Number
1059 - 10th October 2020
Penn
and Teller's First Final UK Tour. From the promoter: 'Comic
Magicians', or 'Evil Geniuses' as described by David Letterman, Penn &
Teller are celebrating their 45th Anniversary as 'The Kings of Magic'.
Penn & Teller's 'The First Final UK Tour' in June will see them start in
Manchester at The Apollo on June 13th 2021, then Birmingham at The
Alexandra on June 17th. The London run then starts at London's
Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith on Tuesday 22nd June through to the 27th.
These shows will feature Penn & Teller's classic magic performed live
with their unique brand of humour and audience participation and will
feature never before seen tricks in the UK. For over 45 years as magic's
most outrageous and innovative team, Penn & Teller are Emmy
award-winning TV stars, best-selling authors and Las Vegas icons. Their
Showtime series, 'Penn & Teller: BS!' was nominated for 16 Emmys. Past
ventures were the highly successful ITV's 'Penn & Teller Fool Us!'
hosted by Jonathan Ross on Saturday nights and 'Penn & Teller Tell A
Lie' for Discovery Channel and Channel 5's 'Fool Us in Vegas' TV show is
in the 7th series.
Penn says "We’ve been working together 45 years and are now coming out
of the longest break we've ever had from working together. We are so
excited to start touring in the UK playing our favorite theatres. Is
this our last UK tour? We don't know, but you're welcome to buy tickets
and hope for that, while we'll be hoping for more final tours than the
Stones and Cher put together." 13th June - O2 Apollo Manchester.
17th June - New Alexander Theatre, Birmingham.
22nd to 27th June Eventim Apollo, London.
www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
10.10.20
Britain's
Got Talent 2020 - The final's going to be magic! The 14th series of
the talent search comes to a close with tonight's Final. Steve Royle (comedy juggler), Nabil Abdulrashid (stand-up
comedian), Aaron & Jasmine (dancers), Magical Bones (magician,
illusionist & dancer) and Jon Courtenay (comedy singer) that the
judges put through, will be joined
by the yet to be announced five acts that the public have been voting
for over the past few weeks. Then, as viewers vote
for a final winner, excerpts from some of the West End's finest musicals, Mary
Poppins, The Phantom of The Opera and Les Miserables, will be performed
by Michael Ball, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Shan Ako and Zizi Strallen and
more. Tonight from 7.30pm to 10.10pm on ITV. See
TV Magic for details.
10.10.20
Aidan
McCann (Britain's Got Talent 2020) appears on Blue Peter on Thursday,
15th October. "Magnificent Magic and Facing Your Fears. Young
magician Aidan McCann teaches the presenters how to pull off the perfect
illusion. And see how Mwaksy gets on as she attempts to overcome her
fear of dogs, with the ever-trusty Henry by her side to help out."
Thursday 15th October on CBBC. See
TV Magic for details.
10.10.20
The
MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week! This week Penn
& Teller on Channel 4's late night show The Word hosted by Terry
Christian and Dani Behr. From December, 1993. See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with more from The MagicWeek Video
Archive
Click Here.
10.10.20
Real
Workers Magic Convention - Saturday 24th October online. From the
organisers: Fasten your seat belts as we have an incredible line-up
guaranteed to blow you away. On the 24th October join the Real Workers
Magic Convention. Joel and Andy present a day of magic with a hand
picked line-up of international artists and magic creators... Marc
Oberon, Etienne Pradier, Mark Eldson, Paul Gordon, Harry Robson and
Myles Thornton. Get a front row seat and learn secrets from these world
class, close-up and stage magicians. A day cram-packed with magic; no
secrets will be left untold. The event will be topped with an exclusive
debut performance from Marc Oberon. This is not to be missed.
Close-up magic, mind reading, parlour and more. This will be happening live, via Zoom. Sit back, chat and interact with magicians from around the world. Includes a jam room with a guest host. Line up subject to change if unforeseen circumstances arise. If circumstances do arise, a suitable replacement will be organised. 11am on Saturday 24th October 2020. Find our more, visit www.realworkers.co.uk/products/rw-magic-convention. Organised by Andrew Dean and Joel Dickinson. Email ask@realworkers.co.uk. 10.10.20
Video
Chat Magic: Final Month. Reviewed as "The most important release of
2020" Video Chat Magic is a collection of nearly 50 tools, tricks,
scripts, routines, interviews and pieces of software designed to enhance
your magic and mentalism on platforms like Zoom. With contributors like
Max Maven, Jim Steinmeyer, Tobias Dostal, Pete McCabe, Richard Wiseman,
Marc Kerstein, and Luke Jermay this is a huge collection that you can
access right now for just $59, with all the subscriptions donated to
charity. Video Chat Magic will only remain open to new subscribers until
31st October so go to
www.videochatmagic.com today to sign up before it's too
late. "As magicians reinvent their performances for remote environments
Video Chat Magic is unveiling the most effective ways to succeed in this
new medium." Luís de Matos.
10.10.20
South Tyneside International Magic
Festival. From the organisers: The South
Tyneside International Magic Festival is in the middle of its virtual
festival which started on Thursday 8th October, and runs until Sunday,
culminating with a Zoom get-together session hosted by John Archer,
Steve Gore and Nevin Cody at 8pm. At noon on Saturday and Sunday there
will be a YouTube playlist released for you to watch at your leisure,
featuring artistes from the previous 16 years. You’ll also be able to
see Thursday and Friday's videos too! All free of charge. New faces and
friends welcome. If you wish to join in on Zoom there are limited
numbers and places have to be booked by emailing
karri.prinn@southtyneside.gov.uk. Also see
www.facebook.com. Here is the playlist: Thursday: Graeme Shaw, Boris
Wild, Freddie Rutz, Robert Baxt, Alex Lodge, Shoot Ogawa, Brando Y
Silvana and Charlie Fry. Friday: Jasper, Paul Romhany, Jeton, Brad
Manuel, Nicholas Einhorn, Jason Latimer, David Regal, Debbie Magee and
Brian Sefton. Saturday: High Jinx, Paul Nardini, Satori, Alana, Paul
Megram, Rafael and Andi Gladwin. Sunday: Adam Wilber, ‘Magic Babe’ Ning
Cai, Mark James, Philip Partridge, Woody Aragon, Javi Benitez, John
Archer, Amethyst and Mario ‘The Maker Magician’ Marchese. The Festival
magic consultant is Steve Gore.
10.10.20
More
magic added to The MagicWeek Video Archive during the week. On
Tuesday I added this rare interview with Fay Presto in a guest spot on
Wogan from November 5th, 1986. At the time Wogan was running three nights
a week and had a large following. See:
YouTube.
10.10.20
Hand
Cut Stripper Decks - Custom made in the UK. From the makers: The 'Stripper
deck' or 'Tapered deck' is one of the most versatile and easiest to use
gimmicked decks available. Apparent miracles can be performed that credit the
performer with amazing sleight of hand skills. The gimmicked deck allows the
performer to locate any required card(s) with ease, even after being shuffled by
a spectator.
The problem with commercially produced Stripper decks are the cuts! The tapers
on these decks are very deep. Spectators cannot get close to, or handle, the deck,
without instantly detecting its gimmicking! The answer to this problem started
life as an underground secret, used by professional card cheats: Hand Cut
Stripper Decks! Visit
www.handcut-stripperdecks.co.uk for more information and to order.
10.10.20
Can
you solve it? The art of illusion. A magician asks you to explain
his tricks. Alex Bellos writes in The Guardian: "Today’s puzzles are
four optical illusions devised by the magician Matt Pritchard. He calls
them 'perspec-tricks'. Each image is a photograph that seems to show
something impossible. The puzzle is to work out exactly how Matt created
the illusion. The magic he used is old school: none of the photographs
have been digitally modified. What you see is exactly what the camera
saw. All the illusions involve mirrors in some way." See
www.theguardian.com.
10.10.20
The magic of...podcast with Paul Roffman. Creative discussions with creative people. From actors and writers to magicians, keynote speakers and behavioural experts. "Listen to an in-depth discussion moving where the conversation takes us. Not your average conversation." On Apple podcasts: www.podcasts.apple.com and Spotify www.spotify.com and watch clips on YouTube. This week: Tim Bran, and on Sunday Nicholas Hoult. 10.10.20
Alan
Browne, new President of the Zodiac Magical Society. Alan Browne has
become the new President of the Zodiac Magical Society; as the club
enters its 75th year, Alan joins the select few who have held this
honour. Over the years Alan has worked tirelessly within the society,
taking a hands-on role in many key positions. Even during these testing
Covid-19 times the Zodiac Magical Society continues to meet every
Wednesday at 8pm to enjoy monthly lectures interspersed with varied club
nights; not in its usual Ealing, West London home, but online thanks to
the wonders of Zoom! Congratulations to Alan from everyone at the Zodiac
Magical Society
www.zodiacmagicalsociety.co.uk.
10.10.20
MLM
Web Offers October 2020. Mark Leveridge's download magic range is
already great value, but each month he also selects two items from his
catalogue to receive an extra discount. For October he has chosen
Instant Card Reverse, which is a very clean way to make a freely
selected card instantly turn face up in a regular deck (and you finish
completely 'clean'), and the second item is the Robin Hood Coins Across,
which is a story based presentation for the classic effect. You can find
dems of both products on the MLM website
www.markleveridge.co.uk
and the specially reduced prices are available until the 31st October.
Check them out now and save yourself some money.
10.10.20
The
Royal Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, relaunches 'Tales from the Shadows' and
'Crime Scene Illusion'. Tracy Wise writes: I’m delighted to confirm
that my two shows 'Tales from the Shadows' and 'Crime Scene Illusion'
are being relaunched at The Royal Hotel, Southend-on-Sea, Essex. The
first show will be our Halloween Special on 31st October with two
sittings in the hauntingly beautiful ballroom of this historic hotel.
With more space we can ensure social distancing and Covid-19 protocols
are observed. On November 19th Crime Scene Illusion will make its first
appearance in Southend since it began 10 years ago, in the very same
hotel. This event will include a 2 course meal. Ticket information and
booking is via The Royal Hotel, Southend. Facebook:
facebook.com/royalhotelsouthend or by calling 01702 899 222.
10.10.20
The
Magic Collection of Rüdiger Deutsch Part II. October 31st. This
Halloween, Potter & Potter is proud to present the second auction
featuring the collection of Rudiger Deustch. Known as a master craftsman
and consummate collector, this sale will feature many of the
finely-crafted props from Deustch's own workshop, along with rarities
from the showrooms and factories of Willmann, Bartl, and Conradi.
Mechanical masterpieces of yesteryear (and fine recreations as only
Deustch could construct) will be chief among the featured lots.
Complementing the vintage magic apparatus will be a selection of vintage
stone lithographs and early conjuring prints.
www.auctions.potterauctions.com.
10.10.20
Extrasensory
Deceptions: Livestream show by Christopher Howell. From the
organisers: Grab the front seat and belt up for an online experience of
magical extrasensory connections. Join Christopher Howell for one of ten
interactive shows on Zoom to raise money for Breathe Magic for their
10th birthday celebrations. It's an unexpected journey full of magic and
stories delivered to the comfort of your home. The show is family safe
however only those over 15 years may participate. Viewers must have Zoom
on their device to watch. Your camera video will need to be on for this
performance. Duration: 50 minutes. All proceeds from this show are in
support of the Breathe Magic programme run by Breathe Arts Health
Research. The show is free to attend and a donation will be welcomed
after the show. October 10th, 11th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 30th. November
3rd, 4th, 7th. To book
Click Here.
10.10.20
A
Lifetime In Magic, Devin Knight. 130 pages, photo illustrated, soft back.
From the publishers: The
amazing mentalism and magic of internationally renowned performer Devin
Knight. Volume 1, features full details of 9 routines from Devin's
personal repertoire. Devin's ideas are always unbelievably well thought
out, with every possibility analysed and the best and most convincing
methods selected. He leaves nothing to chance, and creates plots that
are amazingly varied, and which produce effects that are inexplicable
and real reputation makers. This trilogy will offer you the strongest
mentalism and magic achieved with practical, commercial methods - if you
haven't seen this material before you are going to be stunned! For full
content details and to order visit
www.magicseen.com
and click on the book!
10.10.20
Hanky
Juggling - Mark Leveridge Magic. This is a wonderful participation
routine for children’s entertainers using the simplest of props – a
wand, a silk and an unprepared bag! Two children come up to assist. A
silk is made invisible and handed to one child, while the second helper
examines and then holds onto a bag. The invisible silk is ‘blown’ up
into the air, caught on the end of the magic wand, which is then used to
flick it over to the child holding the bag. The silk is supposed to now
be inside the bag, but the child holding the bag seems to be unable to
find it inside. Realising that the silk must still be invisible, the
performer uses magic to make it become visible again so that the child
can now genuinely pull it from the bag.
This easy to do routine lasts around 6-7 minutes and is ideal for the
4-7 year old age bracket. You will need to supply a regular wand, an
ordinary cloth or opaque plastic bag, a 12″ silk and a small easily
obtained well known gimmick. Full instructions are supplied as a Premier
E-Routine, which is a downloadable PDF text file, and these instructions
also come with a link which enables you to watch and/or download a live
video recording of the complete presentation. See
www.markleveridge.co.uk.
10.10.20
Economicon
book test by Al Smith - Merlins. Two spectators are given a book
each. They can fully examine them, read some passages if they wish and
confirm they appear to be ordinary paperback books. A third spectator is
asked to call out any page number (there are 125 pages in each book).
The spectators turn to the freely selected page and note the first word.
You now tell each of them what the word is! Direct, no fishing, no
questions. You can then ask a spectator to open there book to any page,
and select any word they wish. As there are over 30000 words in the
book, you ask them to call out the first letter of the word. Instantly,
you can tell them the word they have chosen! This is a fantastic book
test by Al Smith. No difficult calculations, always direct, no fishing
for clues, always ready to perform. Ideal for walk around, stage or
cabaret. As used by Dynamo on the London Underground. Direct mindreading
at its best and great value for money! For more info and to order visit
www.merlinswakefield.co.uk.
10.10.20
Robert
Temple The Hypnotist: Live & Outrageous. From the promoters: Robert
Temple presents the return of his show The Hypnotist: Live & Outrageous
(socially distanced edition) streamed live from the Tyne Theatre & Opera
House in Newcastle on Saturday 17th October 2020, at 7.30pm. Forget
tired old pocket watches and people clucking like chickens, this is a
cutting-edge, thrilling show featuring incredible hypnosis and
never-before-seen side-splitting sketches... guaranteed to tickle the
very naughtiest parts of your mind. Directed by Kennedy. Get
notifications and tune in completely free:
www.thehypnotistlive.com.
10.10.20
Coin-O-Matic
2.0 by Steve Cook and Mark Lee - new from Merlins of Wakefield:
Merlins write: This effect originally used coins and a box which was not
always easy to carry around and manage. The latest version uses
specially printed cards and an envelope, eliminating the need for coins,
so is much simpler to carry around and re-set. For details
Click Here. Our new ‘Mail’ has been delayed at the printers, but
should be out next week. Those who have seen the PDF version have given
us some positive feedback, see the PDF copy
Here. Our shop is currently open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from
10am to 4pm. We have also just added over 100 used magic items to the
website, and are adding more every week:
Used Magic.
www.merlinswakefield.com.
10.10.20
Les
Douglas. Chris Cross writes: Broken Wand. I'm sad to report that a
former Northern Magic Circle President, Les Douglas, has passed away at
the age of 90. (22.02.1930 - 19.09.2020) Les was a lovely man and quite
a character - he spoke over half a dozen languages fluently, loved
Italian food, always had a few tricks up his sleeve and a joke on the
tip of his tongue. Up until his final days, he enjoyed live shows. He
watched my show at the Tyne Theatre Show last year and he spent his 90th
birthday evening at John Archer’s show! If any of Les's friends have any
messages for his family, (who are not in the magic world) I am happy to
pass them on to his daughter, Joanne. Thanks, Chris:
info@chris-cross.co.uk.
10.10.20
"All-star pantomime returns to the London
Palladium for Christmas"
Click Here • "Britain’s Got Talent magician, 11, performs
mind-reading trick on judges from his bedroom in semi-final"
Click Here • "Britain’s Got Talent magician Hakan Berg gets his own
back on David Walliams after shocking him with big bird"
Click Here • "Auckland magician says 'tool thieves' stole bags of
circus props from his van"
Click Here • Nicholas Einhorn's Zoom lecture for The Magicians'
Society, Malta, is reviewed by Vanni Pule’ this week,
Click Here • "Meet the Mersey magician who is bringing his cruise
liner show to the shore after Covid cancellations"
Click Here • "Beloved magician, entertainer Rob Rue has died"
Click Here • "New 'See It Safely' campaign launched to
bolster audience confidence"
Click Here • That's all for this week. As always your UK magic news
is welcomed. See you next week, Duncan.
10.10.20