Number
1360 - Saturday 18th July 2026
A
Message from Phil Peters of Merlins: As many of you may have heard,
after more than 30 years in business with Mark Lee at Merlins, I have
now officially retired. I would like to take this opportunity to thank
everyone we have met, supplied, and worked with over the years. Without
your amazing support, we would never have been able to keep our
bricks-and-mortar magic shop going for so long. We have always prided
ourselves on being the best we could be and, hopefully, bringing a
little magic into our customers' lives. Over the years, many customers
have become good friends, and I truly appreciate all the kind words,
encouragement, and constructive advice we have received along the way.
I have now sold my half of the business to Danny Malin. Many of you will
know Danny from his food reviews, but you may not realise that he has
had a passion for magic for many years. In fact, he even owned his own
magic shop in Doncaster some years ago. Looking ahead, Mark and Danny
will continue to run Merlins as usual while introducing new ideas and
exciting initiatives to make the experience even better for everyone. I
wish them both every success for the future, and I'll still be around
from time to time to lend a hand.
Thank you once again for your friendship, loyalty, and support over the
past three decades. It has been an incredible journey, and I feel very
fortunate to have shared it with so many wonderful people. All the very
best, Phil Peters MMC. (Photo L to R: Mark, Phil and Danny)
www.merlinswakefield.com.
"Danny Malin: I've just bought the Wakefield magic shop that sparked my childhood dream" www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk
[I'd like to wish Phil a very happy and relaxed retirement. Thank you Phil for being such a rock solid MagicWeek advertiser for the past 25 years. Merlins, as well as running an online magic shop, have one of the country's finest actual magic shops at 15 The Springs, Wakefield WF1 1QE. Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10am - 3.30pm. Very best wishes to Mark's new business partner Danny too. Danny is a natural showman as anyone who has ever watched his YouTube videos will already know! DT]. 18.7.26
Part-Time
Wizard, Full-Time Moron. Jack Rhodes presents his debut comedy magic
special: 'Part-Time Wizard, Full-Time Moron'. Written, performed,
directed and edited by Jack Rhodes.
YouTube.
18.7.26
"Joel
M shatters Howie's Phone In A Shocking Magic Trick. Auditions AGT 2026"
YouTube.
"Co Down magician Joel M smashes his way through to next round of America's Got Talent" www.msn.com.
"Joel M hammers home magic skills on America's Got Talent" www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 18.7.26
Mark
Shortland and Steve Dela at Funky Snake Magic theatre, Leighton Buzzard! Join us in our air conditioned theatre for an unforgettable evening of
amazement at our monthly Magic Nights! Watch in awe as some of the UK's
top magicians dazzle you with mind-blowing illusions and unbelievable
feats of magic. Whether you're a lifelong fan of magic or just looking
for a unique night out, our performances promise to leave you wanting
more. Don't miss out on the chance to witness world-class magic. Book
your tickets now and prepare to be amazed! Friday 31st July at 46 High
Street, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 1EAM. See
www.funkysnakeescape.co.uk/magic-theatre.
18.7.26
Luke Jermay
Lecture -
Northamptonshire Magicians' Club, 21st July.
Joy Payne writes:
The third of our jam-packed July lectures sees us welcoming Luke Jermay.
Luke is a British magician, mentalist, and writer renowned for blending
psychological illusion, suggestion, and mind reading. Performing since
he was 12, he published his influential book 7 Deceptions at the age of
15. He's created signature feats like pulse cessation and The Chair
Prediction, authored over 30 works on mentalism, and consulted for major
magicians and TV shows including Derren Brown, Criss Angel: Mindfreak,
and The Mentalist.
Do not miss this chance to learn from a genuine modern-day master - it's
going to be another memorable night at NMC!
Start time 7.30pm.
Members free, magicians' guest fee £20 – pay on the night.
Northamptonshire Magicians' Club meetings are held at
Woody's Bar & Restaurant, Clannell Road, (Tesco Car Park), East Hunsbury,
Northampton NN4 0JF. Woody's is located in the Tesco Mereway car park.
You receive up to four hours free parking while the store is open.
You must validate your vehicle registration using the iPad inside the venue.
Please make this the first thing you do when you arrive.
Arrival time is completely up to you! Woody's has a separate bar area where you
can meet and socialise with food or a drink before the meeting starts.
We're looking forward to seeing you there, please support the raffle. Further
information:
www.northamptonshiremagicians.uk.
18.7.26
Coded
by Adam Fahn, now available from DiscountMagic.co.uk: Adam has been
performing these routines for years using this brilliant but simple
marking system, and that is how it may well have stayed without the
encouragement of John Morton at Blackpool Magic Convention 2026. Now
Adam has released the system, materials and worked routines to the wider
magic community.
Coded is a professional utility gimmick that lets you secretly
identify and distinguish seemingly identical props in full view of your
audience, with nothing to hide. The method is near invisible. The
applications near limitless.
Whether you're running a Sneak Thief, a Second Spot, a Kurotsuke, or
your own bespoke routine,
Coded gives you the knowledge you need the moment you need it. Use
it with pads and pens, boxes and silks, tubes, packets, jars - the
gimmick is always there, hidden in plain site. If you have multiple
identical props, Coded can mark them. The only limit is your imagination
and practice time.
Sneak Thief: A Larry Becker Sneak Thief Style routine. Instantly know
who has written in which pad or book, or on which slate or white board
etc. Return the item to the spectator or reveal their thoughts with
patter to suit.
Second Spot: A Maurice Fogel Second Spot style routine. Instantly know
who has put what in which box, bag, packet etc. Return the right
contents to each spectator with a patter to suit your style.
Kurotsuke: As Max Maven style routine. Instantly know which of your 6
spectators swapped their identical item for the different item on the
table. Packets, tubes, jars, and boxes work well with this routine.
Divine Revelation: A classic follow on from Second Spot. This time you
see the items go in and pick a box seemingly at random and instead of
returning the item to the spectator the contents are revealed without
looking inside the package. In stock! See
www.discountmagic.co.uk for more info and to order.
18.7.26
John
Kimmons - I.B.M.
British Ring Convention, Buxton Pavilion Arts Centre and Opera House,
19th & 20th September 2026. Artist Announcement from the
organisers: John Kimmons (Kimmo) started performing magic at 15 as a
children's entertainer and quickly built a reputation for his unique mix
of comedy and magic. A former demonstrator for Supreme Magic in the late
'80s, he went on to win the Children's Entertainer World Championships
in 2008, along with the Ken Dodd Award for Comedy at the Blackpool Opera
House.
John now performs and lectures worldwide. His TV credits include The
Sorcerer's Apprentice, The Slammer, and Crackerjack. He has appeared at
the Magic Castle in Hollywood and has been a featured variety act with
Disney Cruise Line for over 10 years. He is also the organiser of the
world-famous Trix Convention for family entertainers. For Convention
tickets
Click Here.
18.7.26
Christopher
Carter's Desert Island Tricks.
"If you've ever watched mentalism drag under too much procedure,
Christopher Carter brings a refreshing counterpoint: move fast, stay direct and
make the audience feel the mind reading before they think about the method. We
talk about why attention spans are shrinking across the board, how that shift
changed the college show market and what still holds up when you're working
corporate events, theatres and even cruise ships..."
YouTube. Brought to you by
www.alakazam.co.uk.
18.7.26
The
MagicWeek Video Archive. A new magic clip or show every week! This
week, a Bian Lian "face-changing" artist on Penn & Teller's Magic and
Mystery Tour in China, in 2001. [Really nice this one. If anyone can
help with the artist's actual name please let me know, so that I can
update on YouTube. DT] See
The MagicWeek Video Archive. To catch up with more from The
MagicWeek Video Archive
Click Here.
18.7.26
Live
Auction: Modern Magic Masters, Potter & Potter Auctions, 15th August.
This auction features relics, posters, books, and props from the shows,
collections and workshops of modern magic masters. Included are items
owned or used by The Amazing Johnathan, Johnny Thompson and Tom Mullica.
www.potterauctions.com.
18.7.26
Aberdeen
Arts Centre's Big Variety Show. On 2nd & 3rd October, Aberdeen Arts
Centre's Big Variety Show brings together top variety talent from across
the north east of Scotland to raise funds for the Save Aberdeen Arts
Centre campaign. Alongside the best in theatre, music, dance and
gymnastics, the two-night celebration will feature award winning magic
ensemble Four Magicians, a performance from members of Aberdeen
Magical Society, and will be hosted by globe-trotting comedy magic duo
Smith & Burns. Tickets are £18-20 + booking fee, from
www.aberdeenartscentre.com.
18.7.26
E-Club
Pro Select Release July '26. The Magic Card. The entertainer reveals
that every pack of magicians' cards contains a special 'magic card' that helps
the other cards in the deck to do their tricks, and he invites a spectator to
guess which card is the 'magic card' in his particular pack. Let's imagine the
spectator suggests the 4D. The performer says that although this is a good
guess, it is in fact the 8S, and he removes said card from the pack. Handing
over the balance of the deck to the onlooker, the magician asks her to shuffle
the cards. The 'magic card' is then placed face up on the face down mixed pack
and the spectator cuts the cards to send the 8S somewhere into the centre.
Giving the pack a quick shake, the magician claims that the 'magic card' will
now find the freely named 4D chosen at the very start. Spreading through the
cards until the face up 8S is reached, the card right next to it is flipped face
up to reveal somehow it is the randomly named 4D! No set up or get ready, this
just uses your regular deck. Supplied as a downloadable video file for just
£7.00 (£3.50 for members of E-Club Pro). Go to
www.markleveridge.co.uk to order.
18.7.26
New tour dates added for Masters
of Deception.
From the promoter:
Two of the UK's most incredible magic acts come together for one unforgettable
night of mind-reading, illusion, and edge-of-your-seat spectacle.
Starring Richard Jones, "The Military Mind-Reader" and winner of Britain's Got
Talent, alongside World Famous Matricks Illusion, delivering high-energy
illusions packed with danger, comedy and charm.
Due to popular demand, new dates have been added across 2026 and 2027.
Find all tour dates on the Masters of Deception
website: www.mastersofdeception.co.uk/shows.
18.7.26
Ian
Hirst Crowned Close-Up Magic Champion at The Order of the Magi's Annual
Competition. Members of Manchester's Magic Club & Magical Society
for Magicians The Order of the Magi, gathered on Tuesday, 14th July, for
their annual Close-Up Magic Competition, held at the Irish World
Heritage Centre in Manchester. Four talented magicians competed for the
coveted title, showcasing an impressive range of sleight of hand,
illusion and magical entertainment. The competitors were Ian Fenton, Ian
Hirst, Guy Samuels and Alex Fisher. The evening featured an exciting
display of close-up magic, leaving both the audience and judges amazed
by the high standard of performances.
Judging the competition was a panel that included members of Blackburn's
magic club, The Modern Mystic League, who faced the difficult task of
selecting an overall winner. Following careful deliberation, the judges
awarded first place to Ian Hirst, 60, from Failsworth, whose polished
performance, originality and exceptional technical skill earned him the
title of The Order of the Magi Close-Up Magic Champion 2026. He also was
awarded the Sly Smith Shield for the Best Card trick performed on the
night!
Public Relations & Entertainments officer
for The Order of the Magi, Jonathan Royle, said: "The standard of this
year's competition was exceptionally high, with each performer
demonstrating remarkable talent and creativity. Congratulations to Ian
Hurst on a well-deserved victory, and to all of the competitors for
making it such an entertaining evening."
The annual Close-Up Magic Competition is one of the highlights of The
Order of the Magi's calendar, bringing together members to celebrate the
art of magic, encourage excellence and showcase the talents of local
magicians. The Order of the Magi was founded in 1909 and is England's 3rd
Oldest Magic Club.
www.orderofthemagi.co.uk.
18.7.26
A
Day of Fantasy and Mystery, as a Magical Event Comes to East Grinstead
today! Featuring a just published Book Signing "By Order of The
Shaman" by Stephen J Willis. Special live shows during the day by
celebrated magician and mind reader Neb - Magician to the Stars
www.nebmagic.com
and Tarot Readings by a Tarot Master and Grand Master of the Major and
Egyptian Arcana, with over 50 years of study and practice. The Book
Shop, High Street, East Grinstead, today, Saturday 18th July, from 11am
- 5pm. This event is open to the public. Free entry. It's going to be
magical!
18.7.26
Kevin
Cunliffe Lecture - The Medway Magical Society, 21st July. Guy Wade
writes: The Medway Magical Society is delighted to be hosting a lecture
by Kevin Cunliffe. Magicians are welcome to join us on Tuesday 21st July
at The George Pub, 344 City Way, Rochester ME1 2BH. The lecture starts
at 8pm. Non-members welcome. £15 charge, pay on the night. This
critically acclaimed lecture includes close-up, stage, mentalism and
sideshow effects. Prepare to experience the weird and wonderful world of
Kevin Cunliffe.
18.7.26
"Gold
Coast magician Daniel Hidden's family reveals his remarkable life after
scattering his ashes at his favourite places"
www.7news.com.au.
18.7.26
News
Deadline reminder. Please submit news by Thursday if possible - absolute
deadline 12 noon Friday, no exceptions. Many thanks, DT.
18.7.26
"One man's mission to stop pirates stealing magic"
Click Here • "How Did He Do That?! Kameron Marshall's Impossible
Card Magic Auditions AGT"
YouTube • "How a magician made a throne for Ozzy Osbourne"
Click Here • "Mario the Maker Magician"
Click Here • More World
Cup results and predictions from Jonathan Royle:
Click Here and
Click Here • "Award-winning magician coming to Swindon can entertain
all"
Click Here • "Magician Penn Jillette: I'm 6ft 7in and drive an
electric Fiat 500 - I'm so frugal I steal power from the casino to
charge it"
Click Here • That's about it for this week, your UK magic news is
always welcomed, see you next week, Duncan.
18.7.26