Number 465 - 23rd May 2009

 

René Lavand. The word 'legend' is bandied around the magic world sometimes a little too freely, but without doubt Argentinean magician René Lavand lives up to the billing. He will be performing his widely acclaimed one man show during the weekend of The International Magic Convention (November 27th to 29th) later this year at The Bridewell Theatre, London. Whilst his lecture and short performance will be included in the price of registration, his full one hour one man show will be held as an extra event, due to the very limited number of seats available in the beautifully intimate theatre (which is just round the corner from the Mermaid Theatre where all other Convention events will take place). His presentations and performances have a poetic quality that never fails to earn standing ovations. René Lavand has achieved legendary status and is without doubt one of the most highly skilled close-up magicians of the past century. His stature is even more amazing if you consider that he accomplishes everything using only one hand, having lost the other in a car crash at the age of 9. To order tickets for this inspiring show visit www.internationalmagic.com - hurry, tickets for this once in a lifetime event are very limited. 23.5.09

 

Geoffrey Durham Lecture - Aberdeen. Master magician Geoffrey Durham lectures at the Aberdeen Magical Society on Monday 15th June, at the Boardwalk, Beach Esplanade, Aberdeen. For details email mail@aberdeenmagic.com. Venue: The Boardwalk, Beach Esplanade, Aberdeen AB24 5NS (Map). www.aberdeenmagic.com. www.geoffreydurham.com. 23.5.09

 

Collectors Day at The Magic Circle, Saturday 30th May. It is not necessary to be a member of The Magic Circle, or even a collector, in order to attend Collectors Day. If you enjoy hearing about magicians and magic tricks of the past, you will enjoy Collectors Day. Dean Arnold will show some treasures from his collection, with particular emphasis on early mental magic. Will Houstoun will explain some 18th century card tricks and show how advanced the professional performers were at the time. Jasper Maskelyne is well known for his camouflage work during World War 2. Richard Stokes will tell us what he really did or did not do. Richard Evans will chronicle the career of Isaac Fawkes the most famous magician of the early 18th century. Peter Warlock is the subject of the final talk and his daughter Elizabeth and Mike Gancia will also demonstrate some of his tricks. Tickets for the day can be obtained from The Magic Circle on 020 7387 2222. They cost £35.00 and include an excellent lunch. As the food has to be ordered in advance tickets are not for sale on the door. www.themagiccircle.co.uk. 23.5.09

 

Terry Herbert and John Kimmons are profiled by Bob Hayden this week as he looks ahead to the British Ring Southport Convention in September: Terry Herbert (photo) is acknowledged worldwide as the Crowned Prince of Children’s Entertainers. It started in 1956 when he applied to and was appointed by the Butlins Organisation as a Redcoat Children’s Entertainer at their Cliftonville Hotels. This gave him the great opportunity of finely honing his already considerable magical skills and to engage with a young audience on a daily basis. It was a venture that proved to be invaluable... John Kimmons is a Magical Ventriloquist. As Kimmo he has been performing professionally for over 25 years delighting audiences with his unique blend of magic, comedy and ventriloquism. At the Blackpool Convention in 2008 he was awarded the title Children’s Entertainer World Champion and became the first ever children’s entertainer to pick up the highly respected Ken Dodd award for Comedy... To read the full article Click Here. www.britishring.org.uk. 23.5.09

 

The Mystic Ring is proud to announce the inauguration of their new President, George Kovari. To celebrate this occasion they are hosting an open night on Thursday 28th May at 7.45pm. This is an ideal opportunity for local magicians in the area to come along and see what they are all about. If you are a professional magician, a part time amateur or an enthusiastic hobbyist you will be made most welcome to attend this special evening of magic and illusion. Admission free to all genuine magicians. The Mystic Ring meet at The Conservative Club, 49 High Street, North, Dunstable. For more information email themysticring@hotmail.com or call Geoff on 01582 416950 or Steve on 07803409571 www.mysticring.co.uk. 23.5.09

 

What's Wrong With This? This Tuesday at The Magic Circle Noel Britten presents a lecture entitled "What's Wrong With This?". Best known in the magic world for compering the International Magic Convention Gala Show every year and also running Bizarre Bath ,the magic and comedy based guided tour of his home city of Bath for the last 18 years, Noel is also busy on the comedy club and cruise circuit. This lecture, which has been especially prepared for The Magic Circle should be full of good advice from one of our busiest performers. Members only. www.noelbritten.co.uk. 23.5.09

 

Professional close-up magic - back on the menu. You've had your starter - now get stuck into the main course... James Prince's brand new DVD Menu of Miracles 3 - The Main Course, follows hot on the heels of his first two DVDs released last year. "This project features 11 close-up routines performed live in a restaurant, so that the viewer can see just how strong they really are", says Russ Stevens of rsvpmagic.com. "All of the effects are from James' working act and there are some real stunners here, including J P Jennings, a way to adapt your card in wallet to load faster than ever before. Even better is that this method allows you to load large finger rings and even mobile phones into a sealed envelope in your wallet as quickly as it takes you to remove the wallet from your jacket! Just look at the promo to see for yourself. Also please visit our newsletter page and sign up to receive some very special offers" Visit www.rsvpmagic.com to see the new trailer now! 16.5.09

 

Kernow Magic are back! With a new look and some great re-launch deals. Prices have been slashed on over 500 lines with savings of up to 75%, simply click on the “super sale” tab and start filling up your shopping cart but hurry as sale stock is limited. New deals will be added to the 'Super Sale' daily, so be sure to keep checking back. www.kernowmagic.co.uk. 23.5.09

 

BigBlindMedia present Liam Montier's Superstition: "A great new effect from the creative and slightly strange mind of Liam Montier! This is easier than a jigsaw puzzle with all the bits glued together! Imagine offering your spectator the chance to select themselves a 'lucky card', which they do - say it is the Five of Diamonds. You comment that while that is not a bad card, you have a really good one that you keep on you at all times, attached to your keyring. It is trapped between two blank cards to ensure that nothing can happen to it. There are clearly only three cards on the keyring. You then cleanly display your lucky card - say the Jack of Spades. In a sudden display of goodwill, you offer to exchange lucky cards with the spectator, as you know your one is so good. Suddenly the Jack on your keyring changes into the spectator's Five of Diamonds. Again, there are clearly only three cards on the keyring - the double blanks and the spectator's selection. It looks cleaner than a soap-sudded gleaming thing with no grubby bits! Calling attention to what the spectator believed to be their selection, they now see a small hole has appeared through the corner. That is because, when they turn it over, they find it is the Jack of Spades, fresh off your keyring - visit www.bigblindmedia.com today! 23.5.09

 

Magic Night - Friday 5th June at Madame JoJo's, 8-10 Brewer Street, London W1F O5P (Map). "Magic Night in June does Sharp Edges with juggling knives, skateboards, guillotines and some razor blades chucked in just for good measure. AJ the escapologist will be endangering life, limb and the front row by juggling knives on a moving skateboard whilst the dark mistress of magic, Careena Fenton, is a Happy Chopper with her guillotine. Nick Mohammed will be playing some funny tricks with his invisible and hilarious orchestra and those well mannered anarchists, Barry and Stuart, swallow razor blades, insert needles and play with the audience’s minds. If you’re squeamish, look away now! Franco will be on his squeeze box and all this will be expertly compered by Neil Henry who will be playing a big trick on the audience called: ‘You read it here first’. Come along to one of London's most dynamic and exciting entertainment haunts, Madame JoJo's, and see why this night continues to be one of the best contemporary cabaret nights on the circuit - with incredible and cutting edge magic acts and some of the best cabaret in town." Tickets £10/£7 concessions. Tickets can also be purchased via www.ticketweb.co.uk 08700 600 100. Friday 5th June, doors 7pm / showtime 7.45pm - 10pm. www.magicnight.co.uk. 23.5.09

 

Bug-O-Me! Andy Clockwise has just released a brand new close-up routine: "A spectator selects a card from a pack of cards, each card featuring a different insect. The card is returned and shuffled. With the pack placed between the hands of the spectator, the magician reaches in and removes the selected card... but there's more. When the spectator now looks in their hands, the pack is seen to have changed into a solid piece of clear plastic containing their selected insect!" Bug-O-Me comes with an instructional DVD, post-it note type pad, playing cards and the "Bug Block" containing a real insect. Bug-O-Me is currently only available directly from Andy priced £30.00 + £3.50 p&p. For more info email andyclockwise@btinternet.com. (For anybody wanting to perform Bug-O-Me again to the same group of people, additional "Bug Blocks" are available). 23.5.09

 

This year's Pentacle Club Lecture takes place on Tuesday 2nd June and is being given by Ian Keable (entitled 'The Professional Guide to Comedy Magic'). The lecture starts at 8pm and the club meets at St Laurence's School, Arbury Road, Cambridge CB4 2JX (Map). Visiting magicians welcome - there is a small door charge of £5.00. Website: Click Here. 23.5.09

 

"Wow", "amazing", " "unbelievable" - just a few of the comments overheard at Birmingham Hippodrome's 3rd Gala Dinner last week referring to "Europe’s hottest illusionists" The Twins. Involving a cast and crew of over 30 people, a state of the art sound and lights system, and twenty of The Twins’ illusions, the audience were left totally spellbound! The Twins had two special stages built; one in the auditorium and one in the dining area, which was on the Hippodrome's main stage. "It has become bookmarked for further European 'magical events'" said Gary, and "We're planning another two events on the same scale for the summer" added Paul. www.thetwins.co.uk. 23.5.09

 

Philip Tilston won the award for Best Card Trick in the Order of the Magi Close-up Competition for 2009. Philip performed Irish Poker, from The Dave Campbell Legacy, and a multiple card selection routine along with other coin and rope effects which meant that he also placed second overall in the competition. (Philip recommends The Dave Campbell Legacy which is available from www.internationalmagic.com). 23.5.09

 

Congratulations to Steven Buxton on winning the Leamington and Warwick Magical Society’s annual Close-up Competition which took place on Wednesday 20th May at the Cubbington Sports and Social Club, Leamington Spa. Steven and five others competed for the Frank Allan Trophy in a closely fought competition that was judged by two magic judges and one lay judge. Steven now goes forward to represent the Society at the Midlands Champion of Champions competition that is part of this year's Leamington Day of Magic on Wednesday 24 June. Steven is pictured on the left with Club President, Keith Pearson. http://lawms.wordpress.com. 23.5.09

 

Ricky McLeod presents The Sorcerer’s School (a magic workshop) this weekend at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. "Amaze your muggle friends with the magic that you will learn from professional magician Ricky McLeod £35.00 per person. Age 9+." www.trickyricky.com. 23.5.09

 

Fine Dining and Conjuring at The Grand Union, Leamington Spa. Due to popular demand, the recent evening of Fine Dining and Conjuring at The Grand Union Restaurant in Leamington Spa (reviewed on MagicWeek) is announcing an encore, for Thursday 30th July. A superb three course meal will be accompanied by close-up sleight of hand magic throughout the evening from Magic Circle member David Taylor. To round off the evening David will present an intimate 40 minute parlour performance of ‘classic’ magic. The entire evening costs just £28.00 per head and includes dinner and entertainment. To book call 01962 421323 or email enquiries@thegrandunion.co.uk www.thegrandunion.co.uk www.davidtaylormagic.co.uk. Places are limited. 23.5.09

 

An Evening of Metaphysical Magic with Dr Todd Landman, Headgate Theatre, Colchester, Essex, 27th June at 8pm. Following on from his latest performances at The Shop in Birmingham, Dr Todd brings you an evening of mystery entertainment that defies rational explanation. Guests claim that "Dr Todd has the hardest sceptics in the palm of his hand", the "entertainment comes wrapped in a mysterious, friendly, and warm package," and "Dr Todd is a bit like Fraser Crane meets Sir Arthur Conan Doyle!" Seats are limited and the event will be filmed. For more details email drtodd@metaphysical-magician.com and for tickets (£10 and £8 concessions), visit www.headgatetheatre.co.uk. www.metaphysical-magician.com. 23.5.09

 

Craig Petty lecturers at Merlin Magical Society in Hertfordshire at 8pm on Thursday 28th May. Craig will present a similar lecture to the one he recently gave at the Magic Circle, which received  great reviews. Venue: The Merlin Magical Society, Little Heath Parish Hall, Thornton Road, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1JJ (Map). Doors open at 7.30pm - entry for non members is £5.00. 23.5.09

 

Matt's magic! A week last Thursday at Wembley Stadium, The Fire Fighters Charity hosted its annual award ceremony. This star studded event celebrated the acts of bravery that have taken place within the UK’s fire and rescue service. After his success at last year's ceremony, Matt Wainwright was invited back to entertain guests at their tables, and later celebrities in the exclusive VIP room. Guests included former footballer, Rodney Marsh, Bruce Forsyth, Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley, Glamour girl and TV personality Nicola McLean, Athlete, Darren Campbell, comedian Barry Cryer and many more. 23.5.09

 

Pavel is presenting his new lecture for the Scottish Conjurers' Association at 2pm on Sunday 31st May. Tickets are £10.00 for non-members, available on the door. Venue: Walton Suite, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow. www.scottishconjurersassociation.org.uk. 23.5.09

 

Magic Auction - Northampton. The props and effects of the late David Parriss (including over 70 lots of close-up, stage and children's magic) plus two items of highly collectable Alan Warner micro magic) will be auctioned on Tuesday 30th June. Viewing 7pm, Starts 7.30pm. "No reserve, all welcome, no admission charge. You may bring your unwanted magic and we will auction it for you, if time allows, 10% commission." Venue: Northampton Magicians Club, The Terrace Room, Westone Manor Hotel, Ashley Way, Weston Favell, Northampton NN3 3EA (Map). Contact David Miller david.miller37@ntlworld.com 01604 517406 or 07870 140958 or Roy Gilbert Tel.01604 411413 for more information. 23.5.09

 

Young magician wanted! Andrew Mann, Casting UK, emails: "I'm casting a commercial for Robinsons fruit drinks that requires children with great talents, they could be a magician, a mind reader or somebody with any unusual talent. The age of the child should be 8/9/10 either sex any ethnicity and should be able to come to casting on Wednesday May 27th in central London. The money is good and the exposure will be great too." For more information telephone Andrew Mann: 020 7400 1251 www.castinguk.com. 23.5.09

 

Magic in the Air! There was magic in the air last week when Dynamo met comedian Matt Lucas at Emirates Stadium - and proceeded to levitate him! Click Here • Tom Lauten is out of hospital following his triple bypass operation - all went well, the doctors rating it as an "A-1" outcome. Tom emailed to thank readers for their good wishes • Claudette Evans reviews 'An Evening of Sorcery and Song!' this week, Click Here • Chris and Belinda North are pleased to announce the birth of their son Tomos Christopher born on 19th May at 1am. Where was Chris? Returning home from a gig, but heard baby Tomos's first cries via a mobile phone! • John Palfreyman emails: "A long standing member of The British Ring, Yvonne Watson from Cornwall, will be made Mayor of St Ives this Monday 18th May. I think that it is the first time that we have had a Lady member of The British Ring made a Mayor." • Best wishes to Rob James and Hayley Teasdale - they are getting married today! • "Magician & Street Performer Magic Brian Talks Tricks" Click Here • "The Makibishi Effect" by Joan Monse, Click Here • "Lennon was nearly beaten up by magician Tommy Cooper" Click Here • "Magic Pete wows the judges to lift top entertainment title" Click Here • "Clever marketing levitates magician to fame" Click Here • "Madame Tussauds unveils Criss Angel, in wax" Click Here • "Sooty tours Britain" Click Here • "Teen makes up to $5,000 a month from magic" Click Here • Konga tackles House of Commons expenses scandal, Click Here • That's it for another week, many thanks to everyone for your contributions - have a good week, Duncan. 23.5.09

 

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