* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Magic New Zealand®
* Proudly sponsored by International Entertainment Ltd (New Zealand)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Issue Number: #1532
Date: Sunday 15th September 2019
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. Jeff McBride - "Help Me I'm Drowning!"
3. FISM-North America
4. S.A.M. is Bringing Harrison Greenbaum To Las Vegas
5. The Magic Word Podcast - Greg Gleason
6. Open Prediction Deck - John Carey #53
7. Magical Designs Created for Magicians
8. Congratulations to Nikola Arkane from Belfast
9. Ontario Week of Wonder OWOW Magic Festival
10. Grand Master of Magic Award goes to Paul Bates - New Zealand
11. The Orchante Saga - Beginnings
12. E-zine Archives
13. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice

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1. Editor's Message
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If you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in HTML format
go to: http://www.magicnewzealand.com/ezine-archive/2019-Jan-to-Dec-2019/1532-Sep15-2019.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. Jeff McBride - "Help Me I'm Drowning!"
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Message by Jeff McBride

Greetings my friends, like many of you, I often feel like I'm drowning in information. Today, more than ever, we need experienced guides and mentors to help us navigate the overwhelming inflow of information. I am so blessed to have some of the most inspirational friends and teachers!

I stay away from negative people and many of them seem to be on YouTube. I find watching magic on YouTube soul-crushing. I want a quiet place to learn and study great magic old and new. We have created that place now. It is real. It is Magicflix. now you can get an idea of the scope of this project... it is amazing!

"No great artist, dancer or opera singer has ever learned their craft from YouTube!

The great masters of magic are certainly not teaching there. MagicFlix is collecting material from people who have been in the business for years, and are not just those seeking hits and clicks on their YouTube sites. MagicFlix is not going to be the indiscriminate hatcheting of people's material that is thrown up on YouTube. I think that is over ... MAGICFLIX is the antidote to YouTube."

New School Magic Meets the Old School Masters!

Our teachers already include Eugene Burger, John Carney, Rich Ferguson, Franz Harary, Kenton Knepper, Amazing Jonathan, Justin Miller, Jeff McBride, Rocco, Dan Sperry, Michael Trixx, Stephane Vanel, Jason Ladayne, Fielding West, Larry Becker, & Paul Gordon. We have over 500.

MAGICFLIX also features The Greater Magic Library in entirety!

All of this is included with your subscription to MAGICFLIX. MAGICFLIX is featuring such masters as Karrell Fox, Shimada, Michael Ammar, John Carney, Sylvan, Johnny Paul, Larry Becker, Charlie Miller, Tom Mullica, Johnny Thompson, J.B. Bobo, Billy McComb, Mr. Electric and Daryl. This list is an impressive one, and it is getting bigger and better every day.

YES, to having all your favorite magic videos in one place you can access from any device, anywhere in the world! Content on MagicFlix is presented in carefully structured levels, including Beginner's Magic, Favorites, Most Popular, New Releases, Coin Magic, Grand Illusion, Impromptu Magic, History, Gambling Magic, Ice Breakers, Performance, Philosophy, Interviews with The Stars, Street Magic, Manipulation, Lectures Etc. In other words, if you browse the Card Magic category, you can learn everything from how to do a pinkie count to how to back palm cards. There is a great deal of magic on the Internet, but this is a safe and sane place to learn magic from the great masters of our art.

Here Is the Secret Code for My Friends

Go to magicflix.com register and put in the code MCBRIDE and get a free month on me. Go take a look and tell me what you think!

Women in Magic - "The Sisters of Mystery" For many years the art of magic has been dominated by men. Now, that is changing!

Abigail McBride On NBC TV! I am so proud of my wife Abigail for being featured in the recent TV story covering "Women in Magic." We are all very impressed with this feature segment and now it seems the world is opening to the idea of women in magic...about time!
See the clip here: https://tinyurl.com/y3wl4rvf

Do You Need Some Help?

When I'm not touring, I am offering Skype classes, so if you need some help with your act or career, just drop us an email, and we'll be happy to help you get started.

Abigail@mcbridemagic.com or Jeff@McBridemagic.com

VEGAS BUZZ Tim Wise is happy to announce that his Hollywood Stars of Magic has a new home at The Las Vegas Magic Theater.

The show runs at 2pm and 4 pm every Saturday. Recent headliners included, Paul Vigil, Allan Ackerman, Joan DuKore and FISM winner Johnny Ace Palmer.
https://www.facebook.com/starsofmagic/

Rocco, Hans Klok and Criss Angel seen sharing magic ideas and talking about Shin Lim's new show, at the recent Wonderground. Hans has a new show at the Excalibur hotel. Shin Lim has a new show with Colin Cloud at the MIRAGE We all wish Hans, and Shin Lim the best of luck with their new shows.

Masters of Illusion star, Tommy Wind has a 1-year contract at the OYO Hotel and Casino (formerly Hooters). Tommy is creating a new show that will fit the showroom and will feature many of his best loved pieces as well as new creations.

See you on tour, or on MAGICFLIX!

Be inspired, Jeff

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3. FISM-North America
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Message by Joan Caesar (Canada)

Register at www.fismna2020.com for FISM North America before September 30 to get the best rate of $275.00 USD, if you're a FISM member. If you're interested in competing at FISM in 2021, FISM North America is the only way to gain a spot.

This is once again a Combined Convention with the Festival de Magie de Quebec and the Canadian Association of Magicians. Competing members of these groups will qualify for additional awards.

25 contestants in each of stage and close up will be selected to compete. When your act is ready, submit the video of your act when you register online or as soon as it is ready and no later than February 16, 2020 at 10:00 pm EST. Five preliminary judges will view your act and decide the qualifying contestants.

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4. S.A.M. Is Bringing Harrison Greenbaum To Las Vegas
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Message by Dal Sanders (US)

Harrison Greenbaum is shaking up magic. His cutting-edge act combines stand-up comedy and magic and the result is incredible. He was a hit at MAGIC-Live, The Magic Castle and at many other venues and conventions. The Society of American Magicians will have him onstage TWICE at the 2020 S.A.M. Convention in Las Vegas. He will be part of the Family Friendly Comedy Cabaret along with Scott Alexander, Eric Buss, Michael Holly and Stephen Bargatze. He will also perform his 60-minute one-man ADULT show at the convention. The Harrison Greenbaum Late Night Comedy show will be for audiences that are 21 years old and up. It will be at the Troy Liquor Bar inside The Las Vegas Golden Nugget on Fremont Street (where the convention is being held).

Harrison Greenbaum is both a comic and a magician. He began performing stand-up comedy while at Harvard and was the co-founder of the Harvard College Stand-Up Comic Society (or "Harvard College SUCS") which is still popular on campus today. Now he lives in Manhattan where he has become one of the most in-demand New York comedians, performing in more than 600 shows a year and has earned the title "The Hardest Working Man in Comedy" from both Time Out New York and the NY Daily News.

Harrison was one of Comedy Central's "Comics to Watch" and winner of the Andy Kaufman Award. On television, Harrison has been featured on AXS.TV's Gotham Comedy and was a regular panelist on CurrentTV's Viewpoint, and has appeared on MTV, SPIKE TV, the Discovery Channel, and the Science Channel and was featured on NBC's Last Comic Standing. He also appeared on season 12 of America's Got Talent.

As a magician, Harrison was named one of "today's best" by Newsday and has appeared on the CW's Masters of Illusion as well as Brain Games on the National Geographic Channel. He is the most requested performer at New York's Monday Night Magic and has also performed at the Magic Castle in Hollywood and the Mystery Lounge in Boston. Harrison was one of only 30 magicians chosen to perform at the International Festival of Magic, Illusion, and the Unusual in Louisville, Kentucky. If this isn't enough, he is also a counselor at Tannen's Magic Camp. How he deals with uncooperative audience members is legendary.

The Magic and Comedy of Harrison Greenbaum is just another one of the reasons you want to register for the 2020 S.A.M. National Convention in Las Vegas. Do it NOW before the next price increase on October 1, 2019. Go to www.SAMconvention .com for details.

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5. The Magic Word Podcast - Greg Gleason
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Message by Scott Wells, M.I.M.C. with Gold Star

Greg Gleason is an entrepreneur from whom we can all learn a lesson. He owned, managed and operated many dance and rock clubs and for a while was even the General Manager of Houston's Magic Island in its early days. He then moved to Las Vegas where he was unrelenting until he had a regular illusion show at Caesar's Magical Kingdom. From there he went on to work on cruise ships for decades and amass warehouses of illusions. At one time Greg had the largest magic show on the high seas with amazing illusions. Today you can watch him on "Masters of Illusion? Television show in the U.S. (with clips on YouTube) and he is returning to his nightclub roots as he seeks opportunities to open a magic-themed nightclub (or two) in the U.S.

You can watch the videos, see some candid photos, read the blog, listen to the podcast online and download the MP3 file at: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/517-greg-gleason And be sure to subscribe to our weekly pod-letter for updates on who will be coming next week, suggestions from the archives and announcements about contests.

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6. Open Prediction Deck - John Carey #53
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Message by John Carey (UK)
https://carey-scene.com/jc-main

David Gemmell

Effect

A cased deck is tossed on the table before the magician even says a word. The
spectator thinks of any card in the deck. You write an Open Prediction for all to
see.

They take the deck out of its case. They shuffle it. Now holding the deck face up
they deal the cards into a face down pile. As they deal it is obvious that on the
backs of the cards are the names of cards in permanent ink.

They are different to the cards on the faces.

The spectator looks for their thought of card on the backs. When the face of the
Open Prediction comes into view it is placed (still face up) to one side and the
deal continues. The spectator never sees their thought of card on the backs of
any of the cards.

Now for the first time they are asked what card they are thinking of (?) the
Open Prediction card is turned over (by the spectator) and on its back is written
the spectators thought of card!

Modus Operandi

This handling of the OP plot really turns things on their head. You will need to
make this deck up.

It's quite an easy thing to do, should only take about half an hour or so. The whole
thing is based on the idea that if you know the thought of card then you would
due to a very special coded stack be able to instantly make an Open Prediction.
The good thing about this is that you don't even have to learn the stack at all, just
the special relationships between the various cards. This idea belongs to a good
friend of mine, Barry Ray and is taken from his e-book "Barry's Stacked Decks".

(1) I have his permission to teach part of it here. (enough to make this effect work)
Whilst I have made some (very) minor changes it remains the same as Barry's
Quick Stack. The idea is to have a logical pairing of cards. It looks like this.
A-7 2-Q 3-8 4-J 5-10 6-9

Let me explain
The 1 (ace) looks like a 7

The 2 in some print faces (can) look just like the curly bit on the end of Q

3 is half of 8
4-Jacks........come on, every magician has heard of the 4 robbers trick!

5 is half of 10

and finally

6 is a 9 either way up or down.

There you go, only six pieces of information to remember. Hold on, I know what
you are thinking, what about the Kings? Well Barry just pairs them up like for
like. I see no reason to argue with him.

Ah, but what about the colours I hear you say (?), this is the very small change I
have made, because I have spent a life-time working with the ChaSeD order, that
is how I pair the cards up, Clubs and Hearts, Spades and Diamonds.

Some examples

Ace of Clubs - Seven of Hearts
Four of Diamonds - Jack of Spades
Five of Spades - Ten of Diamonds

So, go grab a deck of cards and a good (thick nibbed) marker pen. Go through the
deck and whatever the card is on the face mark its stack card on the back. Once
that's done the Open Prediction deck is ready to use.

A Thought of Card

The easiest way to determine the thought of card is to use a peek wallet. I use the
Jaks style peek wallet. This is almost like a business card holder and is perfect for
this effect. I take out two business cards and ask them to think of any card in the
deck (except the Joker) and have them print the name of it on the card.

This is then returned to the wallet and the peek is made.

After some suitable patter I make the Open Prediction on the other business card
leaving it for all to see. Now have them remove the deck, try to guide them to
remove it face up. Have them shuffle it lay-person style then square up. Explain
to them this is a special deck, that it is marked on the back with different cards to
what they see on the faces.

Have a spectator deal through the deck, dealing the cards from a face up deck
into a face down pile.

Everyone looks for the Open Prediction card (face up) except the spectator who
is thinking of a card. They look for their card written on the backs of the cards as
they are dealt face down into a pile.

When the OP card appears on the face of the dealing pile (in the hands of the
spectator) have them stop the deal. They are instructed to deal this card still face
up to one side. They now continue the deal. At the end of the deal they will not
have seen the thought of card.

Have someone turn over the OP card as the spectator reveals their thought of
card.

There is no need to even go back to the wallet, if you have presented this well they
will be in too much shock!

Although I have opted for a peek wallet, any peek from a centre tear or billet will
suffice. Failing that another deck in play stacked will do the job as well. Indeed
the classic reversal of one card using a stack will work very well as a two-deck
combo, think about it.

So, there you have it, my crazy off-the-wall approach to the Open Prediction
matched with Barry's Quick-Stack from the outer-rim.

Thanks to Barry for permission to re-print and teach his work.

N.B - All Commercial rights reserved 2015. David Gemmell.

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7. Magical Designs Created for Magicians
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Message by James R Laudermilk

I'm creating different special cards designed by hand.

Magical designs created for magicians by a magician! "The Magician" Spanish and English versions posted so far. http://magicdesigns.shop

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8. Congratulations to Nikola Arkane from Belfast
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Message by John Carey (UK)

"Congratulations to Nikola Arkane from Belfast in winning the close-up magic competition at the International Brotherhood of Magician's Convention in Eastbourne!

A beautifully performed act full of wonder enchanted the whole audience and judges. In addition, Nikola was also awarded the prestigious Ali Bongo award for micro magic. A very worthy recipient!

Convention and Society organizers can contact Nikola at her website: www.arkanemagic.com for performance and lecture enquiries worldwide.

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9. Ontario Week of Wonder OWOW Magic Festival
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Message by Joan Caesar (Canada)

24th to 27th October 2019

Ontario Week of Wonder OWOW Magic Festival is a seven-day celebration of magic and illusion held in downtown Fergus Ontario. Magic flows along the Grand River with events happening for magicians and the general public.

Featuring: Paul Romhany, Jay Sankey, Stephen Bergatze, Rick Merrill, Carisa Hendrix (Lucy Darling), Michael Close, Nick Wallace, Owen Anderson, and Peter Mennie.

During the three-day magic convention, events for magicians include magic instruction, lectures, and sessions. In the evening, magic takes over the city. Magicians performing at restaurants around town and the big star-studded lineup taking centre-stage at the Fergus Grand Theatre.
You won't want to miss the Canadian Champion show on Friday or the International Show on Saturday.

Fergus Ontario is located in the Township of Centre Wellington. The area is a year-round festival and tourist destination 1 hour from Toronto and 2 hours from Buffalo, NY.

You'll find hotels and bed & breakfasts located in and around Elora and Fergus. The Best Western has offered a convention discount. Mention "Magic Festival" and get the rate for $152.99 a night. (Reg $189.99) There are many Airbnb rooms for well under $100.

Registration is $125 until August 31. Register now and save!

For more information visit: https://magicfestival.ca

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10. Grand Master Of Magic Award Goes To Paul Bates - New Zealand
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Message by Stan Goudge (New Zealand)

Brotherhood of Auckland Magicians
The story of the Grand Master of Magic
GMM Award to Paul Bates

Good evening, it has been suggested that I should give an account of our Grand Master of Magic Award, its beginnings and its history. Why? Because Stan Goudge has been intimately associated with the awards over the past fifty years and probably won't be around much longer to bore you with all the details.

The year of its beginning was 1969. Edgar, The Great Benyon after 62 years of magical performance around the world was retiring to Auckland, and was made an Honorary Member of the Brotherhood of Auckland Magicians (BAM). There were rumours that the Variety Artists Club was to launch an "Oscar" like award for the best Variety Artist performer. This is to be presented annually as the premier show business award in New Zealand.

We knew the rumours were true because Jon Zealando had already designed and made the first "Bennie Award" Trophy. There was embarrassment among the BAM members that the Variety Artists of New Zealand were honouring an international acclaimed magician, one of our own and yet New Zealand magicians had failed to publicly recognise him.

This was the impetus for the creation of the Grand Master of Magic Award. Conceived, made and presented in some haste in October 1969. Designed as a silver medallion on a red ribbon by Auckland sculptor Greig Barnett it features on the obverse a rabbit in a hat joined by a rope coming out of an Indian basket, a fan of playing cards and the words "Grand Master of Magic". The reverse to be engraved with the recipient's name, the date of presentation, and the magical society making the presentation. The early awards were made in solid silver but later they were made in metal and silver coated.

I have been associated with all the presentations to date. Having researched the recipients, and their magical history. Their story is told in the Citation that accompanies each award. The Grand Master of Magic title, medallion and certificate are protected by the New Zealand Trade Mark No. 847437, registered to the Brotherhood of Auckland Magicians Incorporated.

There have been eighteen Grand Master Awards in the past fifty years. Of the eighteen magicians nine are still with us and nine have passed on. Eight have been awarded to magicians living in Auckland, (after all the BAM is the premium club) and ten to magicians in other centres. Two to Hamilton, one In New Plymouth, two in Palmerston North/Wanganui. Wellington has one, two went to the South Island, and a couple to New Zealanders domiciled overseas.

All have been measured against the award's criteria which states: "Its purpose is to honour those magicians who are acknowledged by their fellow magicians to be masters of the art and craft of magic. The recipients first and foremost must be performers of a high standard. In addition, they might be originators of magical effects, or administrators giving time and expertise to running societies and conventions. They could be consistent competition winners, or have an international standing, or be known only in the New Zealand setting. But above all they are people who have served magic well, have graced our art, and made a special contribution over many years."

Why am I telling you all this ancient stuff? Because I am pleased to announce that another award is to be made. Stand up Paul Bates, Grand Master of Magic.

(Brotherhood of Auckland Magicians President Alan Watson makes the presentation of the Grand Master of Magic Medallion and the Certificate.)

Paul Bates has a life time interest in magic, it is in his heritage and in his genes. The son of Mr Wonderful, Grand Master of Magic, Ken Bates and the frustrated beautiful Assistant Shirley, he has been nurtured in a magical environment.

(Please acknowledge Ken and Shirley Bates)

Paul Bates has been performing as a boy and the by the age of twelve Grandad Fred (a magician also) was driving him to magic shows until Paul got his driver's license at fifteen. Ken and Paul both joined the Wanganui Magic Circle in 1974 and Paul was known as "Radar the Magician". He was Secretary for several years and a regular performer winning the Rothmans Cup for Junior stage magic. In 1978 Paul was sponsored by Bob Loader from Wanganui Magic Circle and appeared on the television programme "Opportunity Knocks".

Flight Attendant Paul Bates joined Air New Zealand in his early twenties and flew the magic skies for fifteen years. He continued with his magic performances, including entertaining on flights as well as doing a variety of shows for Air New Zealand Koru Care raising money for children with special needs.

But the lure of full-time magic called and in 1994 after extensive research and planning he re-emerged as "Zappo The Magician". Since then he has worked professionally in Wellington and the lower North Island over the last twenty years. From his base in Greytown Paul performs extensively in schools and libraries with themed presentations including music and singing as well as ventriloquism with a variety of puppets. An expert at children's birthday parties he is regarded as the Capital City's premier children's entertainer and is a regular performer at Shopping Malls around his area. His highly decorated Zappo Car draws attention to his magic and advertises "Zappoland" where magic begins. The Pirate Show takes to the high seas and entertains on the Interislander Cook Strait Ferry. He is an expert Face Painter as well.

Paul released a CD in 2009 titled "Magicadabra" featuring twenty-three magic themed songs including his theme song of "Wibbly Wobbily" and has also released 2 DVDs of his magic shows. In 1997 he wrote a children's column about teaching magic, titled "Presto" for 12 months that was published in the Wellington Evening Post newspaper.

Although Paul specializes in Children's entertainment and Birthday Parties are his stock in trade, he is also an effective Close Up Performer at restaurants and private functions and a Cabaret Entertainer with high manipulative skills and witty patter. He is an expert Balloon Sculptor and winning awards and lecturing at balloon conventions in Australia.

In 2017 Paul went on a three-week tour of Australia teaching magic and presentation skills, in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Tasmania and the Gold Coast in his lecture called "Adding the Magic".

Throughout his magical career Paul has helped to raise money for many Charities, including Child Cancer, Camp Quality, Fundraising for Kindergartens. He has travelled to Vanuatu and performed at the local children's hospital, schools and kindergartens.

Paul Bates is a good communicator using all the technology available to inform the public of his services. You can check his Website, Facebook, YouTube, and Blog and be impressed by his use of social media.

Zappo has spent time and energy over many years assisting and promoting magic clubs, belonging to the Palmerston North and Wellington Magic Societies and has mentored junior members down the years. He has also been an IBM (International Brotherhood of Magician's) member for the past 21 years.

The first Magic Convention he attended was in 1976, a Mini Convention hosted by the Wanganui Magic Circle. Since then Paul has assisted with many magic conventions, and more recently was a committee member for the Wellington Magic Convention held in October 2015 where he also performed at the Wellington State Opera House.

Over the years Paul has won many awards at magic gatherings in New Zealand and Australia with the most recent being:

* 2010 - "Best Children's Entertainer" at the 30th New Zealand Magic Convention,
* 2012 - "Best Stage Act Competition" a the 31st New Zealand Magic Convention, and especially
* 2015 - "Best Children's Entertainer" as voted by the Variety Artist Club, New Zealand.

To sum it all up, Paul Bates has been a consistent high achiever as a magician over many years, both as a competent, skilled and successful performer and as a magical enthusiast contributing to magic societies, conventions and magical functions. He has served magic well, graced our art, and made a special contribution over many years.

Well done Paul Bates - Grand Master of Magic.

Citation presented by Stan Goudge, 10 September 2019

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10. The Orchante Saga - Beginnings
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Written by the late Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)

The Early Sixties
1960 - the first six months - I'm sixteen (666? - oh, you devil, you) and on a steep learning curve. Trying to swallow a sword, practicing sleight of hand, ventriloquism, and miming, sneaking into the shed to practice - without instructions - fire-eating (using the 2-stroke lawnmower fuel mix - yuck!) Hypnotising anybody I could lay my hands - or eyes on - (including myself - preparation for the bed of nails, among other things) and reading anything to do with magic, hypnotism, psychology and yoga techniques.

The New Zealand Society of Magicians club in Auckland - it's the first time I've met a group of other magicians, as up to then, I've been a self-taught 'lone wolf' non-conformist and a law unto myself. I felt rather out of place for a while - everybody's magical knowledge was far more advanced than mine. Having being brought up in 'the back of beyond' (Raupunga), I just didn't know about, or have access to, the huge range of Magic literature, dealers, or the lectures available to the 'city boys'.

If I were just starting out, I would procure everything that the late DAI VERNON has ever written, said, or had filmed! Applying his teachings with the same diligence as you would a University degree, you WILL BE a 'master magician' - not just someone who does tricks and puzzles!

JOE BROWN'S NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR STARS - TALENT QUEST - £1000 FIRST
PRIZE - I didn't win - a singer (Joe Nathan) did - they always do. I've never heard of a magician/novelty act winning a major talent quest - promoters love them, as they add variety and interest to an otherwise boring programme! If eventually you decide to become a full time
professional, more than likely you will have the personal satisfaction, years later, to still be performing when most of the 'flash in the pan', so-called 'singing stars' have long gone (digging a ditch somewhere) and you will have earned a damn sight more than a £1000! (circa N.Z $3000). Phew! I've wanted to say that lot, for years! My pal Sal, in Las Vegas, could get me five times that, for a five-minute stint on Television, anywhere in the world, all expenses paid! Shame I couldn't make that sort of money EVERY five minutes -that would take a miracle - not magic!

After the Talent Quest finished, the Joe Brown organisation picked the 'best of the best', and put a show on the road - the SEARCH FOR STARS GRAND NEW ZEALAND TOUR. It ran from July 5th to August 9th 1960. From Invercargill to Whangarei, to packed houses. (The promoters must have made a small fortune). It was a punishing schedule, but what an experience - finding out how things should be done, discovering WHAT NOT TO DO - ON AND OFF STAGE! Theatre craft - stage deportment - entrances and exits - how to speak, not just to the people in the front rows, but also those in the back, and up in the circles. So much to learn - I came home a much wiser person.

For young magicians out there, who may be reading this - performing your magic well is not enough. In my library of magic books I have two about Stagecraft. There is a trilogy written by Dariel Fitzkee - the first is 'SHOWMANSHIP FOR MAGICIANS' - although published in 1943, the principles and conventions there-in are as true today as they were then. The other is - 'MAGIC AND SHOWMANSHIP - a Handbook for Conjurors', published in 1969 by Henning Nelms. Read these, put their principles into practice, and your magic (or any other type of entertainment) will benefit enormously.

When the Search for Stars tour finished, I was left high and dry, so for the remaining 4 months of 1960, I got a job at the local newspaper in Papakura, - (doing Weddings, 21sts, etc. just wasn't enough to live on), but I sure gained valuable knowledge about advertising, lay-outs, and publicity Also met the diminutive 'rookie' news reporter, Wendy - she was like a pixie, and weighed practically nothing. The reason I mention Wendy, is because a few months later, in 1961, I started doing the bed of nails, and came up with the 'great idea' of having a razor-sharp blade, set in a vice, under my neck while laying on the nails!

Wendy would walk sideways up my body, until she was standing right on my throat. Because she weighed so little, I could still breathe. Very dangerous though - the slightest movement of my head or neck - and! Works on the same principle as walking up the 'ladder of
swords' - keep your feet flat, DON'T SLIDE - you'll be okay, but, the most infinitesimal movement sideways and 'HELLO, HOPPY'.

Next week, the 'swinging (tricky) sixties' continues!

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11. 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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12. Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice
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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 QSM 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 QSM, 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.

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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 2019 Alan Watson QSM
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