* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.magicnewzealand.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #868 Date: Sunday 2nd October 2011 Editor: Alan Watson www.watson.co.nz E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Houdini Bust Magically Reappears At His Grave Site 3. Update On Michael Woolf's Health 4. Words Of Wisdom From Eugene Burger 5. The London Palladium - 19th September 2011 6. More Remarkable Magic # 53 - Nick Lewin 7. Making Fun of Yourself - #227 - Kyle Peron 8. Tony Brook In Conversation With Jon Racherbaumer - Part 3 9. MAGIC Preview - October 2011 10. Tampa Bay Magic Club Lecturers 11. Innovention 2012 12. Fire Eating By Gerald Taylor 13. A New Concept In Dealers Fairs 14. 75th British Ring Convention - Review 15. Coming To Europe To Tour 16. e-zine Archives 17. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- If you have a URL link on your website to Magic New Zealand please make sure it's pointing to the new domain: http://www.magicnewzealand.com Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: Editor@MagicNewZealand.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Houdini Bust Magically Reappears At His Grave Site --------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler (US) Missing since 1975. when vandals destroyed the original bust which marked the Houdini Grave site at the Machpelah Cemetery in Queens, NY, a new, exact replica was installed through the courtesy of the Houdini Museum of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Since the original loss of the bust, several copies have been replaced by the Society of American Magicians and were subsequently destroyed or stolen. The new bust is made of heavy concrete and has been placed on the grave by the Museum co-directors Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz. Both are members of the Society of American Magicians which has maintained the site for many years. They were assisted by escape artist Steve Moore. The replacement was sanctioned by the surviving members of the Houdini family and the manager of the cemetery. The Houdini Museum is the only building in the world dedicated to the memory of the great magician Harry Houdini. The Houdini Museum has been awarded a matching grant of $30,000 from the OECD of the city of Scranton for the façade of the building , In its 22 years in Scranton the Houdini Museum has been visited by thousands of tourists. It is also known for the annual "Houdini Séance" which takes place on October 31, the anniversary of Houdini's death in 1926. For further information on the Houdini Bust and/or the Houdini Museum http://houdini.org http://www.houdini.org/houdinibust.html Contact Penny Wilkes 570-383-1821 -------------------------------------------- 3. Update On Michael Woolf's Health --------------------------------------------- Message by Tony Wolf (NZ) This update includes some catch-up information, with my sincere apologies if the news of Dad's illness takes anyone by surprise. 11 days ago, on the morning of Monday Sept. 19th, Dad (Michael) suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed outside the Wellington Hospital foyer, en route to a scheduled medical appointment. He was saved by emergency CPR and was placed in a medically induced coma for two days. His recovery since then has been described by doctors as "amazing". A heart scan performed several days ago has revealed three narrowed arteries that will require surgery. His doctors have not been comfortable scheduling that surgery (general anaesthetic, etc.) soon after the cardiac arrest and medically induced coma, so it's currently a matter of Dad recuperating to the point where it is safe to proceed. He will *probably* be undergoing a triple bypass and a carotid bypass operation next week - no firm clue as to the date. Similarly, they will then have to wait until he has recovered sufficiently from heart surgery before removing a kidney tumour. Thus, Dad is looking at spending a significant period of time in hospital, with the possibility of returning home as he recuperates from the bypass operation. He continues to look and sound notably better every day and his throat is definitely recovering from the emergency intubation. He has now been moved to a less intensive care room (number 24, still on level 6 in the cardiac care ward), which he's sharing with a colourful Irish fellow. This was the first day our visit wasn't interrupted at least once by nurses running tests, which seems like a good sign; also the first day I've seen him out of bed. He's now fully alert and very relieved that we've managed to pull "Magicana" magazine into publication shape in his absence. The medical team now believes that he may have suffered a minor stroke some time ago, and Dad thinks that might have happened while he was staying in a hotel in Milwaukee during his recent US trip. Dad sends his love and thanks to all. More tomorrow - Tony -------------------------------------------- 4. Words Of Wisdom From Eugene Burger -------------------------------------------- Message by Jeff McBride (US) Dear Friends: We are delighted to have this week's contribution from none other than our Dean of the Magic & Mystery School, Eugene Burger: One Thing Needed Eugene Burger I have the opportunity to watch a great amount of magic performed each year. Happily, I really enjoy performances of magic. And I am still learning. Over the years, one thing I have realized is that very often a thoughtful performer can learn as much from watching bad performances of magic as we do from watching good ones. From bad performances, we can learn what we do not want to do and be - and learning what we don't want can be a lesson that is be truly priceless. Not only do I have the opportunity to watch magic, I often have the opportunity to talk to many magicians - and magicians from many countries. Perhaps, not surprisingly, I often hear the same comments from them: "I want my magic performances to be better." "I want to take my magic to a new level." "I want to figure out who my character is." "I want my magic to have more power and impact." These are revealing comments. They lead us to big questions: questions that are exceedingly important if we do, indeed, want our performances of magic to have more power and impact. The problem is how to begin. I am here reminded of a Buddhist teaching. In Buddhism, there is the Eight-Fold Path," the path a believer must travel on the way to personal enlightenment. Yet, before one begins to travel this Path there is what might be thought of as a preliminary step, the step before the first "official" step - and this preliminary step is Right Association. To practice Right Association, we need to spend less time with negative people who bring us down and, instead, spend more time with positive people who want us to succeed and actualize some of our dreams. To deal with these questions about our magic - and to answer them for ourselves - requires many things. It certainly requires sacrifice which may be different for each of us. Priorities will probably need to be arranged and rearranged. Yes, many elements are needed. Here, I want to consider one of them. I am not saying that other things aren't more important but only that this is one thing very definitely needed. Perhaps it is more like the preliminary step of Right Association in Buddhism. What I want to consider is a sense of urgency. A sense of urgency comes from the realization that I do not have forever. I do not have forever with my life and I do not have forever with my magic. If I am going to change my performances of magic so they have more power, then I must act. I must act now. I do not have forever. Perhaps the automobile that is going to run over me and kill me in three months is, at this very moment, having its final coat of paint applied in some factory in Michigan! And, if that were to happen, I would be dead and no one would ever get to see that great new performance! A sense of urgency reminds me that I do not have forever and yet can become so caught up in my "thoughts about improvement" that I never take any real steps to improve. Instead, I become stuck in my thoughts. Perhaps trying to figure things out before I take that first real step. Some of the magicians I meet in my travels have this sense of urgency. Most, I am afraid, do not. Perhaps they think they do have forever. Perhaps the dream of improvement is better than the work - and possible failure! - of improving. Perhaps they don't think much at all. Lacking a sense of urgency, one faces the danger of living in unfulfilled dreams, living in our thoughts. And acting out of a sense of urgency can be the first step to changing our relation to our magic in truly amazing ways. As a footnote, I realize that not all of the people reading these words are magicians. Some have no interest in performing magic at all. If you are one of these individuals, I wonder what a sense of urgency might do for you as you face the path you have chosen to travel. -------------------------------------------- 5. The London Palladium - 19th September 2011 -------------------------------------------- Article forwarded on by Paul Stone written by Chris Woodward Author of the definitive history of 'The London Palladium - The Story of the Theatre and its Stars' Paul Stone has had a string of successful shows to his credit not only in Las Vegas but also many in London's West End theatres and several at the London Palladium. The last one was to honour Siegfried & Roy in 2008. I had been privileged in my youth to see the full evening shows of Jasper Maskelyne, Dante and many more of that wonderful variety era. I saw that show in 2008 and felt then that it was the greatest magic show I had seen. I did not think it could be bettered. But in my opinion 'Palladium Magic' just tipped the scales and I'll tell you why... Six years ago John Calvert said to Paul 'When I reach 100, I want to appear at The Palladium and you to produce the show.' Paul quickly replied 'When you get to 98, call me!' John did just that and so, on Monday 19th September 2011, after two years of planning and many weeks and months of preparation, 'Palladium Magic' finally took to the stage. When John Calvert toured the UK in 1952 he appeared in most major provincial theatres and I saw that show in Birmingham. The tour was scheduled to climax at The Palladium, a rightful end to a very successful tour. However fate took a hand as it so often does and due to the huge box office success, they extended the run of the then current Palladium show starring rising UK star Norman Wisdom. So John had to finish his tour at The Finsbury Park Empire. This was a nearby and respected London theatre but it wasn't the Palladium; the precious jewel in many an artist's crown. It was then, it is now, and it always will be the greatest! To coincide with the Centenary of the London Palladium, Paul agreed to make John's dream come true. In conjunction with MagiCaresTM, the Charity that Paul founded at the 'Tribute to Siegfried & Roy at the London Palladium' in 2008, he set about organising 'Palladium Magic' a show to celebrate not only the theatre's Centenary and John Calvert's 100th Birthday, but also to honour all those legendary magicians who had graced the Palladium boards since the theatre first opened its doors in 1910. The glossy souvenir programme, a complimentary copy was placed on every seat, highlighted many of those magicians from the early days of Rameses, Chung Ling Soo and Houdini to Goldin Maskelyne and Cardini right up to modern day miracle workers such as Johnny Hart, Paul Daniels, Tommy Cooper, Wayne Dobson and Robert Harbin. The current Palladium box office success is 'The Wizard of Oz' starring Michael Crawford. Monday is the theatre's 'dark' day and the 'get in' for a one day Concert is 8 a.m. With so much to do in just 10 hours before the doors open and the audience arrive, including music and lighting rehearsals and the staging of the show, and also the many unseen details that go into a show of this scale, including the removal of seats to accommodate wheelchairs. I was privileged to be present at these rehearsals and I have to be honest that with the clock ticking fast, it didn't seem possible that the show would be ready on time. But Paul had assembled a team of top magic and theatre professionals and together with the superb Palladium backstage crew, the curtain went up on time. Whilst the theatre guests were entering and being seated, and also during the interval, nearly forty close-up workers ably entertained and took their rightful bow on this famous stage as the forerunner to the show. The show began with 27 energetic 'Palladium Magic' dancers who got the show off to a superb start. Paul Stone, Executive Producer, and the show's Host and Compère introduced the first act, Erix Logan from Italy, who presented some superb illusions. Next on was Yelena Larkina from Russia who, with her beauty and style, took Hula Hoops to the next level. Believe me, it is a great act! Michael Finney from the USA scored well with his wonderful brand of humour. Multi Award Winner, Mikael Szanyiel from Paris, came next with a music theme to his magic, he was very funny with superb timing. Mac King came all the way from Harrah's Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and certainly did not disappoint. He has a free and easy style that endeared him to the packed house getting lots of laughs along the way with his thumb tie, and 'cards across' using his hilarious 'Cloak of invisibility'. Guest of Honour and magic superstar Silvan from Italy made an unprogrammed appearance. Silvan is no stranger to the Palladium, his first highly successful season was in 1967 and several Sunday TV appearances followed, such was his popularity he was featured in three in succession. His charisma and brilliant card manipulation was enjoyed by all. The delightful Nathalie Enterline charmed her way with incredible baton twirling skill, great humour and superb manual dexterity with her trademark red hat and cane. There are bird acts and then there is Marko Karvo! From Finland, this consumate performer is the ultimate in elegance and precision. Producing doves and cages out of thin air, followed dramatically by a cockatoo and a magnificent Parrot, both of which flew out and around the audience before landing back perfectly on Marco's outstretched arm. The stunned audience jumped to their feet as one and gave this brilliant performer a prolonged and thunderous standing ovation! A fitting climax to the first half! The Palladium Magic Dancers opened the second half followed by the emotional introduction of Magic Legend and Centenarian John Calvert making his much anticipated London Palladium debut. John presented his Lazy Magician routine with silks and ropes and he still has that twinkle in his eye, charming the whole audience. John received a wonderful and deserved ovation! Paul Zenon, again no stranger the Palladium, was really entertaining with his own style of magic and offbeat humour. Jugglers come and go but there is only one Kris Kremo. With hats, balls, and cigar boxes, and great humour allied to his uncanny timing, Kris is perfection personified. Featured in the 1975 Royal Variety Performance, this was Kris' long awaited return to the Palladium stage. The climax of Kris's outstanding act is the Guinness Book of Records quadruple pirouette catching the cigar boxes in mid-air! Ben Stone, accompanied by a bevy of dancers, followed and sang the MagiCares anthem which he had also composed. The 'Liberace of Magic,' Jeff Hobson, had literally travelled overnight from Las Vegas to appear with his hilarious comedy and audience participation with fireating and his unique version of 'signed card to mouth', egg bag, and his wrist watch steals. This simple description certainly does NOT do his act justice. He was hilarious! The closing act was Hans Klok and Company who had travelled overnight from a performance in Rotterdam. Brilliantly assisted by the Divas of Magic, his unbelievable illusions and whirlwind performance style was the perfect climax to a sensational show. Interspersed during the acts Paul thanked many unseen hands, and introduced Magic Legends Wayne Dobson, David Berglas and, all the way from the USA, the original bird manipulator Jack Kodell, and his wife Mary Naylor, herself a Variety Legend from the 1950s, and a favourite of the Royal Family. Paul Stone can be justly proud that he produced the best magic show ever at The London Palladium, the greatest variety theatre in the world. All the stars say so! -------------------------------------------- 6. More Remarkable Magic # 53 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Lewin (US) More about Material. Last week I wrote a few thoughts about material for the performing magician. This week I want to continue with my musings on the same topic. There really is nothing else that can make a bigger difference to the quality of a show. A bad magician can make himself look better by consideration of this subject and a good magician can make himself look great. You can't look at each trick as a separate entity, you need to think holistically when choosing the pieces that make up the jigsaw puzzle that make up your act. I choose that word with care, not just to sound smart, because just as when you shatter an actual hologram, each tiny particle it breaks into, contains within it a fully-fledged picture of the entire image it represented before being de-constructed. When assembling a show, you can't go far wrong using the old fashioned theatrical master plan as your performing model. A start, a middle and an ending. This may sound like very basic advice but as you will realize when you watch a bunch of magic (and comedy) acts that it is more often missing in its execution than you would believe possible. What makes a good opening to a magic act? Well here are some thoughts to chew on, the trick should; 1 Be fast and interesting and capture your audience's attention as quickly as possible. The estimate is that you have about 30 seconds to win over an audience at the beginning of the show. If you don't win 'em over fast it probably won't get done at all. 2 The real purpose of that first trick is to introduce the audience to you as a performer/person. More than any other part of your show it is just a vehicle to present yourself in the best light. That is one reason that I strongly believe that you must choose a trick that allows you to make eye contact as much as possible with your audience. You should never need to look at the props you are using unless it is to emphasis something important. 3 It shouldn't be your strongest piece of material--leave that until the audience knows you a little better, otherwise it is wasted. The opening of the show is all about YOU, YOU, YOU! Save the strongest piece of material for later on in the show and choose something easily accesable that compliments your strengths. 4 It shouldn't be a trick you have to worry about in the slightest. Choose a trick you are really comfortable with where you don't need to think about the mechanics involved. When you have a good opening effect (or two) STICK WITH IT/THEM. This is such a key part of the show don't mess with it! Now the middle part of the act is when you have more leeway in your choice of material. This is when you can do things that are lightly to slow down or introduce variables into the proceedings. It is the time to bring an audience member onto the stage, I'm sure I don't need to tell you how I feel about doing that in your opening to the show--if you have any doubts then read the last three points again. The middle of the show is the time to present longer and more complex pieces of material, the time to leave the stage, borrow items from the audience etc. etc. This is the meat of the show and should really be thought of quite literally as a shorter show within a show. The middle of the show is the time to experiment with newer material and different handling of familiar effects or familiar handling of different effects. Read that last sentence again--there is a lot of hidden wisdom in it that is very relevant to the topic at hand. One important part of the middle section of the show, is that it is vital to insure you add the variety, texture and pacing that will hold your audience's interest in what you are doing. You must be very careful to add some subtle changes of tempo and mood in order to fully flesh out your show if you want to achieve the theatrical model that we are aiming for. It sounds obvious but......even with a great opening and a dynamite closing, if you lose/bore them in the middle you go back to Start and do not receive your two hundred dollars. Don't fall into an easy comfortable rut here. Make a point of applying some dynamics in order to really add punch to your show. Here is my computer's Thesaurus description of dynamics; energetic, spirited, active, lively, zestful, vital, vigorous, forceful, powerful, positive; high-powered, aggressive, bold, enterprising; magnetic, passionate, fiery, high-octane; go-getting, peppy, full of get-up-and-go, full of vim and vigor, gutsy, spunky, feisty, go-ahead. As for the third part of our mini-theatrical production........ Next week my dear readers, it is far too important an element to rush! Check out my blog (and RSS it!) at www.remarkablemagic.com Drop me an email at nicklewin26@gmail.com -------------------------------------------- 7. Making Fun of Yourself - #227 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com I'm at a festival show and it gets to the point of selecting my first young helper. I search the audience and spot a perfect boy who was active during my warm ups, smiling and who seemed to be well behaved. He certainly passed my 3 step system for selecting good helpers. I invite him up on stage and I can see he is just full of life. Now it is very important that the very first helper you get to come up is a good one. They set the tone for the show and they allow the others to see how to act and react. He was just perfect. Now this routine has to have him wearing a fedora like I do as part of a "do as I do routine." It is just then when I realize he is wearing a baseball hat. Not a big deal as I have a funny bit of business I do for why the one hat comes off and the other goes on. I state that although his hat is really nice it is not a special magic hat we must utilize to make the magic work. I show the fedora and state that it is not just another hat....NOOOOO...it is the hat of (pause) COOLNESS! Upon placing the hat on any child they instantly become the coolest kid in the world. The audience cheers and claps and goes nuts. All of this is done to make him smile, and laugh and for him to get a HUGE round of applause. So, I take the kids hat off gently and can tell he is immediately conscious of his hair as he started to look really embarrassed. I could tell in his eyes he was not so sure about removing his hat although he allowed me to. He looks at the audience and the hands go up to his head to cover his hair. It is that exact moment when you have a decision to make. You cannot allow the kid to feel bad and for the audience to be nervous. You cannot let yourself look like a bully or a bad guy. To ignore the problem is not solving the problem at all. Sending him back to his seat was not the right option either. I needed to let the child know it is OK and to take the heat off of him and make him feel good again. Without skipping a beat I take off my hat (fedora) and point to my head and say, "What are you nervous about? You at least HAVE hair." The kid looks up at my bald head and starts to laugh hysterically. His hands go down from his head and he relaxes. He starts smiling ear to ear and every time he looks at me he giggles and laughs. I could tell in that instant he was having fun again. There is nothing quite like saving the day by making fun of yourself. In that moment I went from a very awkward situation to a very funny moment simply by switching gears. I took the heat off the child by poking fun at myself for a few moments. I would much rather have the audience laughing at me and how silly I may look, than to have a child feel uncomfortable. The rest of the routine went perfect and that child had the time of his life. The audience had a great time and the child thanked me afterwards for a great show. His heart-felt hand shake and smile told me what I did that day was the right move. As always, I encourage you the readers to let me know your thoughts. So if you have any thoughts on my articles or suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me directly at wlmailhtml:magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you. - "Blue and Gold! The Complete Guide to Working The Scout Market!" is now available as a soft cover printed book as well as an ebook download. http://kpmagicproducts.com/Blue_and_Gold.html - "Encore! Creativity in the Art of Magic" Ebook. Order online now at: http://kpmagicproducts.com/Encore.html - "Tips and Techniques on the Chair Suspension" Ebook. Order online now at: http://kpmagicproducts.com/Chairs.html -------------------------------------------- 8. Tony Brook In Conversation With Jon Racherbaumer - Part 3 -------------------------------------------- Message by Anthony Darkstone Brook - Europe/USA ADB: You love words. I love words. You have admitted on many occasions that you love words with as much passion as card sleights. This is evident from the vast amount of books and articles that you have written. Why this passion with words? JR: Think about it. Words are magical. Language is a form of bewitchment. By uttering certain sounds, by enunciating things we call "words," we are able to convey feelings, ideas, and thoughts. You must respect that kind of power and verbal sorcery. However, I didn't get passionate about words until I saw the film, "Hamlet" and heard Dylan Thomas read "A Child's Christmas in Wales." later.much later.I fell in love with the language used by poet, Wallace Stevens, and novelist, Vladimir Nabokov. Think about it: what do magicians (even the great Merlin) do to invoke "magic"? They utter magic words! ADB: I love that remark of yours , "verbal sorcery" - such power . too many of today's Magicians seem to ignore that . care to comment .. JR: What is written in the Bible? "in the beginning there was the word." for everything to begin, God spoke, uttering an invocation (magic words?) -"let there be light." ADB: Absolutely, the sound ; you and I can spend months talking about " Ab Ba Ra Cad Da Bra". I will resist that temptation and also move away from magic for a moment ... you work out a lot and watch several movies every week. How do you find the time? JR: There are 24 hours in a day. You, me, everyone Tony . you got to make time. I'm as curious as Jerry Andrus about almost everything. I try to read at least 6 books weekly and watch at least 10 films. I check out at least 20 books every week from the library and I subscribe to 18 non-magic magazines. A few of my long-term interests are body-building, reading literature, book-collecting, martial arts, studying philosophy, poetry, film, theatre (theory), and mathematical recreations. I go to the gym 3 times a week. Although I'm a bit long in the tooth for heavy lifting, I can still bench-press 225 pounds. Yes, indeed. I have too many interests to list; however, here are a few of my long-term interests: body-building, reading and studying literature, book-collecting, martial arts, philosophy, poetry, film, theatre (theory), astronomy, and mathematical recreations. ADB: I subscribe to that . philosophical, physical and mental and a fair measure of good-natured mischief ..which brings us neatly to someone we both admired and .. still do .. Jerry Andrus. now's there's a mind . well was . I had the honor of visiting Jerry Andrus in his home back in 2007. I wrote a piece about that visit but cannot truly do him justice. A truly remarkable mind. Love to hear your thoughts on him ... JR: I wrote that Jerry Andrus was one of magicdom's most beloved eccentrics. He did not march to a different drummer. He was a different drummer-perhaps the different drummer of his generation-the drummer who drummed alone in two universes: his and the much larger one. And he was comfortably at home in both universes. The poet, Wallace Stevens, wrote that "it's a tragedy not to live in the physical world." Well, Jerry did not make that mistake. He deeply inhabited this physical world in all its guts and glory and throughout his life he was never bored or boring, never dull but always interesting. Jerry also understood what Joseph Campbell knew: "if the path you are on is beaten, it is not your path." Jerry could have been a path-finder, but he preferred being a path-maker. This is why he did not read many magic books. This is why he never performed tricks by other magicians. He appreciated what others created, but he was not interested in imitation or interpretation. This is also why his creations were idiosyncratic and, at first blush, a bit strange. When Harry Anderson heard the sad news of Jerry's passing, he offered an upbeat aside - one that perhaps Jerry would have appreciated: "if you close one eye and stand six feet away, Jerry still looks alive!" As far as I'm concerned, Jerry's legacy of books, films, videos, optical illusions, and other artifacts will always be spectacularly alive. They exist as a kind of "composite soul" that even Jerry might have believed in. One of Jerry's lines now resonates again: "usually when we're fooled, the mind hasn't made a mistake. It's come to the wrong conclusion for the right reason." May we correctly be conclusive for right reasons as magicians everywhere celebrate sweet memories of being fooled while never feeling foolish. May we also be grateful for the abiding gifts, real and illusory, that Jerry left in his stead. End of part 3 -------------------------------------------- 9. MAGIC Preview - October 2011 -------------------------------------------- Message by Editor Magic Magazine From The Editor The October issue of MAGIC Magazine is now out, available both in print and on the iPad. If you haven't already received your copy, here's an advanced look at what's "between the covers." If you're not a subscriber, please give us a try. Check out our risk-free, one-month-at-a-time subscription plan at the bottom of this email. Of course, we still offer our annual subscriptions as well. MAGIC is also available for your iPad in the App Store. The cost is only $3.99 and it arrives within a few minutes. Best of all, you only buy it once, then you own it forever and can enjoy it wherever you want. - Stan Allen P.S. For extended coverage of MAGIC Live, including day-by-day slideshows and videos, visit MAGICmagazine.com/live. Stories in MAGIC this month: Cover: The Kid at the Table By Jack Lovick Derek is a surprising choice for a magazine article. He has the biggest reputation, based on the littlest amount of information of anyone I know. At a recent convention, nearly every time I mentioned his name to someone who lives outside of Los Angeles, the response was a wide-eyed, "Oh, I've been hearing about him a lot." There is a buzz about him that has literally spread around the world. He has managed - I believe carefully, and on purpose -to create a compelling, almost legendary, mythos about himself. He's done this despite - or more likely because of - his youth and great aversion to publicity and self-promotion. He has published very little. He rarely lectures or performs at magic conventions. He's doesn't put much emphasis on inventing tricks, and doesn't sell any. He's never released any DVDs. He regularly turns down requests for interviews, magazine articles, and television appearances. For personal reasons, he has stopped performing at the Magic Castle and no longer accepts walk-around gigs. There is almost nothing about him on the Internet, no YouTube videos, no forum posts, no flashy webpage. Google "Derek DelGaudio" and the second link is a thread on a magic bulletin board entitled "Who is Derek DelGaudio?" MAGIC Live! High Five Words by Mark Nelson For four memorable days, deep in the heart of Orleans (the Las Vegas resort-casino, not the birthplace of jazz), top magicians from around the planet gathered once again to share knowledge, talent, and camaraderie at the fifth MAGIC Live convention, this year celebrating the twentieth anniversary of MAGIC Magazine. Ten years earlier, in 2001, publisher Stan Allen and staff put together a commemorative "one time only, never to be repeated" convention in honor of the periodical's tenth anniversary, but notwithstanding the original tag line, there were follow-up conventions in '04, '07, and '09. Upon closer examination of each convention, however, one will find that Stan and company kept their word. Each subsequent Live demonstrated additional creativity, maturity, and a sense of audacity that kept the magic community coming back for more. Although similar in format, subsequent MAGIC Live events have differed enough in tone, content, and novelty that it has become one of the few conventions that non-invited magic luminaries actually pay to attend, as evidenced by the more than 1,300 registrants at this year's conference. The Power of Darkness By Mike Caveney As I stepped through the doorway, I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. If there hadn't been someone holding on to my arm and guiding my every step, I might still be stumbling around in the dark. The reason for my temporary blindness was that I was wearing a blindfold, as were about half the audience members who attended this unique show. The other half moved to their seats much more confidently, but only because they had spent their entire life negotiating their way through each day without the sense of sight. On this day, those of us bumping clumsily into chairs were the interlopers, for this was a magic show designed specifically for the blind. Becoming Blackstone By David Charvet It all began May 20, 2011 on the Chicago "El." Mike Caveney, Bill Smith, and I were riding the train from the Magic Collectors' Weekend convention near O'Hare Airport to a White Sox versus Dodgers baseball game at US Cellular Field. During the trip, Mike and Bill looked at each other and then at me and said, "Blackstone!" That one word set in motion a string of events that culminated in my performance of Blackstone's Buzz Saw illusion at the recent MAGIC Live. It was one of the most challenging and exciting performances of my life. Paul Romhany: Citizen of the World By Jamie D. Grant "So, do you actually perform walk-around magic in your Chaplin character?" while pouring way too much sugar into my coffee. And that's when he told me that he can do a two-hour walk-around gig without uttering a word. I can't even fathom that. With patter such an important part of close-up magic, Paul's ability to perform in that environment, without speaking, is a testament not only to his abilities but to his commitment to character - the character of Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp. Buss to Afghanistan By Eric Buss You never know when a phone call will change your life. I received one of these extra-special phone calls in late April. On the other end of the line was Chef Charles Carroll of the River Oaks Country Club in Houston, Texas. He asked me if I wanted to join team Operation HOT (Honoring Our Troops) in traveling to Afghanistan to perform. He hadn't even finished telling me about the trip and I started repeating the word "Yes!" It sounded like the opportunity of a lifetime. Chef Carroll and his assistant, Hilmi Ahmed, had both been working on this project for over a year. It was now in its final stages of preparation. The goal was to entertain the finest troops in the world and bring them "a taste of home" with a home-cooked Cajun meal and a show. After what seemed like hundreds of emails, phone calls, texts, and smoke signals between Hilmi, Charles, and myself, I was officially onboard. Now all that was left were blood tests, security checks, and terrorism training quizzes. "I passed! Let's go!" Seventy-four Get-Togethers, and a Centenarian, Too One of the longest-running conventions in the history of magic, The Abbott Magic Get-Together, celebrated its 74th anniversary with their annual four-day event in August. The real celebration was not for the convention itself but for John Calvert, who celebrated his 100th birthday on Friday, August 5th. History of Magic in Europe When was the first time that someone performed the Sawing in Half illusion? Who is the most prolific writer? Has the secret about Ionia been solved? These and many more questions were asked at the fourth European Magic History & Collections Congress in London. A Belgian on American TV in France Having become a relatively recent convert to the world of conjuring, television host Craig Ferguson has since shared his enthusiasm for the art by bringing magicians onto his Late Late Show. Earlier this summer, Ferguson left California to film a week of shows on the streets of Paris. On the August 2 program, Belgian magician Rafael became a surprise guest. Visiting with Erdnase The first Erdnaseum was held on Friday and Saturday, August 26-27, at the Sanders Bed & Breakfast in Helena, Montana - the boyhood home of mining engineer Wilbur Edgerton Sanders, David Alexander's candidate for the elusive author. A Message for the Moon The Steve Allen Theater on Hollywood Boulevard was packed with an SRO crowd on Tuesday, September 6. Dozens of name magicians were present, all eagerly anticipating the opening moments of the second edition of An Evening with Rob Zabrecky. Tricks and advice in MAGIC this month: Talk About Tricks: Back to the Source By Joshua Jay Frequent contributor Brett Bishop offers an unusual transposition between a marked coin and Kool-Aid, while Chris Congreave's transposition, Signature Interlude, uses something more conventional: playing cards. Charles Karelis makes his "Talk About Tricks" debut with a business card effect, and Kris Nevling makes a familiar color change even better. For What It's Worth: You Will Want to Kill Again By Mark Kornhauser The difference between a performer and an aspiring performer is that a performer finds a stage - whether it's a theater, a comedy club, or Sally's Pizza - just as surely as a schmecker finds his man. (I think that means a heroin addict finding his dealer.) The type of venue in which you choose to develop your craft is quite critical. I say "choose" as if you have a choice. In the daily grind, it's often simply that one job paid fifty dollars more than the other. Coffeehouse Conjuring: My Cup Runneth Over By Gregory Wilson & David Gripenwaldt A cup of Starbucks coffee and a straw are introduced, but not formally. The magician picks up the straw and carefully removes the wrapper. The tiny piece of paper from the end is placed on top of the lid. Next, he waves the straw over the smidgen of paper and it magically adheres. He further demonstrates the wand's static power by waving it in front of the insulation sleeve/holder, causing it to quickly and mysteriously rise up the cup. Finally, he waves the wand over the cup, and the entire cup eerily slides backward, toward the magician. Classic Correspondence: McDonald Birch to David Price By Mike Caveney The name George McDonald Birch is rarely mentioned in the same breath as Kellar, Thurston, Dante, or Blackstone, but a case can be made that if he wasn't part of this varsity team, he was certainly the first one off the bench. Directions: When the Shtick Hits The Fan By Joanie Spina For this year's Directions focus session at MAGIC Live, I worked with young, up-and-coming magician Chris Randall. Chris is a thirty-year-old, second-generation magician from Las Vegas. After rehearsing and implementing new ideas in his material, he performed the revised act at the MAGIC Live Directions session. This article may seem a little harsh, but Chris emerged on the other end with a new direction and "feeling good" about the changes. In the Marketplace this month: Seventeen products are reviewed this month by Michael Claxton, Farrell Dillon, Peter Duffie, Gabe Fajuri, Brad Henderson, Will Houstoun, and Francis Menotti: Tortured Tablet by Doug Bennett The Davenport Story Volume 3: The Life and Times of a Magical Family 1939-2010 by Fergus Roy Secrets of Wild Card Mes(s)merize by Stefan Olschewski Mind Mysteries Guide Book Volume 7 by Richard Osterlind Bullet Party by John Bannon Minimax Detector by Edo Money Matters by Ed Solomon Howard Thurston's Card Tricks Chapeaugaphy Rameses: The Forgotten Star by Chris Woodward Memoirs of an Elusive Moth by Adele Friel Rhindress The Manual of Darkness by Enrique de Hériz Industrial Revelation by Jamie D. Grant The Aleph Wallet by Vernet Beginnings by Johnny Mass Presentation Magic! by Nick Fitzherbert Subscribe! You can now choose to receive MAGIC risk-free with our new "Monthly Subscription" for only $5 each month. Of course, you can still subscribe for the entire year, as well. For complete subscription details go to: http://www.magicmagazine.com/subscribe/ ------------------------------------------- 10. Tampa Bay Magic Club Lecturers -------------------------------------------- Message by David Evangelista To our magician friends, Thursday October 13th, 2011 - 7:30pm - Gregory Wilson Lecture - Yes, we got him! Gregory Wilson will be lecturing at TBMC on a special night and time. Gregory Wilson is a two-time FISM award-winner with a number of best-selling instructional DVD's on the market. In 1998 Greg was also awarded the "Most Creative Magician of the Year" by the International Brotherhood of Magicians. The list of his accomplishments goes on-and-on. Don't you dare miss this fantastic lecture! Friday October 14th, 2011 8:00 pm - Gregory Wilson Extremely Private Workshop - Gregory Wilson will have his "Extremely Private Workshop" limited to 10 people only!!!! Price is $50.00 per person in advance. The first 10 people to make payment will be accepted. Gregory has a very strict limit on his special workshops so he can work hands on with every student. This workshop will be held at Visual Magic Shop, 7150 Congress Street, New Port Richey, FL 34653. Anyone interested, contact David or Cheri at 727-748-8822 or 727-271-2701 and arrange to make payment in cash or by check made out to Gregory Wilson. You must call to reserve your place or you will NOT be guaranteed a spot in this "Extremely Private Workshop". First come, first serve. Sorry, no exceptions! Thursday November 3rd, 2011 - 7:30 pm - Dan Hauss lecture ($20 lecture fee) - River Ridge Golf & Country Club 11022 Tee Time Circle . New Port Richey, Florida 34654 (More to be announced soon!) Dan Hauss, the creator of Flow, Rattled, Lit and Sleeping Queen (just to name a few), has a wealth of unpublished underground magic to share with you! His creative talents have been a secret source for many top magicians including David Blaine and Paul Harris. With many more exciting creations soon to be launched, Dan Hauss will let you into his world of magic. He will show you how to use magic in your everyday life to give you a social edge, meet people, and be the life of the party. This lecture will stress the real secret of magic and that is how to connect with people, not alienate them with your well-practiced tricks. On top of learning some brilliant never before seen effects, you will come away from this lecture with a better outlook on how to use magic to enhance your personality and connect with your audience. Tricks Include: Flow :: Rattled :: Sleeping queen :: Lit :: Restless project :: Redline :: Wave :: Riot :: Rise & shine. And also an arsenal of unpublished tricks that you will only learn at the lecture. Friday November 4th, 2011 - 8:00pm - Dan Hauss Workshop - ($25 workshop fee) 7150 Congress Street, New Port Richey, FL 34653 - Phone 727-748-8822 (More to be announced soon!) This special workshop will teach you some of Dan's closest guarded secrets, his knowledge and philosophy on performing and special hands on training by this extreme magic expert. Well worth the price and so much more personal hands on training than the standard lecture can give. Book your seat now. This special workshop is limited to a strict 30 people only. As always, Dan's workshop will indeed sell out. Grab your spot today before all the seats are gone! David Evangelista President - Tampa Bay Magic Club World's Greatest Magic Club Phone: 727-271-2701 http://tampabaymagicclub.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tampa-Bay-Magic-Club-Inc/323008539209?ref=ts -------------------------------------------- 11. Innovention 2012 -------------------------------------------- Message by PAUL STONE Following the success of Innovention 2010, I have received numerous requests to produce another Convention. So, I am delighted to announce that Innovention 2012 will be taking place in Las Vegas from October 2 - 6, 2012. Full details will be announced next week. Early registration is recommended as we will once again be strictly limiting the number of attendees to just 250. First option will be given to anyone who registered for Innovention 2010. Innovention 2012 will be at a new location very close to the Las Vegas Strip offering great facilities and outstanding value for money, with incredible accommodation rates! We'll reveal all next week, but we can tell you that this will once again be unlike any other Magic Convention. It will be a very high quality and intimate Convention with several innovative ideas. Whether you perform magic for a living or just for fun, you won't want to miss Innovention 2012. Ask anyone who attended the last one! If you are only planning to attend one Convention in 2012, make it the Innovention. For quality and value for money, it will be unbeatable! If you're interested and would like more details, email info@innovention2012.com ------------------------------------------- 12. Fire Eating By Gerald Taylor -------------------------------------------- Message by Arthur Reed (South Africa) I have been clearing my collection of books and have come across a book by Gerald Taylor The Classical Technique of Fire Eating autographed by him at copy number 200. If there is anyone out there who is a collector they are welcome to contact me at arthur@arthurreed.co.za I did Fire Eating some years ago and have no further use for this wonderful book. -------------------------------------------- 13. A New Concept In Dealers Fairs -------------------------------------------- Message by Jay Scott Berry I am very happy to announce a new concept in Dealers Fairs for the upcoming Magical 1 Malaysia Festival. As we all know, at virtually every magic convention, the dealers take a back seat in the schedule. More often than not, the Dealers Room languishes while contests, gala shows and lectures take the buyers elsewhere. Having been there many times, I can bear witness to the frustration that many Dealers feel with the status-quo that has become your average magic convention. That is all about to change. Presenting the Carnival of Wonders; a veritable show within a show! The greater M1M Festival itself will take place from March 23rd through 25th 2012, at the KLCC, in the centre of Kuala Lumpur. Starring over a dozen of the world's finest magicians, it promises to be the largest Celebration of Wonder ever held in SE Asia. Together with production partner, Mahdi Moudini, I intend to set a new international standard for magic gatherings. Instead of closeting the Dealers Fair in some remote room, we have decided to set it in the very heart of the action. In fact, the Carnival of Wonders will encompass the entire area around the magnificent Plenary Hall, where all of the main events will take place. What's more, we will have a dedicated Dealers Stage, featuring a non-stop show; allowing participants to present their wares live throughout the day! Finally, and perhaps most important, the entire Carnival will be open to magicians and the general public alike, free of charge! This will be promoted throughout the city and the adjacent shopping mall, ensuring a constant flow of customers. How novel, actually designing the entire event to allow each and every dealer to make as much profit as possible. Even the way we are pricing the dealer's tables is new. Instead of one fixed price, we are offering 4 separate options, in order to best cater to large and small dealers as well as their budgets. These range from the Platinum Booths, closest to the stage and with maximum performance time throughout the day, to the Bronze booths, situated on the upper lever, just outside the theatre doors and still in the heart of the action. It is said that nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come. If you are a Dealer and think that this is one of those ideas, I encourage you to contact me directly at jsb@jayscottberry.com for more information. Alternatively, I invite you to visit the M1M website: www.Magical1Malaysia.com. Please hurry as our space is quite limited and booths will go on a first-come, first-served basis! -------------------------------------------- 14. 75th British Ring Convention - Review -------------------------------------------- Message by Geoffrey Newton PRO The 75th Annual Convention of the IBM British Ring welcomed nearly 500 delegates to the mild and sunny climate of Southport at the end of last month to enjoy 4 days of excellent lectures, shows, competitions and dealers. The event was one day less than the generally known format and started by a welcome from the Mayor on Thursday afternoon (22nd). His witty speech paved the way for a most enjoyable few days to come. The opening show, compered by Pat Fallon who was jovial as ever. He introduced Mandy Fletcher (who went on to be a prize winner with her team in the stage competition - more later) with the act as known, very well received just as it was at the President's Dinner earlier this year. Chris De Rosa was a new name to me in the illusion field and had again some effects new to me. Mark James was FUNNY big time as he always is and a welcome addition to the show. This afternoon entertainment is always a short show but puts conventioneers in the mood for what was to come. It was now time for the 25 exhibitors to open in the dealers' hall and I trust they all had a successful few days trading. Practical Magic won the Dealers' Trophy for the best display. I did not see all the lectures due to PRO duties but heard they were all good and British Ring members will be able to read individual reports in forthcoming editions of the Budget. I think this is the fairest way to deal with this at the moment as I would feel uncomfortable reporting some whilst leaving others. I hope you the reader will agree here. The first lecture was by Mark James. In the evening of Thursday following the Ali Bongo Micro Marathon (won by Bharat Patel) it was Cabaret Night. Italy's Vittorio Marino was a most unusual compere and very talented. One moment he was on stilts, then a Toulouse Lautrec style character and even riding a pantomime creation. You wondered what he would appear as next! I hope we see more of his style soon. Wes Zahruk a Canadian magician/zany magician was certainly different. Amongst other things he demonstrated how to vanish a silk up the sleeve - by putting a vacuum cleaner nozzle in at the shoulder end and switching it on! That was only the start. Something we are not so used to over here but you can't ignore him! Sonny Pennington a sophisticated young man and took a prize at the recent TMC YMOTY competition was well received for his flawless performance. The act of Safire as known is always a joy to watch and this was another occasion to see an act that tours so much an has been greatly associated with the Chuckle Brothers for many years now. After the AGM on Friday morning brought the dealers showcase organised by Jim Boyd and introduced by Alec Powell. This event was followed by a lecture by Mel Mellers and then the close up competition. The winner was Matthew Wright, second Michael Neto, third Marcus Taylor. The Friday evening Gala Dinner held in the Lakeside Suite Where President Keith and his lady Pam welcomed the International President Vanni Pulé and his lady Mary Anne together with 110 British Ring members and guests. Speeches were by the Mayor, Keith and Vanni. All done with wit and good humour and relatively short in length as is the norm these days. For those not attending the dinner, Bob Hamilton gave a video presentation of clips from previous conventions. The Late Gala of Magic was compered by Michael Carr (another success story from the President's Dinner at Tillington Hall). He introduced the hilariously funny Mel Mellers, the almost totally different juggling skills of Mat Ricardo, the young Frenchman Jordan Gomez with brilliant manipulation skills all performed in a very modern manner. Finally, the well-known illusions of Amethyst including walking through steel completed the entertainment. Saturday, for those not attending the Shawn Farquhar lecture there was the children's show. This also to a degree clashed with the Anthony Darkstone Talk Show which I also missed due to reporting the Sooty and friends as below. Clowns, Clivo and Jeani (Clive Moore and Jean Ellison) are clearly very much at home producing this annual event, always with a good variety of acts. Let's therefore recall what we saw. Opening was Paul Joyce who I have seen twice before and he clearly is certainly going places. His opening with a noise meter which the children 'broke' certainly established him with the youngsters. It was then on with Sucker Beaker Vanish, Do As I do Balloon Penetration with a child (very funny routine) who then enjoyed a ride on the flying carpet. All good stuff and I look forward to following his career as a children's entertainer. David Tomkins is very well known to the magical fraternity especially to those who follow his articles in The Magic Circular. He had a new twist with the Die Box using a Rubic Cube and the box had six doors - now work that one out! On then with Bongo's Hat and Loopy Loops. There was the stiff rope with an Indian Rope Trick Story accompanied by a very striking vent dragon. Adding that extra something to your magic is always well received. Well done David. Safire's Black Light Puppets stand alone on any stage. They are amazingly colourful, fast, funny, exciting and expertly operated. You could not ask for anything more, other time to catch your breath so it was a good time for an ice cream. A welcome return to the IBM British Ring Convention was Richard Cadell and all the mayhem Sooty and Co bring to the stage. The interaction, slapstick and speed of operation are just as good as I remember it 60 years ago (not with Richard though!). This timeless creation is, I am sure worthy of at least another 60 years of life. Thank you Richard and all your team - and the water pistol, Sooty! The illusions of Safire are always a delight to watch and Stuart's zany approach to presentation does, I feel set them apart from other illusionists. That coupledwith Jayne's vibrant action adds to this most successful magical duo. There was Head Off, Legs Off and an amazingly fast Sub Trunk. A good show greatly enjoyed by young and old alike and I look forward to the magical mixture Clive and Jean come up with for Yarmouth next year. Saturday afternoon brought Eddie Dawes introducing More History of Mystery. This was a fascinating insight into three completely different topics 1) The Tragic Deaths of Lafayette: The most hated magician who ever lived presented by Brian Lead 2) A glimpse of the David Devant collection of photographs from The Magic Circle Archive presented by David Hibberd. 3) Secrets of the Side Shows presented by Jon Marshall (photo). All these presentations were via Powerpoint with excellent commentaries. There was also a lecture from Joe M. Turner later on in the afternoon. Saturday evening brought the British Ring Shield Competition where 10 entrants battled it out for this most coveted prize. The winner was Ta Na Manga of Portugal with a most unusual narrative act. Runner up was in the hands of Elemental from North Wales who also took the prize for manipulation Third prize went to Ianthe of Glasgow featuring Mandy Fletcher and assistants presenting mainly fast moving illusions set to high energy dance. The originality trophy went to Tim Shoesmith of Hertfordshire. On Sunday morning there was the Jeffrey Atkins Memorial Lecture this year presented by Michael Finney. Later on the International Close Up featured Shawn Farquhar, Shaun McCree, Joe M. Turner and Mark James. The Gala Show on Saturday night played to a nearly packed house and compered by the most versatile entertainer Aonghus McAnally from Ireland. Rafael and Jenny from Belguim presented two spots, one as the show opener and later in a protean entertainer, very fast changes ending with them both as a wedding day couple. Romany presented her burlesque magic as known coupled with the rope tie recently aired on the Penn and Teller Fool Us TV show Jason Andrews was slick, smart and a perfect example of presenting classical magic at its' very best. Shawn Farquhar (another from the Fool Us TV Show) was highly entertaining including Topsy Turvey Bottle with a number of interesting twists. A great act to watch from a man who is as welcoming both on and off stage. Michael Finney was as brilliant as ever with his one liners, so whatever you do never even think of heckling him. He has an answer for everything. All he needs is a piece of rope and a pack of cards and you are always in for a real magical treat. Guy Barrett presented illusions as known, filling the stage with excellent props enhanced by his own lighting panels and his team of female assistants turning the tables on him as they put him in one of the illusions much to the amusement of the audience. Another convention over and it's time to start planning the next one from 26th to 30th September 2012 in Great Yarmouth. Keep an eye on the British Ring website www.britishring.org.uk or www.magicconvention.co.uk for details as they become available. Our newly installed president Brian Miller looks forward to seeing many of you there. President elect is now John 'Sly' Smith, Secretary John Pye, and Treasurer Keith Cooper. Finally, on behalf of all conventioneers I would like to express a vote of thanks to John Pye who has organised this event for the last 8 years. John is stepping down from the role as next year he takes office at the International President of The International Brotherhood of Magicians following in the footsteps of current President Vanni Pulé of Malta. The 2012 British Ring Convention is being organised jointly by David Ball and Peter Scarlett. -------------------------------------------- 15. Coming To Europe To Tour -------------------------------------------- Message by Loch David Crane (US) I'll be returning to Europe (I hope) for a short tour May thru July. Do any of your readers know of Magic Stores, Magic groups, conventions, or events during that time please? I'd like to perform and meet new magic friends. I'll also do a lot of troop shows on bases I can contact from years ago. Thanks guys and gals- Loch David Crane PS: I will not dress as Santa... -------------------------------------------- 16. e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.magicnewzealand.com click on the red button center right "Archives" When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order in folders for each year and are Coded, e.g. 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) -------------------------------------------- 17. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at: www.magicnewzealand.com Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer. © Copyright 2011 Alan Watson www.magicnewzealand.com www.watson.co.nz www.corporatemagic.co.nz www.magician.co.nz www.magicianz.com www.balloon-twister.co.nz