Number
1298 - Saturday 10th May 2025
Nick
Mohammed is Mr Swallow in Show Pony - UK Tour, 13th May to 11th November 2025.
Following his smash-hit West End run of A Christmas Carol (Ish),
Taskmaster loser and Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed heads back out on tour
this year as his critically acclaimed alter-ego Mr Swallow with a brand-new show
- and extra dates have just been added due to phenomenal demand.
Show Pony has been described by Mr Swallow as 'payback for everyone who
didn't come to the last tour' and will cover everything from not having his own
sitcom to not having his own sitcom... and everything in between (critical race
theory). As per - expect magic, music and a whole load of brand-new mistakes.
With multiple dates selling out before the tour even begins, it's been a real
scramble for tickets - but with a whole new batch of new dates extending Show
Pony into the autumn, now's your chance to guarantee a seat at one of the
most hotly anticipated comedy tours of the year. See
www.nickmohammedlive.com.
10.5.25
Danish magician Martin Brock will be bringing his mixture of stylish magic, angelic charm, and a little bit of devilry, to this year's Edinburgh Fringe. Style, originality and fun with a master of illusion and sleight-of-hand. An electrifying and original magic show for all the family. Martin Brock loves to astound his audiences by making the (almost) impossible happen right in front of their eyes. On stage or down among the audience, this stylish performer revels in innovative magic and world-class sleight of hand. And in Almost Impossible 2.0: Martin Brock they soon find out that his angelic charm is mixed with a wicked sense of devilry. One moment he's wooing an audience member with beautiful red roses, the next he's cheating at poker.
Returning to Edinburgh after last year's Fringe success, Martin promises
an electrifying spectacle.
His hallmark is originality – the tricks are visually stunning and have
each been developed from scratch (the finale alone took seven years to
perfect).
The show uses perhaps the most advanced technology at the Fringe, with
cutting-edge video effects and multiple cameras to give every audience
member a front-row view of the magic in minute detail.
It's all woven together with humour, wit and entertaining anecdotes.
Even the music is original.
"Prepare to be spellbound" StageWhispers.com.au
"Wonderful and brilliantly magical" ★★★★½ GlamAdelaide.com.au
"One of the best Fringe shows I have seen. Go see it!" ★★★★½ FringeFeed.com.au
Martin said: "Magic is cool - it can be breathtaking, funny, mysterious
and even a little bit wicked as well. That's why I love it, and that's
what my show is all about. It's fabulous to make the seemingly impossible possible, creating
something from nothing. Sometimes I have been perfecting a trick for
years, so it's great to see people's amazement and laughter when it's
done right in front of their eyes."
Martin grew up in a small town north of Copenhagen, Denmark, and fell in
love with magic at the age of four. Having no one to teach him the
craft, at a very young age he had to develop his own unique effects.
Nowadays he is in worldwide demand, travelling between continents to
entertain audiences from every part of the world. Bramley at Gilded
Balloon at Appleton Tower (Venue 140). Previews 30th and 31st July. Shows daily 1st-24th August.
Tickets:
www.edfringe.com.
10.5.25
Michael Ammar Lecture -
Nottingham Guild of Magicians - Venue Change. Paul Temple writes:
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Wednesday's lecture with Michael Ammar
has undergone a change of venue. The event will now be held at The Major
Oak, Rolleston Drive, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 7JA at 7pm on Wednesday
14th May. Visiting magicians welcome. Tickets purchased already are
obviously still admissible. To buy tickets
Click Here.
10.5.25
The
Magic Circle History Day, Saturday, 7th June at The Magic Circle's HQ in London.
Join fellow magic historians, collectors, and those who have a broad interest in
all aspects of magic, for the annual Magic Circle History Day at the
Headquarters of The Magic Circle, 12 Stephenson Way, Euston, London NW1 2HD on
Saturday, 7th June. As usual it is a day packed with diverse talks ranging from
the rights of animals in magic to the significance of the year 1905 in British
magic.
Among the expert speakers are scientific magician Matt Pritchard, US magic historian and publisher Jim Hagy and illusion designer Paul Kieve. The grandson of Herbert Milton, the inventor of the Milton Aces, will be talking about his grandfather and will include a performance of the original masterpiece. Other highlights include a sit down buffet meal at the Wesley Hotel, refreshments during the day and an end of day sale of antiquarian magic books and ephemera. All this for the inclusive price of £60 (£55 for Circle members and apprentices). Doors open at 9.30am and the event runs until approximately 6pm. Member Tickets: Click Here. Non-member Tickets: Click Here. 10.5.25
Ferrybridge
Day of Magic - The Community Centre, Ferrybridge, 6th July. From the
organisers: Travis Perkins is pleased to announce the date for the
Ferrybridge Day of Magic: Sunday 6th of July 2025. With Lecturettes and
the Showette, Dealers and Traders, the day looks like it will be another
fun event - put it in your diary now. More news as we approach the day!
The venue is The Community Centre, The Square, Ferrybridge, West
Yorkshire WF11 8PQ. Doors open at 9.45am and the day ends at 5pm. For
more information please visit our Facebook page Ferrybridge Day of Magic
or email Michael Shepherd
gmfs@shepherdholdings.co.uk or Danny Hunt
info@amethystmagic.com.
10.5.25
Insane
Magic Play Glastonbury Festival 2025. Insane Magic (Luke, Elliot &
Cameron) are booked to perform at the largest Theatre & Circus Venue at
Glastonbury this year! For all the details visit
www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com.
10.5.25
Comedy
Hypnotist Ken Webster hits the road for Charity in "Benidorm in a
Banger" Challenge. Legendary comedy stage hypnotist Ken Webster,
known for holding the world record for the longest-running resident
comedy hypnotism show at Blackpool Pleasure Beach's Horseshoe Showbar,
is once again going the extra mile—over 2,000 of them—for charity.
Following the huge success of his "Ken Down Under" challenge, which saw
him travel from England to Australia without flying, the Scarborough
native and Blackpool favourite has launched a new fundraiser: the
"Benidorm in a Banger" Challenge, all in aid of Brian House Children's
Hospice in Blackpool.
On Tuesday 6th May, Ken Webster departed from his Scarborough home in a
25-year-old Ford Fiesta that cost him just £200 and has already racked
up well over 250,000 miles. With no working heater, air conditioning, or
fuel gauge—and a boot that opens with a piece of string—the vehicle
truly lives up to the "banger" name. To top it off, Ken hasn't driven a
manual car in over 15 years, and has been unable to secure European
breakdown cover due to the car's condition.
Ken's ambitious route includes stops in Rotterdam, Amsterdam,
Luxembourg, Brussels, Paris, Andorra and Madrid, before hopefully
reaching his final destination: Benidorm. When there, he plans to
perform a special one-off show to raise even more funds for Brian House.
Living on a shoestring budget, Ken is staying in the cheapest
accommodations he can find and eating only local food. "It'll be a
miracle if I make it without any hiccups. But I've got to be back for my
residency at the Horseshoe Showbar on 24th May—so one way or another,
I'm coming home!" said Ken.
What sets this challenge apart is Ken's ingenious fundraising model: he's raising money without asking anyone to spend a penny. By simply watching, liking, and sharing his daily travel videos, supporters help generate social media revenue—all of which Ken is donating directly to Brian House Children's Hospice. Brian House provides essential palliative, respite, and end-of-life care for children with life-limiting conditions. Despite needing over £1 million annually to stay open, the hospice receives less than £200,000 per year in government support. To follow Ken's unpredictable and heartfelt journey, visit www.kendownunder.com and subscribe to his YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@KenWebsterhypnotist. 10.5.25
The MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week!
This week,
Ali Bongo on Five Magic Minutes, from 1980. See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To see more from The MagicWeek Video
Archive
Click Here.
10.5.25
"Roddy
McGhie's Desert Island Tricks"
YouTube
"Iain Bailey's Desert Island Tricks"
YouTube
Brought to you by www.alakazam.co.uk. 10.5.25
The Magician's Table
- London. Looking for a truly unforgettable night out in
London? At The Magician's Table, you'll witness world class sleight of hand
magic, that's so good it'll leave you questioning reality!
Small audience. Big reactions. Amazing cocktails.
Don't miss the show TripAdvisor calls "a once-in-a-lifetime experience". Limited seats available nightly
- book now:
www.magicianstablelive.com.
10.5.25
Magic Mix at Bell House.
From the team at The Illusioneer
www.theillusioneer.co.uk for two
nights only, an evening of pure magic and puzzlements with international stars
performing at Bell House, Dulwich, London SE21. Monday 9th June and Tuesday 10th June,
7.15pm-10.15pm. Doors at 7pm.
You can expect to see every type of magic including Street Magic, Close Up
Magic, Stage, Parlour Magic and some "Puzzlements". The individual artists
perform in London Shows and all over the world. We are only able to tempt them
back as all our profits go to "Breathe" our chosen charity.
Tickets and more info:
www.eventbrite.co.uk.
10.5.25
Parkinson.
Michael Parkinson in conversation with Paul Daniels, William Rushton and
Engelbert Humperdinck. Produced by John Fisher. From 29th November, 1980
iPlayer.
10.5.25
'Magician Levels Up' is a recently
launched YouTube series for magicians, produced by
Nemed Phoenix: "One magician, one year, one vast list of life goals in magic, from weight loss
and skill levelling to learning the business side in great detail. The Channel
aims to motivate and educate, with regular interviews with experts in their
field, progress vlogs, performances and reviews." See
www.youtube.com/@magicianlevelsup.
10.5.25
Michael Ammar Masterclass and Lecture
- Southend Sorcerers, 1st June.
Southend Sorcerers are thrilled to be able to announce that for our 1st June
lecture, we're being joined by one of the true legends in the world of magic.
Get ready for an amazing evening as we welcome the one and only Michael Ammar to
Southend as part of his final UK tour.
Michael will be bringing his unique perspective on magic and performance to
Southend with his incredible evening lecture which starts at 7.30pm. But we also
have a more intimate masterclass with Michael on offer, which will run at the
same venue at 5pm. Numbers for the masterclass are limited and we only have a
few places available for non-club members, so it's a case of first come, first
served!
The ticket prices are:
Evening Lecture: £10
Masterclass: £60.
The venue for both events is the Ekco Club, Thornford Gardens, Southend on Sea
SS2 6PU.
For bookings or enquiries please contact Adrian Fox on 07711 982890 or
email: adrianfoxmagic@gmail.com.
10.5.25
"Magician
Eden Choi enters the Enchanted Forest! Semi-Finals BGT 2025"
YouTube.
10.5.25
"Magician
Alexandra Burgio seals her exhilarating act with a kiss! Semi-Finals BGT
2025"
YouTube.
10.5.25
"This
boy does everything! Jannick Holste is a superstar! Semi-Finals BGT
2025"
YouTube.
10.5.25
Trix
Convention 2025 - Stoke on Trent, 12th & 13th May. From the organisers: Trix
2025 is now just a few days away. It's the UK's only Magic Convention for
Family Magicians, Holiday Park Entertainers, Cabaret and Stage Acts. It all
takes place at DoubleTree by Hilton, Festival Way, Stoke on Trent ST1 5BQ.
Headline Lecturers/Acts: Danny Buckler, Martin Gardiner, Paul Megram and Wayne
Goodman - plus special guests!
Plus, a fantastic dealers room with magic from the UK and Europe, and an on-site photo studio with professional photographer Steve Lee, offering the chance to have professional head shots and publicity images taken, for print and social media. Limited spaces are still available for this great two-day convention - come and join the magic and fun! Head to www.trixinthestix.uk for more information and to book tickets. 10.5.25
John
Archer can be seen in the Early Parlour shows at The Magic Castle
this weekend, having just compèred last week's Academy of Magical Arts
Awards Show which was held at The United Theater on Broadway, LA, on May
2nd.
www.magiccastle.com.
10.5.25
'Talk Magic'. Every week Craig Petty sits down and chats
with a well known magician; a creator, a performer, or someone who has had a
positive impact on the Magic Community. Two recent editions: "John Hotowka - Motivational Speaking, Magic & Lecture Tours"
YouTube,
and David Alnwick - Occult Illusionist, Supernatural Themed Magician &
Fringe Performer"
YouTube .
10.5.25
Bookworm. "Mildred, an 11-year-old girl, finds her world turned upside down when her estranged father, a washed-up magician, takes her on a wild adventure. Family comedy, starring Elijah Wood and Nell Fisher." Saturday 17th May on Sky Cinema Premiere. See TV Magic for details. 10.5.25
Britain's Got Talent: Live Semi-Finals, every week. Ant and Dec host the nationwide talent search, which sees a wide variety of acts, from comedians to contortionists, singers to spoon players, compete for the chance to win a cash prize of £250,000 and a coveted slot at the Royal Variety Performance. Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli return to the judging panel with special guest judge KSI. The live finals continue... See TV Magic for details. 10.5.25
Paul Daniels on The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club, 50 years ago. Series 4, Episode 1. Gene Pitney performs Half Heaven Half Heartache and Blue Angel. Plus, there's performances from Paul Daniels, Royal Polynesian Revue and Rivendell. From 1975. Sunday 11th May on Talking Pictures TV. See TV Magic for details. 10.5.25
"James
Freedman: I stole a £300k bracelet (and the chancellor’s wallet)"
Click Here • "Top magician brings 24K magic to Skipton Town
Hall"
Click Here •
"Magician Andi Gladwin – Shuffled"
Click Here •
"Derren Brown invited to Scottish magic convention in Largs"
Click Here • "Illusionist Rob Lake wows audience with first performance in
India"
Click Here • "Meet the Woman Who Tricked Her Way Into the Men’s Only Magic
Circle - This Morning"
YouTube •
That's all for another week. Thanks as always for your magic news - see you next
week, Duncan.
10.5.25