Richard Griffin Lecture

Maltese Ring of the I.B.M.
March 2020
Reviewed by Vanni Pule'


IBM Ring 202 of Malta had another star lecture by one of England's top young magicians. As part of a project supported by the Project Support Grant, Malta Arts Fund - Arts Council Malta, we managed to get the services of Richard Griffin, a past 'Young Magician of the Year' for 'The Magic Circle' and winner of the British Magical Championship and trophy holder of the British Ring Stage Competition. He has performed on multiple cruises and on stage with his variety of shows, from doves to laser lights.

His lecture consisted of an eclectic variety of material. He commenced by producing a silk in his bare hands and resumed with his silent bottle sequence where a bottle appears, bottle-caps vanish, transpose and appear from his mouth. A just chance routine with a twist was something that anybody could make up and it had comedy and fun in it. One of the gems in his lecture was a chosen signed card through sheer head-square. The gimmick is something that is within everybody's craft skill and it involved no deck switch at all. A DVD prediction was simple, yet ingenious, and played big. He then proceeded to give us details of his dove routine. This showed his gentleness with these lovely creatures and his care to detail.

After a short break, he presented some of his marketed items. Nevertheless, he did not object to anyone making some of them for personal use and consequently explained all of them in great detail. There was the close-up item known as 'Matrix Pad Reloaded' where Sharpie marks move around on a Post-It pad, 'Key Prediction', based on the Al Koran Medallion and Don Wayne's Room Service but requiring no writing, and 'Nosey Volunteers', a prediction with hilarious audience participation and a strong visual element. His finale was a miniature illusion where his hand is apparently punctured with various vicious spikes.

This was a lecture that appealed to all tastes and had something for everyone. Richard stopped after each explanation to see if there were any queries and he left no stone unturned to describe every detail and psychology behind every effect. It was truly an entertaining and informative session.


© Vanni Pule', March 2020

 

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