Number
912 - 16th December 2017
The
Royal Variety Performance 2017. Miranda Hart makes her debut as host
for the Royal Variety Performance in the presence of the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge, from the London Palladium. The show includes
special performances from the Killers, Louis Tomlinson, Paloma Faith,
the Script, Leading Ladies, Seal, Ball and Boe and this year's Britain's
Got Talent winner Tokio Myers. There are musical numbers from the cast
of Annie and 42nd Street, and Kelsey Grammer gives a performance from
his new West End show Big Fish. Cirque Du Soleil preview their new show
OVO, Colin Cloud entertains with an astonishing mind-reading act and
circus troupe Circus Abyssinia provide more thrills. As well as surprise
guests, there is a special appearance from the cast of Benidorm, while
comedians Jason Manford and Tom Allen top off this evening of
world-class entertainment. Tuesday 19th December on ITV. See
TV Magic.
16.12.17
Champions
of Magic are excited to announce a new cast member for the upcoming
UK tour. Los Angeles’ Kayla Drescher joins the show following her
appearance on ‘Penn & Teller: Fool Us’ and winning the Next Great
Magician competition hosted by David Copperfield on ‘The Today Show’
(NBC). Additional shows have been added to the UK tour, and in the US
with a 5 show run at the Baltimore Hippodrome now on sale in February.
Tickets for all shows via
www.championsofmagic.co.uk.
Sunday 25th March, Yeovil, Octagon Theatre
Friday 30th March, Dunstable, Grove Theatre
Saturday 31st March, Camberley, Camberley Theatre
Sunday 1st April, Norwich, Theatre Royal
Monday 2nd April, Stoke, Regent Theatre
Tuesday 3rd April, Stoke, Regent Theatre
Friday 6th April, Torquay, Princess Theatre
Saturday 7th April, Torquay, Princess Theatre
Sunday 8th April, Richmond, Richmond Theatre
Monday 9th April, Guildford, G Live
Wednesday 11th April, Edinburgh, Assembly Rooms
Thursday 12th April, Edinburgh, Assembly Rooms
Friday 13th April, Edinburgh, Assembly Rooms
Saturday 14th April, Edinburgh, Assembly Rooms
Sunday 15th April, Reading, Hexagon
Friday 20th April, York, Grand Opera House
Saturday 21st April, York, Grand Opera House
Saturday 28th April, Brighton, Brighton Centre
Sunday 29th April, Plymouth, Theatre Royal
Tuesday 1st May, Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre
Wednesday 2nd May, Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre.
16.12.17
Dynamo
is Graham Norton's guest this morning on Radio Two from 10am.
'Graham Norton', 10am - 1pm on Saturday 16th December
on BBC Radio Two, with guests singer James Blunt and
illusionist Dynamo. Plus Grill Graham with Maria McErlane. See
TV Magic.
16.12.17
The
MagicWeek Video Archive. This week, Uri Geller on Noel's House
Party, from 14th December 1996. See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with past weeks and the occasional
'bonus' video
Click Here.
16.12.17
Mahdi
The Magician on Chinese television: "This is my first television
appearance in China in which my magic was seen by over 270 million
people. JSBC asked me to perform some Cardistry, Card to Pocket, and Oil
& Water for The Amazing Magicians, which is currently the number one
show in China (which means it's the number one show in the world). I'm
so happy I could give a great performance for the judges (including Lee
Asher, Juliana Chen and Fan Bingbing) and the live audience in person.
To my surprise and delight the studio decided to release my full and
virtually unedited performance to the public in their show. I am so
happy that I could bring magic to the Chinese people and I hope I made
hundreds of millions of people fall in love with my art, magic."
YouTube.
16.12.17
The Secret Gift - Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. After the successful launch of their festive edition last year, MagicFest Christmas are delighted to return with ‘The Secret Gift’ Christmas Special, 27th – 30th December, featuring stars of magic from around the UK and special guest performers from Spain. Audiences of all ages are invited to enter MagicFest’s wintery world of wonder and unwrap ‘The Secret Gift’ with performances from five magicians including grand illusionist Chris de Rosa, mind-reader Neil Kelso, magician-scientist hybrid Kevin Quantum, and Spanish performers David Blanco – a master of misdirection – and the legendary ‘Bubble Poet’ Señor Pérez, who will bring the show to a spectacular finish with a flurry of bubbles. Artistic Director, Kevin Quantum commented… "It is heart-warming to announce the return of MagicFest Christmas and I am thrilled that the show will take place at one of my favourite Edinburgh theatres - the Traverse". For more info and to book visit www.magicfest.co.uk. 16.12.17
The
Mark Leveridge December Podcast. Lots of interesting topics this
December: Mark explains why presenting live club lectures is one of
his favourite things to do. Pros should give semi-pros a lot of respect.
Don't automatically assume that the method supplied with a marketed
product is the best one possible. Why using a logo could be a good thing
for magicians. Instant gratification with online purchases has changed
the landscape for buying magic. Card to wallet - is it better to go down
the palm-and-load route, or are the no-palm versions just as valid?
The free 30 minute audio file can be listened to online or downloaded to
any MP3 player from either
www.markleveridge.co.uk/podcast.php or
www.markleveridge.podbean.com.
16.12.17
The
Magic Hour - Extra Christmas show. "Due to demand, we have added a
special Christmas performance of The Magic Hour on Friday 22nd December
at 3pm. Come and enjoy this festive treat in the wood panelled Oak Room
of the Art Deco Sheraton Park Lane Hotel. This award-winning show is
suitable for families, however we recommend for ages 10+. Also, don't
forget that in the New Year we have Sleight of Hand on the Strand
running at Simpsons in the Strand on many Saturdays."
www.magichourshow.com/christmas-shows.
16.12.17
December Magicseen Monthly Money-Saver Offer.
From the publishers: Just in time for a
Christmas treat, our offer this month presents you with a half price
deal on the E-Book version of Mel Mellers' Travelling Trickster. Filled
with great routines from Mel's commercial repertoire, and wrapped in
plenty of his uniquely playful lines and humour, this E-Book will give
you new magic to use and a big laugh while you're learning it! 148 pages
and produced in colour throughout, the Travelling Trickster is a book
all magicians should read and learn from, and until midnight on Sunday
17th December 2017, you can buy your download copy at half price! So act
quickly and get your Christmas off to a great start by ordering The
Travelling Trickster from Magicseen's special Monthly Money-Saver Order
page at
www.magic.forgecom.info/mmmform.htm.
16.12.17
Chris
Dugdale's Penn & Teller Act. Chris Dugdale writes: "I am saddened to report that I was recently informed that my Penn
&
Teller 'Fool Us' act was copied without my permission for the TV show
'France’s Got Talent'.
I am asking for your support on this one, particularly if you are in the
magic fraternity.
This should not be allowed to happen!
My routine took many months of development and to have someone
appear on TV and completely rip off the act is completely wrong and
immoral.
There appears to be infringement not only with my Penn & Teller
appearance, but also from my live series of shows of '2 Faced Deception' at
Riverside Studios."
Video 1
Video 2.
16.12.17
Derren Brown: Hero at 30,000 Feet. Derren Brown takes one individual on an unbelievable personal journey in which they face their greatest fears. Can they rise to Derren's life-changing challenge? Tuesday 26th December on 4Music. (Repeat). See TV Magic. 16.12.17
Tommy Cooper Forever, Parts 1 & 2, are being repeated from 9pm on Sunday 17th December. Two-part celebration of Tommy Cooper's life and work. Three decades have passed since Tommy Cooper died, but the nation's love of this unique magician has gone on. With the help of contributions of family, friends who worked with him, this programme reveals how an act that started out in the desert during the Second World War went on to take the comedy world by storm. In the second programme, singer and actress Anita Harris retraces her footsteps back to the London Palladium where she worked with Tommy. There is a return to Holland to discover how Cooper became an unlikely comedy hero on Dutch TV in the 60s and comedian Les Dennis makes an emotional trip back to Her Majesty's Theatre to remember the night he saw Tommy's final performance. See TV Magic. 16.12.17
Planning
next year's programme of events for your club? Visit the MagicWeek
Lecturers page!
16.12.17
"Dynamo:
Anyone can Google how to trick people but that's not really magic"
Click Here • "Apollo Jackson combines magic and music at Mount Isa
Irish Club"
Click Here • "Confessions of a Magician Comes to Adelaide Fringe"
Click Here • "America’s first magician will reappear in 2018"
Click Here • "Where there’s smoke. Local magician asks youth to
pledge to never touch cigarettes"
Click Here • "Worlds youngest illusionist to come to Selena
Auditorium"
Click Here • "Magic night to enjoy"
Click Here • "Magical Bones: From Madonna’s dancer to world’s best
hip-hop magician"
Click Here • "Magician Keith Barry says he wants to hypnotize Conor
McGregor to 'stay at home' with partner and newborn son"
Click Here • "Guillermo del Toro Taps Scott Cooper for ‘Antlers’ and
sets new project ‘Nightmare Alley’"
Click Here • That's it. As ever your UK magic news is welcomed. See
you next week, Duncan.
16.12.17