Number 374 - 25th August 2007
Illusionist
Russ Stevens flies out to Las Vegas next month where he will perform
his complete illusion show at the
Mandalay Bay Hotel &
Casino. As well as starring in the show, Russ is also directing and
staging the illusion sequences, which feature some new illusions
utilizing five huge LCD screens that make up part of the set. "Putting
this show together has been a huge challenge, as it features a cast of 39
girls, plus several illusions that have been built into the set design
itself. We also shot material in London last week for some of the
illusion effects and that has been very interesting to work on too.
Rehearsals have been taking place in London and will continue in Las Vegas
once the stage set has been constructed. It's a very exciting time." The
show takes place on September 23rd at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino.
www.russstevens.co.uk.
25.8.07
Dynamo
- London Lecture. Dynamo lectures for International Magic on Thursday
30th August at their usual venue, Casa Italiana, 136 Clerkenwell Road,
London EC1R 5DL (Map).
Doors open at 7.15pm and the lecture starts at 7.30pm - entrance £10.00
per person. All those that wish to attend should contact Martin MacMillan
on 020 7405 7324 or email
martin@internationalmagic.com.
25.8.07
The
3rd Commercial Close Up Forum which is taking place at the Ramada
Hotel, Peterborough is now just 7 weeks away and a proportion of the
limited places have already been snapped up. If you are free on Sunday
14th October 2007 and are interested in commercial close-up, you should
consider joining Mark Leveridge, Peter Wardell and Shaun McCree for a day
of performances, lectures and discussion designed to inspire. The day is
carefully planned to ensure that everyone who attends can get the very
most from their day and if the two previous events are anything to go by,
attendees are guaranteed a day they will not forget. To read comments and
reviews, and to register online, visit
www.markleveridge.co.uk.
25.8.07
Calling
all young magicians. For the past few years, a workshop just for young
magicians has been included in the British Ring Convention programme. This
year's event will be held on the Saturday afternoon (September 15th) in
the Arts Centre Board Room in Lord Street, Southport. Mandy Davis,
Chairman of the Young Magicians' Club is, as always, arranging the
workshop which this year features David Williamson, Boris Wild (photo) and
Joanie Spina. If you are aged between 10 and 18 this is an excellent
opportunity for you to learn from some real experts - don't forget to
bring a deck of cards! Visit
www.britishring.org.uk
for convention details and to book.
25.8.07
Viktor
Voitko, creator of the Flying Linking Rings, recently returned from
Korea's 2nd Busan International Magic Festival and the API Magic
Convention in Portugal, where his performances and lecture on lighting for
invisible thread were a great success. Viktor is currently preparing a
second DVD on lighting for invisible thread work, which will feature new material
from the live lectures in Korea and Portugal, together with a with
questions and answer session. Viktor Voitko has just released a new set of
nickel plated Deluxe Flying Linking Rings which look and sound like
stainless steel rings. See
www.magic-voitko.com
for details. Coming soon: The Voitko AF Table, Voitko's Snow Storming Fan
and Magic Umbrella transformation. For more information and to order
visit:
www.magic-voitko.com .
25.8.07
Close-up
Success Course, DVDs and Seminar - just 6 places remain! Five free
DVDs, a 500 page course and a free One Day Seminar - only 6 places remain
for the live UK seminar on January 6th 2008 - secure your place now before
it really is too late. All course members will also receive a
complimentary DVD featuring seminar highlights. Join immediately at
www.closeupsuccess.com. "Join the world's most successful magic course
- over 90% of members have made profit from this course." "Awesome... Just
about the most intelligent piece I've ever read... will save years to
someone who would have to do all of this work, study, and research on
their own" - Bob Sheets. "You've tried the rest now try the best" - Wayne
Dobson. "Without wanting to sound obsequious it is a work of Genius.
Bloody brilliant. And I have only skimmed it so far. Simply brilliant." -
Matthew Windsor (Magic Matt). "About half-way through the course I very
conservatively estimate the information has already gained me £2000 worth
of business that I would not otherwise have made. If I take the overall
mindset shift it has created in me, and advice on how to tap into new and
top markets, I wouldn't know what figure to put on it!" - Daniel Alexander.
www.closeupsuccess.com.
25.8.07
TrickShop's
new 17-page eBook Wiztax takes a fresh look at an old idea and
introduces you to a new generation of patented adhesives that can be used
as a kind of new and improved, super Wiztax for today’s magician! Learn
what it is, how to use it, and where to buy it. Over two dozen effects
explained. Plus for a limited time, download customers will also receive
24 pieces of New Wiztax by mail to get them started.
www.trickshop.com.
This is another beautifully produced photographically illustrated eBook
from TrickShop.com; crammed full of material, and excellent value too at
just $7.95.
25.8.07
"Painfully
funny magician is very far from Hokum. Do you believe in magic? Well
if you don't, you'd better have another good reason to explain Pete Firman
shoving needles through his arm and popping a live mouse into a blender...
Very funny and delightfully entertaining, Hokum is over far, far too
quickly" To read the full review of Pete Firman's Fringe show Hokum,
by Darren Scott in the Scotsman,
Click Here.
25.8.07
Young
Magicians of Mann. Formed in 1987, the club on the Isle of Man will
celebrate their 20th birthday with a Dinner and Evening of Magic at the
Douglas Bay Yacht Club on the evening of Sunday, 23rd September. Taking
part in the entertainment Lexi Watterson (club member and 3rd in the 2007
Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year competition - see photo), Colin
Boardman (Past Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year) and Marc Oberon.
Tickets £25 from Mike Clague, telephone 01624 878328 email
m.clague@doe.gov.im.
25.8.07
Lol
James (aka Mr Lolly) is expanding his operations by launching a new
website for his entertainment agency Lollypop Parties - featuring a
broad range of children's entertainers, and lots more. Visit
www.lollypopparties.co.uk (designed by
www.trilltec.com).
25.8.07
Tom's
Got Talent! Tom Rose performed his own brand of close-up magic for
Simon Cowell, Danielle Lloyd (former Miss Great Britain) and a selection
of others at the floating restaurant Hispaniola, on the River Thames last
week. Baring a healthy tide and near sea sickness, the magic went
down very well. Simon told Tom of his affection for magicians, despite
witnessing a
succession of terrible auditions for TV's 'Britain's Got Talent' and was
pleased to see Tom's brand of contemporary magic going down so well."
www.trmagic.com.
25.8.07
Chris
Cox has been generating excellent reviews for his Edinburgh
appearances:
www.broadwaybaby.com,
www.one4review.com,
www.edinburgh-festivals.com. You can keep up with his latest
adventures via his blog:
Click Here.
25.8.07
Mark
Leveridge Magic's E-Club. Mark Leveridge emails: "For several years
Mark Leveridge Magic has been offering its customers a monthly email
newsletter. Appearing on the 1st of each month this includes information
about the 5 Web Offers for the coming month plus provides other
information of interest to purchasers of Mark Leveridge products. Now the
newsletter also contains a link to a monthly online Video newsletter
called an E-Video. Provided you have Windows Media Player and are a
Broadband user, you can just click on the link and the streaming video
will provide you with the latest edition to view. To receive the monthly
newsletter you need to join Mark Leveridge Magic's E-Club. Membership is
completely free. Simply email us your name, postal address and the email
address you wish the newsletters to be sent to and you will be added to
the list of hundreds who already currently receive the mailings. We do not
use your email address for any other promotional reasons and it is not
passed on to any third parties, so it's safe to join." Full details are
available from
www.markleveridge.co.uk.
25.8.07
Mark
Worgan lectures at the Southend Sorcerers on Sunday 2nd September
(7.30pm for an 8pm start). Guests are welcome (£5 guest fee). Please note
a permanent change of venue for the Sorcerers who now meet at the Bell
Hotel, Prince Avenue, Southend on Sea, SS2 6RL (Map).
25.8.07
Magic
Dave and Andy Clockwise are the only UK finalists in the Axtell's
Puppet Video Challenge video competition. The competition was open to
puppeteers around the world, with each being allowed to submit up to three
video performances of themselves featuring an Axtell puppet. Submissions
ran from May through to the end of July. The winners will be announced
next week (on August 31st). For more information visit
www.axtell.com.
25.8.07
Terry
Herbert - "Gone with the Fairies". Terry Herbert (I've never
seen him look so happy) had a great reception whilst lecturing and
performing at the recent Family & Children's International Kidabra
Convention in Tennessee. Terry had the honour of receiving a framed
Diploma proclaiming Saturday 18th August 2007 as Terry Herbert Day
following a highly successful lecture, which included an interview with
well known New York kid's magician David Kaye aka Silly Billy. In the
evening he compered a fantastic Gala Show with a superb array of artistes
that included Aye Jaye (The original Ronald McDonald), Magic Al - one of
America's top children's entertainers who'll perform at the British Ring
Convention this year, Scott Francis - a very funny comedy magician, and
Chris Capehart - a sensational magician whose linking ring routine has to
be seen to be believed. Three hundred registrants enjoyed four days of
in-depth lessons on marketing, branding, and selling, as well as learning
many new routines all aimed at the entertainment of children. This highly
successful convention has been running for 16 years and is organised and
created by Mark and Tami Daniels.
www.kidabra.org.
25.8.07
TomTom
ONE Great Britain GPS v2. Never get lost in the back roads and
horrible one-way systems of Britain's town centres again! Brilliantly
simple, plug
and go technology that really works "straight out of the box", from
the market leaders. As used by MagicWeek! Just £149.00 (includes free
delivery) from Amazon.co.uk
Click Here. (It really does take the stress out of navigating your way
to a show.)
25.8.07
Magic Car Boot Sale - 2nd September. For over 12 years Alec Powell has hosted a magic car boot sale, twice a year at The Beechmen Circus Warehouse, 43 Union Street, West Bromwich B70 6BP (Map). The next is to take place on Sunday 2nd September 2007 at the same venue, from 9.30am, admission is £4.00. As usual there will be over 20 stalls. It will also be a chance for visitors to see the Fancy Dress and costume hire shop now opened by Alec at the same premises - Fandango Fancy Dress. This is a busy time for Alec with the Kidology Convention which he jointly sponsors with Practical Magic taking place only two days later on Tuesday 4th September in Wolverhampton. There is still time to register for that convention via Practical Magic. See www.practical-magic.com for details. 25.8.07
Steve Beam Lecture Tour. Tony Griffith emails: "Due to a number of reasons Steve has had to put back this tour until 2009, and will commence on Monday 4th May (hopefully at The Magic Circle) 2009, ending on or around the 24th May 2009. I will be booking the lecture dates with any clubs interested as from January 2008." tony@tonygriffith.co.uk. 25.8.07
Thanks to Drew McAdam for his two Edinburgh Fringe reviews this week, Click Here, and to Ian Keable for his review of One Night in Vegas Click Here • "David Blaine Terrorizes Passersby... Again!" (two videos - watch the lower one first) Click Here • "Tesco bans clown from using balloons" Click Here • "Singapore magician teleports from ground to rooftop of 50-storey building" Click Here • "Magician’s giant wand trouble" Click Here • "Magician to put life on line to catch bullet" Click Here • "Gemma’s living the Vegas dream" Click Here • "'America's Got Talent' Chooses Its Winner" Click Here • "Goth Angel puts the TV magic back in magic" Click Here • "Britain's Got Talent shouldn't have shown 'Dr Gore'" Click Here • "A short history of magic and spiritualism" Click Here • "Wednesday Pick: Mind Control with Derren Brown" Click Here • "Magicians" video message for Amazon.co.uk customers Click Here • That's it for this week, see you next week, Duncan. 25.8.07