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73rd British Ring IBM Convention
23rd - 27th September 2009, Southport
Update 15, August 2009
Bob Hayden, British Ring PRO
Completing
the line up of those performing in the International Close-up is Henry Mayol
(photo). Henry is a big specialist in Close-up; his magic is simple, effective
and completely unique to him. He is the complete professional artiste who always
works with elegance, humour and poetry. He keeps surprising his audience with
his never ending innovation capacity making him one of the cleverest creators of
his generation. He will also be delivering a lecture, his experience making him
an invaluable teacher in the magic community. He has also marketed many tricks
and is the author of many works intended for professional magicians. You will be
stimulated by the work of Henry Mayol and gain some new approaches to close-up
magic from his lecture.
From the very first British Ring Convention held in Cheltenham in 1931 a show
devised for the children of the host town has always been included in the
programme of events. Although admission to the show is not included in the
registration many of the Conventioneers like to attend the show and purchase a
ticket. Previously the number of seats available has been limited due to the
size of the venue and we have asked those wishing to attend to occupy the rear
seats leaving those in the front for the children and their accompanying adults.
This year Children’s Showtime is being staged in the Southport Theatre with
ample space available. However if you do go please don’t bag the front seats.
The show this year has been devised and being produced by Clive Moore,
who has assembled a strong and varied magical programme. Clive has experience in
devising shows for children having been responsible for a similar kiddies show
at the last two Northern Magic Circle annual convention.
Clive and Jean Ellison as Clivo and Jeani will be hosting the show. Over
the past 30 years they have performed their magical clown act throughout the
country from private parties in homes to large theatres picking up many awards
for their work along the way one of which is The Lady Diana Award for their work
with children’s charities.
And who will they be introducing? First there is Doug Gregg with his
incredible wizardry. From an age of being six years old, for Doug magic has
always been an involvement in his life. Following his success in winning with
his colourful stage magic act ‘The Cock of the North’ award at the Leeds Magic
Circle’s Northern Convention in1969 and the ‘Alistair wand’ in the British Ring
stage competition in the same year he became the support act to many of the
leading variety stars. In later years Doug has specialised in children’s
entertainment and close-up magic and currently his work is directed solely to
Cruise ships where he is employed as the children’s entertainer.
John Kimmons is the Magical Ventriloquist and has been performing
professionally for over 25 years delighting family audiences with his unique
blend of magic, comedy and ventriloquism. He is the first ever children’s
entertainer to pick up the prestigious Ken Dodd award for Comedy and was awarded
the title of ‘Children’s Entertainer World Champion in 2008 in Blackpool. John’s
show moves at a lightening pace and is packed with stunning magic and
ventriloquism routines. And you never know you may even get a sample of his
extraordinary balloon modelling (he can do dolphins!).
With their illusion act based upon sibling rivalry, High Jinx (Michael
and Siobhan Jordan) are an award winning Brother and Sister duo. T hey started
working together in 2004 when they created an illusion act for the Young
magicians Club stage competition which they won. Since then they have continued
to build on that act which they have performed not only at the massive Blackpool
Opera House but for the delegates attending the Convention of the Society of
American Magicians in Boston. In 2007 their act won the British Ring Shield in
the stage competition. Michael at eighteen years old is already an accomplished
Magician, Unicyclist, Juggler, Illusionist, Fire Eater and Guitarist. Siobhan is
a brilliant actress and has appeared in a number of productions of the
Huddersfield Thespians, a very proficient cornet player (a member of Halifax
Concert band) as well as an excellent Illusionist and Magician. Both are members
of The Magic Circle. Earlier this year they toured for Bourne Leisure, appeared
at the Buxton Fringe Show and the Avalanche Dodgers Summer Spectacular plus an
appearance with Thomas the Tank Engine.
Closing the show is Richard Cadell with the country’s most beloved puppet
Sooty. For nine years Richard has been the hand of Sooty taking over from
Matthew Corbett when he retired in 2000. Sooty will of course be accompanied by
Sweep and Soo and Richard is planning to use the background of the original set
of houses of Harry Corbett, Sooty’s creator, in the early black and white TV
programmes. For the past eight years Richard has been Sooty’s presenter, during
which period he has updated the gang for a new younger generation with a new
look TV series with them running the “Sooty Heights” hotel. A brand new TV
series is in development where the emphasis is going back to the early
inspirations of Harry and Matthew Corbett. This is not the first time Sooty has
appeared at a British Ring Convention. In the Gala Show of the 1955 Convention
one of the acts appearing was none other than Sooty with Harry Corbett. How many
of you were at that Southport Convention and can remember seeing them?
As at every Children’s Showtime outside the Theatre will be the colourful giggle
of IBM Clowns to welcome the children as they arrive with a host of zany
antics to ensure that they immediately have the time of their lives. Likewise
they will still be there as they leave to say goodbye and wish them a safe
journey home.
Tickets at for the show £8 for adults and £6 for children can be obtained from
the Southport Theatre Box Office.
Julie llusion has made a great choice of Speaker for the Ladies Afternoon
on Friday. It will be theatrical impresario Duggie Chapman MBE who will
be giving his film show/talk ‘From Musical to Variety’. He started in
show business 60 years ago and is one of the UK’s leading promoters specialising
in the art of music hall, variety and traditional pantomime. His star studded
shows play to packed houses throughout the UK year after year. Duggie has
recently been awarded the MBE for his services to Light Entertainment in the
Queen’s birthday honours. In his talk he will be recalling some of the great
variety stars in a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Duggie’s love of the Music
hall is evident in his excellent narrative which he includes before each film
clip. After reading about Duggie’s impending talk in the Budget it has come to
the attention of the convention organising committee that many male
Conventioneers are so anxious to attend this presentation that they are prepared
to become cross dressers in a frantic attempt to do so. Don’t try it chaps as
the stewards will deny you access. The afternoon starts at 2.00pm prompt in the
Lakeside Suite of the Floral Hall with tea being served at 2.15pm. Ladies ensure
that your partner applies for your ticket when he makes his and your
registration.
Remember the Convention starts in just over a month’s time so there is still
time to make your registration and join your fellow wizards for four days of
watching and learning from some of the worlds headline magicians who will be
there whose magic and advice will stimulate you and encourage you to raise the
standard of your own performance and at the same time of having the opportunity
to socialising with one another.
Bob Hayden, British Ring PRO, August 2009. www.britishring.org.uk