Number 661 - 23rd February 2013
South Tyneside International Magic Festival, full convention line-up
revealed.
The final line-up for one of the UK’s most popular magic conventions has
now been revealed, with just three weeks remaining to the big event.
The convention at the South Tyneside International Magic Festival, which
celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, will be returning to South
Shields, South Tyneside from Friday, March 8th to Sunday, March 10th.
Day one will include a children’s show and lecture with Jimmy Carlo, a
workshop with voice coach Simon Raybould, close-up sessions with Dani
DaOrtiz, Charlie Frye, Rob James, Sylvester the Jester and Gaston and
the choice of either a séance lecture by Dale Shrimpton or a question
and answer session with Debbie McGee.
It will end with an International Gala Show featuring a host of stars,
including Paul Daniels and renowned puppeteer Scott Land, followed by an
exclusive midnight performance by comedy spirit medium Ian D Montford,
who recently began hosting his own show on BBC Radio 2. Day two will include lectures by Charlie Frye, Graham P Jolley, living
cartoon Sylvester the Jester, Gaston, Brian Sefton and John Archer, with
John also set to host another International Gala Show featuring
performers from around the world.
The convention will close on Sunday with lectures by Pete Turner and
Scott Land and the opportunity for attendees to take part in a master
class with Scott, Sylvester the Jester or Dani DaOrtiz.
For those who arrive early an additional master class will be available
with Pete Turner on Thursday, March 7th. All four days will also offer the opportunity for attendees to meet with
various magic dealers from across the UK.
Tickets for the convention, priced at £65, include entry to both Gala
Shows, the Midnight show and all lectures and close-up sessions.
Masterclasses incur an additional charge. For more information or to
book visit
www.southtyneside.info/magicfestival.
23.2.13
The
Northern Magic Circle Convention 2013. Allan Clarke writes:
The Northern Magic Circle Convention 2013 will take place on the weekend of
April 6th & 7th at the Whitby Pavilion Complex, Whitby, Nr
Scarborough. We have a great weekend planned and we are pleased to be
able to confirm that our headline guest is to be none other than Gregory
Wilson from USA. Gregory will join a host of great magicians including
Wayne Goodman, Tom Crosbie, Quentin Reynolds, Mentalist Peter Turner and
fire eater, Tim Cockerill. We will have two Close-up shows, an
International Gala show, featuring North West Illusion act Cascade.
There will be a children's show starring Clivo and Jeani our loveable
clowns, Children's entertainers Quentin Reynolds, Paul Guy, Andy Greaves
and Godfrey Shackleton of Harlequin. Dealers include Martin Hunt of
MAPro Magic and Brian Berry from Peter Diamond & Co. Over the weekend we
will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Northern Magic Circle
Juniors and plan a special show featuring present and former Juniors
such Shaun McCree, Danny Hunt and Annette Claire of Amethyst, Sebastian
Walton and Toby Davies. For full details go to
www.northernmagic.co.uk.
Registration is now open and Online booking is available through
www.northernmagiccircle.org.uk. Special rates are available at the Royal
Hotel in Whitby, the Convention Headquarters. Discounted partner passes
are available if you want to bring the family along. See you there.
23.2.13
The Secret World of Charles Dickens, mirth, marvels and
the mysterious. Ian Keable, winner of The Magic Circle Comedy Award,
performs the favourite magic tricks of Charles Dickens and divulges the
spooky practices of Victorian psychics.
Charles Dickens, in addition to being one of the world’s greatest
writers, was an expert conjurer. He was also sceptical about
spiritualism, which was a popular pastime in the 1800s.
This humorous and mystifying show recreates, in the authentic parlour
room atmosphere of the 16th century Lauderdale House, how Dickens
deceived his audiences and why, to quote a famous contemporary,
Elizabeth Browning, he was “fond of Ghost stories so long as they were
impossible.” Venue: Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill, London N6 5HG
(Map).
Dates: 26th February, 26th March, 30th April, 28th May, 18th June and
30th July at 8pm. Doors open at 7.30pm and pre-show refreshments are
available.
Tickets: £15. Box Office:
www.charlesdickensmysteryshow.co.uk or telephone 020 7263 0261.
23.2.13
One
Day Pickpocket Seminar:
Derby, Gatwick and Newcastle.
New dates for James Brown's One Day Pickpocket Seminar have just been announced
and spaces are filling up quickly! This one-day seminar is specifically aimed at
close-up magicians who want to add 'theatrical dipping' to their repertoire.
This is not about stage pickpocketing! This is all about dipping in the
close-up, walk-about settings. Sunday 31st March Derby; Sunday 16th June Gatwick
Area; Sunday 21st July Newcastle. For more information visit
www.professional-opportunist.com.
23.2.13
Magic Night at Madame JoJo's - London.
Starring Chris Cox (photo), Rob James, Delores Deluxe, Rayguns Look Real
Enough, Baghdad's Got Talent and MC Christian Lee. From the organisers:
"Magic Night rocks its way into your mind, using friendly techniques,
mash up Morecambe and Wise songs, bashed bananas and number counting,
plus a very special guest from abroad with some hidden tricks. Chris
Cox, the mind reader who doesn’t read minds will be befriending and
influencing you to make sure you do what he wants and proving that we
aren’t as free thinking as we would like to believe, whilst Delores
Deluxe will be showing the best banana trick and playing with shoes. Rob
James plays tricks of the mind and Rayguns Look Real Enough will rock
the house with their spinal tap music mash ups. Plus winner of Baghdad's
Got Talent and all hosted by the very Tommy Cooperesque Christian Lee!
Don’t miss this tricky rock fest!" Magic Night at Madame JoJo's. Friday March
15th. Doors open 7.00pm. Show starts at 7.45pm. Tickets £12 including entry to
Good Foot. Show ticket plus dinner: £25. Tickets:
www.wegottickets.co.uk Madame
JoJo's, 8-10 Brewer Street, London W1F 0SE 020 734 3040
www.magicnight.co.uk.
23.2.13
Two
international lectures at the British Magical Society, Birmingham, this week.
Paul Cadley writes: The British Magical Society, in Birmingham, are proud to
present not one, but two star lecturers this week. Firstly, on Tuesday 26th
February – Dirk Losander. In the world of magic the name Losander is synonymous
with the art of levitation. Losander has performed his magic in exclusive venues
from Europe to Japan and Australia. He has performed in the internationally
famed Magic Castle in Hollywood and is currently performing in the World’s
Greatest Magic Show in Las Vegas. In 2006, Losander received the Milbourne
Christopher Award for Illusionist of the Year and notable contributions to the
art of magic. 7.30pm on Tuesday 26th February at Selly Oak Ex Serviceman’s Club,
Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 7DL (Map).
Non-members are invited to attend for a modest £5 fee. See
www.britishmagicalsociety.co.uk for details. Then on Thursday 28th February,
Marcelo Insua (Mr Tango) makes his only appearance in the Midlands. Winner of
the 2012 FISM World Magic Championship Invention Award, and world renowned for
his range of coin effects, there is so much more to Mr Tango. A Professional
Magician for over 20 Years, his lecture features coins, cards and mentalism with
material honed in his own Magic Bar, but well within the capability of all. This
lecture takes place at the same venue as above, but on Thursday 28th February at
7.30pm. Agaon, see
www.britishmagicalsociety.co.uk for full details.
23.2.13
The
Card Shark Show - moves to new venue from April onwards.
Steve Truglia's 'The Card Shark Show' moves to The Royal
Institution, London from April. "The Card Shark show stars Steve
Truglia, an accomplished sleight of hand expert and close up magician.
Having passed the notoriously rigorous performance exam for The Magic
Circle, Steve sought out long ago hidden secrets within the Magic
Circle’s incredible library, to further study these dark arts. In
earlier life Steve’s time with UK Special Forces taught him the use of
psychological operations to defeat an adversary; skills which are also
used by gambling cheats and con artists to this day." An interactive
multi-media show by award winning close-up magician Steve Truglia. Shows start at 7.30pm. Running time one hour. For more info visit
www.thecardsharkshow.com.
23.2.13
The
Oasis Booktest By Clint Barron... "Finally we have a booktest that’s easy to
learn and uncomplicated to perform. Making the presentation uncluttered, and
easy for your spectator to follow." Watch the video at
www.alakazam.co.uk.
23.2.13
House
of Illusion Recruitment. Last year, Rodney James Piper's House of Illusion
magical dinner show in Salou, Spain, enjoyed audiences totalling twenty
thousand. They are now recruiting for Summer 2013: "Do you want to improve your
skills as a magician? Do you want to spend 6 months fun-filled months in the sun
performing twice-nightly six days per week in one of the biggest and best magic
shows in Europe? If so, then perhaps you should try auditioning for The House of
Illusion team. The House of Illusion has been the launch pad for dozens of
professional magicians careers and is a hotbed of talent and ideas for
creativity and development. With a twice-nightly theatre show packed full of
close-up, comedy, magic, mind-reading, dangerous escapes and dazzling illusions
we are looking to hear from people no matter what your specialty is. Our final
Recruitment Auditions: Monday 25th February (Blackpool Magic Convention) Ruskin
Hotel, Blackpool. To apply contact
recruitment@rjpentertainment.com. Recruitment Hotlines: 02070 960777 and
01618 717429."
23.2.13
Northumberland
Village Varieties. "Roll up, roll up and prepare to be razzled, dazzled and
supremely entertained by an array of the best Northern Cabaret Talent! Featuring
performances of Magic & Illusion, Comedy, Contortion, Escapology, Sultry
Singing, Musichall-esque Performers with a live toe-tapping Folk Band to round
off the night in true Northumbrian Style. This will be a big, big night in a
small village!" Hosted by Chris Cross (Internationally acclaimed Comedy
Contortionist, Escapologist & Magician!). Warkworth Memorial Hall, 40 Castle
Street, Warkworth, Morpeth, Northumberland NE65 0UN (Map).
Friday 19th April. 7pm - 11pm. Tickets and more information:
www.chris-cross.co.uk/villagevarieties.html.
23.2.13
Close Up @ The Magic Circle, featuring Marc Spelmann
(photo), John O Riordan,
Mike Alderman and Paul Roffman. Contemporary close-up magic in an informal
setting. Four tables presenting
four magicians of contrasting styles, performing an interactive 20 minute set
for each group in turn, typically with cards, coins and borrowed objects.
Minimum recommended age – 10. Friday 1st march. Doors Open 7pm; shows 7.30pm - 9.30pm.
All seats £16.50 with special reduction for Members and Friends of The Magic
Circle. General Enquiries: 0207 387 2222 or
closeup@themagiccircle.co.uk.
Book Online:
http://tinyurl.com/ald9qry.
ABRAcadabra
- Isle of Man. "Fun-filled magic and illusions for all the family
in the annual show staged by the Young Magicians of Mann." Sunday
17th March at 2pm at the Youth Arts Centre, Kensington Road, Douglas,
Isle of Man. All tickets £5. To book call 01624 686057 during office
hours or leave a message on 01624 878328.
www.ymom.info.
23.2.13
Balloon
Care & Share Fun Day, Wednesday 6th March in
Tiverton, Devon. Featuring with two balloon lectures (and maybe more)
plus the usual fun of the balloon day. There will also be a couple of
balloon related competitions. The day is kindly sponsored by
Qualatex Balloons. For more details and to book visit
www.qualatexballoons.co.uk.
Graham Lee.
23.2.13
Owen
Lean lectures at The Surrey Society of Magicians on 28th February. Adam
Mosley writes: "Over the last 10 years Owen Lean has become one of the world’s
most successful street magicians, receiving the world’s first street magic
degree in 2006 and being heralded for ‘carrying the flag of great British street
performers’ by Gazzo. When Owen first started performing on the streets he
crafted his own style of performance that came to be known as Hit and Run magic.
This style, similar to the style seen by television magicians such as David
Blaine, Paul Zenon and Criss Angel – involved performing close-up magic on the
streets and making a quick bit of money before moving on. In this lecture Owen
will outline how 'Hit and Run' magic works, teach how you can get out and make a
living doing this kind of magic immediately, and teach some of the effects he
used to blow people’s minds while performing. Members are free and visiting
magicians are welcome for a £10 entrance fee, the lecture takes place in
Bookham, Surrey at 8pm for full details email
info@surreymagic.org.uk."
23.2.13
Variety @ UCL - London.
From the organisers: "Variety @ UCL returns this Tuesday 26th February, hosted by the fantastic Christian
Lee, featuring gentleman juggler Mat Ricardo, the mindreader who can't read
minds, Chris Cox, plus a rare London performance by the amazing spirit medium,
Ian D Montfort, hilarious comedy from Jo Below, live music from Jasmine Tribe
and a very special surprise act which you don't want to miss!" Tickets just
£12.50 (concessions £10)
Click Here. Venue: Mully's Bar, 136 Gower Street, WC1E 6BP (Map).
Doors 7pm, show 7.30pm.
www.uclvariety.com.
23.2.13
Inscrutable
by Joe Barry... 2 disc DVD set. "Every so often someone walks through our
door at Alakazam and I instantly know we have something special. From the moment
Joe showed me his first effect I was totally hooked! Joe's magic is
devastatingly fooling, interesting in presentation and best of all achievable
for us mere mortals. I am so proud to be able to offer you this fantastic 2 disc
collection by Joseph Barry." Peter Nardi. Watch the video and find out more at
www.alakazam.co.uk.
23.2.13
"Steve Carell in new The Incredible Burt Wonderstone TV Spot" Click Here • "Magical Memories: Kozak Leaves Mark on Atlantic City" Click Here • "Derren Brown denies 'sexuality change' TV stunt plans" Click Here • "Strip Scribbles: Criss Angel lives up to his last name" Click Here • "Joshua Jay Tells You How They Died Their Tragic Deaths" Click Here • "The shocking truth about our police: Officers 'moonlight as magicians' to earn more cash" Click Here • "Las Vegas: Penn & Teller celebrate two decades of entertaining" Click Here • That's it for another week - see you next week, Duncan. 23.2.13