|
|
Bradford Magic Circle 'Hey Presto' Magic Show
Bingley Arts Centre
30th April 2022
Reviewed by Ray Roberts
The Bradford Magic Circle Hey Presto
Magic Show is a yearly family show, which this year took place on Saturday the
30th of April in the Bingley Arts Centre with an audience of approximately two
hundred. Craig Petty made an offstage announcement to introduce the first act
Deanna Gore, the eldest daughter of magician Steve Gore. Deanna has been
attending dance classes most of her life but in recent times has concentrated on
interpreting dance using the Arial hoop and silks, at which she has become very
efficient. This proficiency allowed her to start the first half of the show with
the Arial hoop and the second half with the Arial silks very effectively indeed.
Craig Petty was the compere for the evening, interacting straight away with the
audience and establishing a rapport on his first appearance. He used his time on
stage very efficiently performing good effects in-between each act, which
included vanishing beer bottle in paper bag, a Rubik’s Cube effect, cards
across, and cards over the head without the sword, etc.
The second act was Taylor Morgan, another act that was to make two appearances.
Taylor is a young magician who in addition to representing the British Ring of
the IBM in FISM Europe Championships has worked in Spain for a while, and is now
carving out a career in circus and holiday camps. His first appearance made good
use of his manipulation skills with cards and billiard balls registering well
with the audience.
Yours truly was the second magic act on. Craig introduced me as having performed
magic for many, many, many years and making my twelfth appearance in this year’s
show, allowing me to walk on stage to a tremendous welcome. I performed a
predominantly silent act consisting of torn and restored news paper, Pavel’s
Blendo full of holes, and a coloured rings on rope effect. I closed using my
electric guitar featuring a very poorly played, happy birthday with audience
participation to a member who was fourteen that day and a few other things I
will not spoil in print to close.
Rod Willams who is a light hearted mentalist registered very well with his
effects especially his card revelation using a lady from the audience, and his
mobile phone. This brought the first half to a close, sending the audience to
the interval in a very good frame of mind.
After Deanna’s second opening act Craig had an extended spot. Using four men
from the audience he had four cards selected which were then revealed using
comedy centered around the Village people and the song YMCA!
John Hotowka started his career as a close-up performer in restaurants. He won
the British Ring Close-up competition, with a finish producing a hat full of
coins of the realm. He was a very successful trade show performer, before
becoming a professional motivation speaker using his magic as a vehicle to
promote his message. On the show John successfully performed cut and restored
rope where a member of the audience took the praise for the final restoration, a
block of wood through the head of the spectator was performed with some very
nice touches honed over many performances. John sent the helper back to his seat
with a box of chocolates. John closed with a cod explanation of the torn and
restored news paper to a large round of applause.
Taylor Morgan closed the show with a floating linking ring effect, before
producing his assistant from a burning casket. His assistant continued with body
burning and fire eating Gipsy thread was performed with a child sat on the apron
of the stage. Taylor’s final illusion was the substitution trunk.
Thanks must go to the Bingley Arts Centre theatre staff, Bradford Magic Circle
Members: Steve Hord show organiser and stage manager, Stage crew Prompt side
Dennis Calvert, stage right Phil Howarth, Sound Mark Jordan, Lighting Toby
Davies and photographer Gillian Grice for a job well done.
© Ray Roberts, 2022