* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * New Zealand's MagicNZ e-zine * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #84 Date: Sunday 5th August 2001 Editor: Alan Watson www.magician.co.nz www.alan-watson.com e-mail AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Joe Labero performing at Auckland & Wellington 3. The report of this year's Dragon Awards was inaccurate 4. The eighth Repro Magic Cruise 5. Comment about Alf's Hayes' review! 6. Last Weeks Article No. 15 "Fireflies" 7. Schedule Of Events For The Las Vegas Magic Invitational 8. Magic...Live! Event In Las Vegas 9. Exor's Final Word 10. Vancouver Comedy Festival 11. Ken Arnold, Magician in the 1930's 12. Working in Bahrain in 110 heat 13. Exor's Comments about my Suspension 2001 Illusion 14. An Inordinate Amount Of Letters Focused Toward Me 15. Doug Henning's "Magic Show" - DVD 16. NZ "World Festival Of Magic" Tour 2001 17. Australia "World Festival Of Magic" Tour 2001 18. Daryl Will Be Our Celebrity Guest Moderator 19. Bubble Magic 20. Future Stars of Magic Week 21. The Orchante Saga #39 22. Diarise these events 23. MagicNZ e-zine archives 24. Subscription Management ------------------------------------ 1. Editor's Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One Check out the new MagicNZ's Hall of Fame webpage go to: www.magicianz.com/halloffame.html It shows a Life Time Achievement Award being presented to Barry and Jenny Brook from MagicNZ in recognition of a lifetime dedicated to excellence in the magical arts - June 2001 ------------------------------------- From Tuesay 7th August is the last chance to register for the New Zealand International Magicians Convention at the early bird rate. REGISTER NOW! Have just set up a webpage for the convention programme go to: www.magician.co.nz/convention4.html Also the Official competition form can be found at: www.magician.co.nz/convention5.html For the registration form go to: www.magician.co.nz/convention2.html We wanted to keep the convention website the same as the convention brochure hence the file size of these pages are approx 100k. A 28k modem will take about 30 seconds to download them, so please be patient. ------------------------------------- ** REMEMBER this coming Friday Night the Joshua Jay Lecture ** Joshua Jay Lecture - Auckland Date: Friday 10th August 2001 Time: 7.30pm Entry $15 seniors. (Includes supper) Contact: Alan Watson Phone 483 9275 Mobile 025 95 7070 Venue: The Senior Citizens Club Rooms Address: The Strand, Takapuna (Behind the Library) (Same room as the North Shore Society of Magicians meet at) Joshua Jay Lecture, Hosted By S. A. M Assembly 250 Christchurch. Date: Monday 13th August 2001 Venue: Greg & Sue Britts Address: 23 Halswell Junction Road. Halswell. Time: 7.30pm Entry $15 seniors $10 Juniors.(includes supper) Please phone 322 9249 to confirm your attendance or email elgregoe@inet.net.nz ------------------------------------- Jay Scott Berry - New Zealand Lecture Tour Auckland 9th October 2001 Wellington 10th October Christchurch 11th October More details in next weeks MagicNZ e-zine. Check out Jay's website go to: www.jayscottberry.com ------------------------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ---------------------------------- 2. Joe Labero performing at Auckland & Wellington ---------------------------------- Message from Joe Labero The season for Sky City, Auckland is 9th to 23rd August. The season in Wellington (Opera House) is 14th to 28th September. www.labero.com ------------------------------------- 3. The report of this year's Dragon Awards was inaccurate ------------------------------------- Message from Peter Reveen (US) The medallions were given to Paul and Debbie by their two good friends, who just happened to be last year's recipients - Peter and Coral Reveen. ------------------------------------- 4. The eighth Repro Magic Cruise ------------------------------------- Message from Trevor Lewis (Wales) The eighth Repro Magic Cruise starts in Las Vegas on 5th August, stays there for four days till the 9th August, then goes on to New York from 9th to 11th August. We board the Q.E.2 on 11th Aug. for five days of fun and magic. As usual this Cruise is fully booked and the lectures this year are Simon Lovell and Peter Kane. Terry Seabrooke will also be adding to the fun and Trevor Lewis will again host the Convention for the eighth time. ---------------------------------- 5. Comment about Alf's Hayes' review! ---------------------------------- Message from Diana Taylor (Aust) I tried hard to restrain myself from posting any kind of reply or comment on Alf Hayes' description of the Joe Labero show, not wanting to turn Alan's wonderful Ezine into yet another platform for argument or opinion. For the benefit of anyone in New Zealand who is wondering whether to see the show I feel it is important to give what I believe is the wider view and try to redress the balance. I also want to make comment about Alf's further review of his friend Ross Skiffington's performances in Sydney. I will try to stick to facts or the opinions of groups so as not to offend. Firstly and in the interest of keeping this brief, let me say that of the 100-200 or so customers who have passed through my magic shop having seen Labero not one has agreed with Alf's assessment. Sure, there have been things they did not like but the consensus is that it is a fast moving, modern and world class magic show. It is fair to say that there were some quiet nights during the run (heaven knows there are enough shows to see in Sydney right now with Cirque Du Soliel, Singing In The Rain etc etc.) and a few giveaway offers boosted the quieter nights. On the five occasions I went there was not an empty seat in the house. If you are in NZ we recommend you see it and make up your own mind. Ross Skiffingtons current show, on the other hand, is not a world class show. Theatrical it may be but it is slow, dated and certainly on the night I went with 11 colleagues, it was far from polished. This is of course only our opinion so let us concentrate purely on facts. We went on the preview night where perhaps one could expect a hiccup or two. There were more than two. In fact there were too many to even mention. A skeleton of a car left on stage after a sheet has been removed to 'vanish' the car. Three or four bad flashes in a black art act, bad lighting revealing a levitation gimmick, the hoop being hit onto the levitation gimmick, the duck box reset due to being the wrong way round, the thread on the rising cards, the cloth flapping up and revealing the De Kolta chair illusion, the obvious snap on the dancing hankie. At several points during the show the audience was laughing at the errors. Whether or not you like or indeed in Alf's case, prefer the style, pace or presentation of this show, this kind of thing is inexcusable. This is a disaster for magic. Several hundred people left the theatre knowing how some of our greatest effects work. As Ross himself says in the Programme, once the secret is out the bubble has burst, I'm sorry to say a few bubbles burst on the night in question. Others who went on subsequent nights say it improved, I am relieved to hear this! Whilst this list is currently covering (and covering sensibly too) the subject of intellectual property and problems in South Africa we may need to get our own house in order. There is a Steinmeyer Origami illusion in the Skiffington show with, I am given to believe, a somewhat dubious origin. ---------------------------------- 6. Last Weeks Article No. 15 "Fireflies" ---------------------------------- Message from Chris Haller (Aust) I read your article No. 15 "Fireflies" in the newsletter recently and thought that I would comment on an idea that might help Frances Willard with trying to find different illusions in the theatre that might be novel. I am a Biology teacher and when talking about Fireflies I put on my thumb tips on which I have installed with high intensity yellow light emitting diodes to show the students how to catch fireflies. You could make them by buying a D-lite illusion of their light emitting thumb tips but instead of using red light you could replace the red light source with yellow high intensity light emitting diode and when you reached out into the air you could magically pluck any number of fireflies from the air without any other props. Contact Murphy's Magic Supplies at 2689 citrus Rd Suit B Rancho Cordova CA 95742 (800)8537403. Regards Chris Haller from Down Under................... Australia ---------------------------------- 7. Schedule Of Events For The Las Vegas Magic Invitational ---------------------------------- Message from Robert Allen August 1, 2001 Here is the updated schedule of events for the Las Vegas Magic Invitational Schedule of Events Thursday 13th 4:00 PM - 5:30 1st Lecture John T. Sheets 7:30 PM - A pre-convention cocktail party, at a bar within walking distance of the hotel 10:00 PM - 2nd Lecture Balthazar Fuentes Friday 14th 11:00 AM - 12:30 3rd Lecture Daryl. 12:30 - 2:00 PM Lunch/Dealers DIXIE DOOLEY ( HOUDINI ESCAPE) 2:00 - 3:45 CLOSE-UP SHOW This is a show that is performed by the attendees with a trick from the lecturers. Robert Allen / Danny Archer co-MC's 3:45 Break/ Dealers Open 4:00 - 5:30 PM Lecture 4th Lecture (Surprise Guest) 6:00 - 8:00 PM Dinner Break/ Dealers Open 8:00 - 9:45 STAND-UP SHOW 10:00 - 11:30 5th lecture Paul David 12:00 - Ask The Pros - Panel Discussion with lecturers Saturday 15th 11:00 -12:30 PM 6th Lecture Bob Kohler 12:30 - 2:00 PM Lunch 2:00 - 3:45 CLOSE-UP SHOW (featuring mentalism) as performed by the attendees and the pros. 3:45 Break 4:00 - 6:00 ?? OPEN STAGE WORKSHOP/ Desert Island Jam (if you could only do one trick ???) 6:00 - 8:00 PM Dinner Break 8:00 - 9:45 PRO CLOSE-UP and STAND-UP SHOW 10:00 - PM Lecture 6th Lorne Michaels Lecture Schedule subject to change - More surprises coming! ATTENTION!! Just signed Dustin Marks - World famous Black Jack cheat!! This guy did it for real and beat the Casinos!! ---------------------------------- 8. Magic...Live! Event In Las Vegas ---------------------------------- Message from If you're still considering attending the MAGIC...Live! event in Las Vegas, we thought you might like to know about an extra activity that will be available at The Orleans Hotel, August 20-22. Although not integrated into our scheduled convention activities, this is certainly an opportunity for our attendees to take advantage of a unique teaching experience right on the premises. Read on... ********************************** Joanie Spina Consultations How would you like to have a personal session with the director to some of the most famous stars in magic? Now, you can have 90 minutes of artistic consultation with well-known director/choreographer, Joanie Spina. WHAT'S INCLUDED...... one-and-a-half-hours of personal artistic direction by famed director, Joanie Spina, one video cassette of the entire session, and the Three-Volume Set of Joanie's instructional tapes, "Get Your Act Together" (a $90 value)--chock full of tips on staging, magic, lighting, music, and movement Who is Joanie Spina? She is the ongoing director of "Carnival of Wonders," starring Mark Kalin & Jinger Leigh, and Jeff Hobson. Choreographer, artistic consultant, and lead assistant to David Copperfield for eleven years, she has also consulted for Tim Kole & Jenny Lyn, Andre Kole, Dirk Arthur, Ashley Springer, Melinda, Connie Boyd, Kevin & Cindy Spencer, Marco Tempest, Princess Tenko, and Circo Tihany. Now, you can have Joanie as your personal artistic consultant. You will have her undivided attention for 90 minutes as the two of you review a video of your work. She will give critique and comments on all aspects of your act. Here's how it works... A private room will be set up, equipped with a television, two VCR's, and a video camera. As you play your video on one VCR, the camera will be recording the entire session on the other. Joanie will give pointers, demonstrate ideas, comment on lighting, costuming, staging & choreography, magic, personality. INVALUABLE INFORMATION!! No need to scramble to write everything down because you'll have a video of the entire session to take with you when you leave! The cost is $300.00 for the one-and-a-half-hour session, payable in cash or money order, no personal checks please. To reserve a spot at the Orleans Hotel August 20-22, please contact her at: joaniespina@earthlink.net ---------------------------------- 9. Exor's Final Word ---------------------------------- Message from Exor (South African) Does the South African magic fraternity (who by now should know me better!), and the world fraternity really think I approve of rip-offs ??!! especially when I give my website address (No Mask)?? It is what the media do to all of us to get our attention - it's called a wind-up. I like to look at myself as being successful, not as " South Africa's best " " the only " or " better than ", but do go to my site www.exor.co.za and click on Family Entertainment and then Starship Exor. Starship Exor, Friends, cost us the equivalent of $31,250-00 - that's about five times the cost of Don Wayne's Stretching the Lady illusion. I wanted you all out there to take note of the sad state of catfights among the international dealers or inventors or whatever who are actually ripping one another off, leaving the purchaser the "sanctioned victim "Now, NOT EVERYBODY IS GUILTY, I repeat, NOT EVERYBODY IS GUILTY . BUT, some of them have such attitude that in their ignorance they think they own magic exclusively. The response to my first wind-up article has proved that! Is it correct for dealers to sell magic to the general public, i.e. not Svengali etc etc, but PK Factor, Rising Match on Card, Shrinking Deck of Cards, Diminishing Cards, Devano's Rising Card, D'Lite, Jim Pace's routine for the Helicopter Card......I could fill a page. This is what is happening through one outlet in South Africa. Recognised dealers who are squeaky clean, and with whom I deal, are the Cape Magic Shop, Genii's House of Magic and Renaldo's Magic Shop. OR, should dealers only sell to magicians, hobbyists and professionals? OR, should we call those who sell to the general public ...little Masked Magicians? So what if somebody off the street buys the Helicopter Card? He gets home, tries it once, snaps the thread and either throws it into the cupboard or the dustbin. And you then one day are table -hopping in a restaurant, you perform the Helicopter Card (which has taken you hours and hours of practice) and your street purchaser is present, after a few drinks, and shouts out " There's a thread! " You will of course continue, but at the end of the evening, when you collect your pay, the restaurant owner has taken notice of this, now thinks you are not that good and very likely says, "We will call you ". (And we all know what that means!) Gentlemen, our craft is slowly being eroded by greed. Magic is being taken out of MAGIC. So many magicians say the public will forget about illusions revealed by the Masked Magician. Sorry, WRONG!! Like mathematic theories, the public have learned Magic theories which can be applied anywhere. No one forgets the arithmetic learned in school - one plus one still equals two! To underline this point, I recently attended a wonderful US touring show called UniverSoul Circus. Part of the programme featured an elaborate illusion show, using the thinnest of Rand Woodbury's sumps. I watched the audience and both saw and heard 40% of them pointing their fingers and saying " She's under there " to their friends (the transposition to the white tiger was purely incidental for them). You could have a paper-thin sump and still would have " She's under there"!! Someone e-mailed me recently and informed me (Now I do not know if this is true) that the London Magic Circle purchased the rights to the Zig-Zag Lady from Robert Harbin. If this is the case, I have to ask why no legal action was taken by this august body against Fox. as I say, I do not know if this is true and would welcome correction. The Masked Magician has come and gone - but he has left a legacy of magic theory. Take all of what I have said - Dealer's catfights, rip-offs, greed to make a fast buck, ignorance of the history of Magic, and attitude. Magic has caught AIDS - the Magic of MAGIC is slowly being eroded away from laymen's minds, like our ozone layer. To my South African brothers, stop demonizing me, but demonize the people who not only rip-off tricks but concepts and routines, not to mention patter! Yes, I deliberately wound you up and warned some of you I would do something drastic. It's time to catch a wake-up call and get just as aggro with the parties concerned as you got with me. To all our international brothers, the Johannesburg Magic Circle and AIM (Art in Magic) in South Africa are hosting a convention in September this year - they would welcome your attendance! The location is beautiful and also gives you an African experience in luxurious comfort. Further information is available on www.samsorg.co.za This whole exercise was meant to provoke thought on the state and future of Magic. I hope it has done just that! ---------------------------------- 10. Vancouver Comedy Festival ---------------------------------- Message from Nick Nickolas (NZ) Well I'm in Vancouver for the Comedy festival, half way through my Canadian tour now it's going really well, been to Edmonton (home of the largest shopping mall in the world), Nelson which is a hippy sort of town much like Nelson NZ but located high in the Rockies, I've been working like a dog performing inside and out, have been pulling the biggest hats in my life in the street shows, and cracking 'em up in the clubs. Off to Ontario (Windsor and Waterloo) in a couple of weeks for 14 days then back to London to work the hallowed cobbles of Covent Garden, with the pound so strong now I'd be a fool not to ! Then got some stand up work in Holland then....well probably back to NZ for our summer....we'll see... keeping 'em guessing ---------------------------------- 11. Ken Arnold, Magician in the 1930's ---------------------------------- Message from Ray Arnold Hi again ...I was in Nevada City last weekend doing a show and ran into a guy who had a friend with his dads magic collection...Call him if you are interested. Here is the message: Attn: Jeff Ezell. I was given your name by Dennis Heapy, owner of the antique shop in Auburn, California. Dennis said you had stopped by his shop last week and inquired about antique magic. My name is Ray Arnold and I live in Auburn, California. My father, Ken Arnold, was a magician starting in the 1930's and continuing until the mid 80's. He passed away about 10 years ago. From this collection of very old magic, I have old stage illusions (the Guillotine, Doll House, Flash Production); antique elephant tables (in perfect condition); posters; parlor magic, memorabilia from the first PCAM Convention in Reno, Nevada. This includes buttons, name tags, ribbons, etc. I have old steamer trunks which my father used when on the road; old Abbotts catalogs and many items too numerous to mention. I also did magic shows for many years, but my career in law enforcement in Placer County kept me from pursuing that field as my father had done. My father won Magician of the Year in both 1948 and 1949 at the PCAM Convention in Reno, Nevada. I have this magic stored at the present time and am getting ready to move. I would be interested in selling these items. If you have any contacts I would greatly appreciate hearing from you. My home telephone number is 530.268.2584. ---------------------------------- 12. Working in Bahrain in 110 heat ---------------------------------- Message from Paul Romhany Here I am working in Bahrain in 110 heat and humidity is unbearable. I only have 3 more days to go, but already I've gone through rope and cards like they are out of fashion. The humidity and heat make the cards very sticky and I use 3 decks a day at the moment. I'm looking forward to leaving here and getting back to London. When I finish this contract I have 2 weeks in Sydney, Australia before flying to New York to join a ship which will be doing the Bermuda circuit for a few months, then in October I travel back to London for 3 weeks before going to South America for several months until February next year. I'm constantly working on new ideas and routines for Charlie, it's a never ending story but I love it all so much (except for the heat, take me to a cold place any day). ---------------------------------- 13. Exor's Comments about my Suspension 2001 Illusion ---------------------------------- Message from Walter Zaney Blaney (US) Apparently I was not the only magician who "mis-read" Exor's thoughts on rip-offs. So far I've read a good half dozen replies taking him to task for apparently advocating rip-offs since the originals are too expensive. If he didn't mean for his statements to convey what we thought he was saying, perhaps he can correct us. I did read his rebuttal in last week's NZ-ezine, but I only got the message that he believes those questioning his thoughts are the "bad guys". I will only speak to Exor's comments about my Suspension 2001 Illusion (I have renamed it Suspension 3001). Exor believes that my "Zaney Blaney Walk-Around Suspension" (as he calls it) is certainly not my invention. He says, "It is basically a dressed up version of Abbott's and Harbin's version", and that "you are guilty of taking very old material and presenting it as your own" Here are a few historical facts on the subject: In years past Jack Gwynne was known to have the best suspension in the business. There was a platform, two trestle-shaped box supports, and a board lying across them. I saw him perform this great illusion at my college in 1948. He had already been doing it for many years before that. I met Jack after his show, and we became good friends ever after. He was a boyhood idol of mine. In 1970 I got to spend an evening in Bob Harbin's home. He was another idol of mine who became a good friend. We both wished that the other lived in our own hometown so we could visit each week and "talk magic illusions" as we did that wonderful night. The next day I was in Amsterdam presenting my "Zaney Blaney Ladder Levitation" at FISM, and it was a "hot item" in magic then. I had premiered it at Des Moines IBM Convention in 1965, and was immediately invited to present it at almost every magic convention in the country. In fact Jack Gwynne saw me do it at Abbott's Get-Together just a month later. At his lecture the next day Jack thrilled me when he told the crowd that I now had the best suspension in magic. I had the pleasure of privately showing Jack my prop, and he told me he had been fooled as to the method. My friend Recil Bordner, Abbott's owner, wanted to purchase rights to market my illusion, but I politely said I planned to keep it exclusive with me for many years to come. This is the illusion Bob referred to in his Harbin book on page 49. When the Harbin book came out I immediately bought a copy (# 248). So of the 500 copies published, already half had been sold the first week it was on the market. I had a Zig Zag built for me a few years later, and after it wowed my client and audiences at a big trade show, I wrote Bob telling him what a hit it was. I'm glad I did, as he wrote back that of all those doing his Zig Zag illusion, my letter was the only one he got "thanking him for it". That is amazing to me. In 1986 I began marketing my Ladder Levitation, and Copperfield featured it on his TV China Special that year. In 1986 I also had a new idea that would allow me to make a less expensive version of my Ladder Levitation, without any moving parts. I spent a lot of money and time, building three versions until I finally made it work right. Yes, at the beginning my illusion appears much the same as the old Jack Gwynne Suspension, and also the Harbin Walk-Away Suspension (the Gwynne and Harbin versions are very similar) in that trestle-box supports are used under a board. But in my illusion the magician is able to apparently walk completely around the floating lady, walking BETWEEN each of the pulled-back visible supports...not possible in the Gwynne/Harbin versions. However, if either Jack or Bob had still been alive, I would have gladly given them my new idea, and they would have loved it. But both had long left us. I premiered my Suspension 2001 at the 1987 Magic Collectors Weekend convention in Chicago. I'm sure 90% of the magicians there owned a Harbin book, and were familiar with the Harbin Walk-Away Suspension (and also the Gwynne Suspension). Yet everyone there was fooled by my new illusion. I had the pleasure of levitating Jack Gwynne's grand daughter Beth that night. The year before at this convention my Ladder Levitation had been honored as "the illusion that has fooled magicians longer than any other in the history of magic". I first showed the crowd my little working model I made in 1954, floating a 12 ounce doll. I told various anecdotal stories of my performing it over the years. I then did the real thing, and again everyone was fooled. Then in 1987, after seeing my Suspension 2001, the Magic Collectors crowd said I had not only the "best suspension on the market (Ladders)", I now also had the "second best suspension" as well. I have had many well known, knowledgeable magicians view my promo-video comparing and contrasting my two suspensions, and they are fooled by both of them. So if this is the case, I think it is inaccurate for Exor to assume, "I have taken very old material and am presenting it as my own." Exor closed his comments with "I rest my case". I will do the same, "I rest my case." Walter Zaney Blaney ---------------------------------- 14. An Inordinate Amount Of Letters Focused Toward Me . . . ---------------------------------- Message from Scott Wells Last week's e-zine seemed to have an inordinate amount of letters focused toward me . . . or maybe I'm just paranoid . . . or schizophrenic (what do you think, yes I think so). So, here are my replies to everyone: To David J O'Connor (re: South African Reply on Rip-Offs): Thank you for making it clear that Exor does not speak for the entire South African magic fraternity and that the consensus of the majority is that they do not agree with ripping off inventors nor denying them of earning a living from their creations. I appreciate your support of endorsing those who enrich our art. Your statement was very eloquent, concise and well written. To Jack Poulter (re: Ned Williams): Thank you very much for your reply and for helping to set the record straight in my mind. I did not know that Ned Williams was a South African (or if I did, then I forgot). I also received a private e-mail about Graham Kirk's contributions along with other interesting factoids about the creativity of South African magicians. I stand corrected and embarrassed at my indictment toward all S.A. magicians that was unfounded. And for that I am sorry and I do apologize for my heated remark. To Exor (re: your reply on rip-offs): I wrote from my feelings after I had read your comment regarding justification of rip-offs in South Africa. That drove me to making an emotional and irrational comment that was (in hindsight) not fair. It should not have been so widely directed towards all South Africans, living or dead, but should have applied towards you if you truly believe that there is ANY justification for stealing. If you're just pointing out what some "other" people are doing, then I understand that you are the just telling the facts as an investigative reporter. My point was that if you (or any of those who justify their ripping-off for economic or other reasons) feel that it is so easy to invent something new, then why haven't you (or those "others") contributed anything innovative to the magic community? Certainly it's easier to build something that has already been invented with all the "bugs" worked out of it. The creator has invested more than just time and thought into his creations. If you want to know just one story behind one invention, then I will be glad to send you an article on one of our foremost creators and what it took for him to invent one revolutionary illusion. Lots of time, effort, and money that must be worth something. Just e-mail me privately at swells4691@aol.com and I'll send you a copy of the article. Then perhaps you'll have a little better appreciation for what goes into the research and development of a new idea. I cannot fully empathize with your plight of the Rand vs. our Dollar, but I can sympathize. Beyond that, I guess I have to agree with Bill Robinson who said, "There is stuff HERE in the United States that I want, but can't afford. Does that give me the right to go out and rip off the hard work, talent and sweat someone else put into creating a prop or illusion?" To Donald (re: Metal Bending Video): Thank you for correcting me regarding video formats (NTSC vs. PAL). It's primarily for that reason that I have put the entire production and duplication and wholesale sales in the hands of Murphy's Magic Supplies. I bow to those with more knowledge and appreciate their advice and assistance. Thanks. To Dave Rubenstein (re: rip-offs and the I.B.M. convention): It appears that Igor has fooled us all but not for the obvious reason that we would have liked. As a registrant (and judge in the close-up competition) at the S.A.M. convention in New Orleans, Igor's act looked fresh and original with plenty of good routining as the television/medicine show pitchman selling "Essence of Nothing". No one spoke up of having seen this act other than seeing him compete at the I.B.M. convention. Igor did tell us that he had developed the act just for this competition but of course did not mention his source of creative inspiration. None of us were aware of nor had seen Mark Greenberg's act that Igor has allegedly stolen. I don't know if Igor "heavily borrowed" from Mr. Greenberg's act or if it was "heavily inspired" by Mr. Greenberg. A fine point but an important one. Furthermore, I don't know if there is any recourse for the two organizations to look into the matter, but it seems to me to be a matter for Ethics and Grievances Committees. They should look into it to see if there is any validity whether or not the award/honor should be stripped. There appears to be enough evidence to bear an investigation. But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. Yours, Scott Wells, A.I.M.C. ---------------------------------- 15. Doug Henning's "Magic Show" - DVD ---------------------------------- Message from Stuart Dall I thought you might like to know (and tell all your subscribers) that a store in Melbourne, Aust - MINOTAUR ENTERTAINMENT ( (03) 9670-5414 ... shop@minotaur.com.au) has access to the recent release of (the late, great) Doug Henning's "Magic Show" on region 1 DVD. It costs about AU$50-$55 - which is a lot I guess, but most region 1 DVD's (that's from the U.S. (if you didn't already know)) are about $60 or $70 ... so it's not too bad. They have a mail order service which will send things to NZ. I'll send a review after I've seen it. ---------------------------------- 16. NZ "World Festival Of Magic" Tour 2001 ---------------------------------- Message from Gene McCarthy (NZ) Includes Chuck Jones & Company, Shimada & Skip Banks. Updated Friday 25th May 2001 DATES & VENUES TOWN SHOW TIMES Sunday 25th November ARRIVE NEW ZEALAND Monday 26th Nov HAMILTON 2:30pm-5pm & 7:30pm The Gate Way Christian Centre Tuesday 27th Nov NEW PLYMOUTH 5:00pm - 7:30pm TSB Show Place Wednesday 28th Nov TAURANGA 2pm-5pm & 7:30pm Bay Court Theatre Thursday 29th Nov WHANGAREI 5:00pm & 7:30pm Forum North Friday 30th Nov DAY OFF Saturday 1st December AUCKLAND 11am-2pm & 5pm Sunday 2nd December AUCKLAND 11am-2pm & 5pm Logan Campbell Centre Monday 3rd Dec ROTORUA 2pm-5pm & 7:30pm Rotorua Convention Centre Tuesday 4th Dec GISBORNE 2:30pm-5pm & 7:30pm Gisborne Intermediate School Wednesday 5th Dec NAPIER 2:30pm-5pm & 7:30pm Napier Municipal Theatre Thursday 6th Dec TAUPO 4:30pm & 7:30 Great Lake Friday 7th WANGANUI 2pm-5pm & 7:30pm Wanganui Collegiate High School Saturday 8th Dec WELLINGTON 1:30pm-4:30pm & 7pm Sunday 9th Dec WELLINGTON 1:30pm-4:30pm & 7pm Monday 10th Dec WELLINGTON 7pm Wellington High School Tuesday 11th Dec PALMERSTON NORTH 1:30pm-4pm &7pm College of Education Wednesday 12th Dec TRAVEL TO NELSON Thursday 13th Dec NELSON 7:00pm Trafalger Centre Friday 14th Dec TRAVEL Saturday 15th Dec DAY OFF Sunday 16th Dec CHRISTCHURCH 2pm-5pm & 7:30pm Monday 17th Dec CHRISTCHURCH 12:30pm-4:30pm-7pm Theatre Royal Tuesday 18th Dec TIMARU 5:30pm Theatre Royal Wednesday 19th Dec DUNEDIN 2:30pm & 7:00pm Rent Theatre Thursday 20th Dec INVERCARGILL 2pm-5pm & 7:30pm Civic Theatre ---------------------------------- 17. Australia "World Festival Of Magic" Tour 2001 ---------------------------------- Message from Gene McCarthy (NZ) Up to date 05th June 2001 DATES & VENUE TOWN SHOW TIMES Saturday 22nd Sunday 23rd SEPTEMBER CAIRNS-3 Shows 2:30pm-5pm & 7:30pm Monday 24th CAIRNS- 5:00pm & 7:30pm Cairns Civic Theatre Tuesday 25th DAY OFF Wednesday 26th TOWNSVILLE 1:30pm-4pm & 7:30pm Upper Ross Community P.C.Y.C Thursday 27th MACKAY 4:30 & 7:30pm Mackay Entertainment Centre Friday 28th ROCKHAMPTON 2pm- 4:30pm & 7:00pm Emmaus College Hall Saturday 29th GLADSTONE 4:30pm & 7:00pm Gladstone Entertainment Centre Sunday 30th BUNDABERG 7:00pm Bundaberg North State High School Monday 1st OCTOBER NAMBOUR 5:00pm & 7:30pm Tuesday 2nd NAMBOUR 2:30pm-5pm & 7:30pm Nambour Civic Centre Wednesday 3rd GOLDCOAST 2:00pm & 5:00pm Goldcoast Arts Centre Thursday 4th DAY OFF Friday 5th BRISBANE 2:00pm & 7:00pm Saturday 6th BRISBANE 11:00am-2pm & 5pm Festival Hall Sunday 7th TOOWOOMBA 1:30pm & 4:00pm Harristown State High School Monday 8th DAY OFF Tuesday 9th DAY OFF Wednesday 10th NEWCASTLE 2:30pm-5:30 & 8:00pm Civic Theatre Thursday 11th GOSFORD 5:00pm & 7:30pm Ettalong War Memorial Friday 12th HURSTVILLE 2pm - 5pm & 7:30pm Marana Hall Saturday 13th BONDI 11am - 2pm & 4:30pm Sydney Convention Centre Sunday 14th FAIRFIELD 2pm-4:30 & 7:00pm Monday 15th FAIRFIELD 12:30pm-4:30pm &7pm Mt Pritchard Community Centre Tuesday 16th DAY OFF Wednesday 17th WOLLONGONG 2pm-4:30 & 7pm Woonona Bulli RSL Thursday 18th PENRITH 12:30pm-4:30pm& 7pm Friday 19th PENRITH 12:30pm-4:30pm Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre Saturday 20th CANBERRA 12:00pm & 2:30pm Llewellyn Hall Sunday 21st DAY OFF Monday 22nd ALBURY 4:30pm & 7:00pm Albury Performing Arts Centre Tuesday 23rd OFF Wednesday 24th MILDURA 4:30pm & 7:30pm Chaffey College Hall Thursday 25th BENDIGO 5:00pm & 7:30pm Capital Theatre (Try Booking) Friday 26th GEELONG 2pm-4:30pm & 7pm Geelong West Town Hall Saturday 27th MELBOURNE 2pm-5pm & 7:30pm Sunday 28th MELBOURNE 1pm-4pm & 7pm Monday 29th MELBOURNE 1pm-4pm & 7pm Tuesday 30th MELBOURNE 1pm-4pm & 7pm Melbourne Town Hall Wednesday 31st FERRY Thursday 1st NOVEMBER BURNIE 4:30pm & 7:00pm Civic Centre Friday 2nd DEVONPORT 3:00pm & 7:00pm Devonport Town Hall Saturday 3rd LAUNCESTON 5:00pm & 7:30pm Theatre North Inc Sunday 4th HOBART 2pm-4:30pm & 7pm Wrest Point Hotel Casino Monday 5th OFF Tuesday 6th OFF/FERRY Wednesday 7th BALLARAT 5pm-7:30pm Civic Hall/ Her Majesties Theatre (founders tickets form Bendigo) Thursday 8th OFF/DRIVE DAY Friday 9th OFF/DRIVE DAY Saturday 10th ADELAIDE 1:30pm-4:30pm & 7pm Sunday 11th ADELAIDE 1:30pm-4:30pm & 7pm Norwood Concert Hall Monday 12th TRAVEL TO PERTH Tuesday 13th TRAVEL TO PERTH Wednesday 14TH KALGOORLIE 2pm-4:30pm & 7pm Town Hall Thursday 15th TRAVEL TO PERTH Friday 16th PERTH 1pm-4:30pm & 7pm Saturday 17th PERTH 1pm-4:30pm & 7pm Sunday 18th PERTH 1pm-4:30pm & 7pm Monday 19th PERTH 1pm-4:30pm & 7pm Regal Theatre Tuesday 20th OFF / END OF TOUR NZ STARTS APPROX 26th ---------------------------------- 18. Daryl Will Be Our Celebrity Guest Moderator ---------------------------------- Message from Kevin James (US) Daryl will be our celebrity guest moderator at the KJ Magic Board August 6-12. www.kjmagic.com ---------------------------------- 19. Bubble Magic ---------------------------------- Message from Tom Noddy A recent discussion in this magazine has given me cause to reflect on the way in which the world of magic and the world of science (two arenas that I participate in) consider the questions of "credit" for innovations. I perform what I call Bubble Magic ... which involves no illusions and could be considered more of a science demonstration involving soap bubbles than a magic act. But, of course, those two fields have a long history of overlap. In both of these fields there is a continual interest in noting who were the innovators ... even in some of the smallest details. This is true of some other areas of interest as well ... but it is not universal. I've often read about disputes within the magic community regarding who invented a particular device or approach to deception. There is disagreement about the right of others to copy or adapt an originator's invention. Credit or compensation to the originators is a constant topic in magic publications, including this one. There is certainly a lot of piracy and selfish acquisition going on within the profession but that unfortunate tendency seems to be common in many other professions as well. More unusual is the sweet obsession within the magic world with efforts to put names to advancements and additions to the art. Regardless of the final conclusions (or lack of conclusions) in particular instances, I do believe that the intense interest in these matters is healthy and helps to keep magic on a nobler road along with the sciences and higher arts. I appreciate the effort. I appreciate receiving this publication. ---------------------------------- 20. Future Stars of Magic Week ---------------------------------- Message from Joseph Tran Just to let you know, Future Stars of Magic Week is coming up at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. The junior members who were selected to perform for this event are all excited about the week. Future Stars runs from July 31st to August 5th. www.jtmagic.com ---------------------------------- 21. The Orchante Saga #40 ---------------------------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Noumea - The 'Royal Touch' - Champagne above the clouds Following 'The Perfect Storm' calamity in Tahiti, my contract with Hubert Wayliff should have finished on December 22nd - leaving Tahiti on the 23rd and returning via a U.T.A. Direct flight (French airlines) back home to New Zealand. According to the stamps in my passport, which doesn't lie, I actually left on Friday the 26th of December and landed at Nadi international airport, Fiji, on Saturday the 27th at 12:40pm, then transferred to a Flight that took me to New Caledonia, arriving there at 2:15pm - stayed for four days before leaving on January 1st for home - Auckland, New Zealand. I had forgotten that Hubert had slotted in three shows at the last minute to make up for the three that he had cancelled after 'The Perfect Storm' nightmare. He had also arranged, with GILBERT THONG, famous local entrepreneur in New Caledonia, for me to work two or three nights at Gilbert's nightclub, the 'Tahiti Cabaret' in Noumea and also one performance at the Chateau Royal, the finest hotel in New Caledonia, for New Year's Eve. This came about partly because the story of the near-disastrous fishing fiasco in Tahiti had also hit the newspapers in New Caledonia and 'The Amazing ORCHANTE' was well known in New Caledonia during those years, from previous club and theatre engagements that I had completed there, for Gilbert. (see Pages 23/24) It had been arranged that I was to stay at the Chateau Royal Hotel for the night of the 31st December/1st January - but someone had made a monumental cock-up. The entire hotel was completely booked out for that night's festivities - for the well-off, rich and famous of New Caledonia, the 'Chateau' was the place to be, and be seen, on New year's Eve! The management was highly embarrassed - their international 'star' entertainer was without a room and bed. The 'powers that be' huddled together in a corner and after much loud whispering in French, and a fair amount of arm and hand waving, the manager came up to me and said "we have a rather special room for you, please follow me". We walked out of the hotel foyer, along a path, until we came to another building a short distance from the hotel proper. The first thing that struck me was the front door - it was magnificent - must have cost a fortune - but it was nothing compared to what met my eyes when we got inside. The manager said "this, Mr Orchard, is the royal suite, it is reserved for royal personages and visiting dignitaries such as the President of France -it is the only accommodation we have available to offer you, please enjoy and except my apologies". Enjoy! Everywhere I looked, all that was metallic, was - Gold! The doorknobs, cupboard handles - anything that had a handle - Gold. In the bathroom the taps on the washbasins (there were two), and bath, were gold as were all the fittings in the shower - the toilet roll holder, the handle of the toilet brush, even the Holder for the toilet brush was, gold - the toilet/lavatory/ bog, was also - gold! You have absolutely no idea how difficult it was, to do 'the necessary' into such opulence! The luxurious furnishings were richly comfortable, armchairs sumptuous beyond belief as was the enormous four-poster bed. (The Chateau Royal was bought some years later by the 'Club Med' group, which in my opinion greatly lowered the tone of this once elegant hotel of supreme excellence.). Later that evening, after my show had finished, I headed for the bar and as usual, the Close-up Magic started - the show after the show. I wound-up with the U.T.A. flight crew, including the pilot and co-pilot (all French) of the aircraft that was flying out to New Zealand the following day - they had come down to see the New Year in. It wasn't long before someone asked me if I was staying in the hotel and when I said "well actually, I'm in the Royal Suite", it kind of stopped the conversation - there was stunned silence until somebody said "BULLSHIT, let's take a look then"! Now, I'm well aware of the rules and regulations today, in regards to alcohol and flight crews, particularly pilots but this was 1969/1st January 1970 - 31 years ago, and perhaps things were a bit more relaxed then, I wouldn't know, but the full complement of that U.T.A. flight finished up in my 'suite 'along with God knows who else - the party finished up sometime after five in there morning! I was at the airport at 10 o'clock in the morning, checking in for my flight back home, take-off 11 am. When I got on board you wouldn't think that six hours earlier those air hostesses had been whooping it up big-time, in my suite - all smiles, charm and grace with "hi Tommy, How's tricks" in their delightful French accents, they sure looked a lot better than I felt. About 30 minutes into the flight one of the hostesses came up to me and said that the pilots wanted to know if I would like to join them on the flight deck - "yes please!" When I got up there it was handshakes all round with a "loved your Room, great party - what are you drinking - champagne sound OK to you?" I've performed magic in some strange places, but spending the entire flight in the cockpit of a French Caravelle Airliner, sipping champagne and entertaining the pilots with close-up magic, and the flight crew who took turns to 'pop in' onto the flight deck, the whole way from New Caledonia to New Zealand, takes some beating. One of the most beautiful sights that I have seen in my lifetime was from the cockpit of that French airliner - as we approached the North Cape, top end of the north island of New Zealand. It was the most incredibly beautiful, intense velvety green, as far as you could see, from 20,000 ft up. That view, as seen from the cockpit of an aeroplane, really is something- Truly Magical! Post Script: After nearly losing my life only two weeks previously, from which I was still recovering, the 'Royal Touch' and 'Mile High' Champagne, was just what a suffering soul needed - perhaps there really is an omnipotent Being, after all! ------------------------------------- 22. Diarise these events ------------------------------------- Joshua Jay Lecture - Auckland Date: Friday 10th August 2001 Time: 7.30pm Entry $15 seniors. (Includes supper) Contact: Alan Watson Phone 483 9275 Mobile 025 95 7070 Venue: The Senior Citizens Club Rooms Address: The Strand, Takapuna (Behind the Library) (Same room as the North Shore Society of Magicians meet at) Joshua Jay Lecture, Hosted By S. A. M Assembly 250 Christchurch. Date: Monday 13th August 2001 Venue: Greg & Sue Britts Address: 23 Halswell Junction Road. Halswell. Time: 7.30pm Entry $15 seniors $10 Juniors.(includes supper ) Please phone 322 9249 to confirm your attendance or email elgregoe@inet.net.nz ------------------------------------- Jay Scott Berry Lecture Tour Auckland 9th October 2001 Wellington 10th October Christchurch 11th October ------------------------------------- The 26th NZ Magician's Convention Auckland Friday 28th to Monday 31st December 2001. The registration form and information is now available on the web go to: www.magician.co.nz/convention1.html ------------------------------------- 23. 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