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The Northern Magic Circle
Convention 2015
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th April
Harrogate
Reported by Donald Bevan
A buzz of excitement in Harrogate. The reason? The Northern Magic Circle produced, for the fourth time in a row, the winner(s) of The Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year in London. Not only that, but Leah Mae Devine and sister Sarah Jade created magical history by being the first ever female winners of the title. Their mum Su Jayne, herself steeped in magic from a very early age was visibly proud and delighted.
Last year the Northern Magic Circle returned to the delightful Yorkshire spa
town of Harrogate with a small but thoroughly enjoyable convention, housed in
the elegant Harrogate Theatre. The medicine was repeated this year but with an
even greater dosage of quality entertaining magic. This ranged from strong card
effects, baffling mentalism, an abundance of comedy and stunning illusions. Even
performing fleas were included in the fare!
I.B.M. British Ring No. 25 President Alan Astra and N.M.C. President John
Russell formally opened the convention early Saturday morning, before Wayne
Goodman introduced the Close-up Gala. Steve Gore, with likeable personality,
ignored the ‘close-up’ agenda and produced entertaining and baffling mentalism
with a book test, played pontoon and poker with a spectator – and won; he closed
strongly showing how he premonitions dreams. New to me was mentalist Kennedy, a
really striking performer who defined names and places, did a brilliant Card at
Any Number presentation and other effects in a highly entertaining set. Yes, I
too wondered why two mental acts. No matter, they were so different. To close,
Wayne Goodman mixed skill and comedy with personality to produce a string of
card routines and a neat comedy twist on Flying Ring.
During the weekend both Wayne and Kennedy were featured as lecturers. Wayne
involved in a Workshop for Juniors, teaching card handling etc. and Kennedy with
an intriguing assortment of routines, features a clever twist on Just Chance
involving only two envelopes (a real stunner) and explanation of his previously
seen ACAAN routine – this alone enough to make you give up drink!
Other lecturers, who sadly I missed, were Andrew Normansell, but having seen him
elsewhere know his material is strong and entertaining, and Andrew Green whose
experience as an illusionist and theatrical artiste must have been educational.
Two lecturers I did get to see (this was a packed, value for money programme!)
were Shirley Ray whose expertise in designing and executing fabulous balloon
characters and novelties is incredible, and Hallowe’en specialist Michael
Diamond. Shirley’s lecture was packed with details, not only of how to construct
various balloon models but also priceless tips on handling, choosing colours and
overcoming problems. Michael Diamond offered the ‘darker side’ of children’s
magic, adapting many standard props to the Hallowe’en theme e.g. Run Rabbit Run
becomes Vampire Run and other routines involved witches, skulls, spiders and
other entertaining scaries.
Under the banner ‘History of Mystery’ Jon Marshall regaled us with details of
fleas! Through PowerPoint we saw pictures of fleas and learned the origin of the
Flea Circus and how ‘Professors’ of the day (1700s to 20th century!) obtained
and ‘trained’ fleas to perform miraculous acrobatic and other stunts. Finally,
showman Jon presented his own Flea Circus (beautifully constructed incidentally
by Danny Hunt), showing flea’s tightrope walking, driving a car, climbing a
ladder, and diving into a tub of water. Applause from the ‘crowd’ was loud and
long!
Last year Derek Lever and Mike Sheppard conducted a marathon auction, proceeds
to the N.M.C. Junior Section. They repeated the exercise this year with a
variety of props, books, novelties and ‘bargain parcels’. Except this time they
switched rôles with Mike as auctioneer and Derek adding caustic comment! Bidding
was slow and low to start but picked up to, hopefully, good results. Anne Lever
controlled the cash, Chris Sheppard and several more did the running.
A feature of Saturday afternoon was Children’s Showtime, organised and
hosted by Clive Moore who as Clivo the Clown paced the show with funny lines and
the odd trick. The opener was Derby magician Y-Not, and why not indeed as Road
Signs changed direction, the children had an ABC lesson; with the assistance of
two volunteers cards travelled from packet to packet, until frolics in the
farmyard had the children screaming.
Godfrey Shackleton, a N.M.C. stalwart over many years, appeared as Harlequin
with a string of energetic routines involving a puppet bear, a misbehaving
cut-out rabbit and a recalcitrant silver wand. All with energetic presentation
and laughs the youngsters loved. One very young man, on stage to assist, left
with an abundance of ‘gifts’ he could just about carry!
A silent, colourful miscellany of silks, ropes, flowers, ribbons and mini
parasols came from Jeanie, who moved from one effect to another with ease. It
was good to see many effects from yesterday’s dealers on display.
Dazzling Darren, a former N.M.C. Junior, now a professional entertainer, closed
the show brilliantly. He quickly endeared himself to the children with an
entertaining mix, including a DVD vanish a la Die Box, Magic Painting, and
hilarious twist on the instructional Bandana routine. Darren’s self levitation
using a cardboard box drew spontaneous applause from the youthful audience.
Moving props on and off for this and other shows were Stage Director Neil Roberts, Graham Colvan ASM, resident theatre crew Maurice and Mark, with Sheriton Swan (ex-Junior) on sound. Elizabeth Hebdon was in charge of the camera in the lecture studio. Most missing out on many aspects of the convention. So well done the crew!
Between events there was time to visit the dealers: Mapro Magic, Merlins of
Wakefield, Illusioncraft, Andrew Normansell, Adrian Sullivan.
The Juniors Shine
Saturday evening was given over to the N.M.C. Juniors’ competition and show –
almost twenty of them! First the competition, with five entries. Cameron
Glenwright went ‘mental’, his final prediction of several audience-selected
items being revealed on a ten-feet long scroll, sealed in a plastic tube,
ensconced in a box in full view throughout the act. A clean, competent
presentation.
Ross McLane pulled comedy from being handcuffed and his jacket coming off whilst
still secured; except it did so in hilarious stages! A neatly presented rope
routine and T&R Newspaper were also featured.
Taylor Nicou was a diminutive 10-year old boy who started quietly producing
silks from a small box but soon had the audience busy laughing at gags and
asides. Me too, so busy I forgot to note what other magic he did, but it was
good as we were to learn later.
Joseph Mein produced a bottle from a drawing and involved members of the
audience in a card routine.
Finally, Julian Gibson did a lengthy spot, including a card transpo between
mouths with a spectator (not popular with the spectator nor the audience),
Ambitious Card and Card in Shoe. With direction on timing and more punch he
could be on the way to becoming a good performer.
Following the competition Su Jayne announced the winners and President John
Russell presented the trophy prizes. First place to Cameron Glenwright. Second
place and also the Comedy Award to Taylor Nicou. In addition The Cliff Lount
Dealers’ Award went to Merlins of Wakefield for Best Display; The Eric Bland
Trophy for best Northern Lights contribution to Stephanie Clarke, and the
President’s Personal Award for outstanding support to his year, to Su Jayne.
Membership awards for 25 and 35 years were also announced.
Each year the Juniors mount their own concerted show, usually to a particular
theme. This year the theme was ‘Movie Magic’ or rather its music. I lost count
of actual effects performed and gave up trying to write in the darkened theatre.
Suffice to say these youngsters tackled anything from Torn and Restored
whatever, through comedy, dramatics, productions, vanishes, manipulation – name
it, they probably did it in a speedy production, produced under none-tooeasy
conditions by Su Jayne and helpers. The programme even included illusions! With
music fitting the themes, the films included Pirates of the Caribbean, Mary
Poppins, Oliver, Sherlock, Phantom of the Opera and several more. Good fun, good
magic and incredible enthusiasm and confidence from these young magicians. Well
done everyone.
The Gala Show
If producers Danny Hunt and Su Jayne had any doubts on paper that this was to be
a successful show, they were quelled in practice. All right, perhaps an overload
of comedy and illusions, but this was a visual stage show everyone in the
auditorium could see!
Wayne Goodman compèred with verve, control and even the odd trick, including a prop he bought at auction earlier in the day and gifted to a volunteer spectator! The opener was an attractive troupe of girls, Phoenix Fire Girls, in energetic dance whilst twirling fire batons.
The first magic came from late-teens Elizabeth Rogan, who with style and humour
diminished cards and restored the cut string of a floating balloon (Gypsy
Thread) among others in an entertaining act.
Mentalist Kennedy showed high skills in presentation and timing as what appeared
to be a standard Tossed Out Deck theme – wasn’t! Even better was to come when
words written on cards by audience members had one chosen by an assisting
spectator which Kennedy was to divine under difficult circumstances. This word
he eventually wrote on a board – except it was wrong! Disaster? No, triumph as
in a neat twist Kennedy was proved one hundred per cent correct!
Comedy next, a laugh-a-second from Mark James with strings of funny lines and
action, juggling supermarket plastic bags (!) and surviving a strait-jacket
escape with loads of laughs on the way.
Andrew Green and company merged illusions and varied gyrations in a fast-moving
act. An effective Shadow Cabinet revealed not one but two girls; a Sub. Trunk
presentation was different in that the trunk was clear plastic and a cabinet
penetrated by numerous triangular tubes looked impossible with a girl inside.
The only downside for me was Knife Thru Arm, the full gory slicing with blood.
Hardly fare for a family audience!
After an Interval, N.M.C. President John Russell and his Lady Sheila passed
their regalia to incoming President Danny Hunt and his Lady Stephanie, along
with short words of appraisal.
The Magic Circle prize-winning act of Leah Mae and Sarah Jade as Destiny came
next. Speedy cabinet production of Sarah Jade to open, followed by penetrating
and vanishing her in another cabinet using see-through tunnels. A sequence of
Linking Rings was artistic before the girls performed a speedy version of Robert
Harbin’s Assistant’s Revenge, with fast transposition. These girls, both trained
dancers, know how to move and to ‘dress’ their magic. Excellent.
The next act Dr. Diablo (really Michael Diamond!) was a mix of spectacle, comedy
and daring. First fire-eating and juggling with flaming torches, then
penetrating his nose with a long nail, before repeating the exercise with an
electric drill. The squeamish sank in their seats! Finally he stood on an
examined Bed of Nails, including holding a boy from the audience in his arms for
added ballast. Despite the ‘cringing’ effect, Dr. Diablo was entertaining.
Penultimate to the closing act, Wayne Goodman did his own spot with virtually
one trick – a dramatically hilarious version of Alan Alan’s Sharpshooter effect,
where a chosen card is penetrated by a bullet from a pistol – except Wayne
appears to shoot at a volunteer assistant who innocently chose a Jumbo card from
a deck and was subjected to all kinds of mayhem. Pure comedy, pure theatre.
Finally, more spectacular illusions, this time from Danny Hunt and Stephanie
Clarke as Amethyst. Stephanie impossibly penetrated by several tube tunnels in a
small cabinet; Danny himself bodily penetrating a sheet of steel (very
impressive), milk vanishing and appearing in a lighted bulb, and Pavel’s Walking
Knot – that’s where a long rope, cut then tied and the knot slid along the rope
for several feet, is untied and shown in separate pieces. Retied the knot
vanishes and the rope is restored. Not often seen but a very strong effect.
There was the levitation of Stephanie atop an elaborate framework and finally
the poor girl was trapped in a box with flaming spears thrust through her –
fortunately she emerged unscathed – and so too did the second girl who suddenly
appeared!
So the Northern Magic Circle marked up another successful convention, hopefully
repeated next year – same venue, Harrogate Theatre, dates Saturday 9th, Sunday
10th April 2016.terar.
© Donald Bevan, April 2015.