Number 1299 - Saturday 17th May 2025

The Alakazam Magic Convention: Saturday 9th May, 2026. The Alakazam Magic Convention is coming to... The Ashford Cinema! That's right, we've found the perfect venue, and we're pulling out all the stops to make this a day to remember.

Here's what you can look forward to: Big screen lectures in comfy cinema seats with tiered seating meaning every seat is a front-row experience. Say goodbye to craning your neck behind a sea of heads you'll have a perfect view from anywhere in the house!

Between lectures, wander into our dealer room where you can browse amazing products, meet other magicians, jam, chat, and relax in our spacious chill-out zone. Grab a drink, snack, or meal, all available right inside the venue at great prices.

What's on the Schedule? Four world-class lectures throughout the day. Your ticket also includes entry to the Evening Gala Show, a magical finale to an unforgettable day!

Planning to stay over? The Ashford Cinema is just a 10-minute walk from Ashford International train station (only 37 minutes from London St Pancras! Great if your traveling over on the EuroStar). There are two great hotels just a short stroll from the convention venue making your trip easy and stress-free. Both hotels are also conveniently located just 5–10 minutes' walk from Ashford International Station.

On Sunday why not finish off your magical weekend by popping into Alakazam HQ as the shop will be open (from 10am-2pm) just for you to hang out, shop, and chat with the team before heading home. Plus, we're just minutes away from the Ashford Designer Outlet, in case you fancy a bit of shopping while you're here!

And there's more... We've got some exciting surprises and announcements coming over the next few weeks... so stay tuned! Tickets are strictly limited, so don't delay book now to avoid disappointment. Whether it's your first-ever convention or your hundredth, we promise you'll feel right at home with the Alakazam family. Make a weekend of it. We can't wait to see you there! www.alakazam.co.uk. 17.5.25

"Apple TV+ lands Jude Law and Andrew Garfield-led limited series 'Wild Things,' based on the Apple Original Podcast 'Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy'" See www.apple.com. 17.5.25

The wonderful Silvan will be at FISM Italy 2025, and has a video message for all magicians: Vimeo. From the organisers: The FISM World Championship of Magic returns to Italy for the second time in the history of magic! The General Admission ticket grants access to all six days of the event, allowing you to experience extraordinary performances from morning until night and learn the art of illusion from the world's top performers. VIP and Standard tickets are now sold out... so to meet the high demand, and allow even more people to join the event, we have introduced a new ticket category: the Smart Pass. For full details Click Here. [Photo: A calendar poster image of Silvan, from 50 years ago. One of a set of four, that I had up on my bedroom wall as a teenager! DT.] 17.5.25

The Magicians' Podcast Network... Here is a free podcast to celebrate the launch of www.comclave.vegas and you can watch the entire thing for free on YouTube right now! With Mac King, John Archer, David Williamson and hosts, Alan Hudson and Richard Young. YouTube. 17.5.25

Michael Ammar at the Alakazam Academy! Get ready for an unmissable night of magic as the legendary Michael Ammar joins us live at Alakazam HQ! As part of his exclusive UK tour, Michael is making a special stop to deliver a mind-blowing online Academy session — and you're invited!

Friday, 23rd May. Live. Online. Unforgettable. For one incredible evening, you'll learn iconic Ammar classics and brand-new material not seen in his current lecture tour. This is your chance to go behind the curtain with one of the most influential magicians of our time!

Tickets are now on sale! Can't make it live? No worries — the entire session will be recorded and added to your account, so you can watch it anytime, anywhere... forever. Secure your seat now before it vanishes! Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime magical experience! Book your virtual front row seat at www.alakazam.co.uk. 17.5.25

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Palace Theatre, London. There's magic in every moment in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the most awarded play in history and "one of the most defining pop culture events of the decade" (Forbes). 19 years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world, they're back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Prepare for spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance.

This one-of-a-kind theatrical experience is packed with "thrilling theatricality and pulse-pounding storytelling" (The Hollywood Reporter). It will leave you "audibly wowed, cheering and gasping" (The Telegraph), as "visions of pure enchantment send shivers down your spine" (Rolling Stone). "It is out of this world, it's magic, it's a hit" (The Times).

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a new play by Jack Thorne received its world premiere in London's West End at the Palace Theatre in summer 2016. Tickets from £30 via the official website: www.uk.harrypottertheplay.com. 17.5.25

MAGIC Live!, August 3rd-6th at The Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. Registration is $495 per person. Each registration includes tickets to all performances, access to all sessions, workshops, special events, parties, and our 17,000-sq-ft dealer room, as well as all giveaway items. Your registration is 90% refundable through June 2, 2025. While a registration to MAGIC Live is a little higher than other conventions, our hotel room rate is considerably lower ($54 per night plus resort fee and tax). So when you take the combined cost of our registration and hotel, and compare it to the cost of other conventions' registration and hotel, you'll find that MAGIC Live is actually less expensive - one of the best bargains of the year! www.magicconvention.com/register. 17.5.25

Northern Magic Circle President's Weekend - 1st & 2nd November. Alan Clarke writes: Magicians and their guests are invited to join members of the Northern Magic Circle for the President's Dinner and Weekend. 1st-2nd November at Ramside Hall Hotel, Ramside Hall, Carrville, Durham DH1 1TD.

A murder mystery, a meal and a cabaret, featuring Bertie Pearce, Noah Kelly and the Da Silvas Circus Marionettes. The event continues on Sunday the 2nd with a lecture, a workshop and close-up magic with a Lewis Carroll theme. All ending with a mad tea party. Tickets for Saturday 1st £50 for Sunday tea £25
Contact president@northernmagiccircle.co.uk. 17.5.25

The MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week! This week, Richard De Vere on 'Tricky Business' from 1989. See The MagicWeek Video Archive. To see more from The MagicWeek Video Archive Click Here. 17.5.25

Wayne Goodman Lecture - York Magic Circle, 2nd June. Adrian Salamon writes: York Magic Circle Presents the Wayne Goodman Lecture on Monday 2nd June at York & District Indoor Bowls Club, 302 Thanet Road, Dringhouses, York YO24 2NW. 7.30pm start. Visiting Magicians: £5. For more info contact Phil Paxton p5pax@yahoo.co.uk. 17.5.25

The Four-midable Magic Series. Mark Leveridge is pleased to announce the publication of the fourth volume in the Four-midable Magic Series of trick e-books. The latest title is called The Four-midable Close Up Collection, and features four varied close up routines designed for one off performance on a close up pad. The tricks included in the 25 page e-book are as follows. 1. Star, a lightweight mental effect with a great surprise finish in which the ESP cards are displayed spread all over the close up pad. 2. Battery Pack, a uniquely unusual sequence using different sized batteries in a pleasing visual routine that culminates in an unexpected production. 3. Touchy, which enables you to apparently ‘read' a spectator's fingerprints on a card selected from a number randomly chosen and spread out on the close up mat. 4. Straight Through, a clean penetration effect in which a signed coin melts through a purse and into a glass on which it is balanced. The clear descriptions are supplemented by 32 colour photo illustrations and the e-book costs just £12.00. For further information and to watch dems of all four routines go to www.markleveridge.co.uk. 17.5.25

"Jonathan Goodwin's Desert Island Tricks" YouTube

Brought to you by www.alakazam.co.uk. 17.5.25

Cardini at The Castle. Jay Fortune writes: I'm delighted to announce my latest official magician hand-painted portrait, which features the legendary manipulation master Cardini, is my first portrait to soon be exhibited in The Magic Castle. Enjoy a video talk through, read what Cardini's daughter and Magic Castle owner Randy Pitchford thought of the finished work, and more, at www.store.jayfortune.co.uk/product/cardini. Now available to own. 17.5.25

Michael Ammar Lecture - 3SM Magic Club, 26th May. Ian Brennan writes: 3SM Magic Club in Cannock are proud to be welcoming Michael Ammar to lecture with us on his upcoming UK tour on Monday 26th May, starting at 8pm. £10 to non-members (payable on the night). Venue: Greenheath Working Men's Club, Blewitt Street, Hednesford, Cannock WS12 4BE. See www.3smmagic.uk. Message us via Facebook or email ianbrennanmagic@live.co.uk to find out more. 17.5.25

Michael Ammar Lecture - The Ilford Magical Society, 28th May. Peter Meacham writes: On Wednesday 28th May at 8pm we are hosting a lecture by Mr Michael Ammar, on his UK tour. This is not a lecture to be missed! Guest Magicians very welcome! The Ilford Magical Society, The Parkside Community Association, 176 Goodmayes Lane, Ilford IG3 9PP. £10 on the door. 17.5.25

Michael Ammar Lecture - Home Counties Magical Society, 30th May. Robert Wilson writes: For anybody in Berkshire or the surrounding areas. Please note that Michael Ammar will be lecturing for the Home Counties Magical Society on Friday 30th May.

We have secured a new venue for this special occasion and its a significant upgrade to our usual meeting place. Welcome to School Green Centre, School Green, Shinfield, Reading, Berkshire RG2 9EH with tiered seating so everybody gets a view of the magic. This venue is used as a cinema club so yes we have rented out a cinema for this one-of-a-kind event, so hopefully every person can get a great view. If you are interested in seeing one of the legends of magic lecturing in the UK please get in contact via hcmsenquiry@outlook.com if you would like to attend this special event. 17.5.25

Northern Magic Circle Grand Auction - Harrogate, 1st June. Brian Lead writes: Roll up! Roll up! The Northern Magic Circle announces a Grand Auction, to take place on Sunday, 1st June at Pannal Village Hall, near Harrogate: Station Road, Pannal, HG3 1JJ. Viewing from 1.15pm, with selling 2pm-4pm. Refreshments will be available. There will be a number of original Jack Hughes and Supreme items in very good condition: Giant Dwarf . . . Joey the Clown . . . ‘Attaboy' castle . . . Lovey Duck . . . Run Rabbit Run . . . Magic Painting . . . Man in the Moon (Luna) . . . Magic Boxes . . . Olly Lolly . . . plus scores of contemporary items. For further details, contact organiser Roy Field – royfield10@outlook.com 01723 891449 or 07903 577551. 17.5.25

Michael Ammar Lecture - Zodiac Magical Society, 4th June. Donato Capitella writes: On 4th June, the Zodiac Magical Society in London is thrilled to host a lecture by magic legend Michael Ammar. Known worldwide as a magician of legendary status, Michael has inspired and taught countless performers through his ground-breaking videos. Now, you can experience his brilliance live, right here at the Zodiac!

This event will take place on Wednesday, June 4th, 8pm-10pm at our club room, just a five-minute walk from the Northfields Tube station on the Piccadilly Line. There is a £10 charge for visitors. Please email membership@zodiacmagicalsociety.co.uk to reserve your spot as soon as possible, as places are limited. Visit our website at www.zodiacmagicalsociety.co.uk and follow us on Instagram for more updates. 17.5.25

Wayne Fox Lecture - The Ilford Magical Society, 11th June. Peter Meacham writes: On Wednesday 11th June at 8pm we are hosting Mr Wayne Fox. Wayne will be going over techniques that he has had magicians approach him about after each lecture. On the back of that he has devised this ingenious series, to address the questions all of us have. Guest Magicians very welcome! The Ilford Magical Society, The Parkside Community Association, 176 Goodmayes Lane, Ilford IG3 9PP. £10 on the door. 17.5.25

Dr Matt Pritchard's recent 'Designing Deceptions' lecture, given at The Order of The Magi is reviewed by Jonathan Royle this week: "This lecture was bursting at the seams with ideas and practical takeaways for magicians of all stripes. Whether you're a hobbyist tinkering at home or a working pro crafting a stage illusion, Matt had something for you—from ingenious gimmicks built with elastic cords and magnets, to subtle psychological insights like how visual imperfections can paradoxically make an illusion seem more real..." Read the full review: Click Here. 17.5.25

Roy Charles's Lecture, recently presented for the South Downs Magicians is reviewed by President Paul Sturgess: "At the end of the evening, we all agreed that it must have been the biggest number of tricks and effects crammed into an hour and a half that we've ever witnessed. Roy presented these effects with schoolboy fun and a smile on his face that left us spellbound..." Read the full review: Click Here. 17.5.25

Mathew Knight's Lecture given at Hull Magicians' Circle last week is reviewed by Ray Burrell: "His routines were all hard hitting, easy to understand workers which have been tried and tested in the real world with quick resets. Mathew clearly explained his theories about approaching a group and choosing routines which had easily explainable plots and were hard hitting with precisely timed moments of amazement..." Read the full review: Click Here. 17.5.25

Northamptonshire Magicians Club Mentalism Competition. Joy Payne writes: Tuesday, 20th May. Our mentalism competition is back. An intimate night of mind reading, psychological illusions, and mystery – performed live in front of an audience. £15 guest fee - payable on the evening. The venue is Brafield Working Men's Club, 35 Bedford Road, Brafield-on-the-Green, Northampton NN7 1BD.

The club room will be open from 7.30pm, with admittance to the bar via the front entrance from around 7.05pm. Don't forget we will be having a raffle, you've got to be in it to win it! 17.5.25

News Deadline reminder. Please submit news by Thursday if possible - absolute deadline 12 noon Friday, no exceptions. Many thanks, DT. 17.5.25

"The King 'flabbergasted' by magician Steven Frayne's money trick as he and the Queen visit Bradford" Click Here • "Why Magician David Blaine Fasts for Days Before His Shows" [subscription] Click Here • "This magician has an MBA" Click Here • "Self-regulation marked by Covent Garden performers" Click Here • "Covent Garden's iconic street artists were born from resistance. Now they face an uncertain future" Click Here • "The Spellbinder comes home" Click Here • Isn't flabbergasted a great word. Your UK magic news is always welcomed - see you next week, Duncan. 17.5.25

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