Number 504 - 20th February 2010

 

South Tyneside International Magic Festival 2010. Friday 12th – Sunday 14th March, The Customs House, South Shields. "South Tyneside Council and Martin Duffy, past President of the Newcastle Magic Circle, supported by Magicbox have put together a fantastic line-up for the 2010 International Magic Convention. The South Tyneside Festival burst onto the Magic Convention scene seven years ago and in that short time is now one of the most talked about conventions in the UK! The three-day convention is a must for magic enthusiasts everywhere with an enthralling mix of top magicians from around the globe..." Visit www.southtyneside.info/magicfestival for the latest updates and to register. 20.2.10

 

Best of British Variety Tour 2010. The Krankies, Paul Daniels, the Grumbleweeds, Dana, Syd Little and special guest host Christopher Biggins go on tour later this year - see What's On for dates and booking information. Paul Daniels discussed personal finance in the Telegraph last week in a piece that included some sage advice Click Here. "In my younger days I threw caution to the wind when it came to cars and I regret that now. I bought some expensive Ferraris and Bentleys, but I got rid of my last Bentley four years ago. It cost me around £150,000 in 2001 and I sold it four years later for around £30,000. A fabulous touring car, but what a waste of money. I don't need status symbols anymore so I drive a Prius." 20.2.10

 

Magic Night goes to Vegas! "Magic Night enters its fourth year in March and to celebrate we're going to Vegas, with glamour, a mythical animal, poker and the best box trick ever! Piff, the dragon with attitude, will be slicing his singing girl in a box, Lee Hathaway will play poker with your mind, and Wes, the comic prop meister all the way from the USA will take you on an hilarious comic journey. But Magic Night Vegas style would not be complete without the King, so, yes, we have Elvis, and in a way you would never have dreamed of! Not forgetting our MC, the mighty sorcerer; Magic Neil (or Neil Henry as he is more commonly known to the council tax people.)" Friday 5th March. Doors open at 7.00pm, Show starts at 7.45pm, Tickets £10 or supper and show ticket: show ticket plus dinner for two: £40. Tickets can be bought at Ticket Web www.ticketweb.co.uk or www.lastminute.com Madame JoJo’s, 8-10 Brewer Street, London W1F 0SP (Map) 020 7734 3040 www.magicnight.co.uk. 20.2.10

 

The Gellers appear on All Star Family Fortunes at 5.45pm today (Saturday 20th February) on ITV1. Former Atomic Kitten star Liz McClarnon and family battle it out against Uri Geller and family in a bid to win money for charity. The McClarnons are playing for Liverpool-based charity RASA, while the Gellers are supporting the Red Cross. Hosted by Vernon Kay. "Uri mind trick led to arrest" Click Here, "Me and my school photo: Uri Geller remembers bombs, curfews and shootings in Cyprus" Click Here, "Spoon-bender Uri Geller takes legal action in Belfast" Click Here. 20.2.10

 

Blackpool Blog - The team of Matt Parro, Stuart Harley, Geoff Hunt and Max Curd want your views on the Blackpool Magic Convention. With continuous updates of news, reviews, videos, audio and tweets make sure you're part of the conversation via www.magicbloggers.co.uk (the cards in the photos individually read "We - Want - Your - Views"). 20.2.10

 

Mind2Magic is the name of the website featuring the magical creations of John Vincent, and 2010 has got off to a flying start with the release of TimeZone: a three-phase mental routine with a borrowed watch, and The 4th Key: a pocket sized book test. These two new products are published by Alakazam Magic and are the first of many exciting releases due from Mind2Magic this year. Visit www.mind2magic.com to find out more about TimeZone and The 4th Key. 20.2.10

 

Kimmo and Practical Magic invade Scotland! Ace Performers are proud hosts of the Kimmo Lecture and Practical Magic Dealer Demonstration on Thursday 8th April at 7.30 pm (Doors 7pm). The venue is St. Margaret's Church Hall, 96 Hall Craig Street, Airdrie ML6 6AW. "Guaranteed to be a massive night and certainly one not to be missed!" Entry is free for members and only £10.00 for non-members. For more information contact Gary Dunn on 07710 988814 or email garydunn@mac.com. 20.2.10

 

"New and clever ideas" Peter Roberts, will be offering some new and clever ideas when he lectures at the HQ of Blackpool Magicians’ Club on Tuesday, 9th March. Doors open at 7pm and the lecture starts at 8pm. An award winning performer, Peter, who is the 2010 President of the Manchester Circle of Magicians, is well known for presenting magic in an entertaining way so there will be something for everyone in this lecture. As usual, entry is free to all members and associates of the Blackpool Magicians’ Club. Details of membership and associate membership (which is only £25 a year) can be obtained from the club website www.blackpoolmagic.com. 20.2.10

 

Henry Evans, FISM World Champion (Cards, 2000), will be lecturing at The Leamington and Warwick Magic Society on 24th February 7.30pm for 8.00pm. Visiting Magicians welcome for a guest fee - call President Keith Pearson on 024 7645 0683 for details. 20.2.10

 

Magicality - first prize winners, Showzam 2010. Last Saturday 'Magicality' took part in Showzam's Talent Show at the Globe Theatre, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, competing against 13 other acts including singers, dancers, and comedians. Pleasure Beach owner Amanda Thompson, Jamie Rae, Singer Kevin Simm, Choreographer Dugie Squires and Radio Wave Presenter Andy Mitchell judged. Magicality (Rick Green and Becci Pearson) were the first on, but they ended up coming out on top by winning The Big Showzam Talent Show Trophy, presented by Amanda Thompson. The prize also included the chance to perform at Showzam Central and also the opportunity to have a make over and photo shoot by Stageworks. For more information on Magicality visit www.magicality.co.uk. 20.2.10

 

Mark Worgan sets off for Texas on February 25th to perform and lecture in San Antonio and to lecture in Dallas, and hopes to add a few dates along the way. He can then be seen here in the UK compering for the AWS Centenary Convention before leaving for Bangkok to join the Nautica, sailing to Mumbai performing comedy and close-up magic www.markworgan.co.uk. 20.2.10

 

Ghost Stories. Following its Liverpool opening, 'Ghost Stories' hits London playing at the Lyric Hammersmith from 24th February to 3rd April. Phenomenal reviews and a totally sold out run have made this a hot ticket - book via: www.lyric.co.uk "A perfectly constructed piece of theatre... mixing fairground ride tricks with psychological warfare and a vicious dark humour." Daily Post. "[The play] culminates into a sensational, genuinely unsettling climax." Click Liverpool. 20.2.10

 

Eldin in top 25% The Public Lending Right figures for 2008/9 have just been released and once again Peter Eldin’s books are among the top 25% of borrowings from public libraries in the United Kingdom. This is remarkable because Peter specialises in non-fiction for children and the majority of books appearing in the Public Lending Right figures are fiction for adults. Magicians know of him for his books on magic and his contributions to The Magic Circular, Abracadabra and other magic magazines but magic is a very small part of his output. He has also written books on Cats, Transport, Trees, Puzzles, Jokes, Gardening, Mysteries and many other subjects. Name almost any subject and Peter has probably written about it! Peter is a successful freelance writer with several best-selling books to his credit. His success is undoubtedly due to the fact that he has a rapport with children and knows instinctively what they will like. He does not talk down to his readers but still manages to import factual material that is interesting and informative in a way that children of all ages can understand. He also writes for adults. 20.2.10

 

The 3SM held its second annual close up competition on Monday February 8th. An audience of over 100 were thrilled with the razzle and dazzle of nine competitors, filling two rooms. Competing: Phil Slater (Pip), Max Francis, Russell Leeds, Jason Hill, Damon Conian, Dave Stevenson, Craig Davies, Ed Sumner and Dean Brindley. Professional magician and entertainer Aaron Hayes from Liverpool, accompanied by two laymen, judged. The overall winner was Dave Stevenson and the best amateur award went to Damon Conian. The evening was a great success. The club is in its second year and already has a large membership featuring both amateurs and professionals. Photo L to R: Jonte Sparrow (host room one), Damon Conin winner (winner - 'amateur'), Ian McGarva (club president), Dave Stevenson (overall winner), Paul Evans (host room two). 20.2.10

 

Northampton Magicians Club held its annual close up competition on 16th February: "As expected it was strongly contested with some really high quality exhibitions of close-up magic. After much consideration the judges awarded the first place and trophy to Graham Sargeant (photo) whose routine included a close-up card stab and finger ring on to chain effect. Congratulations also to David Miller who collected the award for best trick for his gold fish production." 20.2.10

 

Henry Smith MIMC is remembered by Ian Adair, Click Here. 20.2.10

 

The Illusionist. "An aging French magician who is a dead ringer for Jacques Tati uses sleight-of-hand to give a clueless Scottish girl a poetic assist toward adulthood in The Illusionist..." Click Here "The Illusionist has lasting effect on Edinburgh" Click Here • "Magician replicates century-old Houdini stunt" Click Here • "Kylie Minogue poses as a magician's assistant and gets sawed into sexy quarters" Click Here • Ian Rowland's 'Magic Is Real' Haiti benefit show raised £4,871 for Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti • '35 Really Useful Card Sleights' DVD from Paul Gordon is reviewed by Al Smith this week, Click Here • "Final Page turns as Pat Page - the 'magician's magician' - completes his last trick" Click Here • Your UK magic news is always welcome - see you next week, Duncan. 20.2.10

 

Back

 

© www.magicweek.co.uk