Number
837 - 9th July 2016
Wayne
Dobson's
59th Birthday celebration at The Magic Circle. We had a great night
at The Magic Circle on Tuesday in an evening with Wayne Dobson and
Friends to celebrate Wayne's 59th birthday and to raise money for
the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Paul Dabek, Mike Sullivan, Linda
Lusardi, Paul Martin, Andrew Green, Richard Jones, Michael J Fitch,
Brian Conley, Bradley Walsh, Ringo Rabbit and Wayne himself entertained
on stage, interspersed with video messages from friends from around the
world. The evening was full of surprises. Happy Birthday Wayne! Facebook was heaving all week, see:
facebook.com/wayne.dobson.9 and to contribute to Wayne's 'Let's Make MS Vanish'
fund visit
www.justgiving.com. More photos,
Click Here. 9.7.16
Joshua
Jay New and Exclusive London Lecture. Martin MacMillan writes: We have a
fantastic surprise for you. Joshua Jay (USA) will be delivering a new lecture
exclusively for International Magic. He is not on any tour, and this is his one
and only UK lecture. Joshua Jay is one of magic's most dynamic performers,
authors, and lecturers. In this lecture Joshua will perform and explain (for the
first time) his "Out of Sight" effect that fooled Penn & Teller on Fool Us.
Joshua will also detail the closing piece of his show, the best impromptu card
effect he knows, his favorite effect without cards, and a host of other
mentalism and magic effects. The focus of the lecture is on parlour and formal
close-up magic, and much of the material remains entirely unpublished. Join us
for an unforgettable evening with one of magic's most acclaimed creators. Make
sure you book your place early! 5pm on Saturday 23rd July. Admission £15 per
person. Venue: Casa Italiana, 136 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1R 5DL (Map).
www.internationalmagic.com. 9.7.16
Ben
Earl: Neo-Movement Workshop, Saturday 16th July, Bath. Ben Earl writes:
Neo-Movement is a philosophy/system which integrates mind, body and technique; a
new way to approach sleight of hand, misdirection and performance that will make
you better, much better! Neo-Movement will change the way you think, practice
and act, ultimately making your technique invisible, your misdirection truly
natural and your performance more powerful. This is something I've been
developing for many, many years and I never thought it would be possible to
teach, until some relatively recent breakthroughs. This isn't just for close-up
performers this is for any magician of any style (including mentalists,
manipulators and comedy performers). However, to get the most from this
workshop, you must have some knowledge of basic magic principles, effects and
techniques. This is an intense 7 hour workshop... be prepared. Saturday 16th
July. 10am to 6pm. 20 attendees (only 8 places left). £120 per person. Visit
www.benjaminearl.com/the-shift for more details about the day and to book
your place. Venue: The Ale House, 1 York Street, Bath BA1 1NG (Map). 9.7.16
Unfathomable.
Bull Theatre, London, 19th July. From the organisers: Join David Berglas,
Debbie McGee and others in witnessing the most baffling two-person telepathy
show this side of history - and it's free. Martin T Hart's 'Unfathomable'
starring The Deans debuts July 19th. The Amazing Piddingtons, reinvented: The
Piddingtons were an unfathomable husband and wife telepathy act who found fame
on BBC Radio in 1949. They could send and receive thought messages without the
need to speak, see or be in the same room. They never said that their
demonstrations were tricks, nor did they suggest they possessed psychic powers,
they would just say: "You are the judge".
Martin T Hart discovered their secrets under strange circumstances and with the Piddington family's permission, published a book for magicians titled Piddington's Secrets (www.thepiddingtons.com) which fully reveals their methods. On a mission to keep the two-person telepathy act alive in the 21st century, Martin T Hart has reinvented the Piddingtons in the form of The Deans, who claim to demonstrate the most unfathomable form of invisible communication ever to be witnessed anywhere, ever. This is so unfathomable and fair, that you can only be left with one thought, perhaps The Deans are really psychic says Martin. The new show, titled Unfathomable, enjoys a private debut on July 19th at the Bull Theatre in Barnet, Herts, EN5 5SJ. It will be introduced by David Berglas. There are a number of seats available exclusively for MagicWeek readers. To attend, please visit www.thepiddingtons.com/contact.html page to request your golden invitation. www.unfathomablemagic.com. 9.7.16
Northern
Magic Circle Convention. Northern Magic Circle is excited to announce its
61st annual convention. The “Northern Magic Summit” will take place in
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd April 2017. The weekend
will be filled with a wide variety of magic lectures, an inter-society
competition, a dazzling Gala show at the 1,100 capacity Tyne Theatre & Opera
House and great dealers too! Having just celebrated its 60th birthday, this
event will mark the end of the diamond year of Northern Magic Circle, returning
to Newcastle - the home of its very first convention in 1957. Full details,
artistes and booking information will be published very soon. Rob J. Temple.
www.northernmagiccircle.org.uk. 9.7.16
The
brilliant David
Williamson can be seen in
The MagicWeek Video Archive this week, in a performance first seen 25 years ago
(on September 11th, 1991) in
John Fisher's Magic Comedy Hour.
To subscribe to The MagicWeek
Video Archive on YouTube and catch up with previous videos
Click Here. 9.7.16
"Yikes!
That's my head in a jar! … Derren Brown lets us ride his 4D spook-tacular
ghost train. The illusionist is playing mind games with the funfair classic. As
his eagerly awaited ghost train prepares to open at Thorpe Park, we climb aboard
for a jolting ride..." To read the full story by John Thorp in The Guardian,
Click Here. 9.7.16
The
Magicians' Podcast this week features Max Somerset. Host Richard Young
writes: Epistemic paradigms? Peddling epistemological agendas? I don't know what
they mean either, but Max Somerset does, a man who a decade ago was doing more
magic on television than anyone else. He was Max in Max Magic on Sky, The
Sorcerer on The Sorcerer's Apprentice on BBC1 and then he was mugged and left in
a bad way in a brutal unprovoked attack in the street in which he lives. He
tells the story of that attack and how it made him re-evaluate his outlook on
life in this weeks podcast. Max also talks in detail about his chance encounter
with the 1992 Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell who he has helped to
recover from a major accident in a racing car by helping him learn magic. Listen to this Podcast
and catch up with previous ones at
magicianspodcast.podbean.com also see
www.facebook.com/MagiciansPodcast.
9.7.16
The first Karl Fulves Convention took place in London last Saturday. Jerry Sadowitz writes: I attended the Karl Fulves Convention last Saturday in Camden Town, London and it was the best I've ever attended. Organised by Alan Brown, a small group of magicians gathered at the Holiday Inn to celebrate the genius of Karl Fulves. A lot of great rarely seen close up magic, card magic and gambling scams were shown, and Alan Brown gave a talk about the great man and showed two rare photos. A brilliant day, and I look forward to attending the next. Oh yes..and it was free! 9.7.16
Fifty
Three Bicycles - Edinburgh to Bristol bike busking tour. On Monday 11th July
Bristol based magician Wilf Keys is setting off on a 500 mile bicycle trip from
Edinburgh to Bristol. He'll be performing street magic along the way, using a
deck of cards, bicycle accessories and some good fortune. He's aiming to reach
Bristol in time to celebrate International Busking Day on 23rd July. Wilf
writes: "I've just turned 30 and wanted to do something challenging. I love
performing on the streets and I've always wondered what it would be like to try
travelling across the UK like the jongleurs and minstrels would have done
hundreds of years ago. Being a committed environmentalist, I thought a bike
would be a fast and efficient way to travel, and it's easier to manage than a
horse and cart! I'm looking forward to meeting new people and performing in lots
of unusual places. Hopefully there will be some sunshine too." You can follow
the trip and contact Wilf via
www.fiftythreebicycles.com. 9.7.16
Mickey
and the Magician a major new Disneyland show opened last week in Paris and
Paul Kieve is the man behind the magic,
Click Here also see
YouTube.
The show will be performed five times a day, seven days a week for the
foreseeable future! "Disneyland Paris – Mickey and the Magician"
Click Here. "Disneyland Paris amplía su oferta con un espectáculo musical de
Mickey Mouse sobre la magia"
Cliquez Ici. 9.7.16
Chris Wardle Lecture - The Surrey Society of Magicians, Thursday 14th July.
Chris Wardle returns with a brand new lecture of simple ideas and 'crafty
conjuring'. This is a collection of new material covering close-up, stand-up,
children’s magic and mentalism, with the emphasis on cunning, streamlined methods
which produce baffling effects. Anyone who has seen Chris previously will know
that they are in for an evening of practical material that they can use. Chris
is an award-winning member of The Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star. His ideas
have appeared in books, magazines and have been used on TV, radio and the stage.
Members are free and visiting magicians are welcome for a £10 entrance fee. The
lecture takes place in East Horsley, Surrey at 8pm. For full details
contact Adam Mosley info@surreymagic.org.uk. 9.7.16
Now
You See Me 2 opens across the nation and Jamie Raven is nominated to be the
fifth ‘horseman’,
Click Here. 9.7.16
The
Mark Leveridge July Podcast. Mark writes: Another month, another podcast!
For July I am offering you a fresh mix of interesting topics for you to ponder.
For instance, I give an opinion as to why Richard Jones came first in BGT, while
Jamie Raven came second. I consider just how much luck is involved in any of us
ever getting a show booking! I talk about crowdfunding and how some magicians
have been trying to use it to provide the capital for start up projects. I ask
the question of whether you would take on any type of show if the fee was right.
Plus I suggest that sometimes we need to put the brakes on when performing in
order not to overstep the mark in the excitement of the show, and I explain why
I think necessity often really is the mother of invention - even in magic. So,
if you have 30 minutes to spare while you sit in the sunshine or relax with a
cuppa or a glass of wine, why not download or listen to the latest Podcast
online, it's free and it's ready for your attention. You can find the podcast at
either
www.markleveridge.co.uk/podcast.php or at
www.markleveridge.podbean.com. 9.7.16
House
of Houdini. Magician John Field spotted a link in MagicWeek just a few weeks
ago ("The House of Houdini – museum opened in the castle about the Budapest-born
illusionist"
Click Here) which by chance coincided with an upcoming trip. This week John
writes about his visit to The House of Houdini,
Click Here. 9.7.16
Pete
Turner British Magical Society lecture, Tuesday 19th July. "Peter Turner is
one of the most prolific thinkers in mentalism right now. The future of
mentalism is here. The trick Peter Turner has pulled off is making magicians
believe his miracles have no method. He makes us believe he truly has
supernatural powers... at least that's what I thought when I first met him. His
magic is hard enough just to believe, let alone explain. And I'm not alone.
Legendary entertainers like Uri Geller and Kenton Knepper have been fascinated
with how innovative Peter's modern approach is." "There is no doubt in my
mind that he will fascinate you" Uri Geller. "Peter is at the forefront
of a new generation of mentalists to whom, in a very real sense, the torch has
been passed. When you’ve read and tried Peter’s material, I’m sure you’ll agree
that the torch is in the right hands" Bob Cassidy. Visiting magicians: £10
payable on the door. 7pm for a 7.30pm start. British Magical Society, Selly Oak
Ex Servicemens' Club, 8 Selly Hill Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 7DL (Map). 9.7.16
John
Carey Lecture, Hertfordshire. "In recent years, John Carey has become
internationally respected for his minimalistic, streamlined approach to close up
card magic. With 6 DVDs and 2 hardbound books to his name, including his recent
release, Minimalistica, John is in constant demand in Europe to present his
lectures and private card workshops. John's lecture is a 2 hour event,
comprising a myriad of practical, powerful and doable commercial close-up items.
John says if he can do them, then so can you!" Thursday, 14th July. For details
visit
www.merlinmagicalsociety.co.uk. 9.7.16
Johnny
Fantastica. The BBC will be filming Johnny Fantastica's award winning comedy
and mentalism show 'The Phantom Mind' on 16th July at Gloucester Deaf Centre,
Colin Road, Barnwood, Gloucester. Doors open at 7pm for an 8pm start. Bar, free
entry, but limited - all welcome. 9.7.16
At
last week's 'Magic at the Barn', multiple World Record Holder Stuart
Burrell attempted to add a further two records to his collection, as part of a
fundraising effort for Chelmsford Community Radio.
Whilst Stuart was successful in rolling 15 frying pans into tubes in one minute,
topping the World Record by one pan, two of his attempts were discounted due to
not being rolled tightly enough.
"First off, it was an absolute honour to be part of Magic at the Barn and have
my name associated with those on stage. To be part of the same event with the
likes of BGT semi finalist Christian Lee, Richard Griffin and Oliver Tabor is
amazing. If you get the chance to see any of them live then, please, do so, you
will not regret it." said Stuart.
"The feedback on the day and on social media has been fantastic and, most of
all, we raised over £600 for a local community group by attempting what we did.
That was always the motivation for me, to raise money and I can only just keep
thanking the team at Magic at the Barn for their help and support which meant I
could do that." Photo by Rebecca Taylor. 9.7.16
John
Hostler presents Magnum Opossum a few decades of untamed magic. An
uncompromising Book of Magic. 21 Routines and Effects. The Marsupial's Choice
for Sleight of Hand. Find out more via:
www.magnumopossum.com. 9.7.16
News
Deadline change next week. Please note the news deadline next week will be
24 hours earlier than usual. Please submit all items by 12 noon, Thursday 14th
July. Many thanks, DT. 9.7.16
"Sharp
end of the stick. Things go horribly wrong as magician stabs presenter’s hand
during trick on live TV" [not again!]
Click Here • "Las Vegas magician Piff the Magic Dragon on his sidekick… a
dog from Dundee"
Click Here • "Abu Dhabi Summer Season: Illusionist Jamie Raven sets record
straight on his controversial trick"
Click Here • "Jamie Raven talks BGT mishaps and real magic"
Click Here • "New Criss Angel show packed with magic and mood
swings"
Click Here • "Derren Brown Miracle at The King's Theatre is puzzling and
powerful"
Click Here • "Peeking behind the curtain with Charleston's illusionists"
Click Here • "Keith Barry's Hollywood moment"
Click Here • Thank you as always for your news submissions. Have a magic
week, Duncan.
9.7.16