* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #170 Date: Sunday 20th April 2003 Editor: Alan Watson www.magician.co.nz www.alan-watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor’s Message 2. Magic Summer Camp Scholarships 3. S.A.M Convention Act Added To Line-Up Of Stars 4. Magician Gets Ready For Royal Appointment 5. 2003 Magic Moments - Wanganui NZ 6. Message From Terry Seabrooke 7. I.B.M. Convention Tentative Schedule 8. Contest Rules And Procedures for FISM 9. Don Bridwell Passing 10. Brendan And Sandra Montana - Third Child Born 11. Stuart Cramer Died 12. "Big Mouth Close-Up Bag" 13. 'Balloons Over Waikato' 14. Second Hand Books And Videos For Sale 15. The Amazing ‘Orchante’ Saga - Page 157 16. Magic New Zealand e-zine archives 17. Subscription Management ------------------------------------ 1. Editor's Message ------------------------------------- Message from Alan Watson - The Magic One This coming Tuesday the Alan Watson Family Magic & Illusion show assisted by Melanie and Aleshia will be performing at the Meadow Bank Shopping Mall & Rainbows End in Auckland over the next week. ----------------------------------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com ---------------------------------- 2. Magic Summer Camp Scholarships ---------------------------------- Message from George Schindler - S.A.M Public Relations Endowment Fund Accepting Applications For Magic Summer Camp Scholarships The S.A.M. Magic Endowment Fund is now accepting applications for full tuition scholarships at the Tannen’s Magic Camp in Long Island, New York and the Sorcerer's Summer Safari in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For the past 15 years the Fund has provided over thirty full tuition scholarships INCLUDING ALL travel expenses to youngsters, many of whom have gone on to become a credit to us all. Applicants should be between the ages of 10 to 18 years old. Applications may be obtained by writing to the S.A.M/ Magic Endowment Fund 15 Warren Street, Hackensack NJ 07601, or by e-mail slating your full mailing address, at Kapsmagic@earthlink.com. ------------------------------------ 3. S.A.M Convention Act Added To Line-Up Of Stars ------------------------------------- Message from George Schindler - S.A.M Public Relations World Champion Juggler Dick Franco has been added to the Monday Gala at the S.A.M. convention July 7. Franco is a Gold Medal winner having held the: “World Champion" title since 1986. He has appeared around the world for heads of state and received the "Silver Crown" award by Princess Grace of Monaco. He is best known for juggling 3 running chainsaws. ----------------------------- 4. Magician Gets Ready For Royal Appointment ---------------------------------- Message from Philip Partridge Didsbury magician Philip Partridge, who set up his business with help from The Prince’s Trust, will get the chance to say a very personal thanks to The Trust’s President, HRH The Prince of Wales, when he makes a special visit to the North West next week. HRH, The Prince of Wales will be visiting Cheshire on Monday 28th April and, during his visit, he will be meeting a number of beneficiaries and supporters of his charity from the Region. Philip will perform one of his favourite tricks to The Prince of Wales and other invited guests and dignitaries during the visit. Philip set up his business thanks to a £1500 loan from The Trust in 1997 and has never looked back since. Not only has he performed at Brooklyn Beckham’s Birthday Party but he has appeared on the Entertainer’s Special of The Weakest Link for The Prince’s Trust and is soon to appear on BBC1 on Ian Wright’s new show “I’d Do Anything”. Philip is thrilled to have been offered the opportunity to meet HRH, The Prince of Wales as part of this special visit: “I’m really excited about being involved in the visit,” he commented. “The help and support offered by the Prince’s Trust has been invaluable, particularly in the provision of a fantastic mentor who encouraged and advised me a great deal. I am also now myself a Trust mentor as I wanted to give something back.” …more The Prince’s Trust provides a range of programmes and opportunities for young people to help them increase their skills and confidence and move forward in their lives. Young entrepreneurs are supported with start up loans and grants, free advice, a comprehensive ‘aftercare’ programme and advice from volunteer ‘Business Mentors’. Nearly 60% of Trust businesses are still trading into their third year, a rate that compares very favourably with conventional lending sources, despite the ‘high risk’ nature of the businesses. Much of the success of Trust supported businesses is attributed to the mentoring and after-care support. For further information on The Prince’s Trust in your area, call freephone 0800 842 842 or visit www.princes-trust.org.uk - ends – For media enquiries, please contact Natasha Starsiak, Regional Communications Officer on 01925 443530/ 07766 146734 Editor’s Notes 1. HRH The Prince of Wales will be ………………… (to be added) 2. The Prince’s Trust Business programme offers low interest loans of up to £5,000 and support to enable 18-30 year olds who are unemployed or under-employed to start their own businesses. Applicants will need to have been turned down by other sources of funding. 3. The Prince’s Trust is the UK’s leading youth charity offering 14-30 year-olds opportunities to develop confidence, learn new skills, get into work and start businesses. Since The Trust started in 1976 it has supported over 450,000 young people. Over the past year The Trust has supported over 26,000 young people across the UK. 4. The Prince’s Trust, across all its programmes, specifically aims to reach young people within the following groups: the unemployed; educational underachievers; ex-offenders/serving prisoners and those at risk of offending; and those in or leaving care. In addition The Trust focuses on those with specific characteristics who tend to be over-represented among these four target groups including those from minority ethnic communities, disabled young people, refugees and lone parents. 5. For further information on The Prince’s Trust call 0800 842 842 or visit www.princes-trust.org.uk ---------------------------------- 5. 2003 Magic Moments - Wanganui NZ ---------------------------------- Message from Norm Twigge (NZ) Registrations for the Queens Birthday Mini convention are coming in steadily and at this rate we may be full house before the weekend arrives. Those who attended the Mini convention in Palmerston North in 2001 will remember what a great event that was. The same team is organising this one and hopes to create an even more interesting and fun event. Norm Twigge, Secretary, Palmerston North Magic Circle. normtwigge@xtra.co.nz ---------------------------------- 6. Message From Terry Seabrooke ---------------------------------- Message from Terry Seabrooke Just a note to say thanks to all those who sent messages and cards to me. Now back home and all is well. Started work again with Sir Norman Wisdom on his tour. Looking forward to being at The Magic Castle at the end of June and then on to the great S.A.M. convention in Las Vegas early July. Never want to go through that hospital bit again. Maybe as it happened to the three of us in 10 days. There should be a show with McComb, Seabrooke and Daniels called the Hospital Follies!!!!!!!!!!!. Thanks again everybody. Seabrooke the living one!!!!!!!!!!XXX ---------------------------------- 7. I.B.M. Convention Tentative Schedule ---------------------------------- Message from Tony Wilson (NZ) I.B.M. Convention Tentative Schedule (Subject to change, but fairly accurate) Tuesday, July 1, 2003 6:00 - 11:00 pm Packet Pick-up for Pre-Registered 6:30pm  Linking Ring Hospitality Party 8:00pm  Kick-Off Show with Ring 129 9:00pm - 12m  Dealer Preview 10:30pm  Magic Idol Contest Wednesday, July 2, 2003 8:00am   Registration Opens 8:30am   Preliminary Stage Contest 9:00am   Danny Archer Lecture 10:00am - 12n  Museum 10:00am - 5pm Dealers Open 10:30am  Shoot Ogawa Lecture 1:00pm  Bob Fitch Lecture 2:00pm  Spouse Gathering 2:30pm  Dealers’ Show 4:00 - 5:30pm  Special Interest Groups    Youth/Junior Member Welcome, Museum,    Board meeting, Judging Workshop, Ring 2100,    Trixie Bond Lecture 8:00pm  Premiere Show: Gay Blackstone, Nikolai & Nina, Bob Fitch, Kenji Minemura, PLUS After show - 12m Dealers Open 10:30pm  Aldo Colombini Lecture Thursday, July 3, 2003 8:00am   Registration Opens 8:00am   Preliminary Close-Up Contest 10:00am  Youth Event (for children who are not magicians) 10:00am  Spouse Tour 10:00am - 12n  Museum 10:00am - 2:00pm Dealers Open 1:00pm  Andre Kole Lecture 2:30pm  Big Three    Close Up: Danny Archer, Bob Fitch, Simon Lovell, Obie O’Brien, Shoot Ogawa    Barry Mitchell Lecture    Aldo Colombini Show 4:00 - 5:30pm  Special Interest Groups    Junior Member Workshop, Museum,    TVP/Ring Reps, Collectors’ Gathering,    Invisible Lodge, Movie Premiere: Saturday at Reubens    Ardan James Lecture 8:00pm  International Show: Max Maven, Jade, Netcheporenkos, Jay Marshall, Mark Kalin & Ginger After show - 12m Dealers Open 10:30pm  Simon Lovell Lecture Friday, July 4, 2003 8:00am   Registration Opens 9:00am   Annual Business Meeting 10:00am - 12n  Museum 10:00am - 2:00pm Dealers Open 10:00am  Youth Event (for children who are not magicians) 10:00am  Ladies’ Session, craft 10:00am  Jim Cellini Lecture 12:30pm  Gold Cups Close-Up Finals 2:30pm  Big Three    Close Up: Danny Archer, Bob Fitch, Simon Lovell, Obie O’Brien, Shoot Ogawa    Barry Mitchell Lecture    Aldo Colombini Show 4:00 - 5:30pm  Special Interest Groups    Junior Member Workshop, Museum,    Board meeting, Women’s Forum,    Jim Cellini Lecture 8:00pm  Gold Medal Show: Contestants plus, Rich Bloch, Pat Davison After show - 12m Dealers Open 10:30pm  Tom Burgoon Lecture 10:30pm  Magic Youth International Gathering w/ Trixie Bond Saturday, July 5, 2003 8:30am   Order of Merlin Breakfast (for Members Only) 9:00am   Cleveland 2004 Promotion 9:00am   Karrell Fox Memorial Lecture: The Spencers 10:00am  Pre-Register for Cleveland 10:00am  Junior Member Workshop 10:00am - 12n  Museum 10:00am - 2:00pm Dealers Open 11:00am  Autograph Session 1:00pm  Max Maven Lecture 2:30pm  Big Three    Close Up: Danny Archer, Bob Fitch, Simon Lovell, Obie O’Brien, Shoot Ogawa    Barry Mitchell Lecture    Aldo Colombini Show 4:00 - 5:30pm  Special Interest Groups    Youth/Junior Member Send-Off Party,    Gay Blackstone Lecture 5:30pm  Banquet with Entertainment, optional/ticket required:    Aldo Colombini, Tom Burgoon, Barry Mitchell 8:00pm  Gala Show: Jonathan Neal, Ardan James, Andre Kole & Co. 10:30pm  Strolling Olympics/ Afterglow Party ---------------------------------- 8. Contest Rules And Procedures for FISM ---------------------------------- Message from Tony Wilson (NZ) Contest Rules And Procedures for FISM Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques Edition 7th of November 2002 A 1. ABOUT THE PARTICIPATION AND THE CONTESTANTS a) FISM contests are open to • any magician who has reached FISM Level (see Article 6b) and who is member of a society affiliated to FISM, after having received the written authorization of the President of the FISM society of which he or she is a member; • any magician who has reached FISM Level and who is not a member of a FISM-affiliated society, after having received the written authorization of the Presidents of FISM-affiliated societies from three different countries. b) The President of the FISM society who has given this authorization is responsible for the quality of the act of the performer. Only candidates having attained FISM Level should receive such authorization. Authorizing Presidents will pay a contest fee for each contest entry. After the convention this fee, minus 25% to cover organizational costs, will be reimbursed for each entry that has met the FISM Level. No contest fee will be reimbursed for disqualified entries NOTE for FISM2003 Article 1b will not be applied to the FISM2003-convention in The Hague, The Netherlands. For the FISM2003 convention the former rule counts that each contestants pays his own contest fee. c) Excluded from participation in a given FISM contest are artists who are booked by the organizing committee to perform or lecture at that convention. d) A contestant must be a paid registrant of the FISM convention. The organizing committee must receive the registration form for the contests, including the appropriate authorization(s) and the contest fee, at least four weeks before the opening of the convention. e) The number of contestants is limited to the first 150 applicants. f) By participating in the contest, a contestant agrees to all the decisions of the judges, which are not subject to appeal. g) A contestant who presents an act that is obviously a copy of the act of another performer will be disqualified. h) A prize-winning contestant, when asked by the organizing committee, is obliged to perform his or her act again at a show of the convention, without any fee. 2. ABOUT THE JURY a) To determine all prizes and other awards (see Article 5), a jury is composed of eight to twelve judges and a non-judging President, all chosen by common accord of the FISM President and Secretary-General. These choices should be based on the qualifications of the candidates in both the art of Magic and that of judging magic performances. There should be an essentially common acceptance of these qualifications, as well as a balance of expertise in close-up and stage magic, with a diversity of age and cultural background. The FISM President and Secretary-General should also acknowledge continuity in FISM juries. Preferably, there will be only one judge for any one country. b) The President of the jury, although watching all contest performances, does not judge the acts as the other jury members do. He or she chairs the jury meetings, concludes and summarizes the decisions, and is responsible for the observance of the FISM contest rules. In case of a tie, the jury President will arbitrate, and that decision will be final. c) Jury members will be exempted from paying a convention registration fee, and will get free refreshments and meals during their judging time. d) The President of the jury will send a full report of the contest results, with appropriate remarks and observations, to the Secretary-General of FISM within three months of the closing of the convention. 3. ABOUT THE CATEGORIES a) The contest performances are open in the following categories: Stage Performances:  Close-Up Performances: • Manipulation • Card Magic • General Magic   • Micro Magic • Stage Illusions Stage or Close-Up: • Parlour Magic • Invention • Mental Magic NOTE FOR FISM2003 As these new Contest Rules and Procedures were only ready at a time that some contestants had already entered the inscription to the Contest of the FISM2003-convention in The Hague, The Netherlands, in the formerly existing categorie "COMEDY MAGIC", his inscription will be accepted in that category. Awards in this category, however, will be the ones mentioned in Article 5c. b) If the jury members are of the shared opinion that it would be in the best interests of a contestant to change his or her category, they are entitled to make such a change. This action, however, should never hamper another contestant's chances of winning a prize. 4. ABOUT THE CONTEST PERFORMANCE a) A contestant is not allowed to present more than one act in one category in stage magic and in one category in close-up magic. This restriction does not apply to the Invention category. An invention can be submitted within an act, or can be presented separately. b) A performer who has been awarded a Grand Prix in a previous FISM contest is not allowed to compete again with essentially the same act. c) A contestant must be ready to perform his act at least ten minutes before the scheduled time. Any contestant who is not ready by this ten-minute notice may be disqualified by the jury. d) A contestant must present a complete act (not a single trick) of at least five minutes and no more than ten minutes. However, in the Invention and Stage Illusions categories, single effects are allowed instead of complete acts. e) At the front of the stage will be two electric lamps, one yellow and one red. After nine minutes of a performance, the yellow lamp will be switched on. After the tenth minute, the red lamp will be switched on, showing the contestant that he or she is over time and that the performance must be ended within twenty seconds, after which the contestant will be disqualified. The contestant will also be disqualified in case of a flashing red lamp (see Article 6d) f) In introducing a contestant, the Master of Ceremonies of the competition will refrain from any comment on the act, restricting the announcement to the name of the contestant, the category of performance, the country and society and the name(s) of the President(s) authorizing this participation in the contest. 5. ABOUT THE PRIZES AND OTHER AWARDS a) In each category, except for Invention, three prizes can be awarded by the jury as mentioned in Article 2a: a first prize, a second prize and a third prize. b) One or more prizes can be awarded in the Invention category. There is no hierarchy for prizes in this category. The jury, who will at least determine the invention to be a new effect or a new method or technique, will decide on the prizes to be awarded in this category. c) The jury is entitled to award special awards for comedic ways of presentation in any category when appropriate. d) The jury is entitled to award a special award 'Most Original Act' to the act (in any category) that can justify such a decision. e) In the second phase of the judging process (see Article 6), on top of the aforementioned prizes and special awards, a Grand Prix for Stage Magic and a Grand Prix for Close-up Magic can be awarded by the jury f) No other prize, award, distinction or gift can be given without the approval of both the President and the Secretary-General of FISM together with the President of the jury as mentioned in Article 2a. This includes any prize or award given on behalf of a private company. Only FISM contestants having received a prize are eligible for an additional prize or award beyond those mentioned in the preceding paragraphs 5a through 5d. 6. ABOUT THE JUDGING PROCESS a) The judging process is two-phased. In the first phase the jury will judge all the contestants' performances during the contest in order to award the prizes and awards as mentioned in Article 5a, b, c, d, and f, when appropriate. The second phase is meant to award the two Grand Prix's as mentioned in Article 5e. This phase  will take place during the final Galashow, in which the first prize winners of all categories will again  perform their act. b) A member of the jury shall give a fair judgment on the performance of every contestant, without prejudice, with an equal level of critical standards in regard to the following six aspects: * Technical Skill/Handling * Showmanship/Presentation * Entertainment value * Artistic Impression/Routining * Originality * Magic Atmosphere c) Using the official judging form in conformity with Annex A, each judge will give a total score of up to 100 points to each contestant. After each contest performance, the part of the judging form below the dotted line will be collected by a member of the special staff as mentioned in Article 8a. Adding the scores of all jury members and dividing the total by the number of judges will then calculate the final score. The maximum final score for a contestant will thus be 100 points. A contestant with a final score lower than 50 points is considered below the FISM Level and will be disqualified. d) Jury members will each have access to a switch to activate a red light that can only be seen by the timekeeper. If, after the first three minutes of an act, a jury member is of the opinion that the performance is below the FISM Level, the red light may be switched on. If 70% of the jury members have lit their red lamps, the timekeeper flashes the front stage red lamp as mentioned in Article 2d. After flashing the red lamp for twenty seconds, the stage curtain will be closed and the contestant will be disqualified. e) At the conclusion of the contest, having seen the performances of all the contestants, the individual jury members may reconsider their judgments and, with the approval of the President of the jury, will be given the opportunity to change some of their scores. These changes will be given to the special staff members who will recalculate the final scores. f) After all necessary calculations are complete, the list of final scores will be handed to the President of the jury, who will assemble all the judges in a secret meeting to determine the different prizes. g) The prizes will be awarded to the highest scores in each category. To be awarded a first prize, a contestant must have a final score of at least 80 points. The final score must be at least 70 points for a second prize and at least 60 points for a third prize. h) If no contestant has the required points for a given prize in a given category, that prize will not be awarded. i) The list of prizes and other awards as mentioned in Article 5a, b, c, d and f to be awarded, will be kept secret until the official proclamation and presentation of the trophies or cups to the winners. The declaration of the awards will be made in reverse order, beginning with the special awards, then the lowest prize and ending with the first prize. j) In judging the first prize winners of all categories, in the second phase of the judging process, the jury will take the same aspects as mentioned in paragraph b of this Article. The Grand Prix will be awarded to the contestants who are given the highest total score of at least 85 points in respectively Stage Magic and Close-up Magic. The two Grand Prix will be presented at the end of the final (prize winners’) Gala show. 7. ABOUT TITLES a) Only a first-prize winner is entitled to use the title of ”World Champion” along with the prize category prize, plus the year of its acquisition (e.g., “World Champion Stage Illusions 2003” or "World Champion Card Magic 2006"). b) Being first-prize winners by definition, the holders of the two Grand Prix awards are declared "World Champion" in their category. Moreover, they are entitled to precede this title by "FISM Grand Prix Winner" (e.g., "FISM Grand Prix Winner and World Champion Manipulation 2003” or “FISM Grand Prix Winner and World Champion Card Magic 2003”). 8. ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION a) The organizing committee will appoint an official timekeeper for the contests, who will also run a special staff to take care of a smooth-running judging process. Among other responsibilities, the jury staff shall collect the forms, do the necessary calculations, and take care of the well being of the jury members. The jury staff will keep all the scores strictly secret, revealing them to no one except for the jury President who will not share this knowledge before the list of final scores is provided (see Article 6e). b) The organizing committee will provide the necessary official judging forms, clipboards, diplomas, trophies and/or cups for the different prizes. c) The Organizing Committee will send the contest rules and procedures to the jury members no less than four weeks before the start of the convention. d) At the beginning of the convention, prior to the start of the contest, the jury (as mentioned in Article 2a) will be briefed by the Secretary-General on the main issues of these FISM contest rules and procedures. ---------------------------------- 9. Don Bridwell Passing ---------------------------------- Message from Rick Allen (US) Wanted to report that my long time and close friend Don Bridwell, Whizzer the clown, died suddenly this past Tuesday after surgery the week before. Viewing will be today (Thursday) from 2-4 & 6-8pm est at the Bollin Funeral home, services Friday at Trinity church of Christ, Zainesville, Ohio. Don was a long time professional circus clown, beginning with the Cole Brother circus in 1945, he toured with various shows including the Emmett Kelly Jr. Circus, Kelly Miller Bros. and did advance work for several years for Carson & Barnes Circus. He had semi retired and was performing circus spot dates and fairs and festivals with his magic clown show. Don was a pioneer of early 1960s "live" TV having his own show on WHIZ TV, in Zanesville for four years before getting the "bug" to go back on the road. He had many friends in show business, great and small. He was currently working with me on the Birch biography project. ---------------------------------- 10. Brendan And Sandra Montana - Third Child Born ---------------------------------- Message from Fast Jimmy (Aust) Sydney's most popular and award winning illusionists Brendan and Sandra Montana had their third child born last Friday and yes it's a boy. Ryan is the latest addition to the Montana magic family and with all their supporters and friends in the Australian magic community we would like to wish you all the very best. ---------------------------------- 11. Stuart Cramer Died ---------------------------------- Message from Todd Karr Bad news from Hazel Cramer. Stuart Cramer died in his sleep Tuesday in Ithaca, NY. ---------------------------------- 12. "Big Mouth Close-Up Bag" ---------------------------------- Message from Dick Barry For Scott Wells and any other magicians who may be looking for a doctor's style close-up bag. I have been selling one for years called "BIG MOUTH CLOSE-UP BAG". Check it out on my web catalog: dickbarrymagic.com ---------------------------------- 13. 'Balloons Over Waikato' ---------------------------------- Message from Graham Bennett (NZ) Just completed contract 'Balloons over Waikato' which featured in Hamilton last weekend. It’s a great event with thousands attending. My part in the event was entertaining with strolling Magic to the crowds. I look forward to next year. June/July will be a busy time for me with corporate shows/private functions mainly close-up/strolling 15-18 July 11am shows daily - Magic & Illusion show entitled 'a touch of Magic' at Belmont Rose Garden. Theatre style venue holds approx 250 people. Last year the shows were a sell out. ---------------------------------- 14. Second Hand Books And Videos For Sale ---------------------------------- Message from Sefton Price (NZ) I'm selling dramatically below original purchase price. Interested parties contact: SPryce@xtra.co.nz for a complete list of Items Eg Books, Videos and Effects. ------------------------------ 15. The Amazing ‘Orchante’ Saga – Page 157 ---------------------------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Getting back to Clive Herring at the Wentworthville Leagues Club, I was very grateful to him, and his ‘Back Stage Boys’ for all their assistance and advice when it came to protocol and ‘How Things Are Done’ in the Sydney clubs. The very first thing you learnt was that you arrived on time at the club; and that meant - AT LEAST ONE-HOUR BEFORE SHOWTIME! Rehearsals with the band and sound and lighting checks with the technicians had to be completed by all artists, no exceptions, before the audience rolled in. This rule was strictly enforced, as I was to discover, in all of the thousands of clubs throughout Sydney Town, and beyond – throughout the whole of the State of New South Wales. If you turned up late, you didn’t go on and, you didn’t get paid! ‘Them were the rules’! Consequently, everyone made bloody sure that they left home in plenty of time to arrive at the club and park as near to the stage entrance as possible, especially if you had equipment to get in. Some of the clubs even provided a special - ‘ARTISTS CAR PARK’, for the entertainers convenience. Not only that, but from the artists entrance door, you walk straight into a corridor that had several dressing rooms leading off it; toilets/ showers were also provided. What a far cry from the crap conditions we had to put up with back in New Zealand! If you had another club job to get to after you had finished that gig, you had to make sure that you could get on the running order early, so that you could pack up and get going, to arrive at the next gig in time for their sound and lighting checks etc. As long as you let everyone know, there rarely was a problem. In some clubs, you were required to stay to the bitter end, for an ‘All Cast Finale Bow’ to the audience, which was a right pain in the arse if you had another show to get to. If you had another gig come in to follow the original booking, and the timing to get there clashed, you just had to decline the job and lose money - all because some ‘TIT’ required that you stay, for the sake of a few minutes bow! It was also extremely important to know, to the exact minute, how long your act(s) was. There were several reasons for this. All the club’s concerts ran a specified length - every minute taken up with the show meant that the audience weren’t playing the poker machines; you had a running order of all the artists, and the length of their act, so there was no excuse for you not to be ready to walk on stage when you were announced. Also, if you had the temerity to run overtime, you brought not only the wrath of the club management upon your head (which meant you would never get a re-booking at that particular club, and word would very quickly get around that you were unreliable; the consequences meant ‘Death and Starvation’), but the anger of all the other acts as well; most of them would have another club show to get to, and if they were late turning up at their next gig because of your egoism and disdain by ‘stealing their time’- and consequently lost money, well…? You never, ever, ran overtime! There was another reason for knowing the exact length of your act(s). If you were doing a Sunday concert at an RSL, they would always, at precisely 9pm, have - ‘THE ODE’. It wouldn’t be the first time that an artist, in full flow, would find that the lights have faded almost to a blackout, and the microphone - the entire stage sound system has suddenly gone dead! Then a recorded voice would slowly intone the revered words of the ode, to ‘Those who have fallen’. You made bloody sure that your act would be finished by 9pm. We never got caught, but I remember a few who did! Prior to our three-night show with the infamous Don Lane, Clive had said, “What you need is a good agent”! As I mentioned earlier, Clive booked all his acts through various agents, instead of relying on just one to take care of all the clubs entertainment. According to Clive, all agents are crooks (ain’t that the truth), but there are a few honest ones among them, the problem is finding them. Usually, you manage to find all the ‘bad eggs’ who will do anything to rip you off and make an unreasonable amount of money, your money, in the process, before you find the one who believes in you and your act, and has your interests at heart, as well as his own. A very rare breed indeed! Fortunately for us, Clive had sorted the wheat from the chaff years ago. Of all the agents in Sydney, the one he recommended for us was: Brian Fogarty - Theatrical Productions PTY. limited. Unbeknownst to us, Clive had rung Brian and told him that he had - ‘From New Zealand, The Newest, Hottest Specialty Act to hit the Australian/Sydney club scene’, and that we were the support act for Australia’s ‘Biggest TV Star’, at his club; he arranged for Brian to come and watch our act on the last night, knowing full well that we would be ‘right in the groove’ with the Don Lane Show by then, and would be at our best. What a perceptive man. CONTINUES. ------------------------------------- 16. Magic New Zealand e-zine archives ------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. User Name: magic Password: kiwi When you enter the archive the e-zines are in issue order and are coded. Eg 001 Nov06 1999.txt first three numbers (001) denote issue number, then the date (Nov06) and the last figures the year (1999) Both the User Name and Password MUST be entered in lower case to gain access. ------------------------------------- 17. Subscription Management ------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. To subscribe or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand e-zine: www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html Magic New Zealand e-zine is published weekly, on Sunday. The opinions expressed in this e-zine are those of the individual contributors and not those of Magic New Zealand. Neither Magic New Zealand or Alan Watson can 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 that they will not hold Magic New Zealand and/or Alan Watson liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed herein. We reserve the right to edit, correct or, in our discretion, choose not to publish any submissions provided to Magic New Zealand for potential publication. Magic New Zealand welcomes readers to submit timely articles or news items which appear to be of interest to our readers. Those submitting to this e-zine agree that we have permission to publish their submissions and that they have the full copyright to the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand are fully protected by international copyright as provided by law, and articles cannot be published for profit by anyone other than the individual author without the written permission of Magic New Zealand. >>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 2003 Alan Watson