* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand® * Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment * www.magicnewzealand.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #905 Date: Sunday 18th March 2012 Editor: Alan Watson www.watson.co.nz E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Hans Klok: The Houdini Experience - March 2012 3. The Society of American Magicians Convention Checklist 4. Luna Shimada To Perform At S.A.M. Convention 5. SYM Announces New Fellowship Program 6. Genii's 75th Anniversary Birthday Bash 7. Remarkable Magic. #25 - Nick Lewin 8. First Name Basis - #249 - Kyle Peron 9. I Conversation with John Palfreyman - Part 3 10. Magic News From The Magic Capital Of The World! 11. Morgan & West: Time Travelling Magicians 12. Magic Lectures In New York City 13. Magician Paul Daniels On His Month From Hell 14. April Issue Of Genii Magazine 15. Columbus Magi Fest Passes Into History 16. Smoke And Mirrors Comic By IDW 17. e-zine Archives 18. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Just learned that Alfred Hayes from Sydney, Australia had a heart attack and was rushed into St George's Hospital intensive care unit where he had another heart attack and had a pacemaker put in. Pleased to say he's on the road to recovery and home again. Alfred has many friends all over the world and I'm sure he would love to hear from you. Alfred's email address is: alfredandpatrick@hotmail.com Postal address: 16 "Gateway", 158 Princes Highway, Arncliffe, New South Wales 2205, Australia Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: Editor@MagicNewZealand.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Hans Klok: The Houdini Experience - March 2012 --------------------------------------------- Message by Mandy Davis (UK) When you think of watching magic you bring to mind a magician performing his act - a series of tricks or illusions strung together with music or patter. It's what we are used to seeing; either that or a series of different magicians performing their 'acts' which last ten, fifteen, twenty minutes and are appearing in a convention or theatre near you! When you go to see Dutch magician Hans Klok you are seeing a complete and vibrant production - this is what the Peacock Theatre, London, has hosted for the past month. It comes as a surprise to find that the show runs for two and a half hours but it never drags; you merely note that so much time has passed whilst you were enjoying a visual feast of colour, sound and illusion. The music enhances the beauty of the scenery, the lavish costumes and the abundance of magic - a plethora of illusions dramatically dressed with circus, pirate or fantasy themes. The magic is often fast and furious - especially the last segment where box after box after box is rolled centre stage, performed and removed at lightning speed in a fashion for which Hans is renowned. Prior to that the production values are very high and the dancing of a calibre well suited to a theatre known for the Sadlers Wells ballet. To dilute the magic, but no less fantastic, are four acrobatic diversions ranging from wire walking displays to a rollerskating trio and contortionists. Hans also shows the audience some classic tricks - Multiplying Bottles performed extremely slowly, Torn and Restored Newspaper and the Floating Lighbulb with great reference to Harry and Gay Blackstone. These, however, were no doubt over shadowed by the many versions of Metamorphosis, Asra illusions, other levitations and a Houdini Water Tank. The whole was wrapped in this glorious full-on theatrical dressing that Hans can be very proud to have brought to a London stage. Many magicians have taken the trouble to spend an evening at the Peacock Theatre and have come away full of enthusiasm for an excellent and well-produced theatrical event. -------------------------------------------- 3. The Society of American Magicians Convention Checklist --------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler (US) July 23-26, 2012 See www.magicsam.com for an updated list of Magic Dealers (27 to date) Check out Acts and Lectures (21 so far) Look at the Schedule updates for all the events and remember that tickets to the David Copperfield and Mac King shows are free with your registration. Check out the shark tank the Golden Nugget, our Las Vegas hotel with special low convention rates. Check out airfares. Google the "Fremont Street Experience" to see what's happening outside of our hotel door. If you are not already registered, save money NOW, before the rates go up April 1. It's all online - www.magicsam.com -------------------------------------------- 4. Luna Shimada To Perform At S.A.M. Convention --------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler (US) Producer Mike Miller announced that Luna Shimada has been added to the S A M list of super star acts at the convention in Las Vegas (July 23-26) Luna grew up in the world of magic, being the daughter of legendary master magician Shimada from Japan. She began her career on stage early at the age of 12 and has spent the last 30 years honing her craft and is now recognized in the world of magic today as one of the best female magicians of our time. She has paved the way for many women to follow in a profession that has primarily been a male dominated field. Luna has created her own distinctive style of performance magic that is unique, dramatic, sensual and thought provoking but is also very current and appealing to today's growing pop culture. In other words, Luna just rocks! According to "Rolling Stone" magazine. She is the quintessential renaissance woman of our day. Register now and save - The rates increase April 1 - , www.magicsam.com 5. SYM Announces New Fellowship Program -------------------------------------------- Message by George Schindler (US) Society Of Young Magicians Announces New Fellowship Program A new youth program has been announced by The Society of American Magicians' Magic Endowment Fund that will enable needy young member magicians to attend the Weekend of Wonder (WOW) August 10-12, 2012. Members of The Society of Young Magicians (SYM) who are unable to afford the costs of attending the biennial weekend may apply for fellowships. WOW is a total immersion weekend* featuring world-famous magicians as teachers and lecturers. Experience has shown that teaching kids about magic and the magical arts during the weekend can produce raised levels of excitement, interest, training and continuation in the art. In addition to the training, friendships are made and social activities are provided. Interested youth will find the application on The Society of Young Magicians website: www.magicsym.com *All attendees must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. ------------------------------------------- 6. Genii's 75th Anniversary Birthday Bash -------------------------------------------- Message by Richard Kaufman Editor: Genii, The Conjurors' Magazine Genii Convention Update. Great Reasons to Attend Genii's 75th Anniversary Birthday Bash! 1. We have just booked the master himself, the great Juan Tamariz to perform at our upcoming convention. Juan will give a 60-minute close-up show followed by a 90-minute lecture on the Friday evening of our convention. 2. We've also just booked Alex Ramon, Alba, Yumi, Rob Zabrecky, Peter Samelson, Jamy Ian Swiss, Jonathan Levit, and Ian Kendall for performances and lectures. They join Roberto Giobbi, Tom Stone, David Ben, Jim Steinmeyer, John Carney, Eric Mead, Max Maven, Jonathan Pendragon, Jon Racherbaumer, Eugene Burger, Charlie Frye and Company, Kisuk Lee, Paul Wilson, and Special Guest Dr. Sawa. 3. It may be our party, but you get the gifts! We've generated so much excitement about our upcoming bash, so many people offering special products to be part the celebration, that we couldn't resist. We're going to giveaway $10,000 worth of magic to lucky attendees of our upcoming Genii convention in Orlando on October 4, 5, and 6. No need to buy a ticket-you're automatically entered the moment you register. Many magic companies and dealers are donating prizes, and both myself and Genii are going to kick in about 50 items, of which the biggest prizes are two copies of the $700 book, Siegfried & Roy: Unique in All the World. Now sold out, you can't buy it, but you might take one home free as our gift. I'll donate a $500 Losander "Beginners" Floating Table and a Paul Harris True Astonishment $300 DVD set-and this is the first edition, which contains the rare locking wooden puzzle box and Bicycle Rider back gimmicked cards. Also being given away are another Paul Harris True Astonishment $300 DVD set, a Paul Harris $300 "Little Man," and the deluxe edition of The Essential Dai Vernon published by L&L and signed by Dai Vernon. At the rate items are being donated, I think we'll probably be giving away well over 150 prizes. To give you a little added incentive, if you register by May 31, we'll enter your name into the raffle twice, doubling your chance of winning a prize (only one prize per registrant). Go to www.geniiconvention.com today and join us for a great convention/birthday blowout. 4. Our goodie bag will be unique: you're going to get over a dozen DVDs, tricks, and booklets as a special gift when you attend. Don't miss this unique event which will take place this coming October 4, 5, and 6 (Thursday midday through Saturday night) in Orlando at The Florida Hotel and Conference Center. Mark Mason is our dealer chairman, ensuring that we'll have a great dealer room. Registrations are $350. Please visit www.geniiconvention.com to register. (If for some reason using the computer to register gives you the willies, feel free to call the Genii office at 301-652-5800.) Hotel rooms are $99 a night (pay only $147, excluding tax, for three days if you share with a friend). Rooms with two Queen beds or one King bed are available. The hotel has given us a special package that includes things which normally cost extra, but are included with your hotel room: *Free Internet service in your room * Free parking * Free bottles of water every day * Free use of the Fitness Center * Free use of the Business Center * Free daily newspaper We have a limited amount of space available. Please book your hotel room at the time of registration, directly through the hotel (details and links will be on our convention website: Expedia, Travelocity, and other internet discount sites will not will be offering rooms at a less expensive rate because we have blocked off the entire hotel). The Florida Hotel and Conference Center is attached to The Florida Mall, the largest shopping mall in central Florida. It has an enormous food court and four sit-down restaurants, so a short walk gets you right to the food court for cheap eats! Our hotel is six miles from Orlando International Airport, 10 minutes from Universal Studios (home of The Wizardling World of Harry Potter), and 20 minutes from Walt Disney World. Plan on arriving by midday Thursday since things will start early that afternoon-we're going to give you a full three day's worth. I like to think of everyone who will come to our convention as a unified group-we all have the common interest of having fun and celebrating Genii's long life by seeing great magic. I'm not going to have more than one event taking place at the same time; you won't have to choose between things. If you register, you'll be able to see everything. I also don't like overbooking registrants solely to make money, and so except for the performances of close-up magic, you won't be split into groups. If you want to sit next to your friends during every event, be my guest. For those who wish to break off and do their own thing, we'll have places for you to hang out, relax, sit, and session. Events will not start at 8 a.m. and drag on until 1 a.m.-you'll have time to get adequate sleep each night (but if you sit up all night doing tricks, don't blame me). Starting early Thursday afternoon will allow us to maintain sane hours on Friday and Saturday. -------------------------------------------- 7. Remarkable Magic. #25 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message by Nick Lewin (US) Shows, shows, shows -- part two. The newest idea in Vegas shows is all about going back to a fairly old one, having revolving casts and bills in the various showrooms. Both 'Vegas Magic Theatre' at the GoldCoast Hotel and 'Avant Garde' at the Plaza Hotel are shaking things up a bit and keeping the acts moving. I have written previously about the Vegas Magic Theatre and it seems to be doing a great job in finding its market/audience. 'Avant Garde' has a revolving bill that regularly includes Michael Finney, Ed Alonzo, Sonny Fontana, Rudy Colby, Kevin James and Juliana Chen. Juliana is also director of the show. This seems like a win/win bill to me no matter who is playing! There are various other variety acts that appear in the show and it is, indeed, a veritable smorgasbord of great magicians and entertainers. Everyone I know who has seen the show is raving about it. I can't wait to visit Vegas and catch it. The ability to give a little freedom to your performers to appear elsewhere really gives the financial freedom to make such an all-star bill a practical concern. I think that this is a show that is going to be around for the long haul. The market has seen its fair share of solo performers who fill an hour on their own, however, a variety bill such as this is wonderful in so much as it lets everyone give their strongest punch. 'The World's Greatest Magic' which had an extended run at the 'Greek Islands' was a forerunner of this kind of show and was a really enjoyable experience. There is something very sophisticated about a well-balanced bill that has something for everyone. It is a great value for the increasingly illusive tourist dollar. Mac King continues to delight audiences with his hour-long afternoon show. His subtle, and audience friendly show makes the 60 minutes disappear right in front of the audience's eyes. He makes it look so easy so deceptively easy, that it puts a huge strain on other performers trying to follow in his plaid footsteps! Newcomers, Tommy Wind and Michael Turco are throwing their hats into the one-man show arena. Actually one-magician and reality show famous female, in Turco's case! Their shows play respectively at 6:00 and 4:00 pm. I truly wish them the best of luck. There is certainly a large choice of shows to choose from in the Vegas market, I suspect that Turco will fare better as he is playing at the Saxe Theatre in the Planet Hollywood Hotel. His show will benefit greatly from the savvy involvement of David Saxe, who has grown up in and around the Vegas ticketing/sales market. The fact is that there are really just too many ticket choices in the Vegas market and the law of diminishing returns has become a serious factor. Not everyone who comes to Vegas wants to see magic 24/7. My guess is to look for 'Avant Garde' to become a strong contender to the current status quo. Meanwhile, in other markets, it is wonderful to see the continued strength and growing market that the venerable 'It's Magic!' is achieving in the Theatre and Performing Arts Centre markets. Strong bills and great word of mouth have seen Milt Larsen and Terry Hill's 'Big Daddy' of magic shows build and escalate in the Los Angeles area. It wasn't so long ago that it seemed to be fading somewhat, but now it is back and blossoming, great news for magic lovers. Chipper Lowell has also done a marvelous job in creating and marketing his show 'Blink' in much the same markets. Based around the absurdly warm and likeable talents of Chipper. A glance at the show's website, shows that he has taken a smart and unusual step in marketing his show. Although it is also a revolving cast, when you read the website, it states firmly and convincingly that 'here is a show consisting of ALL award winning acts.' It lists the awards and not the acts! I think Chipper, who is as smart as he is talented, may have struck a very happy chord between the 'One-man Show' and the 'revolving variety bill.' All Performing Arts Centres have nights to fill with shows that flesh out their season ticket sales, and can leaven the budgets for the more costly touring 'Broadway' shows. 'Blink' and 'It's Magic' can both do that in spades! -------------------------------------------- 8. First Name Basis - #249 - Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message by Kyle Peron (US) magic4u02@aol.com http://www.kyleandkellymagic.com I had an interesting conversation the other day regarding how you address people in marketing to them. Do you tend to use first name only or their full name? It is an interesting topic worth going into as there are many options and even more opinions on when to use each one. Regardless if I am talking to them on the phone or via email, I will always try and use their first name (only) whenever possible. It is just more personal and something they are used to. In my day job, I am a designer for a marketing agency. We always tend to also utilize first names in direct mail marketing because of a powerful reason. Of course there are exceptions which I will talk about. When you hear of someone calling you Mr. (Last Name), it comes off too much like soliciting. Now in some cases that is exactly what you are doing and so it is to be expected. Most of the sales calls you get are someone telling you "Hi Mr. Johnson". We have become accustomed to this. A full name introduction tends to comes off as you being farther away from the person. It states in many ways that you do not know them but are hoping to perhaps get to know them. It's a psychological type of thing really. However, if I hear someone call me (First Name), then I feel like I know that person already. It feels more friendly. I tend to be drawn a bit closer to the person. A first name basis always tends to mean you know a person and you are friends with them. You are used to hearing your first name from folks who know you. A first name only tends to just feel more friendly and approachable. So as you can see, it really is more psychologically driven. The only time I may tend to utilize a full name is if I am meeting a person I have never met before live in person. I may then address them by their full name and then watch for the response back. After the initial "touch base" I can usually go to a first name basis with them. They feel comfortable with it and I have shown my respect. But when I am marketing via either direct mail or email, I will tend to utilize a first name only. Now keep in mind that if you are using a first name only option, make sure you are using their full name elsewhere. Allow me to explain. You must make sure that the email or the direct mail piece gets to the right person. If you have a direct mail piece that just says "Hi Mary," then there could be several Mary's at that given location. This causes confusion and you have lost your potential decision maker. So what I do is for emails, I do not have to worry about it because the email IS specific to the individual. If I am sending the email to a more generic email address, I will start the email at the top with "Attention: Mary Smith". This starts the body of my email. If I am doing direct mail, then I will place the "Attention: Mary Smith" right within the addressing area of the piece I am mailing to. This ensures it gets to the right person and allows me to still address the letter or the body of the information with "Hi Mary," So what I am doing is ensuring the piece or email gets to the right person, but still being able to utilize a first name basis approach in the actual main body copy of the piece. It really does work and a lot can be seen just by testing it for yourself. My main goal is to establish relationships with people at every stage of the marketing journey. The faster I can establish that relationship the more chances I have of increasing my value in their eyes. I have had many folks warm up to me much faster by using the first name only approach. When I started testing using full names for a longer duration of time (even past the introduction), then I felt that I was not connecting with them as fast as I could be. So be smart in your approach to this and test things out for yourself. This way you can know for a fact what works best for you and in different situations you are faced with. 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 magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you. Please check out my many ebooks and books at my product site at http://www.kpmagicproducts.com. It would be most appreciated. Thank you. -------------------------------------------- 9. Anthony Darkstone Brook in Conversation with John Palfreyman - Part 3 -------------------------------------------- Message by Anthony Darkstone Brook - Europe/USA ADB: That is quite an impressive list and I understand that you have added some more recent ones as well. JP: Thank you Tony . As I said , I enjoy my talks and lectures and over the last couple of years I've added the following :- The Aspects Of Magic - A talk showing the different styles of Magic and apparatus Illusions Of Grandeur Illusions I built for The David Nixon Shows and then clips showing David performing them Magicians And Magic From The Past A selection of clips of Magicians from the past performing their acts ADB: I was very privileged to call Ali Bongo a friend and have worked and socialized with him on a few occasions in various places & countries . Now I hear you have something very special in the works . JP: Now I'm impressed Tony ..you have done your homework on me. That's right on 5 December 2011 I will be presenting, " - A Tribute To Ali Bongo" at The Shropshire Magical Society. This will be a resume of my time with Ali and his family and showing some of the tricks he put on the market together with some specials he made for me from his lectures. ADB: Wow I wish I could be a fly on the Wall for that one. Anyway, perhaps after you give that in December you will get in touch with me and we can do a write -up on that and perhaps even arrange a mini-lecture tour . JP: Thank you Tony. I'll keep in touch with you on that . ADB: Yes. Do that please. Now John , let me take you back to those Nixon years. I had the honor of meeting him a couple of times and as a young teenager I was, like everyone else, totally captivated by his TV shows. Share with us a little of your involvement JP: Those were exciting times indeed. Television was still in its early years and there was so much happening , great innovations , the world was undergoing great change . Magic on TV was a relatively unknown factor and so it was very exciting for me . Through Ali Bongo I got involved with The David Nixon shows and during that time I built over 40 illusions and effects for the show. So many great memories ..well, you've got me thinking about my Life .End of Part 3 -------------------------------------------- 10. Magic News From The Magic Capital Of The World! -------------------------------------------- Message by Rick Fisher (US) As we gear up for magic week, July 31st- August 4th - we have a few registrations left for our 1st Close Up Magic Challenge - $2,000 pay out! Two categories - Sr. & Jr. - 1st place - $500, 2nd place $300, 3rd place $200.00 Registration is limited to 12 per category and low registration fee at $25.00 - Also announcing a day with Joshua Jay! on October 27th, here at FAB Magic with a night before party and the works! Joshua will be performing and presenting his workshop. Limited to 70 - cost before August 1st is only $40.00 which includes the night before party and valuable coupons with the restaurants here in town..prizes and Surprises ..more to come www.fabmagic.com and www.colonmichiganmagic.com We have also launched a website devoted to the history of Colon Michigan as the Magic Capital Of The World - www.colonmichigan.org - and we have resurrected our Get It! Grab It! Specials - Many of these items are at cost or slightly above...limited quantities are listed in () Watch for our two new books - "Monk Watson: To Vaudeville With Love" and "A Magical Village" Anyone in the area - we are now meeting as a magic club with application to the IBM as a 'ring' to be known as the Abbott-Watson Ring...we meet the fourth Thursday of the month here at FAB Magic Shop, 212 East State Street, Colon, Michigan at 6:30 pm...hope you can join us! -------------------------------------------- 11. Morgan & West: Time Travelling Magicians -------------------------------------------- Message by Heather Doole The Vangruard Tuesday 20th March 2012 8.30pm | 1 hour Tickets $20 ($25 on the door) Booking | www.thevanguard.com.au | (02)9557 9409 The Butterfly Club 23rd & 24th March 2012 10.30pm | 1 hour Tickets $20 ($18 concessions) Booking | www.thebutterflyclub.com Great Scott! Victorian magicians Morgan & West are bringing their magical extravaganza to The Vanguard! See the plucky prestidigitators present dazzling deception, unparalleled precognitive powers and totally genuine ability to travel through time! UK Victorian magic duo, Morgan & West follow up their debut appearance at the Adelaide fringe with a one-off show at the Vanguard, Sydney and two nights at the Butterfly Club, Melbourne. Morgan and West: Time Travelling Magicians introduces the temporal tricksters to the Australian stage in their roles as the 19th century's finest magical duo. Rhys Morgan and Robert West present an hour long show full of wit, whimsy and original presentations of baffling magic. Morgan & West recently appeared on ABC1 successfully fooling Penn & Teller in Penn & Teller: Fool Us. The Oxford-based duo have worked together since 2008 and have enjoyed three years of sell-out success at the Edinburgh fringe. They have toured this show across Britain and are regular faces on the cabaret scene in London and Edinburgh. Your spirits will be raised immeasurably by this delightful, family-friendly show. Simply spiffing! Three Weeks on Morgan and West: Crime Solving Magicians, Edinburgh Fringe 2011 Draws the intimate crowd into their strange and mysterious world. This is a great all round show, and is a great family spectacle. Edinburgh Spotlight on Morgan and West: Crime Solving Magicians, Edinburgh Fringe 2011 Elegant concept, inventive delivery and simple affability, . feel-good entertainment courses through this show. Fringe Guru on Morgan and West: Crime Solving Magicians, Edinburgh Fringe 2011 I can't recall the last time my awe was so thoroughly struck. The Scotsman on Morgan and West: Time Travelling Magicians, Edinburgh Fringe 2010 -------------------------------------------- 12. Magic Lectures In New York City -------------------------------------------- Message by Mark Shakhman (US) I work at Fantasma Magic in NY. Just wanted to submit a list of upcoming lectures we have: Paul Wilson: April 3, 2012 Giacomo Bertini: May 1, 2012 Richard Turner: August 7, 2012 ------------------------------------------- 13. Magician Paul Daniels On His Month From Hell -------------------------------------------- Article forwarded on by Mel Kientz (US) WalesOnline Magician Paul Daniels on his month from hell and why the memory of the public toilets in one Valleys town has never left him ________________________________________ by Nathan Bevan, Western Mail ________________________________________ His TV show once commanded 15 million viewers an episode and, more than three decades on, he's still the UK's most famous magician. But why, asks Nathan Bevan, does Paul Daniels still fondly remember one particular public toilet in the Valleys? Did you know," whispers Paul Daniels conspiratorially, "that my very first ever, full-time professional booking was in a club in Mountain Ash? "And did you also know that the one thing I still remember about that town all these years later is that they had the cleanest public toilets I've ever seen anywhere in my life?" I'll admit, I hadn't imagined my conversation with the legendary diminutive magician beginning with a discussion about a Valleys urinal, but every interview's got to start somewhere - as indeed does every performer's career. "Those workingmen's clubs were a fabulous training ground for up-and-coming talent back then, and still are today," says the 73-year-old, adding that he never felt intimidated by the rough and ready clientele. "They were never a problem for me because all the fellas in the miners' clubs secretly wished they could do what I was doing up there with a pack of cards, so there was a certain amount of respect I think. "Besides, I'd always make sure I was there way before anyone else turned up so I could clean the lights." Sorry? "Well, those lads who went up and down the pits may have run the venues but they had no idea whatsoever about showbiz," he smiles. "So I'd buff all the spotlights and everything beforehand so everyone could see me properly. "That way, while I may not necessarily have been the best act they'd ever had, at least I'd be the brightest." And the ploy must have worked, after all his star shone blindingly during his decade and a half stint at the BBC - The Paul Daniels Magic Show regularly pulling in stellar ratings as 12 million tuned in to watch his act every Saturday tea-time. "Oh no, you've undersold me there," he splutters. "Twelve million was what we got for the Tuesday night repeats, on weekends it would be more like 15 million." It must have been a blow when the Beeb finally pulled it in 1984, I say. "Quite the opposite actually, it was a blessed relief," Daniels sighs. "In those days an act would tour theatres once a year and it would be this big thing. "But if you were on telly they'd want you to go on for as long as possible - take Russ Abbot, for example, they had him on for 26 weeks straight. "Even someone as funny as Russ is going to struggle keeping that up for so long." And Daniels adds that his own TV tenure had also taken its toll on him. "Yeah, it was exhausting and I was under massive pressure to keep it fresh," he admits. "In fact, I didn't realise the strain I was under until it finished. "Honestly, I couldn't switch off, so much so that if a motorbike pulled up alongside me at the traffic lights I'd turn to whoever I was with and go, 'Quick, take this down! I've thought of a way to vanish that'." Why then at his age, not to mention after some terrible recent mishaps - accidentally chopping off the tip of a finger while making magic props with an electric saw, being rushed to hospital again weeks later to have his gall bladder removed - has he still decided to go out on a national tour? "Yes, it's been the month from hell but I'm okay and out the other side," he says. "I've had to physically relearn some of the tricks, because the nerve endings in my finger are in slightly different places after the doctors reattached the piece I cut off, but no one will be able to tell." He doesn't think God might be telling him to stay at home with his feet up then? "Which God is that - Buddha, Vishnu or the one with the long white beard? "Because I'm not a fan of any of them to be honest," he snorts. "Look, news flash, we're all going to die one day and there's nothing any of us can do about it. "So you might as well go out doing what you love, like Tommy Cooper did," he adds, confessing his love of the fez-wearing comic conjuror from Caerphilly who collapsed and died on stage at Her Majesty's Theatre in London in 1984. Not that he's as big a fan of today's crop of entertainers, however. "Penn and Teller are great, but I hated The Magicians," says Daniels of the Lenny Henry-fronted talent show for wannabe wizards on BBC One. "Worst thing was that they used about four or five routines from my own show and didn't bother crediting me," he claims. "My trick with the vanishing elephant on a football field? They tried making a donkey on a beach disappear, and did it so badly people were stopping me in the street and telling me they'd worked out how it'd been done - terrible." My final question is about how he's maintained such longevity. "Are you referring to work or my marriage? Because the answer in the case of the latter is separate bathrooms," he laughs. Talking of which, exactly where is his assistant and wife of 24 years, forever known in telly circles as "the lovely Debbie McGee"? "I can see her out of the window now, loading the car up ready for our tour," says Daniels. "Looks like you've saved me some heavy lifting there, lad." ------------------------------------------- 14. April Issue Of Genii Magazine -------------------------------------------- Message by Richard Kaufam - Editor Genii Magazine Subscribers of Genii can now access the digital version of the April issue of Genii on your desktops and laptops. The version for iPad and iPhone is readable, but the videos probably won't function until tomorrow. In this issue: * The first time I saw Yumi Nakajima perform, what struck me most was the slow pace of her movements and the depth of her interest and belief in the magical effects occurring around her. I've been trying to write a cover story on Yumi for years, but frankly could not capture in print what makes her act so special. I turned to my friend Max Maven, whose knowledge of Japan and ability to interview Yumi in her native language made all the difference. Readers of our free digital edition will find an embedded video of Yumi's act. And when you see Yumi at the Genii convention in October, not only will she be presenting her FISM-winning stage act, but also a unique and ancient piece of close-up magic from Japan. * The American magicians Ira and William Davenport convinced thousands of people they could cavort with spooks about 150 years ago. They were pioneers and charlatans, and left a fascinating tale in their wake. Professor Richard Wiseman takes us to Edinburgh, Scotland, where the new play The Infamous Brothers Davenport has been mounted by the Vox Motus theater company and its Artistic Director Jamie Harrison. Mr. Harrison is also a magician, and the play mixes drama and magic . and Selbit's "Million-Dollar Mystery" in a unique theatrical event. The way in which the devious mechanics of Selbit's miracle, which achieves the impossible effect of rendering itself invisible, are adapted to the Davenport's Spirit Cabinet are fascinating. Watch a video on our digital edition in which Jamie Harrison takes us backstage and makes the invisible visible. * I always enjoy clever magic with familiar objects, particularly when they can be turned into well-known magic props with a bit of hobby work. This month in "Conjuring," Jim Steinmeyer takes something you've seen many times and converts it into a magic prop you already know. When combined with a great routine and script, you're getting something very special with "Half a Cup of Coffee." * The last time Tom Stone took a stroll through his old notebooks we received a lot of good comments, and since we aim to please he's going to do it again this month, teaching three items-one a colorful version of Vernon's "Twisting the Aces." * The penultimate installment of Aaron Fisher's column is Part III in the series on break taking. Read it and get ready for the final mega-installment on The Multiple Lift, coming in June. * For those who like to flex their mental muscles, Max Maven's effect "Quandranta" in this month's "Lost Horizons" will give you plenty to think about-all hidden, of course, as you nonchalantly read minds. * "Shower of Gold" is the name of a western novel by Zane Gray, a 1554 painting by Titian, and a shrub that likes full sun. It's also a 100-year-old effect that's explored in John Gaughan's "Chamber of Secrets" this month. * David Acer has collected some great tricks in "Magicana," including a handling of the Hofzinser/McDonald's Aces that adds something new to the mix that is certain to fool other magicians, and a new handling of "Coin Cut" where the coin moves visibly through the deck. * Jon Racherbaumer Slants toward the foolish this month. * David Malek remembers Tony Giorgio and Harvey Rosenthal remembers Ken Krenzel . * Reviews of books by Eric Mead, videos by Joe M. Turner, and tricks by David Regal carry us to the end of the issue. Hope you enjoy all of it and would like to hear when you recieve your paper issue by snail mail, or when you have viewed the digital issue online or on your iPad or iPhone. About the Audio and Video Supplements in Genii's digital edition: Thousands of people have downloaded Genii's free iPad and iPhone apps, and the issues on the iPad and iPhone are free to all subscribers as well. We're not greedy at Genii: I feel that when you subscribe to the paper magazine, you should get the digital version free. One of the things I enjoy about our iGenii digital edition of the magazine is the opportunity to include audio and video supplements. As I meet Genii readers at magic conventions, I ask if they've looked at the digital edition and they sometimes say, "I'm a paper guy." Well, even if you prefer to read the paper edition of Genii, the digital iGenii edition offers at least an hour of video in every issue. We give you more than any other independent magazine in magic for your money. And you don't need an iPad or iPhone--you can view the digital edition on any computer--desktop or laptop. Subscriber to Genii for only $56 for one year and you receive: * 12 paper issues delivered to your home. * The current issue online, free to all subscribers, with audio and video extras. (Subscribers can read these issues weeks before the paper issue arrives.) * Access to every single back issue Genii has published from 1936 through December 2008. That's almost 1000 issues! Tens of thousands of columns, tricks, illusions, and articles. And it's all absolutely free to every Genii subscriber. Of course you will have to be on the internet for access, which will be through the Conjuring Arts Research Center. The issues are simple pdf documents which can be read on most electronic devices including newer Kindles, Sony eReaders, Nook, iPhone, iPad and of course any desktop or laptop computer. (So far, unfortunately, tablets running Android cannot read pdf files embedded in a website--we're hoping a patch will be created soon.) Every subscriber will have access to an electronic version of every issue for the duration of his or her subscription. Digital-only subscriptions are available for $56 to residents outside the United States: http://geniistore.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=57 If you are a subscriber and haven't sent us your e-mail address yet, please do so to: genii@geniimagazine.com). If you want to access to all of this astounding material and you are not a subscriber, please join us as we make available to you untold magical riches at www.geniimagazine.com. All digital content is free when you subscribe to Genii. And we've got a great offer for anyone who wants to subscribe or renew: the three-DVD set "Houdini The Movie Star" from Kino is now available from us for a limited time for 50% off the retail price of $40. YOU pay only $20, postpaid anywhere in the US. (Add $11 postage anywhere else in the world.) This 3 DVD set includes most of the surviving films and footage of Houdini. We don't sell it separately: subscribe today or renew your existing subscription for one year and you can receive this extraordinary value. If you subscribe to Genii for 3 years, or renew your existing subscription and bring it up to a total of 3 years, you can purchase our brand new book, Talisman, for only $15 (or you can select either The Vernon Touch or The Lost Notebooks of John Northern Hilliard). Details here: http://geniistore.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=36&product_id=59 Remember that the price of Genii drops from the $6 cover price to only $4.50 per issue when you subscribe for one year AND new subscribers get a free copy of the Harry Anderson/Jon Racherbaumer 32-page Jinx). Please visit the Genii website and subscribe today at www.geniimagazine.com Visit The Genii Forum, the "smart" online discussion group: www.geniimagazine.com/forum Visit MagicPedia, the most complete online encyclopedia of magical information with almost 5,000 entries. It's a living encyclopedia to which you are welcome to contribute! www.magicpedia.net -------------------------------------------- 15. Columbus Magi Fest Passes Into History -------------------------------------------- Aricle forward on by Mel Kientz from The Board of Directors of the Columbus Magic Club, Inc. Dear Friends: The Columbus MAGI-FEST has had a great run of 80 years (81 conventions). And while we hoped to see the 100th, for now we've decided it's time to retire the convention. This decision did not come easily; there were several factors. The Redcoats have a strong friendship-we are like a second family to each other. We've all watched our kids (and even some grandkids) grow up at MAGI-FEST, and we thank you for being a part of their lives and for the wonder that we and they got to experience these many years. We finished the convention in the black, able to pay all our bills and refund money to those who pre-registered for 2013. While we wanted to have our 82nd convention in 2013, we decided to change those plans after further reflection. We see some potential headwinds that could affect the quality and financial health of future conventions. These include: Long-time, loyal attendees who are aging out faster than younger registrants are coming in The downturn in the economy over the past few years Financial pressure on the convention due to increasing costs and insurance requirements, while keeping registration, food, and lodging costs affordable to attendees We are all very sad to retire MAGI-FEST, but we want to do so on our terms as a quality, family-friendly convention, at an affordable price, that was fair to all who participated. We also wish to thank our wonderful staff: Tony Dolciato, Randal Fath, Mike Heniken, Steven Kline, the Krech kids, Glenn Mackie, Red Penley, and Mike Sanderson. We appreciate their tireless dedication and support more than they know. They are the ones who made it happen at "show time". Thank you again for all your support, love, and friendship for these many years. We hope our paths will cross again in the future and that perhaps we'll see many of you at other magic-related events. With warmest regards, The Board of Directors of the Columbus Magic Club, Inc. -------------------------------------------- 16. Smoke And Mirrors Comic By IDW -------------------------------------------- Message by Jon Armstrong (US) Smoke and Mirrors comic by IDW, Launches with Magic Effects Anaheim, CA - March 2012. IDW Publishing today released the all-new, creator-owned SMOKE AND MIRRORS. This five-issue series will set a unique standard for comics. Created by award-winning writer Mike Costa (GI JOE: COBRA, Blackhawks) who is also a member of the Magic Castle and acclaimed indie-artist Ryan Browne (God Hates Astronauts, Blast Furnace), SMOKE AND MIRRORS is also the first comics project for Jon Armstrong who is one of the finest sleight-of-hand artists in the world and a consultant in . This innovative team has incorporated engaging, mind-bending illusions and mentalism principles into SMOKE AND MIRRORS, creating an amazing magical experience using only ink and paper. "I've been with IDW for almost four years now, and in that time they've taken some really crazy risks with me in terms of the stories I wanted to tell and the storytelling devices I used to tell them. After showing so much good faith, I decided it was time to return the favor and start taking those risks on a book of my own," said Costa. "SMOKE AND MIRRORS is my first creator-owned book, and I am immensely proud to have it published by this company that has given the industry some of the greatest creator-owned books of the last decade. The only thing I'm more proud of is the fact that I get to do it with Ryan Browne, a ridiculously talented artist who has been my best friend for literally 20 years, and Jon Armstrong, one of the finest magicians I've ever seen, and my friend and mentor."?Armstrong, Browne and Costa revolutionize the comics experience by using magic as a storytelling technique in SMOKE AND MIRRORS. SMOKE AND MIRRORS is the story of stage magician Terry Ward, who finds himself transported to a world where Magic is real and he must use trickery and illusions to survive. Each issue also includes a brand new article about the art of magic by some of its greatest thinkers, including Max Maven, Shawn McMasters and Jamy Ian Swiss. "This is my first major finished project with Mike and is the culmination of a lifetime of working on plots and ideas together," said Browne. "I'm really excited to bring my art and storytelling abilities to the amazing narrative that Mike and Jon have created and fans of my work on God Hates Astronauts will not be disappointed. We will be experimenting with new ways of telling a story and making the reader a part of our adventure-breaking new ground and pushing the medium in directions that it has never gone before. We urge you to keep a second pair of socks handy since the ones you're wearing are about to be blown off!" Armstrong adds: "As a life-long comic fan, I've always wanted to create in this medium. Being able to apply my unique skill set to comics and working with creators I admire was just way too exciting to pass up. Because of how I related to our magician and protagonist Terry Ward, I wanted an especially innovative way to use magic as more than a gimmick. Magic is an essential component of propelling Terry's story forward, while allowing the reader to have the same engaging and amazing experiences our characters are having. I'm thrilled to that IDW is letting me play in the world that we are creating." SMOKE AND MIRRORS #1 (of 5, $3.99, 32 pages, full color) will be available in stores March 21st 2012. Visit smokeandmirrorscomic.com to learn more about the comic, its creators, and where to buy it. Follow the book on Twitter @smokemirrorsIDW. About IDW Publishing:?IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro's The TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE, Paramount's Star Trek; HBO's True Blood; the BBC's DOCTOR WHO; Toho's Godzilla; and comics and trade collections based on novels by worldwide bestselling author, James Patterson. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints; Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio. IDW's original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. More information about the company can be found at IDWPublishing.com. -------------------------------------------- 17. 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) --------------------------------------------- 18. 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 and statements 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 or statements contained 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 2012 Alan Watson www.magicnewzealand.com www.facebook.com/magicnewzealandnewsflash http://twitter.com/#!/magicnewzealand www.watson.co.nz www.corporatemagic.co.nz www.magician.co.nz www.magicianz.com www.balloon-twister.co.nz