Number 726 - 24th May 2014
Derren
Brown, Theatre Royal, Nottingham. "With my hand on my heart I can
say without a shadow of a doubt that I have never seen an act as
jaw-droppingly brilliant as Derren Brown. I don’t want this review to be
some kind of gushing overture to a man I believe to be a certifiable
genius, but I do want to encourage you to witness this phenomenal
entertainer for yourself at some point in his career..." Read Joel
Wainwright's full review in the Nottingham Post,
Click Here. Joel Wainwright isn't wrong, Derren's live theatre shows
are simply brilliant. Make sure you see him on his current tour; see
What's On. "10 Epic
Lessons Derren Brown Taught Us About Life"
Click Here.
24.5.14
Troy v Tricked...
Broadcast Digital Awards 2014 – shortlist revealed. The complete
shortlist for the
Broadcast
Digital Awards 2014 has been revealed ahead of next month’s ceremony.
The list of nominees includes two magic related shows, Troy and Tricked,
in the 'Best Entertainment Programme' category. In Troy (Zig Zag
Productions) 'real world' magician Troy presents 'TV world' magic (Paul
Cooke was the magic producer for Troy). In
Tricked (ITV Studios) trickster Ben Hanlin cleverly mixes candid camera
type stunts with tricks (Nigel Mead and Martyn Rowland are the writers
and magic producers for Tricked). Celebrating its tenth year, the
Broadcast Digital Awards will be held at The Brewery in the City of
London on 25th June.
Click Here for a complete list of nominees. Last week we reported
that both Dynamo: Magician Impossible and Derren Brown: The Great Art
Robbery had both been nominated for a BAFTA in 'Television:
Entertainment Programme 2014'. Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was
the eventual winner, however being nominated is of course, in itself, a
great achievement and very good news for magic in general. DT.
24.5.14
Announcing
Trix in the Stix 2015! From the organisers: Yes, you read that correctly: 2015. Trix 2014 – a
convention for children’s entertainers - has only just happened, but
here are the details of next year’s event, held once again at Lion
Quays, in the beautiful Shropshire countryside near Oswestry. Dates for
2015 are Monday, May 18th and Tuesday, May 19th. We have two headline
lecturers: firstly, from the US, we have Mike Bent (pictured). Mike is
one of the funniest performers and most original thinkers in the field
of children’s entertaining, so we’re delighted to have this exclusive
lecture. Secondly, we have the remarkable Mel Mellers. Most people know
Mel for his stand-up comedy, but Mel was also a highly experienced and
successful children’s entertainer. His lecture will be another
exclusive. In addition to the lectures, there will be four Power
Presentations, lots of dealers, a live Fireside Chat, a Monday night
cabaret and late night show and a stack of surprises! All for £35.00!
The last two Trix both sold out (the 2014 event sold out 10 months
early) so we expect registrations to be at a premium. You can keep up to
date with everything about Trix in the Stix by asking to join the Trix
Facebook page:
facebook.com/groups/trixinthestix.
Tickets will go on sale on Thursday 29th May 2014 at 11am on the
Practical Magic website. If you don’t get a place…don’t despair! We have
operated a very effective Waiting List for the past two years which has
seen almost everyone on it manage to attend the event. Full details on
Practical Magic’s website:
www.practical-magic.com.
24.5.14
Bruno
Copin UK Lecture Tour - June 2014. UK tour manager Steve Gore
writes: Bruno is an amazing creator of magic, famous for his invisible
thread work. He is touring the UK between the 2nd - 19th June with his
lecture titled "It's really full" and this is a rare treat. Bruno has
recorded a special welcome message for his UK tour
Click Here.
Bruno Copin could be described as a magical puppeteer. His work with
threads is both original and unusual, akin to stories played out on the
tabletop with cards, cigarettes and other objects. His routines feature
truly magical moments that will have you shaking your head in wonder. He
will present his best creations, the fruit of 30 years of invisible
thread research. This is an original and little known subject. He has
created a gimmick which allows impromptu and secure use of invisible
thread! He will also deal with a very important topic, and ask: "How do
we give meaning to our magic?" Whether you prefer coins, cards,
mentalism or levitation, there is something for everybody in this
exceptional lecture. Bruno has lectured for the FFFF convention, the
Essential Magic Convention, and just recently, at the Shenanigans
convention. He also can offer masterclasses if your club or a few of
your friends are interested. Email
tours@stevegore.co.uk for
details.
www.bruno-copin.com/en.
Tour dates:
2nd June Manchester Circle of Magicians
www.manchestercircleofmagicians.co.uk
3rd June Blackpool Magicians Club
www.blackpoolmagic.com
4th June South Downs Magicians Club
www.southdownsmagicians.co.uk
5th June Sheffield Circle of Magicians
sheffieldcircleofmagicians.wordpress.com
6th June Bradford Magic Circle
www.bradfordmagiccircle.co.uk
9th June Newcastle Magic Circle
www.newcastle-magic-circle.org
10th June British Magical Society
www.britishmagicalsociety.co.uk
12th June Liverpool Magic Circle
www.liverpoolmagiccircle.co.uk
16th June The Magic Circle
www.themagiccircle.co.uk (members only)
17th June Northamptonshire Magicians Club
www.northamptonshiremagicians.com
18th June Zodiac Magical Society
www.zodiacmagicalsociety.co.uk
19th June The Surrey Society of Magicians
www.surreymagic.co.uk.
24.5.14
The
first of five Britain's Got Talent live semi-finals can be seen this
Monday at 7.30pm on ITV. Canadian magician Darcy Oake (23 million
YouTube hits and counting!), who so impressed with his dove act a
few weeks ago turns his hand to illusion on Monday evening, in a bid to
make it through to the Grand Final on Saturday, 7th June.
24.5.14
Urban
Voodoo Club. Jay George writes: With only 1 week to go, tickets are
going fast for next week's return of Urban Voodoo Club. After the
success of April's sold out show, the club returns to The Adelphi in
Leeds on May 29th at 7.30pm, for another night of wonder, amazing magic
and daredevil feats. This month's line up: Harrison Richards - masterful
mind reading; Peter Turner - mentalism for the modern world; Phil
Knoxville - stand up comedy and twisted magic; Chris Clarke - cool and
crafty conjuring. Tickets are £7 in advance or £10 on the door from:
www.wegottickets.com/urbanvoodooclub. Venue: The Adelphi, 3-5
Hunslet Road, Leeds LS10 1JQ (Map)
www.urbanvoodooclub.co.uk
twitter.com/urbanvoodooclub
www.facebook.com/uvcmagic.
24.5.14
Gary
Jones - Bolton Magicians' Club lecture. Bolton Magician's Club is
delighted to host, the Exeter magician, Gary Jones AIMC who will be
presenting his lecture on Wednesday 28th May 2014 at 8.30pm. Gary's
lecture will include effects from close-up to stand up to parlour. The
venue is the Doffcocker Inn, Chorley Old Road, Bolton BL1 5QD (Map).
There will be an nominal entrance fee of £5.00 for visiting magicians
from other societies, who are most welcome. For directions to the
Doffcocker Inn visit
www.boltonmagic.co.uk or telephone James Hodgkiss on 01204 522651.
24.5.14
The
Peek Magic Reviews. A brand new Magic Product Review website, The
Peek, has just launched. Lots of new reviews will be added weekly as
well as lots of other cool magic related stuff. Over the coming weeks
regular competitions will start where subscribers will be able to win
lots of the products featured on the site. Don't miss out on a single
review/blog post by subscribing - it's free!
www.thepeek.co.uk.
24.5.14
The
Business Magician Seminar. Just 4 weeks to go now until Mark
Leveridge will be presenting his special session on how close-up
performers can branch out and get paid work by offering their skills to
local businesses. Mark will be explaining what the opportunities are for
working with companies outside of general social events and how you can
get to the people you need to speak to, to be engaged for this type of
work. Mark will also perform and explain a range of appropriate magic
for you to learn and deploy. Mark has much experience in this field and
will provide a full afternoon session that will inspire and prepare you
to take on this type of work. The small group nature of this Seminar
will enable all attendees to ask questions and to ensure that everyone
gets the maximum benefit from the event. The Business Magician Seminar
takes place on Saturday 21st June at the comfortable Hilton Newbury
Centre Hotel, starting at 2pm and finishing at around 6pm. For more info
and to register (advance registration required, no entry on the door),
visit
www.markleveridge.co.uk/busmagsem.php.
24.5.14
Morgan
& West: Parlour Tricks, Oxford. Time travelling magic duo Morgan &
West present a brand new show chock full of jaw dropping, brain
bursting, gasp eliciting feats of magic. The dashing chaps offer up a
plateful of illusion and impossibility, all served with wit, charm and
no small amount of panache. Be sure to wear a hat Morgan & West might
just blow your mind. This is the premier of Morgan & West's brand new
show - Parlour Tricks - as part of the Oxford Fringe 2014. Saturday, May
31st, 2.30pm and 7pm, Arts at the Old Fire Station, George Street,
Oxford OX1 2AQ (Map).
www.morganandwest.co.uk.
24.5.14
Brett
Sherwood was recently honored with the ‘Entertainer of the Year Award’
from the six-star, ultra-deluxe Silversea cruise line, considered to be the
finest cruise line in the world. The award was presented to Master
Magician Brett Sherwood by the captain of Silver Spirit (photo). Brett
writes: “I was astonished to receive this award, because traditionally
these top awards are always presented to classical musicians,
West End and/or Broadway singers, but never to the conjurer. To be the
first in their history to ever receive this award was truly an honor!
Receiving this award is like breaking through some invisible barrier and
finally being positioned amongst the patronized arts. I have worked
diligently my entire career in an attempt to continually elevate magic’s
perception. We cannot expect others to respect us or our magic if we do
not treat others with respect on stage or present our magic as a
dignified art form worthy of respect. I truly value the vote of
confidence from the Silversea audiences."
24.5.14
Escapologist
Wanted for The Gadget Show: The Gadget Show is looking for an escape
artist with their own escapology tank (the bigger the tank the better)
to appear on our show which we're filming around the 23rd to 25th June,
would be a day's work. The artist would need to perform an escape in the
tank and then grab some submerged gadgets from the bottom of the tank
and check to see how they've faired. If you're interested and want more
info please contact Graham at
graham.borrajo@northonetv.com.
24.5.14
The
Pentacle Club hosts 'An Evening with George Kovari Jr'. Alan Maskell
writes: In a change to the programme, on Tuesday 27th May, The Pentacle
Club hosts 'An Evening with George Kovari Jr.' George will be talking
about the magic and the history of the Kovari family and will be
demonstrating and selling the tricks that have made the name famous. The
evening starts at 8pm, (doors open from 7.40pm), and is at St Laurence's
School, Arbury Road, Cambridge CB4 2JX (Map).
Visiting magicians are welcome; there is a charge of £10 for
non-members.
24.5.14
Big
Box Bundles already popular! One week after their release, Mark
Leveridge Magic's Big Box Bundles have proved a real draw for magicians,
with the card magic selection almost selling out. One purchaser, Aidan
Heritage, who placed his order almost as soon as the Bundles became
available, wrote: "Fantastic service as always Mark. You know when to
make offers - I was looking for stuff to take away to learn whilst on
holiday and you go and offer bumper bundles of goodies at great prices.
That's my holiday reading sorted then!" There are now less than 7
days remaining for you to get a Big Box Bundle of your own, but there is
currently still a choice of Bundles of card magic, money effects, kids'
products, books, DVDs and brass effects. Each Bundle gets you a big
discount on the combined value of the included products, but if you
don't complete your purchase by midnight on Friday 30th May 2014, you'll
be too late, as the contents of any remaining Bundles will be unpacked
and sold again at their normal full prices. Order your Big Box Bundle
now from
www.markleveridge.co.uk/bundles.php.
24.5.14
Oliver
Meech: When Magic & Science Collide 2.0 - Oxford Fringe. Friday
30th May at 7pm and Saturday 31st May at 4pm. Oliver's
sell-out smash comes to the Oxford Fringe. Expect amazing tricks
inspired by astounding science, in a comedy magic show for the QI
generation. It's the natural selection! ‘My jaw hit the floor’ BBC.
‘Could rival Derren Brown’ Theatre-Wales.co.uk. The Old Fire
Station, George Street, Oxford OX1 2AQ (Map).
Tickets and info:
www.oldfirestation.org.uk.
24.5.14
Merlins of Wakefield have just released dates for their summer workshops. There are three different types
of workshop: a
beginners for adults, a
beginners for children and a more
advanced one for adults. These all take place above the shop in
their Magic Museum/Club room, and places are limited. For further
information and booking details contact Merlins by email
merlins@btconnect.com or call them on 01924 339933.
Merlins celebrate the start of summer with some great deals in their ‘Flaming June’
offers, so keep checking their website throughout June for details!
www.merlinswakefield.com.
24.5.14
Magicbox
partner, creator and mentalist Michael Murray has developed a small
website to house all of his latest creations in one place. The site
includes information on the history and development of his effects and a
whole lot more. See:
www.mindfx.co.uk.
24.5.14
50
years of service! At the Perth Magic Circle A.G.M. held last week,
the final act for the out-going President, Angus McGregor was to present
club secretary Adrian Harris with a framed certificate to mark his 50
years membership of the club. The certificate reads "In recognition of
50 years of commitment and excellent service to Perth Magic Circle".
Adrian has been the clubs Hon. Secretary for more than 30 years and has
helped organise many of the events sponsored by the club over the years.
Other committee members elected were President James Boyd,
Vice-President Iain Ross, Hon. Treasurer Alastair Cowe and committee
members Phil Sharp and Angus McGregor. The club closes during the summer
months and starts up again in September, but any visiting magicians to
Perth are cordially invited to visit the club members. Seven of the club
members are presenting a Family Magic Show tonight at 7.30pm in Monikie
Hall, Angus. (Tickets available at the door).
24.5.14
Magicians
at the Half Moon, Bishop's Stortford. Andy Clockwise writes: On
Friday 30th May, Magician and Centre Parc favourite, Oliver Graham is
back by popular demand at "Magicians at the Half Moon" along with
compere and show producer Martin Cox and a new performer to the Half
Moon, Comedy Magician & Balloon Modeller, (famed for his performance on
Britain's Got Talent with his appearance getting over 230,000 hits on
YouTube) Alan Taylor. This is going to be another not to be missed night
with doors opening at 7.30pm, showtime 8pm. Half Moon, 31 North Street,
Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 2LD (Map).
Entry is still £10 and you can reserve your ticket by calling Martin on
01279 659562 or take a chance and pay on the door. For more information
see
www.halfmoonmagic.co.uk."
24.5.14
Wayne
Goodman Lecture - Derby Magic Circle. Paul Sharp, President of Derby
Magic Circle writes: Wayne Goodman lectures for the Derby Magic Circle
on Wednesday, 28th May, at Breadsall Village Hall, Derby. Doors open at
7.30pm, ready to start at 8pm. Wayne's lecture is based on creative
thinking, he says 'I do a lot of card magic and most of my commercial
releases have been card effects, however I am also a stage magician and
will incorporate that into my lecture. I teach a few unique concepts
such as my lean principle and my thoughts on the thought process.' Wayne
has previously lectured for: MEMS, Ipswich Magic Society, The Cambridge
Pentacle Club, The Devon Magic Circle (twice), the Northern Magic Circle
Convention, MOFBUK Convention, The Northern Magic Circle Junior Day, The
British Magical Society and many more. His commercial effects include:
ASBO, ASBO 2.0, Lord of the Bling, Look Sharp, Marked, as well as
authoring: The Comedy Magicians Joke File 1 & 2, The Art of Attraction,
Avoiding the Sting, and The Definitive Guide to Restaurant Magic.
Visiting magicians are very welcome at Derby. There is a small fee
payable on the night. Please contact our secretary Allan Humphries on
01889 590 975 prior to attending. For more information about our
programme for the remainder of the year please visit
www.derbymagiccircle.com.
24.5.14
John
Styles's Punch & Judy show was featured in BBC TV's Chelsea Flower
Show coverage last week. He will be performing close-up magic at
London's Cafe de Paris this Monday.
24.5.14
Mel's
Magic... When Mel Harvey was cruising at Christmas the comments
after his comedy and magic shows were "very Tommy Cooper". So last week
when he was re-booked to perform on a Baltic Cities Cruise he decided to
add a "Tribute to Tommy" to his second shows. Passenger comments
following the shows were very positive resulting in further bookings.
Mel will be appearing at the forthcoming I.B.M. Convention in
Bournemouth (24th to 28th September) in both the after banquet show and
Sooty's Magic Show. Mel and Sooty are old friends since Mel worked with
Harry Corbett as his support act on tour and on Thames Television.
24.5.14
Help
the Hocus Pocus Project! "We're a nonprofit organization that
teaches magic to all kinds of children and adults, including those in
hospitals and detention centers. Since 2007 we've empowered by teaching
magic in New York City at children's hospitals, veterans' hospitals,
community centers and the juvenile detention system. It's empowering for
everyone involved, both our teachers and our students. The teaching of
magic is unique as it allows new students to immediately (in one hour or
less) demonstrate that they now have magic powers! Whether it's a sick
child or a veteran, magic is a powerful tool! Our teachers are all
professional magicians and are considered the best in the world. In one
lesson from them our students become real apprentice magicians who can
now amaze their friends and family."
Click Here to find out how you can help.
24.5.14
Derren Brown
and film composer Hans Zimmer get together to discuss their childhoods,
careers and rise to fame in 'Living the Life' on Wednesday 4th June on
Sky Arts 1, see TV Magic.
24.5.14
"Gogglebox,
Dynamo, Keith Lemon for Edinburgh TV Festival masterclasses"
Click Here • "Rodd Hogg accepted into Magic Circle"
Click Here • "Teenage magician Jordan Still to show magical skills
in Truro"
Click Here • Blackpool Magicians Club President's Dinner is reported
by Elizabeth Warlock
Click
Here • The Pentacle Club’s 95th Year Annual Dinner is reported by
Chris Wardle,
Click Here • Al Smith reviews Chris Wardle's Maths Tricks and Number
Magic,
Click Here • "Penn and Teller: 'We compare death threats with
Richard Dawkins'"
Click Here • "'She's a visionary and a vision!' Emma Stone conjures
up feelings for Colin Firth in the trailer for Woody Allen's Magic In
The Moonlight"
Click Here • "Mentalist Ben is all set to boggle everyone's mind"
Click Here • "Meet the conjurers of Michael Jackson's ghost"
Click Here • "Evening of cabaret this weekend at the Lantern
Theatre"
Click Here • "Magic man Jack opens shop after ship tragedy"
Click Here • "Magic night at the Ashmolean has visitors spellbound"
Click Here • "‘Optical illusions’–right at Ayala Triangle– can keep
you fit"
Click Here • "Could it be magic? Ben is bringing his tour to town"
Click Here • That's about it for this week, your UK magic news is
always welcomed, see you next week, Duncan.
24.5.14