Number 392 - 29th December 2007
The
World Junior Magicians Championships take place at the Opera House,
Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, England on Tuesday 19th February
2008 at 7pm. There are 6 categories: Comedy Magic, Manipulation, Illusion,
General Magic, Close-Up Magic and Card Magic, with 3 entrants in each
category and total prize money of £2,750.00 (plus trophies and titles).
Entrants must be 18 or under. The competition is part of the "Showzam"
Festival being promoted by Blackpool Council and is being organised by
Derek Lever and Arthur Casson. For entry details contact: Derek Lever, 32
Pilling lane, Preesall, Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire FY6 0EU, England.
Email: d.lever1@sky.com Phone/Fax:
01253 810113 (International + 44 1253 810113). A DVD of your performance
will be required.
29.12.07
Keith Barry: the Escape - Live
tonight at
9pm on ITV1. "The Irish illusionist baffles celebrities
including Denise Van Outen and Eamonn Holmes, in a show that culminates in
him being bound to a chair with 100' of rope and bundled inside a shed
packed with explosives and linked to a live fuse." More information,
Click Here, also see TV
Magic.
29.12.07
The
eagerly awaited Close Up Success Seminar featured in MagicWeek during
the past year will be held on January 6th at the Five Star Landmark Hotel
in London. Entry is free to all paid up members of 'Close Up Success' -
for anyone else wishing to attend the cost is £1,000 plus VAT for the day,
including a bound hard copy of the whole course together with the 5 course
DVDs. Speakers include Chris Dugdale and Phil Jay plus a surprise or two!
Contact Chris Dugdale directly for more information:
chris.dugdale@btinternet.com.
Phil and Chris look forward to welcoming their members in London.
29.12.07
Indiana
Chuckle and the Kingdom of the Mythical Sulk. After finishing in The
Chuckle Brothers sell-out Pantomime Aladdin, Safire are looking
forward to once again touring the UK’s top theatre venues in “Indiana
Chuckle and the Kingdom of the Mythical Sulk” next year. Based on the
Indiana Jones films this will be Safire’s 6th outing with BBC children’s
favourites The Chuckle Brothers. As well as performing their new
Egyptian Themed Black Art act, Stuart and Jayne will also be playing parts
and presenting two brand new illusions. This production will also be
filmed for release as a DVD alongside The Chuckle’s previous offerings
“Spooky Goings On” and “Pirates of the River Rother” both of which feature
Safire’s act and their UV Magic Light Puppet Company. Safire are also
currently working on illusions and special effects for a brand new
Chuckles Christmas project for next year. See
What's On for initial
tour dates.
29.12.07
Two
out of two! Entering only their second talent competition, husband and
wife duo, Mike & Julie Evans, once again found themselves winning outright
with their Mind Magic act. Having won £1000 in their first-ever talent
contest earlier this year the couple decided to try their luck again, this
time in a Talent Showcase held at the White Swan Inn, Dunstable. Competing
in the final on 20th December against singers, comedians and musicians,
Mike & Julie wowed the three judges with their performance and were placed
1st, winning £500. Next month they jet off to the exclusive
Sandals resort
Jamaica for three weeks to perform, and in the Summer they'll be
performing in Cyprus for a full season
www.magicv.co.uk.
29.12.07
Burning
Card Magic are having a Sale! And email: "Check out our super massive
sale.... Loads of products with over 30% off!!! But hurry they won't last
long!! Also we’ve changed how we work... Rather than buy in what's new
from the wholesaler we buy it in first to make sure it's practical and
works in the real world. We take it out onto the street or one of our team
it use it in a professional walk around gig - then we stock it in the
shop!"
www.burningcardmagic.co.uk.
29.12.07
Jamie
Allan and David Penn have just returned from Berlin where they
produced an R22 Helicopter on Germany's top-rated TV show "Mega Clever".
Designed by Jamie Allan, this illusion has a method so unique that it made
it possible for them to produce the aircraft completely surrounded by a
ring of spectators! Jamie and David worked closely with FISM world
champion Franklin to make the segment possible. Watch it on YouTube,
Click
Here.
29.12.07
The
Styles family's contributions to the Christmas holiday TV
entertainments offered over the last week were evident in "Midsomer
Murders", "The Polar Express", "A Christmas Carol", "Muppet Christmas
Carol", "Time Bandits", "Hetty Wainthrop Investigates", "Graham Norton's
Christmas Show", and "The Old Curiosity Shop".
www.johnstylesentertainer.co.uk.
29.12.07
Penn
and Teller guest on The Simpsons on
Wednesday 9th January (30 minutes) on Sky One. "After a rotten day,
Homer bowls a perfect 300 game, and becomes a local hero. But his fame
soon fades, and to keep himself from gloom, Homer decides to focus his
attention on baby Maggie. Guest Starring Penn and Teller, Ron Howard,
Nancy O'Dell and Pat O'Brien as themselves." Penn and Teller at their
best. See TV Magic.
29.12.07
Look
out for Kennedy at the ‘As you like it’ restaurant in Jesmond,
Newcastle on Saturday 18th January. 2008 will once again see Kennedy
perform his one-man show in Newcastle upon Tyne, dates TBC, and in April
he can be seen at the RSVP Exhibition in London. Kennedy, 23, is a
professional mind reader and psychological magician from Cramlington in
Northumberland. "Magician's advice"
Click Here.
www.mindofkennedy.co.uk.
29.12.07
Drilling
his way in to the record books... Thomas Blackthorne emails "Hello
Everyone, Here's the last news update for 2007 and it's a big one: Last
month I went to Cologne for the German Guinness World Records show to
perform the hardest act I've developed so far: Swallowing a running
demolition hammer! It was a tough one and I got close to thinking it
wasn't going to happen but I pulled it off and you can see a video of it
here
Blackthorne - Guinness Record - Heaviest Sword Swallow. As usual, you
can find more details on the story on my blog:
www.blackthorne.it/blog. I'll be back at you next year with more
mischief! Thomas Blackthorne.
29.12.07
John Williams (1931-2007).
Russ Adams (1923-2007).
Ron Gilbert has just sent us obituaries and funeral details, Click Here. 29.12.07
The
3-2-1 interactive DVD Game features rare clips from a number of magic
acts including The Great Soprendo, Johnny Hart, Terry Herbert, and the
Simmons Brothers. Order from Amazon.co.uk
Click Here • "Extraordinary Deceptions at The Powerhouse Theatre"
Click Here • "Nominations galore for young heroes"
Click Here • Your news items and reviews are always welcome - see you
in 2008, Duncan. 29.12.07