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* Magic New Zealand®
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Issue Number: #1712
Date: Sunday 23rd April 2023
Editor: Alan Watson QSM
www.watson.co.nz
E-mail: Editor@magicnewzealand.com
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Hi here is the latest news
================================
1.
Editor's Message
2. The Academy Awards Of Magic 2023
3. McBride's Mystery School In National Geographic
4. In www.magicweek.co.uk This Week
5. May Issue Genii Magazine
6. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #104
7. The Magic Word Podcast Next Week
8. Estates Of Magic
9. Magic Museum Bellachini - Episode 27
10. Tales From The Fantastic Magic Center - #37
11. Thoughts in a box... John Carey #195
12. E-zine Archives
13. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice
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1. Editor's Message
--------------------------------------------
Sad to report Barry Brook, a very prominent and well respected
magician, passed away yesterday. Barry was a recipient of
New Zealand's highest accolade the Grand Master of Magic
and he was also a recipient of the Queen Service Medal for
Services as an Entertainer.
If you would like to read the Magic New Zealand e-zine in
HTML format go to:
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. The Academy Awards Of Magic 2023
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Thursday,
May 25, 2023, 7:30 p.m., at The Theatre at Ace Hotel
Now,
for one of the rare times in our 60-year history, we're
opening up our unforgettable show to the public. Far beyond
any awards show, this is your chance to see some of the
most acclaimed magicians in the world today on one of the
most beautiful stages in the country - downtown Los Angeles'
beloved Theatre at the Ace Hotel.
If
you love magic, this is a spectacular show you do not want
to miss. We encourage you to order your tickets now, as
they won't last long.
Purchase
your tickets here:
https://ama.magiccastle.com/Awards2023
--------------------------------------------
3. McBride's Mystery School In National Geographic
--------------------------------------------
Message By Jeff McBride (US)
Imagine
my shock when I opened up the pages and saw my face staring
back at me! Our Mystery School got incredible coverage in
this month's National Geographic. Mystery School featured
in National Geographic! The article talks about how to create
illusions, the World Championships of Magic, and features
many of our friends and faculty here at Mystery School.
You
can read the full article here:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/fism-magician-world-championships
Published April 7, 2023, photographs by Dina Litovsky, story
by Nina Strochlic and Michael Greshko. Thanks to William
Bradshaw, Scott Steelfyre, Tobias Beckwith, and the dean
of McBride's Magic & Mystery School Dr. Larry Hass,
for the incredible work you have done for the school this
year!
--------------------------------------------
4. In www.magicweek.co.uk This Week
--------------------------------------------
Message published in Facebook by Duncan Trillo MIMC
In
www.magicweek.co.uk this week:
"Derren
Brown Showman premieres 23rd April" - " Bill Malone:
A Professional Development Course in Magic" - "The
Wizard's Weekender" - "Northern Magic Circle Convention"
- "The Magic Hour 10 Year Anniversary" - "Win
a free Convention Registration!" - "Danny Hunt
on Talk Magic" - "Alan Davies up for new Jonathan
Creek episodes" and more... www.magicweek.co.uk
MagicWeek
TM magic magazine - Created and Published weekly by Duncan
Trillo
-------------------------------------
5. May Issue Genii Magazine
-------------------------------------
Message by Richard Kaufman - Editor Genii Magazine
Subscribe
to Genii, with new issues monthly and tens of thousands
of pages of back issue of both Genii and MAGIC magazines
for as little as $35 a year. Read on any device!
www.geniimagazine.com
I
first met Paul Gertner sometime in the 1970s. Even then
he had his act down pat, consisting of difficult material
that didn't look so in his hands, all delivered in a breezy
style that was spot on each time. His whole life has been
an adventure in magic. Johnny Carson was his magic session
buddy; he's fooled Penn & Teller multiple times, and
won the first big magic contest that had a $10,000 cash
prize back when that was a lot of money. I had the pleasure
of writing his book Steel and Silver in the distant past.
We sat down for a long interview last November in Boston
and Dustin Stinett has turned that into a fascinating article.
Terry
Commons has been running dining/magic establishments under
the name Mystique Dining since 1997, when his first place
opened in Idaho. The business continues to this day at five
locations, its latest in La Jolla and San Diego, California,
where famous magicians perform while the patrons feast on
fancy eats. Doc Docherty, a magician who performs regularly
on this circuit, tells the tale.
In
"The Eye," Vanessa Armstrong tells us about a
new book on Jeff Sheridan, and the cruise ship magician
who got attacked for performing a card trick.
Jon
Racherbaumer's "Exhumations" brings a routine
based on Dai Vernon's "Penetration of Thought";
here, thought-of Aces jump between packets.
In
"Chamber of Secrets," John Gaughan reveals a remarkable
early carved German wooden automaton. It's most unusual
in that it can change two different items on the table in
front of it four times each. That's a tongue twister, but
the little man refuses the dare.
Rafael
Benatar continues with the second part of his discussion
on the Elements of an Effect in this month's "Thoughts
… ."
Of
course most of you know and do The Elmsley Count, but you've
likely never seen the original routine by Alex Elmsley for
which he devised it. This month in "Cardopolis,"
David Britland gives you a new version for modern times.
In
"Artifices," Roberto Mansilla puts on a blindfold
and calls out cards.
Kid
show magicians always get booked for a reason - a birthday,
holiday, and so on. But David Kaye has experienced an interesting
new trend in which he's getting booked for "no reason,"
and he explains why in "Expert at the Kids' Table."
In Chris Beason's final turn as editor of "Magicana"
he presents three effects by Josh Janousky, none of which
use a playing card.
"Knights
at The Magic Castle" by Shawn McMaster carries the
latest news from the club house of the Academy of Magical
Arts - if you're a Genii subscriber, remember that you get
to visit once each year. Just call the Castle to make your
reservation, tell them you subscribe to Genii, and then
they call our office to confirm. "Light from the Lamp"
shines with the latest reviews of tricks, books, and videos
courtesy of David Regal, Francis Menotti, and Jonathan Levit.
-------------------------------------
6. No Stone Unturned - Paul Stone - Article #104
-------------------------------------
Message by Paul Stone (US)
Last
week I was reminiscing about some of the great magicians
I've been fortunate to know and, in many cases, to book
for shows. One act whose name came up in discussion were
the Morettis from Germany. Hans & Helga performed in
over 50 shows for me, mostly in UK.
One
of their signature illusions was the 'Cardboard Box' illusion.
If you haven't seen it, you should certainly check it out
on YouTube, it was unbelievable, and very few people, including
magicians, knew how it was done.
A
large empty cardboard box was raised up on a stand and Hans
squeezed himself inside. A chain was placed around the box,
and Helga invited audience members to thrust, and I do mean
thrust, large bayonets / swords through the box leaving
no space for anyone to survive inside.
Not
only did Hans survive but, after all the swords were removed,
he emerged from the box in full clown make-up, wearing a
clown outfit and wig.
He
then proceeded to produce several live hens which jumped
out of the box and ran around the stage. This was followed
by umbrellas, silks, and a huge flag.
Needless
to say, this illusion always scored well and received a
tremendous ovation.
Every
time the Morettis performed the Cardboard Box illusion,
I was tasked with supplying the live hens. Due to the strict
regulations in place in UK regarding the use of animals,
I had to book the hens through Animal Equity, and they were
delivered and overseen by an official handler. I always
used to joke that I paid more for the hens than for the
close-up magicians I'd booked for the event!
Hans,
being from a true circus background, couldn't understand
why I needed to pay for them, and didn't just go into the
fields and grab six hens!
Obviously
times have changed dramatically since then, and as an animal
lover, I'm pleased to say for the better, and animal acts
are now few and far between, and pretty much a thing of
the past, especially in the circus.
I
was invited to Los Angeles last week by an old friend, Annabel
Grey, someone well-known to many in the magic world, as
the partner of magic legend, Billy McComb, to attend a BAFTA
preview of a new movie, called Chevalier, which is being
released in movie theaters this week.
I
had no idea what it was about, or what to expect, but it
was excellent. The movie is set back in the time of Marie
Antoinette, and is the story of Joseph Bologne, an illegitimate
son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, who
rises to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated
violinist-composer and fencer.
The
actor Kelvin Harrison Jr, who plays the lead role of Joseph
Bologne, and Director Stephen Williams, were both at the
preview and took part in a Q&A session, which was a
bonus.
There
are no magic tricks in this movie, but it was magical. I
highly recommend it, but because of the subject matter,
I don't expect that it will last long in the movie theaters,
so catch it while you can! I wouldn't however, be surprised
if it gets nominated in next year's Oscars.
I
did get to see some magic whilst I was in Los Angeles. Another
close friend of mine, and someone that I mention regularly
in my Magic New Zealand articles, Diana Zimmerman, invited
me to join her and a couple of her friends at the Magic
Castle in Hollywood for Dinner.
Her
friends are both well-known actors, Al Sapienza and his
wife Deborah Rennard. Al has appeared in over 100 movies
and is currently a regular on NCIS, and Deborah appeared
in the hit TV Show Dallas for ten years.
And
it just so happens that they are also both superb singers,
and together perform their own show featuring hits from
the 60's and 70's intermingled with stories of their lives
and careers.
They
were both great company, and fascinating to listen to. It
was Al's first ever visit to the Magic Castle, and he was
really excited, because he loves magic. It brought back
memories of my own first visit to the Magic Castle 42 years
ago!
When
I have visited the Magic Castle in the past, I've usually
ended up seeing shows in the Palace of Mystery, the Parlour
of Prestidigitation or the Close-Up Gallery, but on this
occasion we descended the stairs to watch the show in the
Peller Theatre.
The
featured act there, and one that I had never previously
seen, was the Cosmic Romantics. Not only a very different
name, but also a very unique and unusually entertaining
duo. It is a hard act to describe, but it included magic,
mindreading, juggling, storytelling, comedy and even singing!
I
really enjoyed their show. It was quirky and they were very
likeable performers.
Before
we left the Castle, we stopped by the Library Bar, where
Adam Wylie was holding court. His magic was strong, and
his intimate style of performing was perfectly suited to
this venue.
The
Magic Castle is unlike anywhere else in the world, and the
variety of magic that visitors can see there is impressive.
--------------------------------------------
7. 750th Episode of The Magic Word Podcast
--------------------------------------------
Message by Scott Wells, M.I.M.C. with Gold Star
The
Magic Word Podcast with Luis De Matos
We
have now reached a rather important milestone for The Magic
Word Podcast with our 750th episode. Over the past dozen
years, we have provided content that has been interesting,
entertaining, and educational. We have reported from magic
conventions both nationally and internationally and featured
episodes with well-known magicians and some not-yet-well-known
magicians.
Some
of our guests have passed on which makes the archives a
treasure trove of voices that we will not ever hear again.
This podcast would not have continued without the loyal
support and interest by listeners from every corner of the
globe and for that, I truly thank each and every one of
you 750 times over. And the financial contributors (known
as the Friends of The Magic Word) have been and are instrumental
in keeping this podcast going to defray our plethora of
expenses.
For
the past several 50th milestones we have had some pretty
incredible guests such as David Berglas, Max Maven, Paul
Daniels, and Uri Geller, just to name a few. As we venture
into another 750 episodes into the future, this week we
have a chat with Luis De Matos from Portugal. His name is
internationally recognized as one of our premier magicians
having won several awards and seen on stage and television
for decades.
What
he has to say to us in this week's episode is very enlightening
and well worth your time to take a listen. I know that I
will be quoting what he has said for many years to come.
Although he talks about several things, the crux of this
conversation is the importance of learning, sharing and
collaborating in order for our art to grow and move forward.
Hopefully, everyone will take note and we will make this
a better world of magic when we compare notes for Episode
#1500 in another dozen years from now!
You
can listen wherever you get your podcasts, but for more
content including a video of our conversation, photos and
more, please visit: https://www.themagicwordpodcast.com/scottwellsmagic/750-luis-de-matos
This
week we congratulate the six winners of the book "Nick
Trost's Subtle Card Creations - Volume 9" that was
offered by the publisher, Charlie Randall: Robert Dudras,
Peter McLanachan, Brad Sasser, Cary Schmelzer, Andy Lackey,
and Chris Wilcox.
Thank
you everyone who entered the contest. To make sure you are
aware of our infrequent contests, be sure to subscribe to
the podletter which you can do through the website. And
please help us grow by leaving us a five star review and
nice comments through iTunes or on whatever podcast provider
you use. It really helps our podcast grow. Thank you.
--------------------------------------------
8. Estates Of Magic
---------------------------------------------
Message by Steve Varro (US)
Tax
Time Discount Catalog
Tax
time comes every year about this time and so we'd like to
offer you a little MAGIC relief.
For
the rest of April, we are offering a 10% discount on all
orders, and if your order is over $100 we'll double your
discount to 20%.
Huge
sale of lightly used and new magic.
Close
to one hundred pages.
We
will subtract your discount when we receive your order.
Just
go to EstatesOfMagic.com and click on the Take Time Catalog.
--------------------------------------------
9. Magic Museum Bellachini - Episode 27
---------------------------------------------
Message by Wittus Witt (Germany)
My
report for this week will unfortunately be a bit short,
but it is not always the length that is important. For private
reasons, I was unable to attend my regular performance at
the museum on Friday. Instead, I was able to win over the
wonderful colleague Stefan Alexander Rautenberg. Rautenberg
is a very good representative of the style of Johann Nepomuk
Hofzinser. The texts are well-considered and the choice
of his material always suits the particular occasion. As
far as I know, Stefan is the only magician who shows the
trick "Die Eintagsfliege" (One Day Fly) by Conradi
Horster in his programme.
The
audience sees a man-sized frame on which three discs are
placed side by side, each with 12 large playing cards (jumbo
cards) attached. Furthermore, the performer uses a moving
arrow that is placed on each of the three discs in turn
and rotated until it points to one of the cards. This determines
three cards.
The
backs of these three selected jumbo cards have different
numbers. To prove that there are different number cards
on each of the discs, the entire rack is turned over.
There
are 12 or 11 different numbers on each disc.
If
one now places the three freely determined giant cards next
to each other, the numbers can be read like a date, and
it becomes apparent that the date corresponds to the day
of the current performance. Hence the name "One Day
Fly".
The
trick was often shown in the 1930s and 1940s. After that
it disappeared. The props are elaborate and take up a lot
of space in the luggage.
Pictures
and an exact description can be found (in German) in the
Magic-Pedia here:
https://www.zauber-pedia.de/index.php?title=Eintagsfliege.
The
Trick was also described by Robert Albo: More classic magic
with apparatus, Vol. III, 1977, page 101.
Until
next time
Wittus
Witt
www .hamburger-zaubermuseum.com
--------------------------------------------
10. Tales From The Fantastic Magic Center - #37
--------------------------------------------
Message by Kent Cummins, Director (US)
Crapped
on by a Tiger!
Last
week I told you about my experience with a tiger in a magic
show. But it was a cute, fuzzy jigsaw puzzle, not a live
tiger.
My
daughter, Carolyn Kim Cummins, has a very different story
about working with a tiger during a magic show. Carolyn
has been the beautiful assistant for at least a dozen different
magicians, including Ray Anderson at Esther's Follies in
Austin. And of course, she has been my favorite helper for
many years.
But
this story is about a magic show with David Hira, a popular
Dallas magician now living in Costa Rica, who often added
stage illusions to his show. One such illusion was the Lady
to Tiger.
Carolyn
remembers coming onto the stage, getting put into an empty
cage, waving to the audience, and then having the curtains
cover the cage. As the covered cage was spun around, she
went into the secret compartment so that the tiger could
be revealed.
And
the audience was thrilled to see a beautiful Korean woman
change into a live Bengal tiger!
But what the audience did not know is that Carolyn was hidden
in the secret compartment beneath the huge tiger.
And
what Carolyn did not know is that the tiger had been fed
raw chicken before the show, which apparently did not agree
with him. So, he expelled it in the cage, while Carolyn
was below him in the secret compartment.
And
that's how my daughter got crapped on by a tiger during
a magic show!
Carolyn
says that it was probably better for the tiger to eat some
raw chicken than to eat the assistant.
The
Fantastic Magic Center is dedicated to preserving and sharing
the art of magic. But I can't do it without your help. My
Patreon account is the same place as my free weekly podcast:
www.FantasticMagicCenter.com
kent@magichotline.com
-------------------------------------------
11. Thoughts in a box... John Carey #195
-------------------------------------------
Message by John Carey (UK)
http://www.johncareymagic.co.uk/
Thoughts
in a box...
Any
Card to Impossible Location is usually a strong effect.
Here's
a practically self-working / semi-automatic version I put
together for a friend who didn't want to work too hard :-)
You
will need two matchboxes for this version. Each has a little
hole in the top. Inside one box are two matches and inside
the other is a face-down folded 2 of Hearts. These boxes
are inside your right pocket with the box containing two
matches on top. Remove the 2 of Hearts from your deck and
discard it. On top of the deck have a black 2 followed by
any Heart card. The deck is in your left pocket.
Introduce
the effect asking a couple to help you. "Today we are
going to try a little experiment in wish making. Unfortunately
I don't have any candles, but I have the next best thing!"
The right hand goes to the side pocket and removes the upper
matchbox. Hand it to the gentleman and ask him to open it
and take out the matches.
Take
back the empty box in your right hand. "We also need
a deck of cards." Both hands enter their side pockets
simultaneously in search of the deck of cards. The right
hands witches matchboxes inside the pocket. Bring the left
hand out with the deck just a second before the right hand
comes out with the matchbox. Toss the switched in matchbox
onto the table and then take out the cards. Execute a riffle
shuffle retaining the top two cards and square up. Hand
the deck to the lady.
We
will now execute a beautiful little force I believe Al Leech
published in one of his booklets many years ago. Others
like Daryl and John Bannon have used it to good effect.
Ask the lady to deal a few cards face-down into a packet.
Then ask her to shuffle the deck, miming an overhand shuffle
action. Then ask her to deal a few more cards, shuffle and
then deal just a few more. Get her to place the rest of
the deck aside.
Ask
your helper to pick up the packet and deal a card to the
table and then one next to it and continue dealing back
and forth into two packets making a note where the last
card is dealt. "Sarah, a playing card is made up of
a value and a suit. I want you to put a playing card in
your mind. Take a peek at this card and remember its value.
Then take a peek and remember it's suit.
Then
combine the two to form a card. So 6 and Clubs is 6 of Clubs
etc." So as you say the above direct them to peek the
'value card' first and then the 'suit card and combine the
two to make a card.
Ask
the lady to gather up the two piles, place them with the
rest of the deck and then shuffle. The deck is then tabled
face-down. Pick up the matchbox and insert a match into
the hole. Place it on top of the deck. Ask the man to pick
up the other match, strike it against the box and then use
that match to light the match sticking out of the matchbox.
Ask him to make a wish and then blow out both matches.
"How
impressed would you be if Sarah's card magically appeared
on top?" Ask him to turn over the top card and look
at his lady. She will say it's not her card. Get him to
pick up the deck. Request Sarah reveals the name of her
thought of card. Get the man to look through the deck to
find the Two of Hearts. Of course he won't find it. "Maybe
it's in the card box? Not there?" Look at the matchbox
and smile. Ask the man to open the box revealing a folded
card. He unfolds it, it's the 2 of Hearts and everybody
goes home happy.
Notes:
I
first saw Michael Ammar use the candelabra idea with the
matches in his yeast card routine many years ago.
---------------------------------------------
12. E-zine Archives
---------------------------------------------
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)
--------------------------------------------
13. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice
--------------------------------------------
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©
Copyright 2023 Alan Watson QSM
www.magicnewzealand.com
http://twitter.com/#!/magicnewzealand
www.watson.co.nz
www.balloon-twister.co.nz
