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Northern Magic Circle President’s Dinner
2016
28th October 2016
Reviewed by Ray Roberts
Friday 28th October 2016 saw a good number of Northern Magic Circle members,
guests and friends meet at the King’s Head Hotel in Richmond North Yorkshire to
support Robert Temple and Emma Ward in celebration of their NMC Presidency.
Toastmaster John Pye started proceedings at eight o’clock by ushering all
present into the dining room which was decked out in splendid fashion with top
hat centre decorations on each table. John introduced Robert Temple and Emma
Ward together with their honoured guests’ the I.B.M. British Ring 25 Clive Moore
and his lady Jeani, followed by the British Ring Chaplain Alan J Clarke who gave
grace.
During an excellent meal, there was an abundance of laughter, flashes, banging
and spontaneous applause all caused by the presence of Fay Presto who
entertained at each table throughout the meal. She also received a tremendous
round of applause as she left the room. Either John Pye or Robert appears to
have a drink problem as we were asked to take wine with the President on many
occasions.
After the meal John called upon Clive to make the toast to the Northern Magic
Circle which he did in the way only Clive can do - with humour. He was
especially pertinent in his observations that many NMC members are also members
of the I.B.M. British Ring including himself, John Pye, John Russell and Alan J
Clarke who are all officers of the Ring.
Robert replied to Clive and proposed a toast to visitors and guests with a very
emotional speech especially when referring to Cynthia Neptune who had been so
instrumental in his early days in magic. Cynthia was a past president of the NMC
and the British Ring. A donation had been made to Marie Curie Cancer Care in
lieu of favours and all those attending the dinner hugely approved of the
gesture. Robert also acknowledged the fact that he could have not arranged the
dinner without the help of his family and friends.
The response on behalf of the Guests and visitors was in the capable hands of
the President of Middlesbrough Circle of Magicians, Nimmo Clarke. Following the
speeches Joan Woolhouse and Rose Crawford sold tickets for a raffle which raised
£146 for the benevolent fund.
After a short time to socialise with fellow guest and friends it was time for
the cabaret. Clive Moore introduced himself as compere and launched into a
plethora of one liner’s as only Clive can tell them, interspersed with a
vanishing ring routine which was found on a miniature samurai sword after a lot
of byplay with the lady assistant who had loaned him the ring. A version of a
card named Fred, he concluded his act with Chinese sticks and spotted can to Roy
Johnson’s rhyming patter.
Jon Marshall was next and wasted no time in performing his signature trick a
Flea called Fred. Then, he invited a lady and gent on stage to perform an escape
from a Siberian chain coupled with a version of Keys to Baldpate all wrapped
around a Victorian melodrama. This was followed by John asking four men onto the
stage to perform a version of Ali Bongos second spot using four envelopes.
Realising that the last envelope was an anticlimax, Jon introduced a fifth
envelope and shuffled them asking the last man to select which envelope he
considered to be his object and guess what? He picked the right one or did he
because when Jon’s envelope was opened it contained sixty pounds! Jon concluded
his act with his version of multiplying bottles to rousing applause.
Robert closed the night by thanking everyone who had attended and anyone who had
helped in any way to make it a night to remember.
© Ray Roberts, November 2016