Number
1370 - Saturday 26th September 2026
The
Magic Circle Christmas Show - London, 19th-29th December. With just three
months to go until our first 2026 Christmas Show, unprecedented demand means
several performances are already close to selling out. This year's international
line-up brings together some of the most exciting names in magic, including
world-class performers James Freedman, Sam Fletcher, Anson Lee, Jean-Luc
Bertrand and Jaana Felicitas. Arrive early to explore our museum and enjoy
close-up performances before the main show. It's the perfect way to celebrate
Christmas. Suitable for ages 8 and above. £33-£71.50. Book via:
www.themagiccircle.co.uk.
26.9.26
The
Science of Magic Conference 2027 - London, 8th-9th June. From the
organisers: We are delighted to announce that the 5th SoMA international
conference will be taking place June 8-9, 2027 in London, UK. The event will
take place at The Magic Circle, bringing together academics, researchers, and
magicians from around the world and featuring top keynote speakers,
presentations on recent research, a poster session, and a gala show.
We welcome presentations from across disciplines that are themed around rigorous
research or theory directed toward understanding the nature, function, and
underlying mechanisms of magic and illusion. We also invite submissions from
practitioners who have applied principles of theatrical magic in unique
settings. SoMA is an inclusive organization that welcomes members with diverse
backgrounds and across multiple disciplines including science and technology,
humanities, practicing magicians, and individuals who are simply interested in
science and magic.
www.scienceofmagicassoc.org/conferences.
26.9.26
Debbie
McGee's Magical Christmas at The Magic Circle, 30th December. We're adding a
special one-off date to this year's run of The Magic Circle Christmas Show and
we have a celebrity guest host. Debbie McGee is joining us! Join Debbie McGee
for a magical festive evening filled with extraordinary international acts and
unforgettable entertainment. As your host, Debbie brings her warmth, wit and
charm to a spectacular celebration of world-class magic, beginning with close-up
magic and surprises throughout our historic building before continuing with a
dazzling theatre show. Please note that the acts in this show are the same as
this year's Christmas Show. Debbie McGee's Magical Christmas, book here:
www.themagiccircle.live.
26.9.26
Northamptonshire
LADs Centenary Convention - Tomorrow, Sunday, 27th September!
From the organisers:
An incredible Magic convention featuring international lecturers and world-class
dealers travelling from all over the world to inspire magicians in
Northamptonshire.
It's happening. LADs is back - for one final time.
After eight years of sold-out events and unforgettable lectures, LADs (Lectures
and Dealers) returns in 2026 - and this time, it's going to be something truly
special.
Organised once again by David Penn, Patron of the Northamptonshire Magicians
Club, LADs became the biggest one-day magic convention in the UK - attracting
over 300 delegates every year. But for the past few years, magicians have kept
asking the same thing: "Can we do it one more time?"
Well, now we are. To celebrate the roots of it all - and the club where it all began
- members of
the Northamptonshire Magicians Club have spent the last five years raising funds
to bring back LADs for one final event, marking the club's upcoming centenary.
Let's celebrate 100 years of magic together!
We have 3 international acts booked.
Expect a full day of international lectures, inspiring power talks (presented in
a TED-style format), a dedicated lecture environment, and a completely separate
dealers' area featuring the best names in magic retail. For further
information please see our website:
www.northamptonshiremagicians.uk. Sunday 27th September from 10am 8pm at
Delta Hotels, Eagle Drive, Northampton NN4 7HW. Tickets £45 per person. Due to
venue capacity ticket numbers are limited to 200. There are still a few
available through the website:
www.northamptonshiremagicians.uk/lads2026.
26.9.26
'Lord'
Harri Harrington Lecture - The Bath Circle of Magicians, 1st October.
On Thursday October 1st the Bath Circle of Magicians celebrates the
start of its 80th season under its new President Paul Preager, with a
lecture by 'Lord' Harri Harrington.
Harri now has lectures at this year's Blackpool convention, The Magic
Circle and Alakazam's Academy under his belt, with a repertoire of
original magic. He currently performs at multiple residencies and
manages a small magic team which provides entertainment to customers
every weekend in South Wales. Harri continuously creates new magic which
he now releases through his own indie store Pocket Miracles. The best
way to describe Harri's magic and persona is highly original, playful
and cheeky, and great fun to enjoy. 8pm on Thursday October 1st.
Visiting magicians welcome (£10 pay on the night) at St Mary's Church
Hall, Queen Square, Saltford, near Bath BS31 3EL.
26.9.26
The
MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week! This
week, Johnny Hart and Vinnie Barning on TV-AM's Saturday morning
children's programme, "The Wide Awake Club", just days before the
opening night of "The Magic Castle" in
London, in which Johnny Hart starred alongside Zee. From 27th October 1984. See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with more from The
MagicWeek Video Archive
Click Here.
26.9.26
Thank
you Jose Ahonen! [Looch of My Mind Rocks posted this on his Facebook page,
and I thought it really captured just what My Mind Rocks is all about. So, with
permission, I am republishing it here. DT]
Thank you Jose Ahonen! Last night we welcomed Finnish mentalist, author and creator Jose Ahonen to My Mind Rocks for our September Special Guest session. A huge thank you to Jose for being so generous with his time, experience and thinking. We began by discussing his book The Cult of Us before moving into a fascinating conversation about creating, developing and selling live mentalism shows.
Jose shared some brilliant insights from his own theatre experience - from
finding the theme and identity of a show through to branding, marketing and
understanding where your audience can be found. We also explored why the
strongest approach isn't always to sell "mentalism" itself, but to build a show
around wider themes and subjects people are already interested in.
There was plenty of discussion around making the audience the centre of the
experience, using real memories and stories, and how music, video, projection
and show control can transform a live performance. Jose even shared and
explained a routine from his own work. We could quite easily have carried on for
another couple of hours! Thank you Jose - a brilliant guest and a fantastic
evening.
For those looking at MMR from the outside, this is exactly what our Special
Guest sessions are about: proper conversations with experienced performers and
creators from around the world, exploring mentalism, creativity, performance and
the business surrounding it. The full session is now available to watch for MMR
members. Learn. Connect. Grow. Looch. 24th September 2026. [Visit
www.www.mymind.rocks to
find out what it's all about. DT]
26.9.26
Illusion Impossible - 26th September Beck Theatre Hayes, 27th September Epsom Playhouse. From the promoter: The magical variety spectacular returns for its 5th year! A night of Magic, Mind Reading Miracles, Grand Scale Stage Illusions, Big Musical Numbers, Death Defying Escapes and the Thrill of the Circus. Starring: Renowned International Illusionist Kayden Black; Award Winning Magician Michael Carr, and Award Winning Escapologist Andy Storm. Touring UK Theatres in September and October. Book your tickets now at www.illusionimpossible.co.uk. 26.9.26
Jon
Udry's Variety Bungalow - Jackson's Lane, London, 16th & 17th October. Enter
the Variety Bungalow for a night of juggling, aerial artistry, magic, comedy,
and even the world's last performing tiger.* Host Jon Udry, master of balls,
introduces an all-star cast of cabaret legends for a night of high-quality
circus and conjuring.
Aerial performer Molly Whitehouse (seen with Asake at the O2, Glastonbury, and
in TV commercials) dazzles overhead. Comedy conjurors Kane & Abel, twin brothers
blending stand-up and theatrical illusion, bring what the BBC called "real
magic". Multi-award-winning juggler-comedian Jon Udry holds it all together with
charm and wit.
* Stop emailing PETA, it's just a man in a leotard.
16th & 17th October at 7pm. Tickets £10 - £25. See www.jacksonslane.org.uk. 26.9.26
Modern
Mystic League (Blackburn) President's Day - open invitation. On Sunday 11th
October at 2pm, Brian Lead will be celebrating his President's Day with a visit
from Andy Greaves. Andy has just completed fifty years as a professional
ventriloquist and comedy magician. He is a natural raconteur, and has a fund of
wonderful tales to tell about his life in show business.
Andy will be performing for the first part of the afternoon, then talking about
his experiences, with the opportunity for Q&A. You will also be able to meet a
111-year-old veteran of the Music Hall, Norman Snodgrass, who, as a
ventriloquial figure, used to assist the female ventriloquist Josephine Langley.
We are always delighted to welcome members of the magic fraternity. It's an
afternoon which we hope you won't want to miss if you are in the area, so do
come along and bring your friends and family to this open event... complete with
tea and cakes. Admission is free, and the venue is Woodlands URC Hall, 457
Preston Old Road, Cherry Tree, Blackburn BB2 5ND.
26.9.26
John
Morton Lecture - York Magic Circle, 5th October. Adrian Salamon writes: On
Monday, the 5th of October, we have the pleasure of hosting John Morton in what
will be his last ever lecture.
John is an Associate of the Inner Magic Circle (AIMC) with Silver Star. He is an
award-winning magician, mind reader and hypnotist and is one of the small number
of magicians who have fooled Penn & Teller on "Penn & Teller Fool Us".
For more about John, his website is
www.mortonmagic.com.
John is an outstanding creator of magic, and this is his website for his amazing
products can be found at
www.custommagic.co.uk.
All of John's products will be for sale on the night.
We hope to see lots of people there!
Doors will open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Non-members: £5 on the door. York Magic Circle, York & District Indoor Bowls Club, 302 Thanet Road, Dringhouses, York YO24 2NW www.yorkmagiccircle.co.uk. 26.9.26
Rafferty
Coope on Blue Peter, 2nd October. Lion King Musical Challenge, Magic
and Cooking Battles. Shini goes behind the scenes with the cast of The
Lion King musical to find out if she has what it takes to join them live
on stage! And musical magician Rafferty Coope performs in the studio. 5pm
on Friday 2nd October on CBBC. See TV
Magic.
26.9.26
Chris
Rawlins Lecture - Liverpool Mahatma Magic Circle, 8th October. Matthew Gill
writes: Liverpool Mahatma Magic Circle is delighted to welcome Chris Rawlins on
Thursday 8th October. Chris is highly regarded in the magic industry as a
creator and performer of mentalism and memory magic. His work is known for its
original thinking, practical methods and distinctive presentations that make a
real impact on audiences. This is a chance to spend an evening with one of
mentalism's most inventive minds.
Venue - St Stephen's Church Hall, St Stephen's Road, Hightown, Liverpool L38
0BL. Start time 8pm. Entry is free for members of Liverpool Mahatma Magic Circle
and £15 for visiting magicians.
26.9.26
Roger
Curzon's Bizarre Magick Retirement Lecture - The Order of the Magi, Manchester,
13th October. Jonathan Royle Writes: On Tuesday 13th October we are proud to
announce that Manchester's Magic Club & Magical Society for Magician's The Order
of the Magi is hosting Roger Curzon's Retirement lecture.
This is your last chance to witness a rare and highly anticipated lecture on
bizarre magic and storytelling. For those familiar with this branch of magic,
Roger is a well known and respected figure whose work has influenced performers
for many years. This lecture is his retirement lecture making it a particularly
special occasion. His visit is one many members have been looking forward to,
including Andrew Normansell and President Matt Price, both of whom share a
strong interest in the world of bizarre magic.
Roger is also known as the creator of the "Miracle Signed Card to Envelope" and
for his published works through Magick Enterprises. His writing and performance
style have helped shape modern bizarre magic, blending narrative, atmosphere,
and method into memorable experiences. During the evening, Roger will present a
selection of his work, including both new ideas and material drawn from earlier
publications such as Dark Matters The Arcane Thaumaturgy of Dr. Jacob Tordoff,
Sublimations, and Orphic Fables. Expect a focus on storytelling, presentation,
and the creation of meaningful magical experiences.
This lecture is aimed at magicians interested in developing a deeper, more
theatrical approach to their magic, with an emphasis on narrative and
atmosphere. Visitors are very welcome. Tickets are £10 per person when booked
online in advance, or £15 on the night. Limited seating available so book now:
www.ticketsource.com.
26.9.26
Stranded
with a Stranger: Stephen Maule.
"A coin vanishes three times, ends up trapped inside a phone and then bends
after the spectator has been holding it. That's how Stephen Maule chooses to
open his desert island set and it instantly tells you what kind of thinker he
is: practical, modular and obsessed with reactions that spread from one friend
group to the next. We start with Stephen's backstory, including the influence of
classic TV magic and the way big moments like the Blackpool Magic Convention can
pull people back into the craft after years away..."
YouTube. Brought to you by
www.alakazam.co.uk.
26.9.26
Just
2 Months Left! Mark Leveridge's supplies of previously marketed physical
products are getting very low! The Leveridge Legacy Collection now has
just 23 different items remaining, and stocks of most of those are down to the
last one or two. So, if you would like to get hold of great classic products
such as Cigarette Through Chip, Spot The Difference, Micro Clip, A Cup A Ball
A Wand, The Unprint Button, Ultimate Jumbo Stretch, The Mini Leveridge Envelope
amongst others, now is the time to act because the final stocks will only be
available until the 30th Nov 2026. To get full details and to watch dems of the
remaining items, go to
www.markleveridge.co.uk.
26.9.26
A
free Magic Touch book for the magic community. I'm JJ from Magic Touch. In
2003, I took a vanishing silk to work to see whether Jimmy, who is deafblind,
could experience the trick through touch. When it vanished, he kept asking,
"Where? Where? Where?" That was the start of something much bigger than I
expected.
Since then, I've made magic shows and workshops with Jimmy, Jonathan and
audiences who are always capable of surprising me. The shows are free, and the
magic community has helped keep them going through advice, donated props and the
occasional mystery object with no instructions.
I've now written You Can't Do That, He's Disabled. It tells the stories behind
Magic Touch and shares practical ways to adapt tricks, work with volunteers and
make room for people to take part in their own way. It also covers the times
things went wrong. One snowstorm routine continued while the fan tried to
dismantle itself.
The book is free to read here
www.substack.com/@jjmagictouch. I'd love you to read it and pass it on to a
magician, club or performer who could use it. If you have unwanted magic sitting
in a cupboard, there's a wish list at the back of the book. There's also an
optional Ko-fi page for anyone who wants to support our shows
www.ko-fi.com/magictouch.
Thanks for helping us keep the magic going.
26.9.26
Oliver
Meech's Effervescent Membership Issue 16 out now. September's issue
features a multi-trick medley and a maritime adventure. The first item packs
five plots into one quick trick, with surprisingly little work. The second item
is a prediction of a perilous pirate voyage, using playing cards. Plus access to
all 15 previous issues at no extra cost. If you like fresh plots, streamlined
methods and playful interactions, then join the fun here:
www.ko-fi.com/effervescentmembership.
26.9.26
Houdini
Returns: The Centennial Auction. 31st October at the Magic Castle, Hollywood.
Marking 100 years since the death of Harry Houdini, Potter & Potter will present
a landmark sale of Houdini memorabilia on October 31st, at the famed Magic
Castle in Hollywood, California. The sale brings to the public for the very
first time 100 historic items from the collection of Kevin Connolly, many of
which were personally owned by Houdini.
www.potterauctions.com.
26.9.26
Come Dine with Me. In Bedfordshire, Tom and his wife Naomi kick things off with an upmarket menu, which fails to leave an impression. On day two Victoria and her boyfriend Elliot cook up a massive Caribbean feast featuring a controversial goat curry. On the final night magician Neil and his fiancι Charlie plan to wow their guests with a mysterious menu and magical entertainment. At 7am on Tuesday 29th September on E4. Repeat. See TV Magic. 26.9.26
"Bexley magician admits sexually abusing girl, 9, and image offences" www.london-now.co.uk. 26.9.26
"Derren
Brown opens up about Only Human and his most bizarre onstage experience"
Click Here "Piff and Pop's Magic Shoppe review"
Click Here "Review: Piff & Pop's Magic Shoppe Indigo O2 London"
Click Here "Piff and Pop's Magic Shoppe review"
Click Here "Magicians from across the world head to Northampton
for Centenary Convention"
Click Here "Experience London's Hit Immersive Show 'The Magician's
Table' at Playhouse Square"
Click Here "Don't Trouble The Trouble trailer: Fahadh Faasil's
fake magician meets a real genie"
Click Here "'Beautifully crafted' period drama perfect for mystery
fans now on Netflix"
Click Here That's it for another week, many thanks for all your
news it's always welcomed. See you next week, Duncan.
26.9.26