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Travis Perkins Assembly Sixteenth
Anniversary Day Of Magic
Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire
Sunday 6th July 2008
Remembered, Reported, Reviewed and Reconstructed for Effect by Al Smith
It doesn’t seem like 16 years since the TPA burst onto the magic scene in
Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire. Even so, it’s still a while and it’s flown by. No
longer a quid to get in but at £3-00 it’s still a bargain. It’s Magic’s Pound
Shop equivalent.
The Travis scenario is carved in flexible cement and follows a well thumbed
footpath. A pot-pourri of dealers and dealerettes (aka as carbooters)
costermongering their goods and chattels to a cheery amalgam of free-spending
magiconians. There were occasional adjournments, to allow for the presentation
of a special featurette or two. Popping up here and there were the tingles and
tangles of the rafflette, two lecturettes and the extravaganza that is the
showette.
The Dealerettes
In no particular order, the Proper Dealers were Castle Magic, Merlins Of
Wakefield, Black Cat Magic and Bradford Magic Studio, AKA Cliff Lount. The
carbooters were Bob West, Brian Mayne, Derek Forbes, Humberside Young Magicians,
Peter Roberts and the Barnsley Circle Of Magicians.
Not all the big spenders did any big spending and the Long Pocket posse ignored
many a bargain. Some things never change. But most of those with things to sell
were not too dismayed by prestidigitatorial prudence.
The Lecturettes
First out of the trap with Grand Masters Of Illusion were
Daniel Hunt and Annette Claire. An interesting talk, no magic to speak of,
but accompanied by archive, mostly black & white film footage of some of the
Grand Masters. These included from Robert Harbin, Blackstone Senior, Sorcar and
Horace Goldin.
The second lecturette courtesy of Peter Roberts, went by the name of
With Magic You Can Do. The material covered a range of general magic,
a variation of Card Warp and his keynote routine with a steel ring and rubber
band. This is an interesting take-off of the Arthur Setterington linking rubber
bands idea and features some startling links and unlinks.
Workshopette
Following last year’s trial run the mini-lecture setting of a single workshop,
the formatgot another outing. Two workshops this year. One was something on
cards, of which the least said the better, though people who like that sort of
thing seemed to like it. The second eventwas an action-packed session on the
basics of dice stacking with Daniel Hunt, working hard for his fee.
The Showette
Rather than the more usual arrangement of three or four individual performers,
this year the showette was given over to a performance by the Humberside Young
Magicians. Coached and coaxed by Hull stalwarts Richard Morrell and Jon
Marshall, a quartet of youngsters offered themselves up for approval. These were
Jack, Alex, David and Tom. Shifting between rough and ready and smooth, the
thing that came through most was the enthusiasm. This might seem a
surprising thing to say about magic enthusiasts, but in my experience,
which admittedly is not vast, not all magic enthusiasts are as enthusiastic
about magic as they sometimes pretend. Enthusiasm is often the absentee factor.
Many magic enthusiasts are really nonthusiasts. These are the folk you
never see at club meetings, conventions, magic shops, auctions and any
number of events. Nobody can to them all and who would want to? But some faces
maintain a presence of sorts whilst remaining faceless in the real world.
Off the soapbox and back at withHumberside Youngsters, another interesting thing
was the selection of material. All standard/classic stuff, though usually with
an individual twist: coins, cards across, predictions, pope-eye pips, or
whatever it’s called these days, borrowed ring in loaf, selected card in card
frame.
Oddettes and Sodettes
As ever, Mike Shepherd of Castle Magic masterminded the day’s proceedings, ably
assisted by The Sheperdettes – Mrs. Shepherd, Maurice Johnson, Derek Forbes and
Bob West (doing his best). Pat Gresham and Irene Webster did their usual
unrivalled work on the turnstiles ensuring that only those who had paid got in.
Mike also extended thanks to Mrs Higgins and her team of helpers, who keep the
tea and buns and biscuits flowing. The venue is a very pleasant, having
undergone serious rebuilding a couple of years ago and now boasts a bar for
those who prefer a lemonade or two.
In a magical climate where the question, “Are there too many magic events”
is not uncommon, the TPA Day remains a cheap and cheerful chopper of a day, with
no aspirations to overspend its modest budget. This prudence is passed on to
registrants who respond as only those who recognises value-for-money can. Next
year’s cavalcade is set for Sunday 5th July, the 17th of its kind. Not
displaying the imagined sheen of some pageants in the magic calendar, it
maintains an unimpeachable respectability. Low key though it may be, the TPA Day
does attract the good, the great and the groovy. This year there were 148 of
them. Not at all bad. Next year’s cavalcade is set for Sunday 5th July, the 17th
of its kind. Keep an eye on MagicWeek for details.
© Al Smith, July 2008