Number
1069 - Saturday 19th December 2020
Ben
Hart, Richard Jones, Marc Spelmann: Britain's Got Talent Christmas
Spectacular, Christmas Day. Ant and Dec welcome back some of the most memorable
and talented acts from the past 14 years, inviting them to collaborate
and perform together for the ultimate Christmas extravaganza. Judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, David Walliams and Ashley
Banjo are ready to be impressed by a whole host of talent. See
TV Magic for
details.
19.12.20
The
Big Magic Quiz. The Magic Circle is running an online quiz on December 30th
at 8pm. Open for members and non-members, it's a chance to test your magic
knowledge and general knowledge. Not only can you enter individually, but you
can also represent your local magic society at the same time. All entries from
each society will be averaged, so that there will be a Club winner too - will
you be a member of the winning magic club? What better way to start 2021 than as
the most knowledgeable magic mind in the UK! All details on how and where to
enter will be posted on The Magic Unlocked Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/themagiccircleunlocked. It's not going to be nearly as long
as the recent "Magic Circle Unlocked" online event, but it should be just as
much fun!
19.12.20
Edinburgh
International Magic Festival 2020 - online now! Saturday and Sunday:
Magic Gareth, Billy Reid, Tricky Ricky, Gary James, Vincent Gambini
(photo). This year all tickets will cost £10 per screen. See
www.magicfest.co.uk.
12.12.20
The
MagicWeek Video Archive - it's Christmas! This week, Johnny Hart, from Christmas
1984 in a guest appearance on BBC1's Saturday Superstore hosted
by Mike Read, with Nigel Planer (Neil, The Young Ones), Roy Wood,
The Thompson Twins (Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway), Bob
Geldof, ice skating champions Karen Barber & Nicky Slater and Basil
Brush! See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with more from The MagicWeek Video
Archive
Click Here.
19.12.20
John
Carney - on the cover of Genii’s December 2020 issue. Start reading Genii
immediately with a digital subscription for only $35 worldwide. Not only do you
get access to 12 new issues a year, but all of Genii’s back issues since 1936,
and all 300 back issues of Stan Allen's Magic magazine, come with your
subscription as well. Visit:
www.geniimagazine.com.
19.12.20
Marvin's
Magic Live: Catch up! On a mission to give everyone a
touch of magic this Christmas season, Marvin’s Magic hosted a special
Marvin’s Magic Live event
last Sunday, via Facebook and YouTube, hosted by magicians Michael J
Fitch and Marvin Berglas, the creator of Marvin’s Magic. If you missed
it, don't worry, you can catch up now (and the competition doesn't close
until December 31st!). See
YouTube.
19.12.20
Do
you believe in Father Christmas? Andy Nyman writes: I know many magicians
will have had a truly terrible year this year and will not be able to enjoy this
holiday season. I have a small pile of books and DVDs that I was going to sell,
but would rather give them out for Xmas. They are all from my private collection
and are all in excellent condition. If you have had a lousy time or have a child
or partner that has, email me at
andy@andynyman.com and I will choose something at random to send you, free
of charge. A given everything will be treated in absolute confidence, you simply
need to put your name and postal address in the email. I will send out until
they've all gone. Stay safe and chipper, hopefully, the end is in sight. Happy
Christmas.
19.12.20
Andi
Gladwin Talking Shtick with Mark James. Andi Gladwin, co-founder of Vanishing
Inc., talking shtick
with Mark James. Via your favourite listening platform including
Podbean.
19.12.20
Ian
Rowland: Magicians Advice Podcast. Episode 140: Ian Rowland. Cold
Reading, Tarot, FBI and Psychics. "For
magicians looking to improve the quality of their performance and to get a
deeper understanding of this art we call magic."
Podbean.
19.12.20
The
Mark Leveridge December Podcast. Time to relax with some mulled wine, a
mince pie and Mark Leveridge! For December: Unearthing the treasures that
reside in a magic bookcase : analysing the diverse elements that go to make up
humour : printed advertising is an important part of your online promotional
push : reflections on the presentation of Mark's first Zoom lecture : if your
magic life was to be rebooted, what would you do differently? : Mark reflects on
what a world in which magic is not that interesting to anyone would be like!
You can access the free audio podcast either from
www.markleveridge.co.uk/podcast-archive or from
www.markleveridge.podbean.com from where you can also sign up to be a
follower and automatically receive each issue when it is published at the start
of every month.
19.12.20
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." Episode 22. Steve Valentine - Actor, magician, writer, teacher, producer: www.podcasts.apple.com and Spotify www.spotify.com and watch clips on YouTube. 19.12.20
Radio
Mind-Reader Adam Hudson was heard on BBC Radio Cumbria lasts week. He talked
about his fundraising for The Children's Heart Unit Fund at the Freeman Hospital
in Newcastle. He also discussed how he developed his unique skills to overcome
Multiple Sclerosis and a loss of sensation in his hands and there's a
pre-recorded clip of his over-the-phone work. From about 45 minutes in:
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds.
19.12.20
Collectors
Dice Stacking Set - Merlins Prestige Range. Here at Merlins we are proud to
offer to our customers a beautifully hand turned solid wooden dice cup together
with four genuine casino dice from Las Vegas, all housed in a custom made velvet
drawstring bag. Dice stacking is a very impressive demonstration of skill and
fascinates audiences of all ages. It is surprisingly easy to do with the correct
cup and once you acquire the knack it can become very addictive. We supply you
with Wooden Cup, 4 Casino Dice and instructions to get you started. There are
many more books and DVDs available. These are in limited supply, so do not miss
out!
www.merlinswakefield.co.uk.
19.12.20
The
Table Magician Audio Book - Mark Leveridge Magic. Expert advice on how to
succeed at table side magic. Available as an instant download. Volume 3 in The
Professional Worker Series takes a close look at what is required to work
commercial magic at a table side. It’s probably true to say that more
opportunities are available for close-up magicians to work at a table side than
for any other form of close-up. From big dinner functions with large numbers of
tables through to hotels, restaurants and pubs, the commercial close-up magician
will regularly be asked to cope with performing under some often quite demanding
situations.
In this 68 minute Audio Book I take a detailed look at all aspects of this type
of work. I talk about the different size and lay outs of tables and what this
means to you as a performer, I explain the difficulties you are likely to
encounter from waiting staff, absent diners, and a myriad of other distractions,
and I point out many of the pitfalls that this type of performance throws up and
how you can avoid them. Even if you are new to this type of work, this Audio
Book will cover everything that you need to get you started. The types of tricks
to use, when and how to approach tables in the first place, plus a host of other
important factors are all explained clearly and with practical considerations in
mind. This is a book for workers that takes you logically through the facts and
provides you with relevant information that will give you the confidence to take
on this style of magic. This title is also available as a PDF ebook. See
www.markleveridge.co.uk.
19.12.20
Performers-online.com.
Gordon Wardle writes: Are you an online magician? During this difficult period,
with no bookings, I have been mostly working on my website programming skills. I
have developed a working website
www.performers-online.com which is a register of performers who now use
Zoom, Skype, or other live platforms to deliver live online performances. There
is a section where you can add your contact information and a short description
of your online skills. Look for the ‘performer login’ button to register. It is
free to register. There are also scheduled events where the public can chat
online with performers, watch impromptu free live performances and (hopefully)
want to book a performer for their next online event. Any questions or queries
please contact gordon@funmagic.co.uk.
19.12.20
Tango
Ultimate Coin Zane's Magic Shop. T.U.C. is everything you want in a
gimmicked coin! The T.U.C. coin is already a modern classic. Its power is really
revolutionary. You will become an expert coin magician in a very short time with
this piece of coin magic. You can perform the following routines with it:
Matrix, Coins Across, 3 Fly, Coin thru table, Coin thru hand and lots more
effects and coin tricks! Find out more - visit
www.zanesmagicshop.com.
19.12.20
Astro
Colour Vision - Mr E Enterprises. You position your prediction in full view
and hand out nine pocket-sized laminated cards each with a number from one to
nine; all may be shuffled. Three volunteers each take three cards of a different
colour. The three participants may stand in any order, and they decide in which
colours the numbers are called in so forming three, three-digit numbers. It is
plain everything is being done under strict test conditions. As each number is
formed you or another spectator write it boldly onto a pad or alternatively
enter it into a calculator perhaps on a borrowed mobile phone and the
participant announces the total out loud for everyone to hear. Now anyone
displays your prediction and you have incredibly correctly predicted the grand
total! Everything can be left for examination! See
www.mreenterprises.co.uk for details.
19.12.20
Mel
Mellers' Magical Mentalism Tour - Magicseen. We are delighted to
announce that we have published another collection of terrific material
from comedy mentalist Mel Mellers. Entitled the Mel Mellers' Magical
Mentalism Tour, this 9" x 6" soft back book runs to 92 pages and
features 28 of Mel's mentalism ideas, each of which is commercial and
entertaining. It also has an interesting essay on getting the basics
right as well as three further pages of great one liners to use in your
act. Mel's methods are practical and uncomplicated – he has a real gift
for getting directly to the nub of what is needed to created any desired
effect – and so there will be many ideas which you will soon be
including in your repertoire. Those who bought Mel’s first Magicseen
publication (The Travelling Trickster) will no doubt be delighted to get
hold of more of Mel's funny mental material. Order from
www.magicseen.com.
19.12.20
News
deadline next week: 2pm Thursday 24th, thanks, Duncan.
19.12.20
"Upstate
NY descendant of Harry Houdini to accept honor on behalf of magician"
Click Here • "Ben Affleck to star in Disney's Harry Houdini Movie,
but there's a catch"
Click Here • "‘I’d like to try some mind-reading on Rishi Sunak’:
the magician who's gone from Broadway to Zoom" [The Telegraph,
subscription]
Click Here • "Cornish magician's remarkable journey from free beer
hustler to national acclaim"
Click Here • "Al Cohen, D.C. magic shop proprietor who knew all the
tricks, dies at 94"
Click Here • "10 questions with Ireland’s Houdini Master Magician
Steve Spade!"
Click Here •
"West End theatres to close from 16 December as London is placed in
'tier three'"
Click Here •
"Magician and Christmas-born mind reader combine for virtual interactive
holiday show"
Click Here •
"Review: Helder Guimarães peers into ‘The Future’ for more Zoom magic.
The view is fuzzy"
Click Here •
"Illusionist Reza Kicks Off First Performance On Van Wezel's Main Stage
Since March 2020"
Click Here •
"Magicians Perform More Than Just Magic in Taylor Meacham’s ‘To:
Gerard’"
Click Here •
"Area Magician Conjures Up Virtual Magic Show"
Click Here •
"Popular Magician Completely Selling Out Virtual Shows Through Holiday
Season"
Click
Here •
"20 Minutes With: Legendary Illusionist David Copperfield"
Click Here.
19.12.20
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our
readers worldwide! From the MagicWeek team, Merry Christmas
and very best wishes for 2021, Duncan & Keiko.
19.12.20