Number
1031 - 28th March 2020
The Virtual
Mentalism Convention
- this weekend! Luca Volpe and a team of friends and artists are ready
to present a wonderful mentalism
marathon this weekend. 22 hours of international stars for the very first
Virtual Mentalism Convention! If you are a magician, illusionist or
mentalist, join the Facebook group:
Click Here (also see
facebook.com/lucavolpemagic). Saturday 28th March at 1pm CET, 12
noon GMT, 8am ET, and Sunday 29th March at 1pm CET, 12 noon GMT, 8am ET. 28.3.20
Online
Meetings Every Tuesday at The Order of the Magi - and you're invited! Mike Sharples writes: On Tuesday 24th March
myself and several other members took part in the Order of The Magi's very
first online/social distancing meeting (what a way to end our 110th
year of magic in Manchester). This was set up by Stuart Cassel and our
thanks go out to him for all his efforts. This was definitely a first
for the society and we are trying to find out if this was a world first
as well.
Can anyone shed any light on this? We will be holding more meetings like
this, take a look at the website for more details:
www.orderofthemagi.co.uk.
The information went out on Twitter and social media platforms. We have had a number of people that follow the society, Stuart, and myself, on Twitter asking if they can join in with the next one. We are planning this for Tuesday 31st March at 7.30pm GMT. The answer is of course, the more the merrier, all you need is a pc/ laptop/tablet with a camera and microphone and you can join in. Just remember it is going out live, so make sure you are dressed in more than your pyjamas, I have a very fragile mind. Please note this wasn’t a lecture, it was just a bunch of magicians having a chat and bringing their own drinks. Best wishes and stay safe from Mike Sharples and everyone at The Order of the Magi. 28.3.20
Free: Merlins
of Wakefield Magic Academy Live. Merlins write: Do you have a 10 to 16 year old at home?
Are they looking for something different? Then why not get them
interested in watching some Magic Tricks they can learn and perform?
We are running a Magic Academy, online on Facebook Live, starting on Saturday
28th March at 1pm and it's free!
For the first session all you will need is a regular pack of playing cards!
Just go to the
Merlins of Wakefield Facebook page to watch.
Also see
www.merlinswakefield.co.uk.
Plus, for all magicians: A Daily Dem at 1pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, with daily deals a Virus Daily Deal: Click Here. Plus, Mystery Stay at Home Packs - offer now extended whilst stocks last! Click Here. 28.3.20
The
MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week! This week
Dominic Wood and wife to be Sandi, on 'Children in Need' from 16th November
2001. See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with more from The MagicWeek Video
Archive
Click Here.
28.3.20
United
Kingdom Escape Artists 2020.
The 18th Annual General meeting of the United Kingdom Escape Artists
(UKEA) took place on Saturday, 14th March, in Northampton with
a strong turnout of both professional and amateur escape artists. The
meeting featured a number of lectures and presentations and also saw
the 5th annual Mick Hanzlik Award competition and the 3rd David
De-Val Award.
This year, the Mick Hanzlik Award was won by Andy Robertson from
Scotland. Andy presented a full view escape from a pillory. His escape
was indeed very different as often you see this type of escape either
behind a curtain or other such barrier. Andy, however, did this not only
in full view, but also with added restraints. The added restraints were
a large hasp and locks, as well as handcuffs on extended chains. The Award
is named after Houdini Historian and Master Locksmith Mick Hanzlik. 28.3.20
Kevin Quantum Launches Free Daily Magic Lessons.
MagicFest write:
MagicFest Artistic Director Kevin Quantum is delighted to announce the
launch of ‘Quantum Magic Lab’!
With all the craziness in the world right now Kevin is going to use his
powers for good for the next few months by creating daily magic tuition
videos that he’ll be putting out on his YouTube channel!
This is for geeks, kids stuck at home, or anyone who’s ever been
intrigued by magic.
Magic is an amazing educational tool and we want to teach magician
skills – performing, sleight of hand, we want to get you thinking,
creating, making stuff. Of course Kevin is a magician-scientist so he’ll
be putting a science spin on it all; not just how it works but the
deeper secrets of why it works! Like a weird fusion of Hogwarts and
CERN.
The whole thing will be designed so you should have everything you need
in your stationary drawer and your dry recycling bin. All you’ll need
for the first lesson is an elastic band (or hair bobble) your hands
and a table to sit at. Here it is:
YouTube. 28.3.20
Free
Online Mentalism Show & Training. Comedy Mind Reader Jonathan Royle
has released the videos of his entire evening theatre show "ESP: Egg,
Sausage, Peas, A bizarre comedy psychic style show" just for magicians
and mentalists, together with free access to over 6 hours of training
videos that teach how the original routines were achieved.
Click Here for more info. 28.3.20
Master
Peek Envelope - Read My Mind. The Only Peek Envelope you'll ever
need! Read My Mind Ltd are proud to present our 'Master Peek' envelopes!
A custom made utility prop that allows you an easy, yet ultra deceptive
peek of anything written onto the back of a business card. The Master
Peek envelopes are not simply existing envelopes that have been
modified. These envelopes have been designed and engineered from the
ground up to be the absolute best in the business. The Master Peeks were
designed and made for one thing... Peeking! Each Master Peek envelope is
expertly manufactured from the highest grade Kraft Stock material to
match existing envelopes already on the market. The increased thickness
of the envelopes adds to their durability, creating another high quality
professional mentalism product that you have come to expect from Read My
Mind Ltd.
The Master Peek envelopes are reusable, and with care will last for years. At the time of writing this, Looch has been using the same set for nearly 18 months and it's still going strong! Each pack contains one gimmicked 'Master Peek' envelope and one un-gimmicked envelope. The envelopes are supplied blank ready for your customisation. Full instructions are provided via a password protected online video. For more info and to order visit www.readmymind.co.uk. 28.3.20
3
Card Joe by Joe Monti and PropDog - PropDog. Two sizes: Large or
Small. Back by popular demand and this time, created by PropDog! These
cards (Large "11 x 17") have been expertly engineered and beautifully
screen printed on a special hard wearing plastic, with a coating that
allows the cards to spread perfectly. So, why should I buy this set when
there are others on the market? Here's why: This is not a small close-up
card trick. The cards are big. It is a rare effect that plays as big and
grand as an Illusion yet can be done up close as well as on stage! This
will be the one routine you'll keep in your act because it's designed to
bring the house down. It's like Three Card Monarch and Chase the Ace on
Steroids! This is a professional effect for professionals! Three
powerful segments of the routine validate your expertise as a skilled
serious or comedy magician. You can play it either way. Perfect for
trade shows, corporate events, private shows, fund raisers, comedy
clubs, cruise ships, children's shows, close-up, stage, and TV because
the cards are held in front of you and above your waist for a bigger
audience to view! Joe Monti takes you through the easy to learn method
and demonstrates every move and nuance in detail on the enclosed DVDs.
Theory included. This personal instruction alone is worth the price of
the kit! Close-up Magicians become Stage Performers and Stage Performers
will have a fresh new routine that can replace a big bulky illusion! If
properly treated these cards will last for many years to come. Each set
comes with a Joe Monti signed Certificate of Authenticity. For more
info, to watch a video, and to order visit
www.propdog.co.uk (small)
www.propdog.co.uk (large). 28.3.20
Have
your mind read via email. Adam Hudson writes: As many of us continue
to self-isolate, I am a specialist in Radio and Long Distance Mentalism
and would like to offer any person currently self-isolating the
opportunity to have their mind read via e-mail. The service is free of
charge and comes with completely no strings attached. Just send me an
e-mail introducing yourself to
magicadz@aol.com and we'll take it from there. Stay safe. 28.3.20
Dominic
Twose Lecture DVD - International Magic. In this DVD, Dominic Twose
presents some of his favourite card tricks from his book 'Impromptu
Secrets', along with others that were not included in the book. This is
more than just a display of excellent card tricks though. Here Dominic
goes into great detail with the explanations, includes tips on moves,
and finishes the lecture with his previously unpublished 'Cups & Balls'
routine.
What's more - after the lecture was recorded, Dominic returned to London
for an interview about his teacher and mentor, Fred Robinson. Dominic
gives a great insight into Fred's character, describing how by chance he
first met him. Then how Fred amazed him, baffled and impressed him. He
then proceeds to demonstrate some of Fred's thinking on both moves and
misdirection. Here we have a rare opportunity for an insight into the
mind of one of Magic's Greatest Thinkers, Fred Robinson. See
www.internationalmagic.com for full contents, more info, and to
order. 28.3.20
Impromptu
Secrets, Dominic Twose - International Magic. 2nd Print Now
Available. This book is aimed at magicians who want to perform card
magic without any preparation. Magicians who want to pick up a pack of
cards, anywhere, anytime and present miracles. It is not a book for
beginners, likewise - it does not require expert skills, but it is a
must have book for the card magician who knows the basic counts, moves
etc.
With 34 impromptu card routines (plus 8 impromptu routines without
cards), 10 moves, 4 previously unpublished Vernon variations and an
essay on the Malini Colour Change, you can see why it caused such a stir
on its publication. For those who are not already aware of Dominic Twose
his magic knowledge is immense, he was a pupil of the legendary close-up
magic expert Fred Robinson, he has studied classic material from the
greats of magic for 40 years and is currently completing a book on Bruce
Cervon. Here, in his first major release to the magic world is a book
you'll treasure and keep referring to it again and again. See
www.internationalmagic.com for reviews, more info, and to order. 28.3.20
Dynamo Beyond Belief, Thursday 9th April, Sky One. "Series 1, Episode 1. Documentary following the magician on tour around the globe as well as charting his road to recovery from a career-threatening illness brought on by Crohn's disease." See TV Magic for details. 28.3.20
A
Simple Guide to Creativity - Audio Book. Mark Leveridge Magic.
Demystify the creative process and open up your mind to simple yet
effective ways to improve your magic. Over the years, there have been a
number of books which have sought to create some sort of ‘system’ to
explain and to formalise the process of magical creation. The problem is
that in seeking to explain and elucidate the process so much jargon and
complex theorising takes place that the average reader is left with
little that is understandable to work on at the finish.
A Simple Guide To Creativity Audio Book sets out to cut through the
complexity and to present a guide that is totally understandable and
above all will leave the listener with practical ideas to act upon.
Creativity is not just about coming up with brand new tricks and ideas.
In fact, in many ways this is the least likely form in which creativity
will manifest itself. Creativity for most performers comes through the
ways that we adapt and change the magic that we do in order to improve
it or to make it more suitable for our skill level and ways of working.
This Audio Book will help you in practical ways to make those important
improvements. In easy to follow stages, creativity is broken down and
analysed and then concrete examples and strategies are explained to
enable you to immediately go to work. Anyone who has the desire will be
able to take the information imparted here and use it to make a
difference. The Audio Book runs for 1 hour 26 minutes and the Chapters
are: What Is Creativity?, Building Blocks For Creativity, What Does A
Trick Consist Of?, The Core Effects and Creating A New Trick. Whether
your aim is to come up with completely new effects or whether you simply
want to effectively tweak what you already do, this Audio Book will give
you a huge amount of information and support. See
www.markleveridge.co.uk for more info and to order. 28.3.20
Plum House, Wednesday 8th April, BBC Radio 4. "The curator Peter Knight finds unlikely TV fame when he is featured on an ancestry show helping Derren Brown trace his roots to the museum. Starring Simon Callow, Jane Horrocks, Miles Jupp, Pearce Quigley, Tom Bell and Louise Ford. See TV Magic for details. 28.3.20
Magic
& Tech! Ebuyer, one of the UK’s
leading online tech retailers is publishing a regular magic blog in
conjunction with
Magicseen magazine. The blogs will feature how tech is used in magic
to create unusual and stunning effects. If any performers would like to
write a blog relating to using tech in performance, please send it to
graham.hey@ebuyer.com.
Ebuyer supplies
tech to many performers and venues, and is keen to feature magicians
using tech. The Ebuyer blog gets over 40,000 hits per month and blog
links are also sent out to many thousands of Ebuyer customers. If
magicians are featured in any blogs, we’ll link back to their own
personal websites. We also feature the blogs on Twitter and Facebook
which has over 100K followers. Here are two magic blogs:
Can Uri Geller fix a laptop with his mind? and
Magic & Tech featuring the brilliant Keylan Leyser and Tony Chapek. 28.3.20
Special
Measures From Magicseen Magazine. Magicseen write: In recognition of
the extraordinary circumstances that we all find ourselves in, we at
Magicseen have been discussing how we can best help our readers to
survive and perhaps even thrive despite everything. Firstly, with more
time at home for most of us, maybe the thought of having a magic
magazine to read is attractive. So, for the next few weeks, while the
crisis is on, we are offering special 6 month (3 issue) subscriptions,
making a download sub just £12.00. You can also have the same deal on
printed copy subs, although you should be aware that the next issue, #92
May 2020, will only be produced in digital format as we will be unable
to print physical copies. We hope to return to normal for the July
issue, but will need to take a decision nearer the time. At the same
time as making these 6 month subs available, we are also selling all of
our E-Books at 50% off, so there's no reason not to get some instant
magical gratification while you are in this enforced period of idleness.
Plus, we have just launched E-Book versions of Life's A Beach Volumes 1
and 2 by Gary Jones, which means that with the current offer you can
download even these titles for half price! For more information and to
order the mini 6 month subs or E-Books at 50% off please go to
www.magicseen.co.uk. 28.3.20
Zane's
Mind Reading Express Deck - Zane's Magic Shop. This brand new deck
of cards created by Zane will enable the wonder worker to perform
quick-fire mind reading magic! A deck of cards is mixed and spread face
up to show the cards are in no particular order. Three spectators are
asked to choose three cards at random from different parts of the deck
by merely glimpsing at cards in quick succession and committing them to
memory, all the while the wonder worker’s head is turned well away. The
wonder worker then looks into each of the spectators’ eyes in turn and
quickly and correctly names the thought of cards in an instant! For the
last card, a prediction, which was written on a ‘Post-it Note’, and
stuck to the card case before the card was even chosen and kept in full
view is read out and proves to be correct! Commercial, quick,
mind-blowing mentalism and so easy to do thanks to this special deck of
cards! (This is completely different in method to the 'Tossed Out Deck'
trick). For more info and to order visit
www.zanesmagicshop.com. 28.3.20
Watch
Mark Leveridge's April E-Video Newsletter For Free! On the 1st April
the latest E-Video Newsletter will be released. Lasting 40 minutes it is
a lively collection of ideas, magic and advice. Normally to access this
video presentation you need either to be a member of E-Club Pro, Mark's
online magic club, or you need to have a subscription to the newsletter
itself, or even purchase individual access. Well, as a gesture of
goodwill to all customers, Mark has decided that during the current
crisis he will be making access to the E-Video Newsletter free to
anyone! All you have to do is be signed up for Mark's free E-Club
Lite membership. This means that you will receive, on the first of
each month, an email newsletter full of interesting information and
advice, and in that newsletter will be the link to the latest E-Video
Newsletter. Access to each newsletter remains open for two months thus
giving you plenty of time to enjoy the contents. This free access will
continue for a few months or until such time as the coronavirus crisis
has abated and we can all return to normal. To sign up for E-Club
Lite go to
www.markleveridge.co.uk/product/e-club-membership and you will then
receive the April newsletter with the link to the April E-Video
Newsletter. 28.3.20
Zandman
Book Tests back in stock - Workers Lounge. Illustrated: Sherlock
Holmes by Josh Zandman & Theory 11. Instantly divine exactly which word
the spectator is thinking of – with no forces of any kind. You riffle
through the pages of a book and tell the spectator to say stop on any
page – they can even change their mind. The spectator thinks of the
first word on that page – it’s totally fair. Without asking any
questions or having anything written down, you instantly know the exact
word the spectator is thinking of. The best part? It’s remarkably easy.
There’s nothing to memorise and the book is completely examinable. The
Zandman Book Test gives you the freedom to perform a powerful mind
reading miracle, anywhere at any time, without the need to memorise a
single thing.
You can also hand out the book before, during, and after the performance
– the spectator will find nothing. The method is practically
undetectable, even under close examination. Two options are available –
Gatsby and Sherlock. Each book can be used to accomplish the same effect
on their own. However, by combining the two books, you will have access
to a diabolical new method that will take your book test to even greater
heights. Includes principles and subtleties by Larry Becker, Ted
Karmilovich and Banachek, to bring your performance to another level.
For over 10 years, the world’s most talented mentalists have included
Zandman’s book test techniques in their shows and performances. Today,
finally, it’s yours. The Zandman Book Test comes with one 4.25″ x 7″
paperback with over 200 pages and an HD streaming instructional video.
Order from
www.workerslounge.co.uk. 28.3.20
10%
Off Special - Zane's Magic Shop. Zane writes: I am
happy to give 10% off all orders between now and May 2020! Customers
would need to quote they are a 'MagicWeek reader'. Also, we have these
in stock in the UK: Spider Pens £90.00, Tarantula £70.00, Deformer
£95.00 and Oxbender £90.00. Phone for these products 01843 850036.
www.zanesmagicshop.com. 28.3.20
Sunday Night at the London Palladium, Sunday 29th March on Talking Pictures. Jimmy Tarbuck hosts an episode of the variety show from 1965, featuring Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Charlie Drake and Henry McGee, Freddy Davis and Robert Harbin. See TV Magic for details. 28.3.20
David
Budd MIMC. Remembered by John Davenport. I’m sad to report that
David Budd MIMC of Leamington Spa died on Saturday 21 March. He was 90,
had not been well for some time and died peacefully in a hospice.
David’s name may not be well known to younger magicians but he was
active on the cabaret circuit, particularly in the Midlands and London
areas. David, with his wife Rita, had an act called Magic in Lavender.
He often performed at The Magic Circle events and was great friends with
John Salisse, who was for many years secretary of The Magic Circle.
David had a printing business which was often used by people in the
worlds of magic and variety. Goodliffe, who was another good friend, was
one such customer. David maintained his passion for magic and variety
theatre in general and was well known at magic history events in the UK,
continental Europe and the USA. He was particularly interested in
exploring the history of his mentor Milton Woodward and was working on a
book at the time of his death. David was terrific company and will be
sorely missed by his family and friends. 28.3.20
The
Deckchair Dandies Visit Barry Island. A little light relief from MagicWeek
favourites Jasper Blakeley and Frank E Haschka
YouTube
• "HONOR's new MagicBook 14 holds all the cards"
Click Here • "Dynamo: Beyond Belief – Mesmerising trailer for return of TV
magician"
Click Here • "Magician Dynamo conjures up new show of tricks learnt on his
road to recovery"
Click Here • "Magician Steve Cohen on the Magic of Cocktail Making in
Think-a-Drink"
Click Here • "We wonder if this cat thinks that its hooman is a magician
after this trick"
Click Here • "St. Joseph magician remembers his colleague lost to Covid-19"
Click Here • "Happy birthday Harry Houdini, a look at the magician’s
glorious tricks"
Click Here • "SXSW 2020 Interview: Alexis Manya Spraic on Preserving the
Mystery of the Magic Castle in 'M for Magic'"
Click Here • Finally, here's some useful information from HMRC for the
self-employed: "Claim a grant through the coronavirus (COVID-19) Self-employment
Income Support Scheme"
www.gov.uk/guidance • That's it for another week, many thanks to everyone who
submitted news. Take lots of care. See you next week, Duncan. 28.3.20