Number 297 - 4th March 2006
Something
Wicked This Way Comes wins the Laurence Olivier Award for Best
Entertainment. London Theatre Guide reports: "The dashing
Derren Brown has won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment for
his extravagant West End hit Something Wicked This Way Comes. The
mind-control maestro was presented with his statuette by Michelle Collins,
who will soon be seen in the West End in Daddy Cool. This latest vehicle
for Brown's unique mixture of hypnosis, psychology and sleight of hand saw
Derren making his audience act oddly with subliminal messages and doing
things with broken bottles that looked like they really hurt." To read the
full report
Click Here. Back in May 2005
MagicWeek reported: "Something Wicked will go down in magic history
as a defining moment in the evolution of the genre" and so it will. Many
congratulations to Derren Brown, Andy Nyman, Andrew O'Connor and the
entire team on raising the bar. Derren returns to our TV screens this
Summer, and Something Wicked This Way Comes goes on tour later this
month, see What's On. The Laurence
Olivier Awards, which are presented annually by the Society of London
Theatre, are the UK's most prestigious theatre awards and the highlight of
the West End calendar. The Awards were established in 1976 to recognise
excellence in London theatre; Lord Olivier agreed to have his name
associated with them in 1984. Just in: The Rose d'Or Festival has announced that
Derren Brown: The Heist and Dirty Tricks (show one) have both
been nominated for awards this year, in the Variety category - we'll keep
you posted. 4.3.06
Blackpool
rocked! Last weekend Blackpool Magicians' Club played host to 3,500
magicians and magic fans for two and a half days of non-stop magic.
Congratulations to new British Magical Close-up Champion Will
Houston, seen here with President Arthur Casson and Olmac (2nd) and
Hayashi (3rd). The competition is reviewed by Rob James this week,
Click Here. There were plenty of highlights throughout
the weekend, but two acts
that stood out for me in the main gala show were Jerome Murat, real
theatre, very magical and beautifully crafted, and Tony Chapek, whose
'interactive media magic' with a large screen plasma TV was simply
stunning. David Copperfield touched on this 20 years ago, Marco Tempest
took it further, and Tony Chapek has taken it further still. The whole
convention was a great success and no doubt convention organiser Derek
Lever, President Arthur Casson and stage director Russell Brown (and the
entire Blackpool Magicians' Club team!) are now enjoying a
well deserved rest. Next year's dates are Friday, Saturday and Sunday,
23rd, 24th and 25th February. The registration desk opens on July 1st -
which is just a few months away...
www.blackpoolmagic.com. 4.3.06
South
Tyneside International Magic Festival 2006 - update. A few places
still remain for the two Master classes on Sunday March 19th with Docc
Hilford and David & Dania,
Click Here. The three day festival runs from March 17th - 19th
at the Little Haven Hotel in South Shields and includes lectures and
close-up sessions from world renowned magicians including Docc Hillford,
Whit Haydn, Daniel Garcia, Paul Stone, David Berglas and children's
Entertainer 'Charlie' plus evening shows starring Geoffrey Durham, Daniel
Garcia, Alec Powell, David & Dania, Docc Hillford, John Archer, and Latin
Magic.
www.southtyneside.info. 4.3.06
The Associated Wizards of the South One Day Convention
- tomorrow! Featuring lectures from Sean Carpenter, Ron Popple, Mike
Stokes and Mark Mason (photo), close-up demonstrations, dealers and gala show
starring Marc Dominic, Alec Powell, Laurie Brokenshire, Sean Carpenter,
Ron Popple and Van Buren & Co.
Doors open at 9am; official opening at 9.30am by Alan Shaxon. Tickets £20.00 on the door. Venue:
Colbury Memorial Hall, Hunters Hill (A35), Hounsdown, Totton, Southampton
SO40 7EL (Map).
For more information contact Geoffrey Gould on 023 8084 4677 or Ian
Marriott on 01794 324345
www.awsmagic.co.uk. 4.3.06
TVMagic.co.uk
have just added more exclusive new products to their site and are proud to
be the only official source for souvenir posters from Derren Brown's 2004
and 2005 live theatre tours. This is the first time the posters have been
made available and only a limited number are on offer. They also have a
very limited number of signed posters. The range of products available
from their 'Magicians Only' area has expanded, and two new ebooks by Ian
Thomson, Marketing the Impossible and Communicating with Magic,
are now available at just £5.00 each. Great value... visit
www.tvmagic.co.uk
today! 4.3.06
Paul
Stone lectures at the Watford Association of Magicians on Sunday 2nd
April at 7pm at Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire (Map).
The lecture promises to be packed solid with commercial tricks, tips,
ideas and advice, that magicians really will use. Well know and respected
as a performer and show producer for over 30 years, Paul has been
appointed talent coordinator for this year's British Ring convention in
September. If you'd like to attend the lecture contact John Wright on
01923 689152 for details. Henry Evans lectures tomorrow (Sunday, March
5th) and non-members are welcome at £10.00 each, again contact John Wright
01923 689152 for details. 4.3.06
The
Evolution of Faust, the autobiography of Granville Taylor, has just
been published in a limited edition of 250 copies. "Granville Taylor has
made use of his 14 scrapbooks and 12 photo albums to give an accurate and
detailed account of his life from 'Boy Magician' to stage assistant with
Murray and The Great Lyle, to presenting an act at the Moss Empire, to
building up a big illusion show with his own company, and achieving all
his ambitions on the other side of the world with the show he devised,
produced and directed where all the tricks and illusions fitted a story
theme in a pageant of British Magic through the ages." 276 pages (40 in
colour), with 200 photographs, A4, stapled and bound with Rexine cardboard
covers. Original flyer from the 1971 tour of Japan included with each
copy. Price £45.00 plus p&p: £6.00 UK, £14.50 airmail USA, £7.50 surface
USA. Order from: Granville Taylor, 11 Victoria Avenue, Brierfield, Nelson,
Lancashire BB9 5RH. More information: Telephone 01282 616052, email
taylormademagic@yahoo.co.uk. 4.3.06
McBride
Magic School Students Sweep Awards at the World Magic Seminar in Las
Vegas. Sterling Dietz, Jayson Morrison, and Vinny De Ponto, took the 1st,
2nd and 3rd place prizes at the teen competition at the World Magic
Seminar, just held at the Orleans Casino Hotel in Las Vegas. The World
Magic Seminar is among the largest and most prestigious of international
conventions, and is attended by many of the top names, including Siegfried
& Roy, Lance Burton, and Penn & Teller. Only two places now remain for the upcoming Jeff
McBride Masterclass to be hosted by
Kernow Magic at the Hotel St Michaels,
Falmouth, Cornwall later this month. Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger, two
of magic's most influential stars, bring their Masterclass direct from Las
Vegas to Cornwall. Call the registration line on 01326 211713 or 07866 108784
for more information.
www.magicalwisdom.com. 4.3.06
Art
Gallery to host Magic Exhibition. A York art gallery has announced it
will be hosting a unique exhibition as part of May's York Magic Festival.
The popular Tower Street gallery, The ArtSpace, opposite Clifford's Tower,
plans to exhibit work under the title of 'Sleight of Hand' and is
encouraging local artists to submit suitable pieces (call 01904 671709 or
07973653702). Themes of deception and illusion will be examined in the
exhibition and gallery owners Ails Denholm and Greg McGee want to hear
from artists who produce work around those ideas. Taking place from the
18th to 21st May, the York Magic Festival will celebrate one of the
world's oldest performance arts with venues across the city getting
involved.
www.yorkmagicfestival.com. 4.3.06
Escapologist
Tom Lyon makes another appearance on Blue Peter on Monday at 5pm on
BBC1 performing an Egypt-themed escape.
www.thelockkeeper.co.uk. 4.3.06
Mandy's
Magic Monday. Mandy Muden is staging an evening of comedy and variety
as a fund raising night at the King's Head Fringe Theatre on Monday.
Starring Chris Lynam, Earl Okin, Sue Vincent, Angie Brown and Beverley
Davison, with emcee Mandy Muden. King's Head Theatre Club, 115 Upper
Street, Islington, London N1 1QN (Map).
Bookings 0207 226 1916 Tickets £10/£8concessions. (There is an optional £10
donation when booking but please be advised that this is optional). This
will be a great show with comedy, magic, music and much more...
www.mandymudenmagic.com. 4.3.06
The
School of Busking. Mario Morris is planning to run a three day 'School
of Busking' course designed to develop your skills as a street performer,
from June 30th to July 2nd in Cardiff. The course will cover: Character,
Using your Props, Putting a street show together, How to attract a crowd,
Entertaining a crowd, How to keep a crowd and Passing the hat. For more
information contact Mario on 029 20311 554 or 0781 6923261. 4.3.06
The
Insect Circus plays Hoxton Hall, Hoxton Street, London W1 from March
17th - 19th. "My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome one and all to our
fabulous Insect Circus!" The Insect Circus is a variety show without
parallel. Ten performers, including trapeze artists, a contortionist and a
knife thrower, are featured in an uproarious cabaret performance that
brings the Museum to life.
www.insectcircus.co.uk
www.hoxtonhall.co.uk. 4.3.06
Flea Circus History. Andy Clark emails: "I am researching the history of Flea Circuses in the UK and wondered if any of your readers might have any anecdotes or records of flea circuses they have visited?" If you can help please make contact via: www.fleacircus.co.uk. 4.3.06
Auction Night at the Ace Magic Circle: Wednesday 8th March, St. Mary's Parochial Club, Trent Road, Billinge, near Wigan, Lancashire WN5 7QT at 8pm with access for sellers from around 7.15pm. Door charge for non-members £2.00 (£1.00 junior). 10% commission charged to all sellers. 4.3.06
Andy Nyman stars in Shut Up and Shoot Me which is being screened at the Bradford Film Festival on March 7th Click Here • Freddie Wilkinson reviews vocal/illusion act Vizage this week, see Reviews • "How I made my magic short film" Click Here • "Inside the mind of the magician - Copperfield shares his thoughts but not his secrets" Click Here • "Kreskin predicts you'll read this story" Click Here • That's about it for this week, your news is always welcomed, see you next week, Duncan. 4.3.06