Number 582 - 20th August 2011

 

Paul Zerdin: Sponge Fest 2011. Britain’s most talented ventriloquist, Paul Zerdin, together with special guest Mandy Muden embark on a nationwide 37-date tour today. "Technically immaculate, it's what he does with his slick talent that really sets him apart. His relationship with his characters has all the dramatic tension of a real life double act" The Guardian. See What's On for dates or visit www.paulzerdin.com. 20.8.11

 

Midlands Magic Day - Sunday 28th August! News from organisers WarpedMagic.co.uk: "Fantastic news for our Midlands Magic Day at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull on Sunday 28th August 2011, we have just received confirmation that Ollie Mealing will be joining us to do a series of workshops throughout the day in the Crows Nest Suite at the venue. There will be 5 different workshops – ‘Unpublished’ ‘Commercial Card Magic’ ‘Underground Card Sleights’ ‘The Skip Switch Project’ and ‘Card Constructions’. Tickets are limited to 15 per workshop and are priced at £5 each available on the day however to ensure a place you can pre-book by contacting olliemealing@live.co.uk with your name and title in the subject bar. These workshops are not included in the Gold Passes. We are sure these workshops will add a special new dimension to the day, and we look forward to seeing you there. All details can be found at www.magicday.co.uk". 20.8.11

 

Kidology UK - Tuesday 6th September! Kidology UK is the one day convention for children's entertainers organised by Albion Magic and Practical Magic. This year's event features: 3 Main Lectures from Steve Short - Touring with a Theatre Show; George Kovari - Ideas and Inventions; Sally Rigley - Clown Doctoring and Special Needs. Plus 4 Mini Lectures: Gary Dunn - Sound Equipment; Malcolm Malan – Balloons and Magic; Steve Evans (photo) - interactive workshop on practised ad libs and one liners; Michael Diamond - Back of Room Sales and Busking. Together with the usual host of dealers and a buffet lunch which is included in the registration price of £40.00. Book via www.practical-magic.com or call 01691 690789. 13.8.11

 

British Ring Convention - 22nd to 25th September! The line-up of performers, dealers, guests and lecturers for this year's convention being held at the Southport Theatre and Convention Centre is truly international. First from the USA come Michael Finney (photo), IBM International Stage Contest Champion Jason Andrews, and Joe M. Turner. From Canada there is FISM Grand Prix Close Up Winner 2009 Shawn Farquhar and also Wes Zaharuk. Closer to home there’s the very talented Rafael from Belgium, Jordan Gomez from France, Vittorio Marino form Italy, broadcaster, lecturer and author Tony Brook from Portugal, RTE TV personality Aonghus McAnnaly from Ireland, and the Gentleman Juggler Jeton from Germany. Vanni Pulé from Malta - who will by then have been installed as the International President of the IBM will also be joining us at our 75th convention. From our own shores the line up continues with, on the children’s show, family favourite Richard Cadell and Sooty, and also at this event Safire presenting illusions and their magic light puppet act. Another children’s favourite here is David Tomkins (who will also be lecturing on this subject). Paul Joyce appears on this show as well. The ‘burlesque’ magic of Romany has recently been added to the list of top names appearing at this convention. Well known illusionists Amethyst and Guy Barrett and funny men Mel Mellers and Mark James also bring their own style to this terrific line up for Southport. For updates visit www.magicconvention.co.uk and to register Click Here. 20.8.11

 

International Magic Convention - 18th, 19th, 20th November! The Gala Show (19th & 20th) at this year's International Magic Convention once again promises to be a wonderful evening of magic and variety, and will include three completely new-to-the-UK acts: a phenomenal Korean manipulator, a German act packed with unbelievable magic and an act based on one of the oldest principles in magic, but brought bang up to date. The organisers would release the names, but thanks to YouTube they’d much prefer you to experience the magic for the first time live on stage - in the comfort of The Mermaid Theatre, rather than home alone in front of a computer screen, so they are keeping the names a surprise for now. You'll see some great favourites from previous Gala Shows, including the brilliant David Williamson, Simmons and Simmons, and London’s first stage appearance of Sweden’s Tom Stone (photo). This will be a great evening for non-magic friends and families too. Tickets are available for the Saturday and Sunday nights – but remember if you’re planning to attend the one-off Saturday Night performance of Max Maven’s one man show Thinking in Person: An Evening of Knowing and Not Knowing at The Bridewell Theatre you will definitely need to book Gala Show tickets for the Sunday. Tickets for all shows, the Convention and specialist seminars in London’s Festival of Magic are available now via www.internationalmagic.com. 20.8.11

 

The Blackpool Magic Convention - February 2012! Bookings are already at a record level for next year's Blackpool Convention so act quickly if you want to be a part of this unique event which takes place on Friday 17th, Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th February 2012. Online registrations can now be made using Credit Cards / PayPal Click Here or by post using the registration form Click Here. Visit www.blackpoolmagic.com for full details. For FISM 2012 registrations (July 9th-14th) visit www.fismwcm2012.com. 20.8.11

 

Penn & Teller: Fool Us. "Following a short break Jonathan Ross presents the last episode in the series in which Penn and Teller aim to find the brightest up-and-coming illusionists. Each show challenges aspiring magicians to try to fool the duo with their most baffling trick in a bid to win the prize of a lifetime - the chance to perform in Penn and Teller's stage show in Las Vegas. This edition features Laura London - whose trick is as amazing as her outfit, a 15-year-old card trickster with nerves of steel and a mentalist with a mind-reading stomach. Plus Martin Daniels, son of magic legend Paul Daniels, performs his dad's all-time favourite trick. To close the show, Penn and Teller perform the world's first underwater card trick - with a shocking twist." 9pm on Sunday 28th August on ITV1, See TV Magic. 20.8.11

 

The South London Magic Society's very own president Roy Mackenzie (photo) premièred his very first lecture on Children's Magic at the Kent Magician's Guild on July 26th. The lecture was met with great feedback and encouragement from all concerned. One person said "it was the best kids lecture he had seen in a long time" For booking enquiries email: unclemac@talk21.com. Reported by Michael Sullivan. 20.8.11

 

Dov Citron's 'What A Character' lecture - now taking magic club bookings... "Dov runs one of the UK's most successful children's entertainment companies specialising in character-driven entertainment. His client's include Madonna and Guy Richie, The Sultan of Brunei, 11 Downing Street, Arsenal Football Club, Michael McIntyre, Latchme Mettal and many more. Dov recently lectured at 'Kidology' and is an entertainment trainer and consultant for the Holiday Industry. In this unique lecture Dov demonstrates how building a repertoire of entertaining and accessible children's characters for your parties and corporate shows can not only revitalise seldom used props and magic but also allow you to reach a much more varied and profitable market..." For more information and for booking enquiries visit the MagicWeek Lecturers page. 20.8.11

 

Last of the Magic Dragons... Due to ridiculous demand an extra seven shows have been added to the Edinburgh run of Last of the Magic Dragons. The show has been constantly selling out a few days in advance since opening! The extra dates are 20th, 26th and 27th at 2.10pm and 21st, 24th, 25th and 28th at 10.10pm. Piff has appeared on BBC Radio 1's Fun and Filthy Cabaret, The Culture Show, Sky News, and The Times and Telegraph homepages. Here's a recent review Click Here. www.piffthemagicdragon.com. 20.8.11

 

A lecture tour of the UK by Spain's Rafael Benatar is being organised by Tony Griffith. Rafael will be arriving in Dover on Tuesday 10th April 2012 and Tony is looking to book a lecture for him in the South Coast region on the following day. Rafael will be travelling by car during his tour and will be going around the UK in a systematic route; along the M4 corridor, north on the M5/M6 to Scotland and down the east side of the country branching off the motorway system to take in lectures en route. He will conclude his tour with a lecture at The Magic Circle on Monday 30th April 2012. Rafael's lecture has been highly acclaimed by such people as Charlie Reynolds, Michael Close, Ascanio. Billy McComb and Juan Tamariz. It is anticipated that his lecture tour schedule will be quickly filled. Magic clubs wishing to book this lecture are advised to contact Tony Griffith as soon as possible on 01275 835463 or tony@tonygriffith.co.uk. 20.8.11

 

Klear Thoughtz. News from Magicalguru.com: "This week Jonathan Royle releases the ultimate home study DVD package of Magic, Mentalism and Legal Stage & Street Hypnosis. The package includes contributions from Kenton Knepper, Colin McLeod, Kennedy, Marc Paul and many other major names. This is a strictly limited edition package that contains enough material for a lifetime, including many profitable marketing strategies for all magicians, mindreaders, fortune tellers and hypnotists." Visit www.magicalguru.com/klearthoughtz for more info and to order. 20.8.11

 

Luke Jermay Winchester Lecture. "Author of 7 Deceptions, Building Blocks, 3510, Building Blocks Extended and the performer on the DVDs Skullduggery, EI, Seeing with the Fingertips and Colorblind will be lecturing for Winchester Magical Society on Thursday, September 1st at 8pm. Luke is a professional mentalist and consultant. He has been a creative writer and director for Derren Brown, Criss Angel, Marco Tempest and Laurence Kong. He was also the consultant for the BCS drama The Mentalist starring Simon Baker. Luke has spent the last 6 years based in Las Vegas where he headlined at O’Sheas Casino with his one man show Mind Reader... This should be an evening not to be missed! We meet at Badger Farm Community Centre, Winchester. Visiting Magicians welcome (£5 door charge). Visit www.winchestermagic.com for map of how to find us." 20.8.11

 

Magicians were doing 'packs-flat' long before IKEA and next Bank Holiday weekend Simon Si will be supplying them with some of his own 'packs-flat' material, in the form of magic shows at their main Wembley store on the 28th and 29th August, followed by Saturday 10th September, 24th September and 1st October from 6pm - 11pm. IKEA have booked Simon to entertain customers with his sleight of hand and close-up magic. For more on Simon visit www.simon-show.com. 20.8.11

 

Unpublished Magic Tutorials. After producing several MARS (Magic At the Red Sea) conventions in Israel, Roy Zaltsman got the approval from headliners that had participated to release a whole tutorial from their lectures; never-before-published and at no cost. Magicians who sign up will receive a video tutorial every two weeks. The first three tutorials are by Aaron Fisher, Thom Peterson and Manuel Muerte. Visit www.telepathy.co.il/unpublished for details. 20.8.11

 

Twistina 'The Amazing Balloon Lady' www.twistina.co.uk will be lecturing in Birmingham on Wednesday 7th September, the day after Kidology, at a 'Care & Share Balloon Fun Day'. The full day hands-on lecture workshop will run from 10am to 6pm with Twistina running three sessions throughout the day, with the first lecture at 11.30am. Twistina is the current holder of the European “Multi Balloon Sculpture” trophy which was awarded at The Millennium Jam. Graham Lee will be holding a basic class for the early birds that will run from 10.15am to 11.15am. The event is being sponsored by Qualatex Balloons. Booking details: www.qualatexballoons.co.uk. 20.8.11

 

Paranormality: Why we see what isn't there. "This interesting and well-written book uses reports of the paranormal to investigate the psychology of the human mind..." To read the full review in the Guardian Click Here. To order from Amazon.co.uk Click Here. 20.8.11

 

Magicians and their Playing Cards... Sue Atkinson emails: "I am trying to find ways of contacting magicians about their playing cards. I am a teacher and artist using unwanted playing cards in my work, cutting them and blending them with other recycled materials to make fascinators and head pieces." If you can help with some perhaps unusual cards, contact Sue via her website: www.soobird.com. 20.8.11

 

Houdini Painting. Mat Parrott emails: "I'm currently auctioning off a painting of Houdini to raise money for victims of the UK riots. The auction is here: www.ebay.co.uk." 20.8.11

 

"Abraca-diaper! David Copperfield conjures 16 month old daughter out of thin air" Click Here • "A magic Christmas for Keith with baby on way" Click Here • "Video: Nemanja Vidic tricked by magician Dynamo" Click Here • "Stand-up magician breaks female-only rules for networking event" Click Here • "Tam Shepherd's Trick Shop, Glasgow" (scroll down) Click Here • "Five minutes with... Otiz Cannelloni" Click Here • "Review: Barry and Stuart - The Show & The Tell" Click HereSome Things with Cards by John Holt is reviewed by Elliott Hodges this week, Click Here • "Tom Binns' Ian D Montfort is a Derren Brown-Tommy Cooper hybrid" Click Here • Your UK magic news is always welcomed - see you next week, Duncan. 20.8.11

 

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