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A Magical Night of Mastery: Wayne Fox's "The Tutorials"
The Order of the Magi
8th April 2025
Reviewed by Jonathan Royle
They
say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but last night at The Order of the
Magi, Wayne Fox proved them very, very wrong. On Tuesday 8th April 2025—exactly
116 years to the day since England's third oldest magical society was founded—we
gathered for something quite extraordinary: the debut of The Tutorials,
Wayne's brand-new workshop-style lecture event. And let me tell you, it was
magic. Literally.
From the moment Wayne stepped into the spotlight and launched into performing
elements of his stand-up Magic Circle routine, the tone was set: this wasn't
just going to be another lecture.
This was performance-meets-practice, instruction-meets-inspiration, and a whole
lot of sleight-of-hand goodness dished out with charm, clarity, and the kind of
finesse that only comes from a magician who's spent decades in the trenches of
real-world performing.
Magic That Moves
What set The Tutorials apart was its structure. After the opening performance,
we broke into small groups, and the real magic began—quite literally in our own
hands.
Wayne floated between us like a wise and witty magical sensei, offering
demonstrations, coaching, and one-on-one insights that felt like having a
private masterclass on demand.
We dove into classics like the Top Change, Double Lift, Mercury Card Fold, and
Card Palming, but even those of us who'd been doing them since the days when
playing cards were still made from tree bark found ourselves going, "Wait, why
didn't I ever think of doing it like THAT?"
Wayne's teachings weren't just "here's the move, now practice." No, this was
layered learning: little touches, subtleties, and war stories from real gigs
that brought context and purpose to each sleight.
Even something as ubiquitous as the Crazy Man's Handcuffs—yes, the good old
unlinking rubber bands—was revitalized with smoother, slicker handling that made
us fall in love with it all over again.
Frogs, Fear & Flow
Highlights? Oh, just casually folding a playing card into an origami frog which
is then used to try & magically find the freely chosen card they have then
signed which ultimately somehow ends up being revealed that the Origami Frog
itself was their signed card all along even though it was made before their eyes
before they had even chosen and signed a card!
It was the kind of trick that makes magicians smile while their inner child does
cartwheels.
But Wayne didn't just teach us moves. He tackled the mindset behind the magic.
He talked about fear—the kind that keeps magicians from learning new sleights
because "it looks too difficult." And then he shattered those walls with
simplicity, breaking down seemingly intimidating techniques like the retention
vanish until they felt not only doable but fun.
Drawing from his martial arts background, Wayne introduced us to the "10-minute
rule": practice just ten minutes a day with intention, and over time, even the
most daunting sleight becomes second nature. That lesson alone was worth the
price of admission.
More Than Magic
What truly made the night special was the spirit of camaraderie. With Wayne's
guidance, experienced members found themselves helping others, creating this
lovely ripple effect of mentorship and mutual support.
It wasn't just a lecture—it was a community experience, a reminder that learning
magic doesn't have to be a solitary pursuit. In fact, it's often better when it
isn't.
I'll admit, walking in, I thought, "There's nothing here I haven't already seen
in the past 40+ years." But I walked out with better ways to perform routines I
thought I'd already mastered—and a renewed excitement for refining even the most
basic techniques.
Final Verdict?
Wayne Fox's The Tutorials isn't just a workshop—it's a confidence booster, a
creativity spark, and a skill-sharpening gem wrapped into one brilliantly
presented evening.
Whether you're a beginner still fumbling through your first top change or a
seasoned pro who thinks you've seen it all, trust me—you will walk away with
something valuable.
If you're a magic club looking for a fresh, fun, and seriously useful event that
brings people together and levels up everyone's game, I recommend The Tutorials
without hesitation. Wayne Fox is the real deal—and this lecture is a must-see.
Wayne also had a selection of his innovative Magic Trick products for sale at
incredible savings from the usual retail prices which many members took full
advantage of.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a frog to fold.
Wayne can be contacted and booked via his website
www.magicfoxproducts.com/the-tutorials.html
© Jonathan Royle
www.magicalguru.com, April 2025