Magic New Zealand® E-zine

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* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd (New Zealand)
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Issue Number: #1476
Date: Sunday 28th October 2018
Editor: Alan Watson QSM
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: editor@magicnewzealand.com
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Hi here is the latest news
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1. Editor's Message
2. Magicians In The Golden Age Of New Zealand
3. The Magic Word - Docc Hilford And Dave Arch
4. The Magic Word Podcast - John Archer
5. No Further Than That - John Carey #21
6. Broken Wand - Paul Freeman
7. Conveying And Using Personality - #506 - Kyle Peron
8. Results Of Potter & Potter's Recent Houdiniana Auction
9. "Magic Monday" Is Now On Facebook Live!
10. Wittus Witt - FISM Photographer Published A Wonderful Book
11. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice
12. E-zine Archives

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1. Editor's Message
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Hard to believe that it is coming up to the 20-year mark for the publication of the Magic New Zealand e-zine. Where has all that time vanished to! Thank you for your news, regular columns and some amazing magic milestones.

If you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in a HTML format
go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2018-Jan-to-Dec-2018/1476-Oct28-2018.html

If you would like to write a regular column for Magic New Zealand or
have some magic news drop me a line:
Editor@MagicNewZealand.com

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2. Magicians In The Golden Age Of New Zealand
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Message by Bernard Reid (New Zealand)

Magicians in the golden age of New Zealand Vaudeville part 2

This continuation of the vaudeville era in New Zealand covers the devastating years of World War 1 and the massive influenza outbreak, following the war, that killed an additional 9,200 New Zealanders. The forced closing of places of public gatherings and its effects on live theatre are all documented.

Vaudeville spanned fifty years of New Zealand's history and yet not a single book has been written about it. Although this tome covers magicians only it also chronicles the rise and decline of the most popular form of entertainment as it got battered by the encroachment of technology in the form of movies, radio and ultimately, television.

Many of the illusionists that toured in the 19th century travelled full-evening illusion shows. With the advent of vaudeville, magicians made up only part of the bill which meant there were many more of them but they were more specialised. In addition to vaudeville there were still full-evening illusion shows but they were not as frequent.

Carter, Malini, Nicola, Horace Goldin, Louis Nikola, Le Roy, Talma and Bosco and many others toured New Zealand as part of vaudeville companies during this period. Importantly, Edgar Benyon's career started in this era. "Magicians in the Golden Age of New Zealand Vaudeville" Part two. Chronicles the colourful and rich history of the magicians who entertained New Zealand audiences in the early part of the twentieth century. Their triumphs, accolades, trials and tribulations are all documented in detail.

256 Pages 71 Illustrations

New Zealand/Australian Purchasers. Please read special note on product page.

American/Canadian Purchasers. Please read special note on product page.

For more information and to purchase the book go to: www.nzmagichistory.com

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3. The Magic Word - Docc Hilford And Dave Arch
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Message by Scott Wells, M.I.M.C. with Gold Star

This week we wrap up our three weeks of pre-Halloween on The Magic Word Podcast by talking with a master of the bizarre, Docc Hilford. Docc talks about some of the past MINDventions he has attended in Las Vegas, spiritualism, disclaimers for mentalism shows, and "dark" seances. This conversation covered a lot of territory which made the time really disappear. You can listen online to this podcast at: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/455-docc-hilford

Last week was the second of the three-week Halloween month of podcasts and featured Dave Arch. There again, we covered a lot of topics that included more than just some Halloween-related material. In particular, Dave gives us some of his secrets he used to use in booking school shows. Many years ago, Dave and I helped build a magic club in Omaha, Nebraska. As part of this podcast, Dave and I chat about what we did to increase attendance at the club from about 20 members to over 100 in a few short months.

And concluding this podcast, Dave talks about his current business of working with corporate clients and training the trainers. In this process, Dave has developed a keen sense of "reading" his clients. This is an invaluable tool for business people to know, particularly if they are sales people and want to know what their customers are thinking. It is a helpful tool for Human Resource personnel to know, too, in hiring situations. You can watch a video of Dave training and performing, see a couple photos, read the blog, listen online and download the MP3 file at: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/454-dave-arch

Be sure to subscribe to the podcast feed so you don't miss another episode. You can subscribe directly at the Magic Word Podcast website and access other methods, too, like Stitcher, Spotify, iTunes, etc. Just go to: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/subscribe-to-the-magic-word/

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4. The Magic Word Podcast - John Archer
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Message by Scott Wells, M.I.M.C. with Gold Star

As part of this podcast, Dave and I chat about what we did to increase attendance at the club from about 20 members to over 100 in a few short months. And concluding this podcast, Dave talks about his current business of working with corporate clients and training the trainers. In this process, Dave has developed a keen sense of "reading" his clients.

This is an invaluable tool for business people to know, particularly if they are sales people and want to know what their customers are thinking. It is a helpful tool for Human Resource personnel to know, too, in hiring situations. You can watch a video of Dave training and performing, see a couple photos, read the blog, listen online and download the MP3 file at: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/454-dave-arch

Thanks for listening,

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5. No Further Than That - John Carey #21
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Message by John Carey (UK)
https://carey-scene.com/jc-main

I've always loved the undercount of Martin Gardner's that Paul Harris used so brilliantly in his Las Vegas Leaper cards across routine in Las Vegas Close up. Indeed, in Crafted with Carey I applied it to a hands-off ambitious card effect.

For the following application set the four Queens on top of the deck, Queen of Diamonds uppermost. False shuffle retaining your set up and casually cut the deck, securing a left little-finger break above the Queens. Engage in some meaningful conversation and then ask someone to help you. Transfer the deck and the break to the right hand, securing a thumb break. Dribble force to your break and ask the person to take a peek at their card.

This will be the Queen of Diamonds. Assemble the deck getting a little-finger break above your force card. A few moments later cut half the cards above your break to the table. Then cut to your break and drop them on top of the first packet. Finish by dropping the remaining cards on top of all and square up. Execute an in the hands riffle shuffle, keeping the Queens on top. I believe the cut control belongs to Ron Bauer. With any control like this, the pause is essential.

Now we will throw some smoke around the room with some presentation about how the inflections in the voice can often give clues about people's thoughts. State you will remove a small group of cards from the deck for a little test. Start spreading the cards and slightly injog the fourth card from the top. Continue spreading and upjog about eight or nine cards from random locations. Secure a little-finger break beneath the jogged card and with the right hand swivel out the upjogged cards. Flip them face-up on top of the deck and with no hesitation take all the cards above your break from above with the right hand and table the balance of the deck. This of course secretly steals the Queens beneath the faceup packet.

Ask your helper to take the packet as if they were going to deal a round of poker.

State that you will ask them to call out the cards and at the same time think about their selection. Suggest the inflections in their voice may give you some clues.

So, have them call out the face card of their packet, push it off, turn it face-down and place it under the packet. Have them do this multiple times, calling out the cards until a face-down card appears. This is the brilliant hands-off ruse of Gardner, which covertly hides the Queens and sets up the finale. Casually ask your spectator to drop the packet on top of the deck and to cover it with either hand.

"Tom, you didn't really give anything away their with your voice. I genuinely don't know whether you saw your card or not. I think I will have to try and read your mind. Keep thinking about your card and call it out mentally over and over again. Yes, that's it.

The Queen of Diamonds, the Queen of Diamonds, the Queen of Diamonds yes? Excellent. Most magicians would end right there, but I want to go further than that. I could try and make your card appear in the box. Or maybe my pocket. But how about somewhere impossible, like under your hand? Turn over the top card. Amazing! But you see cards are like people and love the company of their friends. And so, the next card is a Queen and the next and also the one after and I can't go any further than that!"

So, in the above exchange you will firstly do the divination of Senator Crandall. Get a reaction and then have them lift their hand and reveal that their card has appeared beneath it. The other three Queens are then revealed to add the icing to the cake. Credit to Stewart James for the further than that presentational premise.

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6. Broken Wand - Paul Freeman
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Message by Wittus Witt (Germany)

Do not mix this Paul Freeman up with the other British performer named also Paul Freeman who worked successfully between 1910 and 190s, both as a card manipulator and escapologist.

I was just told by Paul Freeman's neighbour that Paul Freeman sadly passed away on October 20, 2018, he was born on November 24, 1926.

Paul Freeman first became interested in magic when he was 11 years old. For many years he was an enthusiastic non-professional, performing in the United Kingdom, Iran, and the Far East. After having retired from business, he was able to devote his time to his love of the art of magic by researching the lives of past magicians and various aspects of its history. He uses the results of his researches by giving talks on the history of magic to magical societies and local organisations.

In 2007and 2009 Paul was invited to speak at the 2nd and 3rd European Magic History Conventions held in Berlin and Vienna respectively. He has also given his presentations on the History of Magic at Conventions of the British Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. He was also a speaker at the European Magic History Conference in Hamburg (2013) and Italy (2017).

Paul was an Associate of the Inner Magic Circle.

Some of his talks were:
Adalbert Frikell - His life and times in England, Berlin, 2007
Names to conjure with, Wien, 2009
The Iconic Magician's Assistant, Hamburg 2013
Chevalier Ernest Thorn, Italien, 2017

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7. Conveying And Using Personality - #506 - Kyle Peron
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Message by Kyle Peron (US)
magic4u02@aol.com
KyleKellyMagic@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/perondesign
http://www.kpmagicproducts.com

I posted recently on Facebook asking a simple question. What is one of the best qualities or traits you feel makes for a good magician and why? It was an interesting discussion that brought about a lot of great answers and opinions. However, one item kept coming up by many people. It is a single word called "personality". It was so great seeing so many folks give value to personality over other things.

I really think personality is so underrated in magic today. People just simply forget the power it has in everything we do. A trick is just a trick. The people want to like you. If you take the same trick and place it in the hands of someone who has and conveys personality and then someone who does not, it looks like a totally different effect to a lay audience. It really is that stunning to see happen.

Tricks alone do not really mean anything by themselves. A trick will not happen or work without the magician. Place a deck of cards on a table and they are not going to start doing an ACR routine by themselves. If they do, then start to run real quick. It is YOU that makes the difference and it is YOU that makes the magic happen. If this is the case, then focus should be on you and not the prop or trick you are presenting.

But what is it about you? It is your personality that really makes the audience enjoy the experience and enjoy you in the process.

I honestly feel that people want to be entertained way more than they want to be fooled. People want to walk away having had fun with the experience of what they just saw happen. Take some of the best acts out there today. Take a look at the ones that you really love to watch perform. It is safe to say that you enjoy them because 95% of their act is not solely based on the magic alone. There is more to what they provide isn't there? The good entertainers are that way because a majority of their act is interacting with the audience in a comical entertaining way, engaging, dialogue, connecting, talking. etc. It is the essence of their personality that makes you enjoy what they do.

It is interaction and expressing personality. It is taking the audience on a journey and getting them laughing and having fun instead of just seeking the WOW only.

I think that is key. If you could take away the trick in any performance, and safely say the routine is still entertaining, then I think you have something. Take away the props and the trick and then
look at what that performer does. I can safely say the entertainers that "get it" are the ones who without any of these props, can still entertain and audience and have them enjoying every minute of it. This is the essence and importance of personality in magic.

There is a quote that was shared to be by my good friend Dan Birch. Dan said the quote goes like this. "If they walk away saying remember the trick that the magician did, then I have failed. But if they say remember the magician who did that trick, then I have succeeded." I was so glad Dan shared this with me because it got me thinking that it is your personality that makes them remember you.

I think that is a key to developing a likeable character. Some magicians try to focus so much on the trick only that they are void of any personality at all. I want the audience remembering me not my deck of cards.

No one is saying not to have the tricks. What we are saying is that the focus of any performance should not be on the trick itself. The trick is just a prop. The focus should be on personality and using that personality to truly take the effect to an entertaining level. It is giving the audience more to enjoy. You add personality into what you do and I guarantee your audiences will thank you for it.

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 kylekellymagic@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.

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8. Results Of Potter & Potter's Recent Houdiniana Auction
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Message by Rebekah Kaufman (USA)

I am excited to announce the results of Potter & Potter's recent Houdiniana auction. This event featured spectacular selections of pitch books, handcuffs, apparatus, and ephemera related to Harry Houdini, the world's most celebrated escape artist.

Please see the attached press release and highlight photos for more information.

Gabe Fajuri, President of Potter & Potter Auctions, is happy to speak with you in greater detail about this sale. He can be reached at gabe@potterauctions.com or 773-472-1442.

My contact information is below if I can be helpful in any other way.

Cheers and best,
Rebekah Kaufman

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9. "Magic Monday" Is Now On Facebook Live!
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Message by Kent Cummins (US)

Every Monday, starting at 10:30 am CDT, Kent Cummins will be selling items from the Jim Baldauf collection, including magic tricks, supplies, books, magazines, catalogs, posters, and collectibles. All proceeds go to help Jim Baldauf, a lifelong magician who is currently in a VA hospital.

To particiapte, go to Kent Cummins Facebook Page on Monday mornings. This week was Spooky Magic in honor of Halloween, and the coming week will feature card magic.

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10. Wittus Witt - FISM Photographer Published A Wonderful Book
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Message by Wittus Witt (Germany)

Everybody who attended FISM in Busan is full of joy and respect for what has happened there. It was one of the best FISM conventions ever and for sure the best FISM convention outside Europe since 1994.

If you have missed Busan or if you would like to let it happen again there is a possibility to enjoy the convention one more time.

Wittus Witt, official FISM photographer has just published a wonderful book about this event. 152 pages in full colour depicting unique moments from each single competitor plus many more photos from Busan.

The book is hardbound and costs 45,50 Euro sent anywhere in the world.

A great book, very nice photos. Didier Puech, Publisher "Magicus", France

Just received a wonderful package by mail. What a good job you have accomplished. It is a pleasure glancing through it and I am sure it will be consulted many times by many magicians and organisers of magic events.

Thank you for this historic present.
Eric Eswin, FISM Honorary President, The Netherlands.

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E-zine Archives
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Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e- zine go to:
www.magicnewzealand.com click on the red button centre 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)

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Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice
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