Number
1374 - Saturday 24th October 2026
Guy
Hollingworth: More Drawing Room Deceptions - South
London Magic Society, 3rd November. Simon Rosselli writes: On
Tuesday 3rd of November Guy Hollingworth will be lecturing at South
London Magic Society. In 1999, Guy Hollingworth released Drawing Room
Deceptions, a groundbreaking book full of original magic, sleight of
hand, and sophisticated methods that went on to inspire an entire
generation of magicians.
Over 25 years later, Guy is back and ready to do it again with a new
book that is sure to be an instant classic: More Drawing Room
Deceptions. Part book launch, part performance, part talk, you can
not only meet Guy and learn about the new book, but also learn the way
he thinks and approaches his magic.
Guy will discussing the material, philosophy, and details behind the new
book, alongside performances of new and previously unpublished routines.
8pm-10pm on Tuesday 3rd November at South London Magic Society, West
Beck Club, 1 Sidney Road, Beckenham, BR3 4PX. Doors open 7.30pm.
£10 for non-members but that can go towards Membership (£35) if you
decide to join.
www.southlondonmagic.co.uk.
24.10.26
Jeff
McBride's Mystery School: Blackpool Magic Convention 2027.
Hosted by Founder, Jeff McBride and Principle, Larry Hass, there will be two
two-hour sessions daily, throughout the convention on the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st
February, where you can experience:
Comfortable small group settings.
Detailed performance techniques.
Magic theory and philosophy.
Instruction from the legends of magic!
An incredible opportunity to learn from the best of the best! Blackpool Magic
Convention. 18th-21st February 2027. Book now!
www.blackpoolmagicconvention.com.
24.10.26
Houdini
Halloween 100 - The Magic Circle's spectacular centenary celebration of
the life of the legendary Master Mystifier. Magician, escape
artiste, daredevil, showman, aviation pioneer, silent movie star and
scourge of spiritualists, Harry Houdini - being ever the consummate
showman - made his 'final escape' on Halloween, 1926.
A century on, we commemorate his extraordinary life, and death, with
this never-to-be-seen-again live biopic, written and presented by
lifelong fan Paul Zenon, featuring signature Houdini effects and stunts,
performed by a cast of very special guests.
What better place to stage this unique Halloween event than the very
space where Houdini performed arguably the single most important and
pivotal show of his career - the theatre of the London Hippodrome
Casino, Leicester Square. Monday 26th October. Doors 6.30pm, show time 7pm (2 hours,
including interval). The Hippodrome is an adults only (18+) gaming
venue, and Photo ID must be carried on the night to ensure entry - no
exceptions will be made. See
themagiccircle.live.
An additional performance will take place at Madam Lola's in Brighton
(formerly the Hanbury Ballroom, 83 St. George's Road) on Thursday
29th October - originally a Victorian mausoleum and now a dedicated
circus cabaret space. (Similar show times and also adults only) See:
www.madamlolas.com.
24.10.26
www.castlemagicalservices.co.uk
Derren
Brown Only Human to 30th January 2027.
In this brand-new production, Derren Brown combines mind-reading,
psychological illusion, and breathtaking storytelling in a way that is
both deeply personal and utterly electrifying. Only Human explores what
it means to be human — our perceptions, our beliefs, and the fragile
line between reality and illusion.
Smart, unsettling, and wildly entertaining, this is theatre at its most
compelling. Some experiences stay with you. This one could change you.
Prepare to have your mind blown! Note: not suitable for children under
12 years. Apollo Theatre, London
www.london.derrenbrown.co.uk.
"Derren Brown: Only Human review — still a formidable entertainer" [subscription] www.thetimes.com
"'Derren Brown: Only Human' review — a
truly astonishing performance from the master showman"
www.londontheatre.co.uk
"Review: Derren Brown: Being Human, Apollo Theatre"
www.broadwayworld.com
"Derren Brown channels Nostradamus to predict the future in a
mind-warping show" [subscription/free initial sign-up]
www.telegraph.co.uk.
"Derren Brown on The Simpsons, magic, and his West End show, on 'Talk of the Townsends' YouTube. 24.10.26
"Houdini
Died on Halloween 100 Years Ago. Some Still Question How" [requires
sign-in]
www.nytimes.com.
"Where Did Harry Houdini Live? Inside His Life at Home"
www.elledecor.com.
"100 years after Houdini's Halloween death, Detroit still holds his
greatest mystery"
www.clickondetroit.com.
"Harry Houdini Died on Halloween. He and His Wife Made a Promise to Send
One Another a Secret Code Message from the Afterlife"
www.aol.co.uk.
"Dr's Casebook column with Dr Keith Souter: The spirit of Houdini at
Halloween"
www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk.
"Harry Houdini is punched nine days before his death"
www.history.com.
24.10.26
Young
& Strange: From the Judges Desk on AGT to the Top Table at special
events! As I wrote a few weeks ago, in the 1960s Robert Harbin
reinvented illusion for the cabaret floor, now, in the 2020s, Young &
Strange have reinvented illusion for the close-up table, and it's fun!
See
YouTube.
24.10.26
How Houdini Made Magic - catch up on iPlayer. Across ten episodes, Derren Brown examines the many identities inhabited by Houdini throughout his life: performer, self-publicist, innovator, sceptic, media pioneer and cultural phenomenon. Drawing on historians, biographers and leading magicians, the series explores how Houdini's relentless drive to succeed took him from childhood poverty to global stardom, and why his methods feel remarkably familiar in today's age of influencers, viral moments and personal brands. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds. 24.10.26
Arturo
Brachetti's Solo: Blackpool Magic Convention 2027. Following many,
many requests and after seven years, Arturo Brachetti brings back one of
the biggest shows to ever appear at BMC, Solo, as a celebration of his
50 years in show-business. Do not miss this extraordinary show!
Blackpool Magic Convention. 18th-21st February 2027. Book now!
www.blackpoolmagicconvention.com.
24.10.26
Debbie
McGee - A Magical Life. 2026 marks 50 years since Debbie McGee first
entered the spotlight. A Magical Life is her first and only
memoir, packed with celebrity anecdotes, a dash of magic and a powerful
insight into her remarkable strength and resilience.
For more than 50 years, the woman forever known as "the lovely Debbie
McGee" has dazzled audiences, not just as the glamorous assistant to one
of Britain’s most beloved magicians, Paul Daniels, but as a woman of
strength and quiet brilliance in her own right. In her captivating debut
memoir A Magical Life, Debbie lifts the curtain on a life lived centre
stage, revealing the secrets not just behind the magic, but behind a
remarkable woman who has navigated fame, love and loss with grace and
grit. With her signature sparkle and sincerity, Debbie explores the
power of illusion, both onstage and in life and how the most
spellbinding trick of all is learning how to become yourself.
From the glitz of the stage to the heartbreak of grief, from Strictly
sequins to quiet resilience, fleeing Iran during the revolution and
battling breast cancer, Debbie shares empowering insights, and personal
charms that readers can carry into their own lives. "As I enter my sixth
decade as a performer, I want to share my memories with you, and also
some hard-earned wisdom, in the hope that you too might live your most
magical life."
A Magical Life celebrates Debbie’s extraordinary 50 years in showbiz
- from ballerina to magician’s assistant to the first woman invited to
join the famous Magic Circle. It is a wonderfully human tale of courage,
reinvention and a little bit of magic. To order via Amazon.co.uk
Click Here.
"Debbie McGee A Magical Life interview, 2026"
YouTube.
24.10.26
The
MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week! This
week Rudy Coby on The Paul Daniels Magic Show from 24th February 1990. See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with more from The
MagicWeek Video Archive
Click Here.
24.10.26
Steve Dela Lecture – British Magical
Society, 27th October.
Phil Sweeting writes:
Steve needs little introduction. He's a Member of The Inner Magic Circle with
Gold Star, twice winner of the British Ring IBM Close-Up Competition,
creator of the ‘Night Flight Deck' and many other brilliant magical releases,
and on top of all that, he's a really nice guy. Steve will be teaching some of his
all-time favourite commercial routines; effects that he uses to make his
full-time living as a mentalist and magical performer. This will be a
great night.
Visiting magicians welcome (£10 on the night), and there's a free buffet. Evening starts at 7.30pm at our club house, but please note this month we have a change of venue: We will be meeting in the upstairs room at The Black Horse, Bristol Road South, Northfield, Birmingham B31 2QT. Plenty of parking on site, but make sure you put your registration in. 24.10.26
Desert
Island Tricks SOS: Andy Smith.
"A four-year-old "vanishes" a toy car so perfectly that a grown magician
tears apart a couch looking for method. That story kicks off a return visit with
Andy as we reopen his desert island list and ask the question every working
performer eventually faces: what actually deserves a permanent place in your
case when your standards change, your venues change and your taste gets
sharper?" YouTube. Brought to you by
www.alakazam.co.uk.
24.10.26
Halloween
Spooky Magic Night in Manchester on Tuesday, 27th October. Jonathan
Royle writes: Following the huge success of Roger Curzon's Bizarre
Magick retirement lecture, which is reviewed here
www.roylehypnotist.substack.com Manchester's The Order of the Magi
is holding a Halloween themed Spooky Magical jamming night on Tuesday,
27th October, from 7.30pm at The Irish World Heritage Centre, Queens
Road, Manchester M8 OAE. Usually this would be a members-only club
night, but for Halloween 2026 non-member magicians are invited to also
come (at no charge for one night only) and share your best spine
tingling magic with fellow Magi members on the night, and then perhaps
after meeting us you may wish to sign-up for membership!
www.orderofthemagi.co.uk.
24.10.26
The
Magicians Table at Halloween. What better way to spend the spookiest
date of the year than deep beneath the streets of Waterloo, watching the
impossible happen inches from your face? Saturday 31st October. 1pm
Family Show 5pm & 8.30pm Adults Only Shows:
www.magicianstablelive.com.
24.10.26
Best
Illusion of the Year Contest 2025. This last week has seen the
finals of illusionoftheyear.com's international Best Illusion of the
Year Contest. A competition that originally started at a neuroscience
conference, but is now open to anyone who has created a novel sensory or
cognitive illusion. The public can vote for their favourite videos that
the expert judges have put into the final round. UK based science
magician, Dr Matt Pritchard has got a series of quirky mirror based
illusions, where seemingly the mirror reflections from a cutout don't
match up with reality. You can view the final ten videos here:
www.vote.illusionoftheyear.com and if you're quick (before the end
of today, Saturday!) you can cast your 'star' votes.
24.10.26
MLM Web Offer 2 Oct/Nov 2026. The second current web offer is a walkabout card routine called Hide And Seek. A spectator selects a card, let's say it is the 3C. The minute you see the card you express concern because you explain that this particular card really doesn't like being chosen and thrust into the limelight. In fact, the card will do anything to escape the attention!
The card is flipped face down on top of the deck but moments later when
the top card is turned over again, it is no longer the 3C! Spreading the
deck face up reveals the 3C is now hidden away back in the centre of the
pack.
The 3C is taken out again and placed face up on top of the pack. You
explain that even if it is not actually on the top of the deck, but
perhaps second from the top, it still doesn't like it. One card is
dropped face down on top of the face up 3C, and instantly the 3C
vanishes and is immediately found face up in the deck centre again.
If the card is taken right out of the deck, this doesn't help either.
Holding the 3C in your right hand, the card is passed momentarily under
your arm and instantly it changes to a completely different card – the
deck is spread and the 3C seen face up in the middle once more.
Finally, the 3C is laid face up on a spectator's palm and he is asked to
say "I want the 3C". This makes the card so embarrassed that when the
spectator turns the 3C over, it now has a red back thus making it
impossible to use with the blue deck!
Hide And Seek is supplied as a Premier E-Routine, which is a
downloadable PDF text file with colour photo illustrations, and it also
contains a link to further online video instructions. It is on offer for
just £6.00, a saving of £4. To watch a dem go to
www.markleveridge.co.uk.
24.10.26
Sotheby's
Magnum Opus: A Private Collection of Exceptional Art and Objects Through
the Ages featuring 17th and 18th century Playing Cards. October
22nd:
www.sothebys.com.
24.10.26
Death and the Magician by Raymund FitzSimons. Grief stricken, Harry Houdini investigates psychic claims, but can he find solace amidst his fear of mortality? Stars Lee Montague. On Monday 2nd November on BBC Radio 4 Extra. See TV Magic for details. 24.10.26
It
is! If Doug Henning, Jim Steinmeyer and John Gaughan had ever got
together to build a model railway:
YouTube.
24.10.26
"Christopher
Nolan's The Prestige 20th Anniversary Re-Release Includes 70mm and IMAX"
Click Here • "Magician Kevin Quantum at
the Theatre Royal Winchester"
Click Here • "Review: Piff & Pop’s Magic Shoppe"
Click Here • "Stonehouse magician is Cotswold Magical Society competition
winner"
Click Here • "Local magician wakes up with a bat on his arm in real-life
Halloween encounter"
Click Here • That's it for another week, your UK magic news is always
welcomed, see you next week, Duncan.
24.10.26
MagicWeek TM magic magazine - Created and Published weekly by Duncan Trillo MIMC © 2000-2026
Number
1373 - Saturday 17th October 2026
David
Williamson's back in town: Blackpool Magic Convention 2027. David
Williamson appears at BMC after many years away. Performing his One-Man
Show in Circle Hall on Thursday night and lecturing later at the
convention, David promises to be one of the must-see acts at next year's
event.
His career has taken him from intimate close-up rooms to Broadway, London's West End, and stages around the world. Television appearances include Champions of Magic, World's Greatest Magic III, Masters of Illusion, and America's Got Talent. Along the way, he has consulted for David Copperfield and David Blaine, created original magic, and taught generations of performers. His book, Williamson's Wonders, has been translated into six languages. Blackpool Magic Convention. 18th-21st February 2027. Book now! www.blackpoolmagicconvention.com. 17.10.26
Edinburgh
International Magic Festival 19th-30th December 2026. The MagicFest
2026 programme is now live! This Christmas, find magic everywhere with
spectacular shows, close-up wonders, magical family adventures and
unexpected experiences across Edinburgh.
• A packed programme mixing sophistication and silliness.
• BGT stars Kevin Quantum and Ben Hart join forces for Magical
Christmas.
• Delightful family magic, from Tricky Ricky's 30th anniversary show to
Magic School and Harvest Moon for babies.
• Experimental magic, rare Houdini photographs and optical illusions add
to the wonder.
Explore the full festival programme, discover what's on this December
and book your tickets!
www.magicfest.co.uk.
17.10.26
The
One... One Night.
One Chance.
One Winner.
Applications for Magic's Biggest Prize are now open. The One takes place on Friday 19th February, as part of
The Blackpool Magic Convention 2027. Six magicians will battle it out
for the one prize of £30,000.
Submit your entry via
www.blackpoolmagicconvention.com/the-one-2026.
17.10.26
The
Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year 2027. Who will be crowned
The Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year 2027? For the first time,
the contest will accept both stage and close-up entries plus the age
range is now from ages 10 to 18 years. Eight finalists will be selected
from the applications, four close-up acts and four stage acts. With
additional awards and performance opportunities for the main winner.
The Prizes. There are awards for both close-up and stage: The Magic
Circle Young Close-up Magician and The Magic Circle Young Stage
Magician. Then one of the two winners will be chosen by the judging
panel to be awarded the coveted trophy and title The Young Magician
of the Year 2027. The winner will be invited to perform their act at
The Magic Circle Convention, and as part of West End Magic at the
Leicester Square Theatre, with more opportunities to be announced.
How to enter. Entries must include a single-camera, continuous and
unedited video of between 8 and 12 minutes, showing an act as close as
possible to the performance you intend to present in the competition.
The closing date for applications is 31st December 2026. Full
competition rules and entry details are included with the application
form. For further details and to request an entry form email
ymoty@themagiccircle.co.uk.
17.10.26
South
Tyneside International Magic Festival, 17th-18th October.
From the organisers: This year is something special. For 2026, we've put
together a completely fresh line-up, with every single act appearing at
our convention for the very first time. Expect new ideas, new energy,
and plenty of surprises. We're thrilled to welcome: David Penn & D4RYL,
Yann Frisch, Andrew Frost, Gabriel Werlen, Bron Ivy, Mark Bennett, Lee
Thompson, Iain Bailey, Sid Quatrine and Steffen Peddie. More on the Festival:
Click Here (Saturday night Gala tickets are still available).
17.10.26
The
Magicians' Podcast Network. This one was a bit of a scoop: Val Valentino,
the infamous Masked Magician, sits down
with Young & Hudson for a no-holds-barred conversation about his life and the
story behind him becoming magic's biggest traitor. "It hit me, somebody's going
to do this... I accepted" said Val. Possibly the worst argument ever for
doing something that you know isn't right. Sadly, all his arguments were
just as intellectually redundant. DT.
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/MagiciansPodcast
Subscribe on Spotify:
www.spotify.com
Subscribe on Apple:
www.podcasts.apple.com.
17.10.26
Masters
of Magic Convention 2027. From the organisers: The greatest magic
event returns to the Aosta Valley, Italy, from May14th-16th 2027. Three
days of convention, packed with grand galas, lectures, workshops,
competitions, dealers and encounters with the greatest masters of magic
in the world.
The first name to be announced is Kevin James. Kevin James has created
effects that are now part of the repertoire of many magicians around the
world. On Broadway, he stars in The Illusionists, as 'The
Inventor'. See
www.mastersofmagicconvention.com for more convention details, and to
book.
17.10.26
Battersea
Arts Centre Presents Unreal: A Festival of Magic and Performance bringing
together leading artists reimagining magic for uncertain times. 7th-14th November. Battersea Arts Centre,
London. Curated by Tom Cassani, Augusto Corrieri and Tim Bromage. The world
can feel bewildering. Truth shifts. Reality slips. It's hard to know what to
believe. Unreal brings together extraordinary artists from across the UK
and Europe working at the intersection of magic and performance to present to
you a series of unreal acts for uncertain times.
Across five days, encounter incredible images, strange transformations and
moments of collective awe, as sleight of hand and stage illusion are reimagined
through theatre, choreography and live art. Unreal invites audiences
behind the curtain; questioning assumptions and asking us to look again at what
we see, hear and believe. Whether you're a fan of magic, curious about
contemporary performance, or simply searching for something unexpected,
Unreal is an invitation to experience the impossible, together.
Battersea Arts Centre, Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TN. 7th-14th November. See www.bac.org.uk/whats-on/unreal-festival for full details and to book. 17.10.26
The
MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week! This
week David Blaine, introduced by Emily Maitlis with Samantha Simmonds,
live on BBC London News 23 years ago to the day, on 17th October 2003. See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with more from The
MagicWeek Video Archive
Click Here.
17.10.26
How
Houdini Made Magic - this new ten-part series starts on Monday.
Across ten episodes, Derren Brown examines the many identities inhabited by
Houdini throughout his life: performer, self-publicist, innovator,
sceptic, media pioneer and cultural phenomenon. Drawing on historians,
biographers and leading magicians, the series explores how Houdini's
relentless drive to succeed took him from childhood poverty to global
stardom, and why his methods feel remarkably familiar in today's age of
influencers, viral moments and personal brands.
Derren Brown says: "Most people know Houdini
as the man who escaped from handcuffs and water tanks, but the more
deeply I explored his life, the more fascinating he became. He wasn't
simply a magician or escapologist. He reinvented himself again and
again, understood publicity better than almost anyone who came before
him, and seemed to instinctively grasp many of the techniques that
underpin modern fame. What emerges is a story that feels surprisingly
contemporary, and one that says as much about our world as it does about
Houdini's."
How Houdini Made Magic will air on BBC Radio 4 across two weeks from 19th
October, and will also be available on BBC Sounds from that
date, with all ten episodes available to listen to in full. Also see
TV Magic.
17.10.26
Emilio
Lander's Desert Island Tricks.
"A beginner magician walks into a magic shop and gets overwhelmed fast. Now
imagine he works there. Emilio joins us from the Alakazam team to build his
Desert Island list: eight tricks he'd keep forever, one thing he'd banish from
magic culture, plus the book and everyday item he'd take to keep performing
anywhere..."
YouTube. Brought to you by
www.alakazam.co.uk.
17.10.26
MLM
Web Offer Oct/Nov 2026. The Coin And Purse Collection. Mark
Leveridge says: In this interesting E-Book I have collected together six
of my favourite routines using a standard purse and some coins. The
effects featured are as follows: The Security Pen, Coin Purse
Surprise, Assembly Point, The Robin Hood Coins Across, Slo Mo and
Broke. All six routines have been carefully constructed to maximise
the impact with the minimum of sleights. Some palming and coin vanish
techniques required, but nothing advanced or very difficult. The
presentation of each routine you can watch via a link in the E-Book to
online video performance footage. Then the handlings are carefully
described with text and are supplemented with many colour photo
illustrations. Web Offer price is just £14.00, a saving of £6. For more
details and to order go to
www.markleveridge.co.uk.
17.10.26
Jon
Udry's Variety Bungalow - Jackson's Lane, London, tonight.
Enter
the Variety Bungalow for a night of juggling, aerial artistry, magic, comedy,
and even the world's last performing tiger.* Host Jon Udry, master of balls,
introduces an all-star cast of cabaret legends for a night of high-quality
circus and conjuring.
Aerial performer Molly Whitehouse (seen with Asake at the O2, Glastonbury, and
in TV commercials) dazzles overhead. Comedy conjurors Kane & Abel, twin brothers
blending stand-up and theatrical illusion, bring what the BBC called "real
magic". Multi-award-winning juggler-comedian Jon Udry holds it all together with
charm and wit.
* Stop emailing PETA, it's just a man in a leotard. 17th October at 7pm. Tickets £10 - £25. See
www.jacksonslane.org.uk.
17.10.26
"London's
Prince Charles Cinema wins battle to stay open in Soho"
www.metro.co.uk.
17.10.26
"Derren Brown:
'I'm quite an avoidant sort of person. I don't do very
much'"
Click Here • "Britain's Got Talent magicians coming to Helmsley Arts Centre"
Click Here • "Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort brings Evolution of Magic show
to Horseshoe for 10th anniversary year"
Click Here • "Meet Cillian O'Connor, the 15-year-old magician who performs
28 tricks in 60 seconds"
Click Here • "Now You See Me Live adds Eden Choi and Yollin Lee as Special
Guests"
Click Here • "Houdini: Back from the Dead Official Trailer - Fox Nation"
YouTube
[AI junk] • "Fox Nation Docuseries Uses AI-Generated Imagery to Reanimate Harry
Houdini"
Click Here • "Legendary magicians who made their Jewish identities
disappear"
Click Here • "Debbie McGee is still making magic – but 'no man compares' to
hubby Paul Daniels"
Click Here • "Jeanette Andrews to Present Evening of Magic and Perception at
Smart Museum"
Click Here • Your UK Magic news is always welcome - see you next week,
Duncan.
17.10.26