Number
1306 - Saturday 5th July 2025
MagicWeek launched during the peak of the now infamous dot-com bubble
on Saturday 1st July 2000 (MagicWeek
number 1). It was a time when many new internet
ventures were based on little more than woofle dust, soon to disappear.
But unlike the
boo dot-coms
of the day MagicWeek luckily required little more investment than a PC
and some determination... This week I take a fond look back in
The MagicWeek Story. DT.
5.7.25
25
Years of MagicWeek: The Magicians' Podcast Network Interview - free to
view on YouTube. "Duncan Trillo sits down with Richard Young to
discuss 25 years of the UK magic institution MagicWeek.co.uk" Free to watch:
YouTube. For more interviews like this and much more, subscribe to
The Magicians' Podcast Network on Spotify:
Click Here or Apple:
Click Here.
5.7.25
Las
Vegas Weekly: Best of Vegas Readers' Choice Awards - Best Comedian:
Piff the Magic Dragon. "Razor-sharp wit, perfectly timed delivery
and clever comebacks reveal Piff as a truly gifted comedian who happens
to do magic..." Read the full article on
www.lasvegasweekly.com. Piff can be seen here in the UK next year at
The Session (9th-11th January 2026).
5.7.25
The MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week!
This week, in celebration of 25 years of MagicWeek, I thought I'd upload a
personal favourite. Fresh from his Grand Prix win at FISM 1982 in Lausanne,
Switzerland, and aged just 22, Lance Burton's outstanding performance on The
Paul Daniels Magic Show on 20th November 1982 provided inspiration (and a
few full-time careers!) for a new generation of young magicians. This was the
first time we'd seen him here in the UK and overnight he became everyone's
favourite magic act. See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To see more from The MagicWeek Video
Archive
Click Here.
5.7.25
"Russ
Stevens' Desert Island Tricks"
YouTube.
"Ever wondered who's behind the mind-blowing magic that captivates millions on
Britain's Got Talent? Meet Russ Stevens, the unsung hero orchestrating magical
moments for one of television's biggest shows. In this riveting conversation,
Russ pulls back the curtain on his remarkable journey from reluctant
collaborator to BGT's dedicated magic consultant, single-handedly
revolutionising how magic is presented to mainstream audiences..." Brought to you by
www.alakazam.co.uk.
5.7.25
Laura
London: Cheat - The Magicians Table, London, 11th July. Cheat
is the incredible story of Geraldine Hartmann, a card shark, gambler,
and sleight of hand artist in the 1920s. Laura London debuted her first
one-woman show 'Laura London: Cheat' at the Edinburgh Fringe 2016 and
received four and five-star reviews across the board. Since then, she
has toured the show, appearing at venues such as The Meridien Hotel,
Piccadilly and Vaulty Towers in Waterloo, La Villette in Paris and The
Magic Castle in Los Angeles.
The show reveals the story of Geraldine Hartmann, a card shark, gambler,
sleight of hand artist and of course a cheat in the 1920s. Geraldine's
passionate affair with poker, whiskey and a lover are told through the
entries of her personal journal, as are the card cheating techniques she
used to part the suckers from their money. Be enthralled and entertained
as Laura London lays bare the life and secrets of one of the world's few
female card sharks. Friday 11th July, 7.30pm-9.30pm at The Magicians
Table, 47-49 Tanner Street, London SE1 3PL. See
www.magicianstablelive.com.
5.7.25
The
Magicians' Podcast Network. Out Now! One of the UK's leading working
close-up magicians, CEO of
Giggio and star of the capital's hit nightly magic show
The Magicians
Table, Martyn Rowland joins Young and Hudson this week.
Topics discussed: Chat about tech magic, AI and the new Pitata Inversion Board.
The early days of Giggio and how many people subscribed. Being a working
magician and balancing it with being a parent. An in-depth chat on The Magicians
Table. His memories of when he did the marketing for The Magic Circle. Also
Martyn answers 20 Magic Questions!
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/MagiciansPodcast
Subscribe on Spotify:
www.spotify.com
Subscribe on Apple:
www.podcasts.apple.com.
5.7.25
The
Remarkable Ben Hart - Wilton's Music Hall, London, 4th & 5th September. A
brand-new mind-bending theatrical experience! Prepare to have your
reality rewritten... Following sold-out shows around the world, Ben Hart
returns with a brand-new show, his most astonishing and impossible yet.
An entirely unique voice in magic, Hart brings together enthralling
storytelling, sharp wit and indisputable charm, to create magic shows
that are unforgettable, funny, dark and profoundly baffling. This time,
it's not just magic, it's real. Wilton's Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley,
London E1 8JB. See
www.wiltons.org.uk.
5.7.25
Pete Firman Tricks & Giggles,
September & October Tour Dates.
With over 4.5 million social media followers and countless TV appearances under
his belt, Pete Firman is the UK's top comic magician.
Join him for an evening of Tricks & Giggles, as Pete brings his trademark blend
of magic and comedy from the small screen to stages around the UK with this
brand-new show touring 2025/26.
Expect impossible feats, sleight of hand and big laughs from one of magic's most
exciting performers!
As seen on Amazon's Good Omens, ITV1's Tonight at the London Palladium and The
Next Great Magician, BBC1's The John Bishop Show and The Sarah Millican
Television Programme. He's probably also popped up on your social media feeds
with his mind-boggling and regularly viral magic videos.
"The man from Middlesbrough sets the pace for comedy-meets-magic in the 21st
century" The Times
"The new poster-boy for British comedy magic" The Telegraph
"Seamless blending of quality magic and stand-up comedy. It is a joy to watch"
Edinburgh Festivals Magazine
"The best magic tricks in the Universe" Independent
For all tour dates, going in to 2026 as well, see www.petefirman.co.uk. 5.7.25
Steve
Valentine Lecture - Northamptonshire Magicians Club, 8th July. Joy
Payne writes: We're absolutely thrilled to announce a very special
lecture night at NMC with the fantastic Steve Valentine. He is an
award-winning magician and actor known for his roles in Crossing
Jordan, I'm in the Band, and as the voice of Alistair in the
Dragon Age video game series. Steve has headlined at the Magic
Castle in Hollywood, performed worldwide, and is a two-time Magic Castle
Close-Up Magician of the Year. He hosts the candid and humorous podcast
Magicians Only, offering insights into the world of magic.
Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most versatile
performers in the industry. We're looking forward to seeing you there
and sharing what's sure to be another great night at the NMC. Tuesday
8th July. Start time 8pm – club room opens 7.30pm, admittance to the bar
via the front entrance from 7.15pm. Members free, guest fee £15 – pay on
the night. Please support our raffle! Northamptonshire Magicians Club,
Brafield Working Men's Club, 35 Bedford Road, Brafield-on-the-Green,
Northampton NN7 1BD.
5.7.25
Chris
Dugdale: 1 Astonishment 2 Many - The Old Court, Windsor, 22nd July.
"Best Magic Show!" Hello! Magazine 2022 / 2024
The only act ever to win the EdFest Bouquet 5 times!
The best of Chris Dugdale (so far!) plus new jaw-dropping pieces...
Awarded the highest honour possible in magic - Member of the Inner Magic
Circle with Gold Star.
14 Royal Family performances including a Royal Command Performance for
Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
"Beyond a shadow of a doubt masterful magic" Metro
"Beyond Belief" Herald
"A favorite of Queen Elizabeth II" LA Weekly
"The closest thing to mind reading we will ever get" The List
★★★★
"You blew my mind" Gerard Butler
7.30pm on Tuesday 22nd July at The Old Court, St Leonard's Road, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 3BL. Showreel: YouTube Tickets: www.tickets.windsor.gov.uk. 5.7.25
The
Fringe is coming... and so is the Magic! The world's biggest arts
festival is nearly here - and MagicFest is lighting it up with
spellbinding shows across Edinburgh! From exclusive castle experiences
to high-energy, electric performances, there's something for everyone.
Tickets are vanishing fast - book now and be part of the magic!
www.magicfest.co.uk.
5.7.25
Luke
Jermay Lecture - The Watford Association of Magicians, 8th July. Lee
Bell writes: The Watford Association of Magicians is excited to announce
that it has managed to secure a special guest for one night only. We
will be hosting an evening with Luke Jermay on Tuesday 8th July. Luke
has lived a life consumed by mystery. For as long as he can remember he
felt an irresistible draw to all things strange and magical. You might
know Luke as a mentalist. There is another side to his passion for the
mystery arts. A side that you might not know. A side that, outside of
his friends has remained hidden in the shadows, until now. Beautiful,
impossible, mysterious magic.
The Watford Association of Magicians, The Henderson Hub, High Street, Abbots Langley WD5 0AR. All details on the Watford Association of Magicians Facebook page. Non WAM members just £10 on the night. Please contact Lee Bell, the event host, on 07753 430225, to let him know you are coming so the club he can keep up to date with the amount of people attending. There is a free carpark at the rear of the High Street, just a two minute walk to the venue. www.wamclub.co.uk/calendar. 5.7.25
Introducing
The Leveridge Legacy Collection. Mark writes: Since the 1st April
2017 all my products have been delivered as downloads and although much
of the physical stock was sold before the changeover date, small
quantities of around 35 items have remained in my storeroom. So I have
decided that for a 12 month period I am going to make these physical
products available again on a first-come, first-served basis – once the
supplies are gone no more will be made.
The remaining stock has been organised into the Leveridge Legacy
Collection and a small number of the products will be re-issued each
month between Sept 25 and Sept 26. This is an amazing one-off
opportunity to get your hands on products such as The Ultimate
Lightning Ring Box, Cigarette Through Chip, The Magic Party Number Pack,
The Clausen Chips, Perfect Crime and Ropey Rope amongst
others, as well as printed copies of some of my books.
With supplies of each item often being so limited, interested customers
will need to be quick when the details of each new batch are revealed in
the E-Club email newsletters at the start of every month. If you are
keen, you may wish to consider signing up as a Leveridge Legacy
Collection VIP, as this will get you advance news of each re-release a
couple of weeks before it is generally advertised. You can find full
details on the Leveridge Legacy Collection and the VIP sign up option by
going to
www.markleveridge.co.uk/the-leveridge-legacy-collection.
5.7.25
Let's
Bury Jack - The Musical. David Britland writes: There's a long and
inglorious history of card magic performed to rhyming patter. Popular
songs have also been used to give card routines an emotional dimension.
That meant choreographing the magic to fit the music, which was never
ideal. With AI, you can now flip that process and compose the music and
song to fit the routine. I've been exploring the use of AI in magic.
Here is one example of using Suno AI for music. Lyrics written in
collaboration with ChatGPT and Claude AI:
YouTube.
5.7.25
The Karl Fulves Convention - London, 12th July. The Karl Fulves Convention (KFC) will be held this year on Saturday 12th July from 1pm at The Sir John Oldcastle pub, 29-35 Farringdon Road, London EC1M 3JF (on the corner of Farringdon Road and Greville Street, a five minute walk from International Magic in Clerkenwell Road).
The KFC is a highly informal afternoon set up to honour the most important close-up magician of the 20th century. Attendance is free but you are required to show at least one trick by Fulves, or from any of his publications. To commemorate its 10th anniversary, this year's convention promises a few surprises! At 5.30pm there will be a lecture and a second-hand book sale at the nearby Betsey Trotwood pub if there is enough interest. For more information email abrown.kfc@gmail.com. 5.7.25
Steve
Goodwin's 'Dissecting Methods' Lecture - Cambridge Pentacle Club, 8th
July. Hugh Newsam writes: In this lecture we will be looking at
various effects (new and old) to see how the mathematics that is used in
magic really work - and the cases where they don't! Pentacle Club,
Cambridge., Tuesday 8th July at 8pm (doors 7.30pm) at Cambridge Pentacle
Club, St Andrew's Church Hall, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3JS. Non
members welcome. £10 on the door or pay via
www.pentacleclub.com.
5.7.25
Johnathon
Breckin presents 'Pure Imagination' a brand new magic and mentalism show.
From the promoter: Johnathon Breckin's 'Pure Imagination' takes you on an
unforgettable journey into the world of magic and mentalism making the
impossible seem possible. This intimate performance, set in the iconic Horseshoe
Bar at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, promises to leave you questioning reality as
Johnathon expertly blends mentalism with audience interaction. Prepare for an
evening of mystery, wonder, and mind-bending feats that will leave you
spellbound.
Let your imagination run wild and come and enjoy this intimate, family-friendly
show that blends mentalism, magic, and audience interaction. Selected dates
March to August. For more details and to book visit:
www.bookings.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com.
5.7.25
Manchester
Circle of Magicians Grand Charity Magic Auction - 14th July. We are
hosting a charity magic auction on Monday 14th July at the Micker Brook,
Councillor Lane, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle SK8 5NU. This auction is in
support of the Alzheimer's Society. Viewing of the auction lots will
begin from 6pm. Here's a sample of what to expect: Leviosa (Joao
Miranda), Optix (Tobias Dostal), Hacker (Les French Twins), Tornado
(Peter Eggink), DMC Elites x 6 (New!), Appearing Glass (Steve Thompson),
RC Spirit Bell, 52 Memories (Andi Gladwin & Jack Parker), Electronic
Flying / Vanishing Silk. Auction will begin at 7pm. Items will not be
demonstrated by the auctioneer. They are sold as seen, however the
auctioneer will provide a description of each item being sold. See
instagram.com/manchestercircleofmagicians and
facebook.com/ManchesterCircleofMagicians.
5.7.25
Final reminder! Ferrybridge Day of Magic - tomorrow, Sunday 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. 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. 5.7.25
Look
who popped into Merlins last week! See what's new at
www.merlinswakefield.co.uk • "Headlining magician Shin Lim on Hans Zimmer, his favorite
Chinatown eats and enhancing his residency through music"
Click Here • "Superman soars 1,000ft over The Shard to promote Hollywood
blockbuster" [we've seen that one before!]
Click Here • "Behind The Scenes - Building Superman for The Shard"
Click Here •
"The magical art of being 'an expert at a skill that doesn't exist'"
Click Here • "Magician Stuns TODAY Show Hosts by Memorizing Every US Zip
Code"
Click Here • "Cruise ship worker reveals the important rule they can never
break - or risk getting kicked off at the next stop"
Click Here • "Renowned psychologist & magician Pattabhiram passes away at 75"
Click Here •
"Tift Theatre to host illusionist Evan Dupree's 'The Great Escape'"
Click Here • 25 years on and your UK magic news is still always welcomed! See you
next week, Duncan.
5.7.25