Number 231 - 27th November 2004
Derren Brown
Spring Tour 2005. Derren Brown will be playing major theatres across
the UK and Ireland next year (March - May), with an all new show taking in: Brighton,
Stoke on Trent, Kings Lynn, Croydon, Hastings, Portsmouth, Salisbury,
Northampton, Nottingham, Hull, Darlington, Bradford, Dublin, Belfast,
Liverpool, Manchester, Buxton, High Wycombe, Crawley, Stevenage, Chatham,
Tunbridge, Leicester, Birmingham, Barnstaple, Cornwall, Southend,
Worthing, Oxford, Torquay, Dartford, Reading, Woking, Cardiff, Skegness,
York, Sunderland, Eastbourne, Bristol, Ipswich, Norwich, Glasgow and
Edinburgh. Plans are underway to round it off with a run in the
West End. Derren's live work is excellent and his previous tour sold out,
so don't leave it too late to book tickets this time around! See
What's On for tour dates or visit
www.derrenbrown.co.uk for the latest updates. Can't wait? Then pick up a copy of Derren Brown: Inside Your Mind
on DVD from Amazon.co.uk
Click Here. 27.11.04
Intense
rehearsals are now underway for Norfolk based magician Roy Davenport
who will be following in one of his ancestors' show business footsteps
this Christmas. 'Davenport's Christmas Wonder Show' will feature award
winning magic acts and entertainers from the UK and Europe and one of the
highlights is sure to be the recreation of Roy Davenport's great
grandfather's act, originally performed in the 1920's and 30's. Roy's
ancestor Lewis Davenport earned the title of 'The Bewilderest' as one of
the most dazzling and respected magicians of his time, so much so that
many patrons would return again and again to watch his act which he
performed over 3,000 times in residence at St George's Hall, London,
Maskelyne's world famous home of 'magic arts' in its day. The strength of
the act was its speed and it is this that Roy himself has spent time on
and off over the last eight years working to faithfully recreate (photos).
The show opens on Sunday 19th December at the Auden Theatre, Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk (Map) and runs through to January 1st. Starring Roy Davenport, Alexander Koplin, Mark Shortland, Michele Summers, Papillion The Flying Carpet, Paul Henri and the Demon Dancers. Daily (except Christmas Day) with matinee and evening shows on most days. Tickets: Adults £12.00, Children £8.00 (Concessions less £2.00). To book telephone 01692 405254 or send payment (cheques made payable to 'Davenport's Magic Kingdom Ltd') to: L Davenport Ltd., 7 Charing Cross Underground Arcade, Strand, London WC2N 4HZ. Or pop into Davenports, or Click Here for more information and to book online. 27.11.04
Jungle
Celebrity favourite Joe Pasquale leaves the jungle for a beanstalk
this Christmas
as he stars as Jack in Birmingham Hippodrome's Jack and the Beanstalk
from December 21st to January 30th. "Birmingham Hippodrome's pantomimes
have a reputation with critics and audiences alike for being the most
spectacular in the UK; this year will be a truly giant pantomime. Packed
with laughs, amazing special effects and of course, plenty of
opportunities to join in, Jack and the Beanstalk will be the biggest and
best yet." 27.11.04
Albion
Magic and Practical Magic present Kidology UK on Monday 5th September
2005 from 9am - 6pm at the Civic & Wulfrun Halls, North Street,
Wolverhampton WV1 1RQ (Map).
Magic Dave (Dave Allen, Children's Entertainer of the Year 2004) will
present part of his act and then discuss the thinking behind it, in
"Little People: Big Business." Tricky Ricky (photo - Ricky McLeod) offers
his highly successful ideas on entertaining children in a lecture called
'Tricks of my Trade' and Pat Page presents an all new lecture: "The Page
Boy Speaks Out on Kids' Magic." In addition to the lectures they are
planning a forum on how to open and close your show, with a prize for the
best contribution, as well as a Dealers' Demonstration and workshop. The
day includes a buffet lunch and registrations can be made from January
3rd. Tickets are £30.00. For booking details email
info@practical-magic.com. 27.11.04
Indulgences
- The Hinge Cuts of David Crofts has just been published. David
writes: "For several years now I have had requests for information and
instructions on how to perform my hinge cut flourishes. I have finally put
together a manuscript entitled 'Indulgences' which explains some of these
flourishes in detail." David kindly sent through a copy of this excellent
A4 50 page manuscript which features over 200 detailed photos, very clear
descriptive instructions, and full credits. 'Hinge Cuts' give the illusion
that the deck is literally 'hinged' together and can really enhance any
magic presentation. From the introduction: "Unless you are completely new
to the world of card flourishes, you have probably come across, often
bizarre arguments, for and against the use of flourishes with reference to
their inclusion within magic. Amidst this it is best not to forget the
obvious which is that flourishes are great fun and very interesting to
learn, to perform... and to watch. However, as with learning all
flourishes it will seem at first as if you are not getting anywhere and
then all of a sudden you will realise that you have in fact got somewhere.
I guarantee that however much time you spend on this material and whatever
your style or your presentation, your audience will truly appreciate it."
This is a great publication; a unique work that owners will treasure,
learn from, and use. Highly recommended. Available from
www.davidcrofts.co.uk via PayPal at £20 post paid. 27.11.04
Penn
and Teller's Magic and Mystery Tour series is being repeated on Sky
Travel next week, see TV Magic.
First shown a few years ago this three part series explores street magic
in India, Egypt, and China. The show from China features a wonderful
magician who has developed a stunning "quick change" routine using masks -
not to be missed! 27.11.04
Merlins
of Wakefield have just produced a brand new 50 page A4 catalogue
featuring a broad range of magic including items from Collector's Workshop
and a number of exclusive lines. Packed with magic from cover to cover, and
normally selling at £2.50 a copy, email your name and address to
merlins@btconnect.com, mention MagicWeek, and it will be sent to you free! 27.11.04
The
War Magician: The Man Who Conjured Victory in the Desert by David
Fisher has just been published in hardback by Weidenfeld & Nicolson and is
currently available from Amazon.co.uk, with 30% off for Christmas,
Click Here. "Jasper Maskelyne was a world famous magician and
illusionist in the 1930s. When war broke out, he volunteered his services
to the British Army and was sent to Egypt where the desert war had just
begun. He used his skills to save the vital port of Alexandria from German
bombers and to 'hide' the Suez Canal from them. He invented all sorts of
camouflage methods to make trucks look like tanks and vice versa. Working
for military intelligence, he put on a stage show inside the Royal Palace
in Cairo in order to locate an enemy spy's radio transmitter. On Malta he
developed 'the world's first portable holes': fake bomb craters used to
fool the Germans into thinking they had hit their targets. His war
culminated in the brilliant deception plan that won the Battle of El
Alamein: the creation of an entire dummy army in the middle of the
desert." 27.11.04
December's
Klub Magic show on the 6th at the Komedia Theatre, Brighton, features Duncan
Trillo, Tensai, The Great Desmondo (Des King & Cherry) and emcee and host
Mark Worgan (photo). This is the 16th show in the series and to date over
40 magic acts have appeared. From January 2005 the dates change to the second Wednesday in every month and are as follows: 12th January,
9th February, 9th March, 13th April, 10th May (part of the Brighton
Festival). Doors open at 6.30pm for drinks and food, and the show starts
at 8pm. Lined up already for 2005: Alan Shaxon, Roy Davenport, Keith
Cooper & Carol, Loki, Nathan Zorchak, Martyn James, Viva and Steve
Hewlett. Tickets via the box office 01273 647100 or visit
www.klubmagic.co.uk
for more information. 27.11.04
Peter
Nardi and Marc Spelmann have just returned from MindVention in Las
Vegas where they were promoting the new Marc Spelmann DVDs which are now
in stock... www.alakazam.co.uk.
(In the photo Peter Nardi, Bob Cassidy, Marc
Spelmann, Mystic Myron and Allan Nu.) Peter reports that 'The Grail' had
some of the world's finest magicians and mind readers scratching their
heads... Visit www.alakazam.co.uk
for details. 27.11.04
100
delegates attended the Order of the Magi North West Dealers Day last
Sunday, enjoying both the dealers, Ali Bongo's lecture and a performance
by Pat Page. The Magi have produced their own Christmas Cards this
year; they are available by contacting Geoffrey Newton on 0161 969 8222. 27.11.04
Competing for the Kevin Reay Trophy and £1,000 first prize at the 21st International Close-up competition today are: Adam Keisner (UK), Szabo Gabor (Hungary), Jason Ladyne (USA), Kevin Gallagher (UK), James James (UK), Hayashi (Germany), Levi (GIbraltar), Dynamo (UK), Mickey Silver (USA), Ferenc Galambos (Hungary), Seth Engstrom (Sweden), Tony Ko (Hong Kong) and Marc Oberon (UK). That's quite a line up! For more information Click Here. 27.11.04
Everybody's
Magic is reviewed this week,
Click Here •
"Magician Paul Daniels is
launching a flood awareness campaign for older people after his home was
flooded two years ago. The television celebrity is helping the Environment
Agency launch the initiative after experiencing first hand the devastating
effects of flooding." To read the full story from Bucks Free Press
Click Here
• Maths teacher is
simply… magic "For Plant Hill High School's pupils, schooldays really
are magic. Maths teacher Alex Fisher has been practising the art of
illusion for 17 years and is often to be found with performance props up
his sleeve while he patrols the school grounds. His interest was kindled
when he was a spectator at a show in London." To read the full story from
Middleton Guardian
Click Here
• That's it for this week, see you next week, Duncan. 20.11.04