Magic Circle reserves the right to refuse entry. Programme subject to alteration. All events are open to non-members of The Magic Circle. 21.4.07

The Magic Interview series - Wayne Dobson talks to Jay Fortune. Wayne Dobson talks frankly with RadioMagic's Jay Fortune about his career on this two-disc audio CD set. Fascinating throughout, disc two contains some excellent advice on routing effects using Wayne's back to front approach (start with the climax of a trick and work backwards to eliminate any dead areas... you'll need to listen to the discs to really get into this clever approach). If you enjoyed the magic interview sections on Radio Magic then you'll love this disc. The next in the series features the man behind many a TV magic show, Anthony Owen. Available from www.tvmagic.co.uk or www.radiomagic.co.uk. 21.4.07

Mel Harvey, currently cruising the South China seas on MS Statendam for Holland America, has just been added to the lineup of artistes who will appear at the 47th Bristol Day of Magic next month. This will be Mel's third time at the Bristol Day of Magic. This year's programme includes lectures, close-up magic, children's magic, magic dealers and the evening gala show. Other featured artists include Norbert Ferré and David Stone from France, Guy Barrett, Scott Penrose, Trixie Bond from the USA, Marc Oberon, Keith Fields, Alex Lodge, Manuel Muerte from Germany, Romany and the John Lenahan One Man Show. For registration details email Andy McLaren andy@andyjmac.com or download a registration form via www.bristolmagic.co.uk. Sunday 13th May, at the Weston-super-Mare Winter Gardens complex. 21.4.07

The North West Magic Mart. The Order of the Magi (Manchester) are holding The North West Magic Mart on Saturday 19th May at The Irish World Heritage Centre, Queens Road, Manchester from 10am to 3pm. Buyers and sellers will be able to meet in an informal atmosphere and there are just a few stalls left at £10 each. Stalls must be booked in advance using the official form from www.orderofthemagi.org.uk or by telephoning Secretary Mike Sharples 0161 287 7865 or PRO Geoffrey Newton 0161 969 8222. (Strictly no stalls issued on the day.) Good parking, licensed bar, snacks and a large new shopping centre next door. Buyers admission £2. The organisers suggest that as the event finishes at 3pm you could stay and watch the Cup Final on the large screen in the bar (subject to capacity). 21.4.07

Illusioncraft - The UK's No1 Flash Products Manufacturer are now advertising with MagicWeek. Known to many readers for their regular dealer appearances at the Blackpool convention each year, Illusioncraft produce their own range of magic products, specialising in Fire Magic (both consumables and gimmicks). They also design and build illusions and have a great reputation amongst working pros. Visit the new website www.illusioncraft.co.uk today! 21.4.07

Portugal's Luis de Matos, one of the most successful magicians in Europe with many top-rated television shows to his credit, is featured in the latest edition of Magicseen: "Read all about his development team, his amazing career, and his love of coloured underpants!" Also featured, top British magician Nick Einhorn, from Argentina, comedy magician Rey Ben and France's Mathieu Bich plus lots more! Magicseen is available from many magic dealers - or visit www.magicseen.co.uk to subscribe or download a single issue. 21.4.07

RSVPMagic.com have redesigned their website and added a whole new section offering professionally produced showreels (shot in multi-camera high definition widescreen if required). "On the new showreel page there are several promotional videos featuring previous clients - to show magicians just what we can do for them", said Russ Stevens. RSVPMagic's latest DVD, Mix N'Mingle with Shaun McCree has been getting some great reviews: Click Here and Click Here and don't forget to visit www.rsvpmagic.com today! 21.4.07

32nd Annual Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival. Sunday 13th May, in the garden of St Paul's Church, Bedford Street, London WC2 (Map) - St. Paul's is 'the actors' church' and is near the spot where Samuel Pepys first saw Mr Punch in England in May 1662. Punch and Judy Professors and Puppeteers from all over the country will be coming to perform throughout the day. Admission is free,10.30am - 5.30pm. www.alternativearts.co.uk. 21.4.07

Gregory Wilson lecture tour. With just a few more dates to go Gregory Wilson can be seen in Cornwall tomorrow (April 22nd), London April 23rd, Kent April 24th, Essex April 25th, Surrey April 26th, and back in London on April 27th. See What's On for details. "The energy he bought to the evening was second to none and by the end of the night everyone’s sides were aching with all the laughing. Perhaps the main reason I found this to be such a great lecture was for how inspired I was at the end. It really made me want to get out there and perform more often." Simon Shaw reviews Gregory Wilson's lecture this week, Click Here. 21.4.07

Derren Brown, Mind Reader - An Evening of Wonders. Derren's all new show takes to the road next week, starting in Blackpool. See What's On for details. 21.4.07

International News: The 2nd European Conference 'Magic, History & Collections' takes place in Berlin from August 24th-26th. Visit the website for details: Click Here. 21.4.07

Tom Craven and Paul Gordon's Second 16th Card Book, released in February, has been a huge success. So much so, that Paul Gordon has just released Volume 2 which contains 50 all-new card tricks that have never before been published. Magic by Joe Rindfleisch, Ryan Matney, George McBride, Marty Kane, Paul Gordon and Tom Craven. The book contains a 14-trick bonus section of non-16th material by Paul Gordon. In total, 140 jam-packed pages containing 50 effects for just £15.00! Visit www.paulgordon.net. 21.4.07

South Downs Magicians present a lecture on close-up magic by Andrew Murray (former Magic Circle Close-up Magician of the Year) on Wednesday, May 2nd at 8pm at the club headquarters: The Ark Community Centre, Mount Lane, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex  RH10 4RA (Map). £5 for non-members. www.southdownsmagicians.co.uk. 21.4.07

A Life...Magic - James James (Confessions of a Street Performer). The Play: "He’s the best live street magician in the UK and he’s toured the world. Now James James brings his magic to life in his first ever theatre show with hilarious results and amazing feats. James takes you from Africa to America, Germany to Greece and many jobs in between. Find out what matters in his life, and in a world of his making, in his only UK performances prior to the Edinburgh Festival." 3rd - 7th July. Bristol Old Vic, King Street, Bristol BS1 4ED (Map) Performance times 8pm, (plus 2pm on Saturday). Tickets: £10 (£7 concessions). www.bristol-old-vic.co.uk. Box office 0117 987 7877. 21.4.07

The Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year Competition. Last Sunday, twenty two young magicians, aged between 14 and 18, competed in the heats of The Magic Circle's Young Magician of the Year Competition. There were silent and patter acts, manipulators and illusionists, comedy and straight performers and even an escapologist. The standards of performance was high and the judges had a hard choice to make, eventually inviting seven acts to take their places in the Final on Sunday 15th July. These Finalists are, (in alphabetical order), Ben Farrar from Hampshire, Michael Jordan from Huddersfield, Josh Miller from Cambridgeshire, James Milner from Stourbridge, Joe Ray and Marcus Taylor both from Shrewsbury and Lexi Watterson from the Isle of Man. Tickets for the Final will be available from The Magic Circle box office from 1st May and cost £7 for the afternoon performance and £12.50 for the evening competition. Alan Maskell. 21.4.07

Practical Magic will be showing their wares at The Pentacle Club, St Laurence's School, Arbury Road, Cambridge on Tuesday 24th April. Visiting magicians welcome • "Just Asking: A conversation with magician David Copperfield" Click Here • "Ian Brown pens song for magician. Singer inspired by Bradford trickster" Click Here • "Spotlight: Magician Matthew James" Click Here • "Magical Events on the Hollywood Beat" Click Here • "Paul Daniels comes to QMC, Basingstoke" Click Here • "Magic pair get place in final" Click Here • "Derren Brown: Trick or…" Click Here • Please remember the Friday 12 noon deadline for news submissions - see you next week, Duncan. 21.4.07

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