Number 446 - 10th January 2009
Variety
Live at the Grand. Variety Live at the Grand boasts a truly
international line-up of talent. The show is being premiered in
Blackpool, with future plans to transfer to a major hotel and casino in
Las Vegas. The world class line-up includes Jeff
Hobson and his unique brand of comedy laced with a touch of magic, from
Cirque du Soleil the artistry and athleticism of Wolfgang on the German
Wheel, the incredible Mazeppa Cossacks from the Ukraine, the endearing
physical comedy of Rob Torres, the international award-winning
Vaudevillian Charlie Frye & Co., new singing star Ben Stone, and the
‘man with the fastest hands on earth’ and one of the greatest
entertainers currently appearing in Las Vegas, Wally Eastwood. With
music from the superb 9-piece 'Variety Live Orchestra' - under the
direction of Musical Director, Ian MacGregor.
Variety Live at the Grand is a fabulous show for the whole family and a rare opportunity to enjoy so many world class Las Vegas performers in one show! Produced and Directed by West End and Las Vegas Producer Paul Stone. Thursday 19th February and Friday 20th February at 7.30pm, and at 2pm and 7pm on Saturday 21st February. Tickets: Adults £17.00, Children £8.00. Box Office: 01253 290190 or visit The Grand Theatre Box Office, 33 Church Street, Blackpool or visit www.showzam.co.uk. 10.1.09
The Northern Magic Circle’s Spring Parade Convention
- updates. This year the first 50 registrants will receive a
specially compiled Gregory Wilson DVD featuring performances and
explanations. Artistes/lecturers booked to date include: Gregory Wilson
(USA), John Archer, Alana (Germany), Dynamo, James Brown, Russ Brown,
John Palfryman, Amethyst, Michael Jordan and Steve Naylor. A full weekend
pass costs £50.00 and a single day registration costs £30.00. Southport,
April 4th and 5th, visit
www.northernmagic.co.uk
for more information. 10.1.09
The
Southern England Magic Convention - Saturday 31st January, Lakeside
Leisure Complex, Surrey. Here's a reminder of what's planned. The line-up is headed by "Magic Babe" Ning - a star in
Singapore, making her British début, together with JC Sum (also from
Singapore), James More (with an all-new act), El Loco, Roy Charles,
Magic Singh (first appearance at a British Magic Convention), Mike
Danata, Mel Mellers, James Fortune and Sensual Magic (a "mystery" act
for Gala Show). JC Sum will lecture and launch his new book "Urban
Illusions", and The Twins together with Mark Parker will present a joint
talk on the creation and performance of illusions. Mark is also
launching a new illusion book. Also lecturing, renowned quick-change
artist Lee Alex from Turkey, Mel Mellers with a lecture full of
surprises, Graham Lee on Balloon Modelling and Paul Gordon on
Card Magic. Plus, competitions, a dealers hall, and party afterwards.
Full registrations are just £28.00. For full details visit
www.semagicconvention.com - registrations are also available from
www.mikedanatasmagicstudio.co.uk in Bournemouth. 10.1.09
Geoffrey
Durham presents his 'Magic, Laughter and applause' lecture at The
House of Magic (UK) on Monday, February 16th. Geoffrey will explore
tricks that always appeal to audiences, whatever their age or
background. He will show why some tricks fall flat, no matter how
skilfully they are achieved, and how to make them work. He will also
explain how to get maximum laughter and applause from all your
performances. The lecture promises to be a sell-out. For further details
contact Stu at The House of Magic (UK) on 01384 373209.
www.geoffreydurham.com. 10.1.09
Magic-In-Mind
An Evening of Mental Marvels with Spyros Melaris.
7.30pm on Saturday 17th January at Queenswood School Theatre, Shepherd's
Way, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 6NS (Map).
Tickets £15.00. To book call 01707 602579 or email
boxoffice@queenswood.org.
All proceeds to Queenswood School Pond Project. 10.1.09
The
Mentalist - coming soon to Five. The Mentalist stars Golden
Globe Award nominee Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, an independent
consultant with the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI), who has a
remarkable track record for solving serious crimes by using his razor
sharp skills of observation. Within the Bureau, Jane is notorious for
his blatant lack of protocol and his semi-celebrity past as a psychic
medium, whose paranormal abilities he now admits he feigned. Jane's role
in cracking a series of tough high-profile cases is greatly valued by
his fellow agents. However, no-nonsense Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon
openly resists having Jane in her unit and alternates between
reluctantly acknowledging Jane's usefulness and blasting him for his
theatrics, narcissism and dangerous lack of boundaries. Lisbon's team
includes agents Kimball Cho, Wayne Rigsby and rookie member Grace Van
Pelt, who all think Jane's a loose cannon but admire his charm and knack
for clearing cases.
At the 35th People's Choice Awards, honoring the best in popular culture
for 2008 (held last week at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles), The Mentalist won the 'Favorite New TV Drama' award.
"The Mentalist - Simon Baker stars as Patrick Jane"
YouTube,
Click Here. 10.1.09
Martyn
James is coming to a venue near you! Appearing in the all singing,
all dancing extravaganza "In Town Tonight" performing his illusion show,
alongside top vocalists and the award winning Palma Nova Puppets. More
dates have just been added to this six week tour. For details visit
www.martynjamesproductions.com. 10.1.09
House
of Illusion Auditions. Last year, Rodney James Piper's House of
Illusion magical dinner show in Salou, Spain, enjoyed audiences
totalling twenty five thousand over the Summer. they are now recruiting
for Summer 2009. All types of magicians and mystery entertainers are
needed to join the team for the season. Auditions: Manchester 24th
January, London 25th January and Blackpool 23rd February. To apply email
recruitment@everythingents.com of phone 08712 181011 or
+34977380940.
www.houseofillusion.net. 10.1.09
Going,
going, gone... Just 3 weekend registrations remain for
The Session
2009 next weekend. David Acer (Canada), John Guastaferro (USA), Ray
Kosby (USA), Jon Allen, (UK) John Van der Put (UK), Ben Earl (UK),
Rodney James Piper (Spain), Noel Qualter (UK), John Archer (UK), Will
Houstoun (UK), Craig Petty (UK), Mark Elsdon (UK) and Thom Peterson
(USA) are ready to go, offering an amazing line up for the first
unmissable magic event of the year!
www.sessionconvention.com. 10.1.09
Close
Up Success. News from
www.closeupsuccess.com: Beat the credit crunch! Close Up Success
course now available as single issues, for the first time, price just
£20.00 each. "I have been just amazed by the sheer quantity of
information and advice in Close-up Success. Chris and Phil really know
what they are talking about in the field of international close-up and
they've given it all away here. If I'd had them behind me when I
started, I might well have chosen a different path. It's a gold-mine of
experience and skill." Geoffrey Durham. "Awesome... Just about the most
intelligent piece I've ever read... The duo has gone right to the
performance jugular and will save years to someone who would have to do
all of this work, study, and research on their own. The methods
discussed for making your magic real world is so well organized that it
makes the course worth the price alone." Bob Sheets. Visit
www.closeupsuccess.com for details of each individual course. 10.1.09
Trade
Show Success. Just launched! Visit
www.motivatingmagic.com for
details. 10.1.09
Liam
Montier's Gafftastic - Mindblowing Card Magic with Gaff Cards!
"Gafftastic is a collection of mind frying, easy card magic using
special gaff cards. All of the required gaff cards come free with the
DVD. That's 13 cool gaffs printed by the USPCC! Presented by Liam
Montier (the magical equivalent of popping candy), Gafftastic is a
seriously exciting proposition, crammed to the gills with reputation
making routines! But it doesn't end there. Included free on the DVD is a
PDF of Liam's smash hit 'Cherry Cola Queen' booklet. (Simply pop the DVD
into your PC, right click on the DVD-Drive and click 'Explore'). Cherry
Cola Queen features 17 routines over 48 pages, and originally retailed
for £10.00!" Visit
www.bigblindmedia.com for more info and to watch a trailer. 10.1.09
The
Open Prediction Project. "In 1949 magician Paul Curry proposed an
effect with playing cards that seemed impossible. Despite the best
efforts of the top magicians of his day, the effect became known as The
Curry Unsolved Card Problem. For almost 60 years, mentalists and
magicians have wracked their brains, trying to find the perfect solution
for Curry’s challenge, now known as The Open Prediction. The Open
Prediction Project is the largest collection of its kind in existence.
It is a compilation of 51 unique and creative solutions to the Open
Prediction problem. Performers such as Marc Paul, Michael Weber, Barrie
Richardson, Patrick Redford, Mick Ayres and Hector Chadwick have offered
their solutions for this 200+page e-book; and these are just a few in a
long list of creative and innovative contributors from around the
globe..."
Click Here to find out more. 10.1.09
Chris
Priest lectures at Bolton Magicians Club on Wednesday 14th January.
The venue is the Doffcocker inn, Chorley Old Road, Bolton BL1 5QE (Map)
and the start time 8.30pm. Chris will be presenting the same lecture
that he recently presented at The Magic Circle, so it should be a busy
night. Visit
www.bolton-magic.co.uk to see their 2009 programme.
www.chrispriest.com. 10.1.09
John
Archer, the current Magic Circle Stage Magician of the Year,
is giving a lecture to the York Society of Magicians on Wednesday,
February 11th at The Four Alls Inn, Malton Road, York YO32 9TW (Map),
starting at 7.30pm. "Come along to be entertained, mystified and
mesmerised, all at a cost of £5.00 for non members." For details contact
Rex Stott, Secretary, 01937 589727,
janicestott@btinternet.com. 10.1.09
Piff
the Magic Dragon has made it through to the finals of this year's
Hackney Empire New Act of the Year! Saturday, January 17th. Tickets
can be booked via:
www.hackneyempire.co.uk. 10.1.09
Mr
'E' Enterprises have an number of new items in stock from the 'Paul
Hallas Packet Trick Treasures' range - visit
www.mreenterprises.co.uk for details. 10.1.09
Cambridge
Pentacle Club, 90th Anniversary. The latest issue of Abra focuses on
the Cambridge Pentacle Club and its 90th anniversary. This issue
includes tricks from club members, articles on the club's history and
its future, and the first announcement of the Pentacle Club's special
90th Anniversary events on Saturday 9th May 2009 at Girton College in
Cambridge. For more information email Alan Maskell at:
secretary@pentaclemagic.co.uk. To subscribe to Abra,
Click Here. 10.1.09
Thom
Peterson lectures at the Home Counties Magical Society on Thursday
15th January. Non members are welcome (£8.00 charge). Doors open at
7.30pm for a n 8pm start. Woodley Baptist Church Hall, Hurricane Way,
Woodley, Reading RG5 4UX (Map).
Contact Dan Hudson, Programme Secretary,
programme@hcms.org.uk or 0118
93 10 981 for more details
www.hcms.org.uk.
www.thompeterson.com. 10.1.09
Alex
Lodge & Haylee Louise have just returned from a successful
engagement aboard NCL's Norwegian Jade, where the duo presented
their illusion show.
www.alexlodge.com. 10.1.09
Magic Car Boot Sale. Sunday, 8th February, at 43 Union Street West Bromwich B70 6BP (Map). From 9.30am, admission £4.00. 25 stalls, thousands of pre-used bargains plus hot breakfasts plus magic dealers including Practical Magic, World Magic Shop, Albion Magic, Merlins, Zane, Keith Bennett (starting a major clear out of books, DVDs and magic at greatly reduced prices), E-Magic Tricks, plus Magic Books by Post with many Supreme Magic books at special discounts together with their usual range. If there are any particular books you need call MBBP in advance and they will bring them to the sale. Contact Alec Powell 07831 115448 for more details if needed. www.albionmagiccompany.co.uk. 10.1.09
Illusion Hotline - Who Owns The Rights. Here's a useful website link for anyone performing illusions: www.magicauction.com/IllusionHotline/Illusion_Rights.htm. It features a list of illusions, together with their authorised creators and builders. It always amazes me how many illusionists are happy to knowingly buy and perform pirated illusions... "look at me - I'm a thief, and I don't give a dam" - the inventor loses out on royalties, the authorised builder loses business to a cowboy, and the performer loses the respect of his or her peers. 10.1.09
The Avonlea Hotel, Blackpool offer single, double and family rooms for the Blackpool Convention in February. 5 minutes from the Winter Gardens, Licensed Bar. Contact Dave (a magician) or Gail: 01253 626740 bookings@avonleahotel.net www.avonleahotel.net. 10.1.09
Keep
up-to-date with the always fascinating adventures of Richard
Wiseman, via his new blog:
richardwiseman.wordpress.com
• "Heart up his sleeve"
Click Here • "First Panto at new Spa is a box office hit"
Click Here • Please note: we have a strict 12 noon Friday
deadline for all news submissions. Many thanks for your news, always
welcome - see you next week, Duncan.
10.1.09