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72nd British Ring IBM Convention
24th - 28th September 2008, Eastbourne
Update 4, 14th June 2008.
Bob Hayden, British Ring PRO
As
well as including a wide range of magical brilliance from around the world, some
of the very best of top British talent has not been overlooked. One is
Geoffrey Durham who is still enjoying a most successful career in the world
of entertainment. And what is more he has done everything, not only as an actor,
presenter, director, celebrity, broadcaster, after dinner speaker, magician but
initially as a stagehand and busker.
It is fitting that he will be delivering the annual Jeffery Atkins Memorial Lecture as
Jeffery was a great admirer of Geoffrey’s work and was hugely impressed by his
one man show, ‘One Man’s Intrepid Journey Up His Own Sleeve’ after seeing
its launch at the Kings Head, Islington.
Geoffrey is entitling his lecture ‘Finding the Magic Ingredient’. It is an
entirely brand new lecture that he has created exclusively for the Eastbourne
Convention. In it he will be exploring the techniques, which raise magic from
“someone showing off some tricks” to a performance skill, which can launch an
entire career spent in the public gaze. Drawing on his thirty-five years
experience as a professional magician, Geoffrey will be demonstrating and
explaining material from every stage of his development as an entertainer – none
of it having been featured in his lectures before- and will show how he
succeeded in making these great routines his own. And there is a rumour that,
for one day only there may be even a guest appearance by The Great Soprendo!
He has recently published ‘Geoffrey Durham’s Professional Secrets –A Life in
Magic’ a 250 page book, a book that not only details on how to make a living
from magic but how to entertain. Everybody who wants to be a magician should
have this book in his or her magical library. More important it should not just
linger on the shelf collecting dust. It should be constantly read and re-read,
the advice absorbed and acted upon.
Make sure you are present when Geoffrey Durham gives what is bound to be
a spellbinding and engrossing lecture.
As well as presenting the ‘Safire Magic Light Puppet Show’ in the Children’s
Showtime, Safire the illusionists will appear in one of the six stage
shows. Stuart and Jayne are to be congratulated on the constant updating of
their act and devising novel and entertaining twists to several of the
well-established illusions. This has been witnessed in the recent 60-date tour
of the ‘Chuckle Brothers Indiana Chuckle and the Kingdom of the Mythical
Silk’ show. This extensive tour will be followed with a number of dates with
the Jimmy Tarbuck Show prior to a lengthy summer season in Bridlington and
Blackpool. What a pleasure it is to report to the success of this engaging
couple, who over the years have been such staunch supporters of the British
Ring.
By the way those of you who were knocked over by their Magic Light Puppet Show
in Southport in 2005 will be more than impressed by their latest presentation as
were the audience, both young and old that packed the Kings Theatre Southsea on
this Spring Bank Holiday Monday.
Whenever and whenever he has performed over the past 70 years Mark Raffles has
always been a joy to watch whether it be with doves, chicks, dogs, or
manipulating cards, billiard balls, cigarettes, or pick pocketing. To think that
this all started with, as Mark reveals in his book ‘Diamond Jubilee Memoirs’,
with an act consisting of Card in Sand Frame, Die Box, Egg-bag, ropes through
the coat, coil streamers from opera crush hat, Goldfish Bowl Production and
concluding with a Goodnight Banner in a talent show that he won and received
10/- at the Grand Theatre Failsworth Manchester. His first professional
engagement in 1938 was at the Queens Park Hippodrome Manchester as Ray St Clair
with a silent manipulative act and spent the following years with this act
touring the Variety Theatres throughout the United Kingdom.
When during WWII he was working for ENSA he had to perform two spots. Inspired
and influenced by Giovanni, who he had seen pre-war, he developed a
pick-pocketing act for which he had to speak. In doing so it helped him to
overcome his stammer and evolve a delivery that has become his trademark. With
his act he changed his name to Mark Raffles and instead of finding himself down
among ‘the wines and spirits’ on the bill he was headlining it. With the closing
of the majority of the Variety Theatres, Mark adapted his act, just as
successfully to suit a cabaret audience.
Mark still wows audiences that can only come from seven decades of experience in
the business. He will be wowing you in Eastbourne.
In 2000 at Eastbourne a smart confident young man gave a lecture that many
considered to be the best at that Convention. In the main his magic was his own
presentation of standard effects but each had a touch of originality in
presentation and method that only comes from frequent performance. And who was
that young man? Nicholas Einhorn.
He’s back again this year with another lecture having spent the intervening
years becoming one of the most sought after magicians for private parties,
corporate events and trade shows. So how has this success come about? Not only
having great technical Skill and a radiant personality but also making his magic
visual that takes his audience by surprise and having every effect very clear so
as to be clearly understood.
In magical competitions Nicholas has been outstanding. In 1996 and 2002 he was
‘The Magic Circle Close-up Magician of the Year’ and in 2003 came second in the
Micro Magic category at F.I.S.M. the World Championships of Magic. Additionally
in 2005 he was voted ‘The Magic Circle Centenary Close-up Magician’ as part of
this prestigious magical society’s centenary event.
Nicholas is the author of two very successful books ‘The Art of Magic’
and ‘Magical Illusions’ selling 500,000 copies. He is constantly
marketing new concepts and magical effects for the magical fraternity. His
‘Haunted Deck’ is a best seller for the close-up worker and his ‘In
Flight’, a self-levitation has been used by Paul Daniels in one of his TV
programmes. For the mentalist he offers ‘Word in a Million’.
If it is your ambition to be a sought after close-up magician or to enter the
world of corporate engagements be at Eastbourne where you will learn from a
master of his craft Nicholas Einhorn. Besides lecturing Nicholas will
also be part of the International Close-up Gala team so you will be able to see
at first hand that he practices what he preaches.
These are just four of the headliners that will be making Eastbourne 2008
the Quality Magical Convention of the year. Others are Mark Kalin & Jinger,
Derek DelGaudio, Raymond Crowe, Bob Kohler, Denny Haney, Michael Finney, Tony
Chapek, Levent, Mark Mitton, Mike Close, Paul Wilson, Jason England, Oscar
Munoz, Bill Herz, Richard MacDougall, Terry Herbert, Mike Bent, Gene Anderson,
Jon Armstrong, Glenn Farrington, Jason Byrne, and Claudius Specht.
With six stage shows, an International Close-up gala, fourteen
lectures/workshops, Late Night Close-up Sessions, two competitions, seminars and
a giant Dealers Exhibition at £125 per person (£100 for British Ring Members and
their Partners) this really is value for money.
There is still time to enter this year’s Close-up Competition for the Zina
Bennett Cup plus a Cash Award of £1000 as 1st prize, £500 cash for second prize
and £250 cash for third prize. In addition the Rovi Trophy may also be presented
to the competitor exhibiting a high level of skill with playing cards in an
entertaining manner.
There is no entrance fee but each contestant must be a paid up member of the
British Ring and have registered for the whole Convention. Application forms to
enter can be obtained from Steve Evans, 22 Old Fallings Lane, Wolverhampton WV10
8BH mobile number 079001 191958 email:
stevemagicbloke@aol.com Application forms must be returned BEFORE 23rd July.
You haven’t got much time left to apply so if you decide to enter apply NOW.
The Registration desk is open and Neville Johnson is waiting to take your call
either by telephone on 01202 873234 or by email at
nevillejohnson@aol.com. You can also
book on line and pay by Paypal. Go to our website
www.britishring.org.uk
for details.
Bob Hayden, British Ring PRO, June 2008