Number 251 - 16th April 2005
Derren
Brown's Something Wicked This Way Comes comes to the Cambridge
Theatre in the heart of London's West End for a limited run at the end of
May. Billed as a "powerful and darkly disturbing two-hour fusion of magic,
suggestion, psychology and misdirection" this is the show that is
currently on tour across the UK. Directed by Andy Nyman, designed by Will
Bowen, with lighting by Nick Richings. The show is presented by Michael
Vine, Andrew O'Connor and David Walker for Objective Productions. 31st May
- 18th June. Cambridge Theatre, Earlham Street, London WC2H 9HU. "Derren's
a sell-out success - but he'll be back"
Click Here. 16.4.05
ChildrensPartyShows.co.uk
- The UK Directory of Children's Party Show Entertainers, launched on July
1st 2004, has really taken off. Here's some recent feedback: "Many thanks!
I can't believe it. The entry had been up and running only a matter of
hours when I had my first booking from it. And it's a good one. Congrats
and thanks. Take this as an unsolicited recommendation." Myster Yaffe
8.4.05 "Following the inclusion of my advertisement on your website a week
ago, I am very pleased to say I have received FOUR enquiries already all
of which I am at the final stages of confirming." Darren (MagicWorks)
16.3.05 "I have seen a 50% increase in direct bookings." Brekk 3.3.05 "Due
to the overwhelming response we have received, please ensure that you
contact us when the advert subscription period expires so we can renew it.
It has made our advert in Yell.com look like a complete waste of money." Bob Riley (Mr Custard) 1.2.05. The site was designed to be
very user friendly, and, of course, generate new business for its
advertisers. For more information visit
www.childrenspartyshows.co.uk. From the makers of MagicWeek. 16.4.05
Extraordinary
Exhibitions: The Wonderful Remains of an Enormous Head, The
Whimsiphusicon and Death to the Savage Unitarians is the title of
Ricky Jay's latest offering, to be published next month by The Quantuck
Lane Press. "An informal history of sensational, scientific, silly and
startling attractions based on 17th, 18th and 19th Century Broadsides from
the collection of Ricky Jay. With some observations on the convention of
promoting such appearances, and digressions on the manner and method of
printing advertisements to do so, and with insight into the psychology
employed to that end. All compiled in a monograph that is itself a
shameless attempt to entertain and elucidate." Hardcover, 176 pages. To
pre-order from Amazon.co.uk for £24.04
Click Here. Ricky Jay can be seen on the X Files this week, see
TV Magic. 16.4.05
Seven
magicians made it through to The Magic Circle Young Magician of the
Year finals when the initial heat was held on April 3rd. They are: Sam Clarke, Steve Dela, Henry Lewis, Darren
MacDonald, James More, Joe Ray and Jonathan Shotton. Twenty magicians from
across the country competed in total. The final takes place at The Magic Circle HQ
on Sunday 17th July, and the box office (telephone 020 7387 2222) opens on
April 25th. Winners in the past have often gone on to enjoy very successful
careers in magic.
www.themagiccircle.co.uk. 16.4.05
TV
Magic's latest free downloadable interview is available now
at
www.tvmagic.co.uk
featuring leading UK TV magician Marc Paul, seen on Parkinson,
Undercover Magic, Paul Daniels' Secrets, Magic and his
own series Marc Paul's Mindgames. The 'magicians only' area of the
website also has details of its latest worldwide exclusive release -
Anthony Owen's new ebook Some More Tricks, the follow up to
Anthony's acclaimed release Some Tricks. Visit:
www.tvmagic.co.uk 16.4.05
Congratulations
to Dan Gifford, winner of the Leicester Magic Circle Roy Johnson
Close-Up Competition on March 21st for a second time. Dan began by
producing a bottle opener, bottle and glass of liquid from an empty paper
bag, continued with a 'coin in bottle' routine and finished by reading the
minds of four spectators who were thinking of cards - with a little help
from his friend 'Psychic Bob' at the other end of a mobile phone! Magic
Judge Mike Gancia said "This is one of the best close-up club competitions
I've seen. It was very close, but if you look at the modern trends of
magic, particularly corporate entertainment, then there was one person who
edged ahead and that was Dan Gifford"
www.dangifford.com. 16.4.05
Award
winning Canadian documentary filmmaker, Peter Shatalow kindly sent
through a copy of his Street Theatre DVD last week. The disc features live
performance segments and commentary from Alakazam, Jeff Collins, The
Flaming Butterflies, Gazzo, The Coadster, Silver Elvis, Taxi Trix,
Chalkmaster Dave, The Silly People, Michael O'Neil, The Jim Show, Master
Lee, Bernadette et Rita, DynaMike, Stitch, Trulee Odd, Aytahn, The
Cowguys, Jeff Hill, Aidan Orange, Daisy and Derrick and The Fire Guy.
Magicians will of course instantly jump forward to see Gazzo's performance
(very good too) and to hear his thoughts on busking, but users will learn
from many of the artistes on this disc. With a running time of 100 minutes
it also represents excellent value at around £17.00. I thoroughly enjoyed
it. For more information, to order online, or see a clip, visit:
www.shatalow.com. 16.4.05
There will be a special stand selling lightly used magic and books
at the Peterborough 17th Annual Sale, Exchange & Lecture Day on April 24th
to help raise money to send entertainers to Thailand following the Tsunami
disaster. Venue: Millfield Community Centre, Lincoln Road, Peterborough.
Date: Sunday April 24th, from 10am to 5pm. Admission £9 (£10 on the door)
£4.50 under 16s and partners (£5 on the door). With lectures from Poz
(photo) and
Sean Carpenter and workshops with Al Smith. To book send payment together
with an SAE to Keith Downs, 77 Eastgate, Deeping St. James, Peterborough
PE6 8HH. Telephone 01778 343167. 16.4.05
Derby
Magic Circle held their annual Stage Competition on Friday April 8th
2005 at The Guildhall Theatre, Derby, and for a fourth consecutive year
member Stuart Brown won with Steve Price being placed second. The evening
was emceed by Ron Betteridge and the magical judge was Gordon Collins.
Stuart's award winning act included card manipulations, a dancing
handkerchief routine and a confetti filled rainbow streamer production.
www.derbymagiccircle.co.uk. 16.4.05
Magician
Mark Parker can be seen here with snooker stars Willie Thorne, Dennis
Taylor and John Virgo at Southampton FC last week. The four arrived in
style in a stretch limousine for a charity fund raising evening in aid of
the Wessex Cancer
Trust. Mark presented close-up magic and the three snooker pros a
demonstration of trick shots. Over £20,000 was raised. 16.4.05
Congratulations
to Will Gray on winning the Northern Magic Circle Vice President's
Close-up trophy on Sunday 27th March in Ilkley, North Yorkshire. Will
represented the Leicester Magic Circle who are affiliated to the Northern
Magic Circle.
www.willgray.co.uk. 16.4.05
Sold
out at Blackpool - in stock at MagicTricks.co.uk. Dr Keelan Leyser's Leyser 2020. Here's one of
the many possible effects: "Two envelopes are shown. A £10 note is placed in
one and a piece of paper with 'loser' written on it, placed in the other
while you are not watching. The envelopes are mixed, yet you instantly
know the one with the £10 note, even when blindfolded!" Visit
www.magictricks.co.uk for more information and to see a video clip. 16.4.05
The Care & Share Balloon Jam/Workshop
being organised by Graham Lee at the
Qualatex Headquarters in Bishops Stortford is just a few days away now (Wednesday 20th April, 12noon
- 9pm). The day is aimed at the experienced balloon artiste and there is no charge, but participants are expected to demonstrate
some of their own work. Sponsored by Qualatex. For more
information contact Graham Lee:
grahamleesmagic@blueyonder.co.uk 16.4.05
John Martin The Master Magical Mechanic A Genius at Work, by Granville Taylor (Faust the Magician) has just been published in a limited edition of 250 copies, signed and numbered by the author. The book has over 100 A4 pages, 100 colour photographs and 10 detailed workshop plans, featuring some of the Martin replicas made by Granville Taylor, with an introduction by Professor Edwin A Dawes and a preface by Peter Diamond. Price £60.00 plus delivery. For more information and a flyer email taylormademagic@yahoo.co.uk. 16.4.05
"British magician Paul Daniels will fill in at Harrah's Las
Vegas during Mac King's vacation"
Click Here • Tony Griffith's next Creative
Magic Lecture/Teach-in to be held at his home in Bristol on Sunday 10th
July is nearly sold out (12 places in total). For details contact Tony
Griffith, telephone 01275 837017, email
tony@tonygriffith.co.uk • The
Ipswich Magical Society host a regional list of all UK based Magical
Societies and welcome updates/logos at any time, email
secretary@ipswichmagicalsociety.co.uk • The 9th British Close-up
Magic Symposium was a great success - Tony Griffith reports this week,
Click
Here • Mark
Worgan recently appeared on the Paul O'Grady show, live, doing three
tricks in three minutes with a five year old boy who was "the magician"
Mark performed a Comedy Funnel routine, George Kovari's Head Twister and
his own Guillotine, on Paul O'Grady • After a number of requests from
people who purchased his DVD, Magic's Biggest Secret, illusionist
Russ Stevens has obtained a limited number of Motorised Reels as featured
in his presentation of The Victory Carton Illusion on the disc. For
details visit
www.rsvpmagic.com • "Youngsters cast a spell on judges"
Click Here • "With the help of £74,000 lottery money, magician
Stuart Nolan is researching how tricks might be used to help in the
classroom."
Click Here • "Sleight of Hand, Slight of Stature"
Click Here • "Retail success is magic"
Click
Here • That's it! See you next week, Duncan. 16.4.05