* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magic New Zealand * www.watson.co.nz/ezine.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Issue Number: #485 Date: Sunday 11th March 2007 Editor: Alan Watson www.magicianz.com www.Alan-Watson.com e-mail: AW@Alan-Watson.com ================================ Hi here is the latest news ================================ 1. Editor's Message 2. Final Nominees Announced For Academy Of Magical Arts 3. Fantasio To Speak at S.A.M. Life Members Reception 4. Just To Set The Record Straight .... 5. Meetings With Remarkable Magicians # 51 - Nick Lewin 6. The Fear of Failing - by Kyle Peron 7. Five Close-Up Stars To Appear In Dallas 8. TAOM 2007 Convention 9. Blackpool Gala Show 2007 10. Blackpool's European Close Up Championship 11. Blackpool International Close Up Show 2007 - Day 1 12. International Close Up Show 2007 - Day 2 13. Well Known Australian Magicians Pass Away 14. Updates And News From The McBride Magic Team 15. In The Company Of Women Award 16. The Centenary Is This Year And The Convention Is This Year 17. The 16th Card Book 18. Regarding E-book Of Solyl Kundu 19. Alan Martell Returns To England 20. The Amazing Orchante Saga 21. e-zine Archives 22. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- 1. Editor's Message -------------------------------------------- Michael Finney will be hosting the 39th Academy of Magical arts awards show April 7th at the Beverly Hilton. michaelfinney.com www.myspace.com/madmenofcomedymagic ----------------------- Remember if you have any magic news drop me a line: AW@Alan-Watson.com -------------------------------------------- 2. Final Nominees Announced For Academy Of Magical Arts -------------------------------------------- Message from Mark Nelson Secretary AMA Trustees Final Nominees Announced For Academy Of Magical Arts / Magic Castle "Magician Of The Year" Showroom Awards March 6, 2007 Ballots are being prepared to send to the 5,000 eligible voting members of the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc. for selecting this year's "Magicians of the Year" in the various showrooms of The Magic Castle. Categories include Close-Up Magician of the Year, Parlour Magician of the Year, Stage Magician of the Year, Comedy Magician of the Year and Lecturer of the Year. The final nominees in each category are: Close-Up Jon Armstrong Doc Eason Andrew Goldenhersh Paul Green Jason Latimer Stage Rich Bloch Mike Caveney Dana Daniels Mystina Dale Salwak Parlour Jason Alexander Andrew Goldenshersh Handsome Jack Shoot Ogawa David Regal Comedy Ed Alonzo Rich Bloch Mike Caveney Dana Daniels Tom Ogden Lecturer Rich Cowley The Flicking Fingers B.J. Hickman Richard Turner Michael Vincent Members must return their ballots as instructed so that they are received prior to April 2nd to be counted. The awards will be presented, along with the Academy's Fellowship Awards and the Magician of the Year Award, at the 39th Annual Academy of Magical Arts Awards Show and Banquet on Saturday, April 7th, 2007 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Tickets to the black tie event are $165 per person and include a three-course gourmet dinner. Seating is extremely limited! Reserve your space by calling Brandy LaPlante at the Magic Castle, (323) 851-3313, extension 301. The Annual AMA Awards are presented each year by the members of the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc., whose private Hollywood clubhouse, the Magic Castle, was opened in 1963 and has become known around the world as the "Mecca of Magic," presenting thousands of shows each year. The purpose of the AMA is to encourage and promote public interest in the art of magic, with particular emphasis on preserving its history as an art form and entertainment medium. Beginning with a charter membership of 150, the AMA has grown into a world-renowned fraternal organization with nearly 5,000 members. -------------------------------------------- 3. Fantasio To Speak at S.A.M. Life Members Reception -------------------------------------------- Message from George Schindler - Dean - the Society of American Magicians Life member chairman Clem Kinnicutt announced that world famous magician and magical creator Fantasio, will be the guest of honor at the annual Life Member Reception at the National Convention in Dallas. July 4-5-6-7. As always All Life Members may attend the reception at no charge. Fantasio will also be presenting his unique "Magic from a Medicine Cabinet" magic session., For more convention details see www.magicsam.com -------------------------------------------- 4. Just To Set The Record Straight .... -------------------------------------------- Message from Guy Cater (NZ) Dave Upfold said in last week's Magic New Zealand e-zine ...'and the only hypnosis show, world-wide, featuring the exciting concept of two hypnotists on stage, at the same time.' Just not true. The Evasons are a husband and wife team, Canadians who work in the Baltimore/Washington DC area and in Toronto, Canada. They work in Mentalism and Hypnosis ... both performing onstage, with many TV shows to their credit too. In England, 'The Tartan Twins' are acclaimed stage hypnotists working together on stage and out in Taipai, ex-pat Americans David Fonteneau and Brian Phillips perform together on stage with their double Hypnotism Shows all over the far east. In San Diego I work a couple of shows each year with Barry Jones... we have two more of these shows in June this year and when Barry is in New Zealand we do the double act act several venues such as the Glen Eden RSA. At the opening of the Bontany Town Centre I did a week with Hong Kong hypnotist Som Me Lee. We did two shows a day for a week with both of us on stage together... and did a show at Alexandra Park for the Mad Butcher and another at the Powerstation. Next time he is in New Zealand we will do more. Just recently Wanganui Hypnotist, Grant Boddington, and I performed a show where we were both on stage. When I performed at the Riviera in Las Vegas last September I was visited by Chuck and Raven Macintosh who are another husband and wife double hypnosis team, they caught my show and then we spent a pleasant few hours as they spoke of their shows around the Vegas area and I lied about how famous I was in New Zealand! Fantastic Australian Hypnotist Martyn St James performed many many double shows with his son Shane and for all I know, still does. And there are many more instances of double hypnosis acts around the world. It is not a new concept and certainly not just in New Zealand and I would hate readers of your awesome e-zine to think that all these other tremendous artists were being dismissed out of hand. Guy Cater HNZ Registered Master Hypnotist Comedian and Stage Hypnotist P.O. Box 20507, Glen Eden, Waitakere City 0641 NEW ZEALAND Phone +64 9 818 2010 Mobile +64 21 330 774 Website: www.hypnotist.co.nz Hypnosis New Zealand Website http://www.hypnosisnewzealand.co.nz/masterhypnotists.html -------------------------------------------- 5. Meetings With Remarkable Magicians # 51 - Nick Lewin -------------------------------------------- Message from Nick Lewin (US) The Great Carlyle: the man behind the medium. Last week I wrote a short piece about my friend Sandy Spillman who was a wonderful addition to the Magic Castle during the 70's performing in the Houdini Séance Room. As in all my articles it was written as a highly subjective personal reminisce. No sooner was it published then I got an email from The Great Carlyle (AKA E. Raymond Carlyle) who gently but firmly pointed out that by reducing my focus to a mini-spotlight I had painted an incomplete impression of the bigger picture. It is my delight to follow up last week's column by recreating the scene a little more accurately and fully. Lost by omission in my article were any details about the man who actually created, scripted and eventually taught the séance to future generations of mediums. I was certainly aware of most of the details (though I may have 'mis-googled' some of the dates) about Ed and I would like to tell you a little more about this rather remarkable man.  Carlyle was the person chosen by Milt Larsen as the resident medium and host of the Magic Castle Houdini Séance. Milt and chums supplied the wiz bang effects that powered the 'lights out' final 10 minutes of the séance and Ed crafted the 55 minute mentalism performance and additional storylines that create the mood and set the scene for the actual séance itself. Ed spent over a decade as the resident medium in the Castle's best-hidden gem of a show room. Over the years I have thrown séance evenings for my business clients on many occasions. I have been lucky enough to host séances with four different mediums. They were E. Raymond Carlyle, Sandy Spillman, Jules Lenier and Leo Kostka. Each one of these entertainers had their own special skills but Ed was the King of the séance room and inhabited it like a Palace. There is a wonderful feeling when you create and build a show yourself. It allows you to inhabit the showroom with an authority all your own. I was lucky enough to establish this feeling with the showroom at the Maxim Hotel in Las Vegas for nearly five years. It is a great feeling and not something that can be taken lightly. Carlyle prowled that séance room like a truly haunted soul: in fact I once whispered to my wife that I thought Ed had reached the spirit of Charles Laughton! From me that is a very big compliment. Ed is a larger than life performer with a larger than life talent. Anyhow, rather than write too many other details about Ed, I would advise everyone to check out his website at the link below. As well as the many remarkable mentalism effects listed is an excellent short biography of E. Raymond Carlyle written by New Zealand's own Richard Webster. One of my most definite working beliefs is that when Richard has written about something there is very little point in trying to add anything much of interest or importance to the subject! Visit me on the web at nicklewin.com and visit The Great Carlyle at: www.carlyletouch.com Please send any bricks or bouquets to nicklewin@earthlink.net -------------------------------------------- 6. The Fear of Failing - by Kyle Peron -------------------------------------------- Message from By Kyle Peron (US) E-Mail: Magic4u02@aol.com I thought I would take some time to write about an interesting topic that came about after tuning into a podcast at MagicBroadcast.com this past week. They were talking about creativity in magic and what we can do to be creative and to think that way. However, it also got me thinking about it from a different perspective. What really hinders us from being creative? What is it about ourselves or the world around us that inhibits us from trying to be more creative in the magic that we do and the magic that we share with our audiences? One word came screaming to the top the more I started thinking about it this week. That word is simply "Fear". It is funny how a simple four letter word can be one element that hinders us so much that it stops us dead in our tracks and prevents magic from reaching higher levels of creativity. It is amazing how such a simple concept of fear can really be so damaging to the magic that we do. But why is this? What is it about fear that affects us so greatly? For starters, I think the initial fear stems from the idea of wanting to be and feel safe. Let me explain if I may. As a magician the easiest thing I can do is to copy or mimic another performance I have seen or to use a routine that I have seen done before me. We know this is true and that this happens because we all have seen it or some may even admit that we do it ourselves. But why do we do this? Why do we take the easy way out when we could be creative and create routines that are as unique as the individual performing the magic? I think the answer is that of safety. Perhaps utilizing a routine we have seen done before, or a routine we "borrowed" from someone else, allows us to feel safer on that stage. We feel that if the act or routine bombs then it is not us that is the problem but the routine itself. It becomes less personal to us and we often can handle that type of failure easier. It is not us who failed but the routine we used. In this manner the blame is never placed on the performer. It is simply displaced onto the routine we used. Sure this is a safe way out. It allow one to deal with failure in a way that perhaps is easier to get through. However, does this really make us better magicians and better creative thinkers? I say, "no it does not." It is the easy way out. It is the safe bet in a gambler's hand. But it does not make us better thinkers of magic. It does not make us better performers. It does not allows us to start thinking for ourselves by learning to create magic that takes out audiences on journeys they have not experienced before. To be a better magician and a creative thinker of magic one must first get over this fear of fear itself. We must be willing to venture away from what we know is safe. But how does one do this with the magic that we do? Well I think it starts with the understanding of the word "fear" itself. So many folks have the notion that fear is a bad thing. It must be looked upon and viewed in a negative way. We must not allow ourselves to have failures because it makes us less of a person. To many, fear is defined as an unpleasant feeling of perceived risk or danger, real or not. But in that definition lays the answer we seek. Fear may not nor does it have to be real. Nor does it have to be seen as a negative thing at all. Fear does not have to mean failure. To many of us when we fail on stage or in our magical performance we fear trying anything new. It hinders us from advancing our art. We become stagnant because fear of failing prevents us from trying something again. If we were creative and if we tried and failed, why would we want to try it again? So how do we allow ourselves to be creative and not let the fear of creativity stop us? Well that lies in changing the way we view failure in the first place. I now view failure in a totally different way that I personally feel has helped change my magic by leaps and bounds. I would like to share my quote with you. "Failure is only failure if you fail to learn. If you learn even one thing from any failure, then isn't that failure really a stepping stone on the path of success?" Think about that for a minute. How powerful can our magic become if we viewed failing in this way? How creative could we be if we simply allowed ourselves to view failure as a mere stepping stone on the path of learning? I would like to think amazing things could happen to the art of magic we love so much. So take these words and think them over and apply them directly to your magic. Do not fear creativity. Do not fear the notion of trying something new with your magic. Everyone is bound to fail the first couple times out, but then again some of the best things in life came out of people willing to take that risk. Are you willing? I hope so. As always, I encourage you the readers to let me know your thoughts. So if you have any thoughts on my articles or suggestions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me directly at magic4u02@aol.com. I would love to hear from you. Kyle Peron Magician and Illusionist Graphic Designer and Illustrator (Specializing in Logo creation) www.kyleandkellymagic.com -------------------------------------------- 7. Five Close-Up Stars To Appear In Dallas -------------------------------------------- Message from George Schindler - Dean - the Society of American Magicians Five Close-Up Stars To Appear In Dallas Bob King, Mark Mason, George Schindler, John Shryock and Bob White, will be appearing at the S.A.M. convention in Dallas (July 4-5- 6-7) performing in the Close-Up Gala. This powerful five star line-up is in addition to seven lectures, seven special sessions, two seminars and three full evening shows. Add the Stars of Tomorrow and Contest shows and you have a full plate of great magic. Dealers from around the world will add to the excitement. Register today for best theater seating. See who's who in the cast at www.magicsam.com -------------------------------------------- 8. TAOM 2007 Convention -------------------------------------------- Message from Kenneth Foerster TAOM 2007 President The Texas Association of Magicians will hold their annual convention August 31, thru September 3, 2007 in Corpus Christi, TX at the Omni Bayfront Hotel, 900 N. Shoreline, www.taom.org or www.taom2007.org. Some of the Entertainers/Lecturers are: Cy Albertson Aldo Colombini Sterling Dietz Marcus Eddie (from Mexico) Jaramy, Sissy, Hir, Spider, Granell, and Eddy Au Don Mitchell Dr. S. Brent Morris Paul Osborne Bill and Ruth Pitts Daniel Reyes J. C. Wagner Chris Walden Some of the Dealers are: Don Billings - Diamond Don Magic Aldo Colombini - Colombini Magic Greg Hamilton - the Magic Parlor Mark Mason - J. B. Magic Dave Mitchell - Jam Magic Paul Osborne - Illusion Systems Frank Ramirez, Jr. - Ramirez Enterprise Wolfgang Weller - WonderwareHouse Program subject to change. ----------------- 9. Blackpool Gala Show 2007 ----------------- Report by Mandy Davis (UK) This star-studded gala show was compered by Adrian Walsh who, I understand, is an acclaimed after-dinner speaker. The first two acts had appeared as guest artistes during the marathon Competition the night before. Sos & Victoria Petrosyan produced fire from fingertips and performed several quick-changes as well as illusions which were in contrast to their previous dancing cane act. Die Zauderer were also completely different but just as zany as they'd been the first time. They produced large bananas, one of which ticked like a bomb. There was a type of synchronised Torn and Restored Newspaper which was never quite as expected with lots of fun and imaginative happenings along the way. Eventually two papers were restored with a flash of fire whilst the third actually caught fire - to be restored in a very charred state! When put together the three newspapers became one large one which was then folded into a paper boat before the three guys 'sailed' off stage. Jerome Helfenstein provided a novel Shadow act which had been brought up to date. Some shadows became real items and some were white on black instead of the usual combination. There was a fun sequence when lines on the screen became first the strings of an instrument and then bars of music. Shimshi performed card manipulations with both normal and giant cards and brought a spectator onto the stage for a card trick which climaxed when a somersault caused the card to attach itself to Shimshi's shoe from a deck suspended in the air. There was a lot of high-energy dancing and a cutting-in-thirds illusion. Mark Metral was a huge hit with the audience - a ventriloquist with some very different characters. The first was a microphone which sang a duet with him whilst various birds popped their heads out of boxes to contribute to the fun. There was a lion too and then a sequence using four members of the audience as the puppets. Finally Mark made a puppet from his handkerchief to prove that he could make anything talk. Juliana Chen closed the first half and her exquisite mask and manipulation act really inspired the audience. Both fans and single cards appeared and vanished rapidly, proving her to be a real expert in this type of performance. The second half opened with the black art act of Omar Pasha. This is always beautiful and magical with floating tables, a rope which stood up straight and dancing flames which parted from the tops of candles to move on their own. The appearance of an assistant was admirable and he held out his cutlass for Omar to stand on its edge. Now blindfolded, the assistant's head was cut off and put in his hand before all was restored. A girl also appeared and changed places with the male assistant before both were vanished and Omar himself disappeared to leave an empty stage. Nester Hato is a manipulator with a difference. His cards appear and disappear with flashes of light and sprays of confetti, all performed to the beat of a drum. There were fans and single cards, flashes of fire and silks of various colours influencing the colours of the cards. When using a red silk, his tie and glasses also changed colour but the greatest surprise was the white silk which changed all these things to white - as well as Nester's bright red hair! Frank Truong was an illusionist who seemed to enjoy performing one style of magic only. Each resulted in some form of spikes penetrating a girl in a box or a frame. First it was spikes dropping down from a height, followed by a sub trunk. Then it was large scimitar blades which came at her sideways and resulted in two girls emerging from where one had been. The last one had spikes on a separate piece of apparatus that was pushed forward to penetrate the box which had originally held Frank but was shown empty whilst he was revealed as the second robed assistant on stage. Losander performed a short dancing cane sequence with a tall stick which had a fire globe on its top. Then his well-known and beautiful bubble effects came to the fore as he changed them into a rose or a crystal ball. There was a 'zombie bubble' too. A dancing Hankie was next and he finished this very pretty set with his famous floating table, always a mystery when it is suddenly realised that the volunteer from the audience is working it alone! The finale was Greg Frewin with his award-winning dove act. The doves, however, were very restless which was a shame and rather spoiled the effects. He opened with a dove from a catapult which was truly amazing and he continued with doves from knots on a rope, juggling balls to doves and even doves from a sword! Once the cage was full he swiftly vanished it to leave a girl standing in its place - everything was done at top speed with great precision - shame the doves weren't comfortable with it. This had been a good gala show with different highlights for different people - for me it will always be Juliana Chen for sheer beauty of magic and Die Zauderer for their wonderfully imaginative comedy. What were yours? -------------------------------------------- 10. Blackpool's European Close Up Championship -------------------------------------------- Reported by Mandy Davis (UK) This close up competition takes place in three rooms with the judges sitting in the largest one; spectators also have the benefit of a large screen. I was sitting in the innermost room which gave a different running order and sometimes different magic. Steve Evans opened by producing an elephant - a small plastic one - which was immediately followed by a bottle of champagne. With his usual great humour and appeal he produced a giant coin from the bottle and then caused it to reappear invisibly inside! The fun continued with great by-play as two spectators failed to win cash by naming unmatched cards and a signed piece of paper turned up inside the cap of a pen used earlier. A giant battery fell from a card box as a card was chosen but, contrary to expectations, the card didn't rise from the box - the entire deck fell from the bottom of it leaving just the selection! James Brown performed a watch steal as he brought his first spectator forward but, as James returned to fetch another, the man indicated to his friend that he was aware of the steal which somehow spoiled the moment for the rest of us! Cards were merely thought of and found under the box on the table, then the whole deck was discovered there with a selected card inside it. A muscle palm heralded the start of James' well known routine in which a coin appeared and disappeared to be found on the spectator's shoulder and under his watch. This was, as usual, a fast paced routine and played well. Mark Shortland opened with a super gag about being under pressure. He asked three people to draw on three blank cards and used another great gag with different coloured pens before changing these all to black. Mark was able to match two of the drawings with their owners and then draw a matching picture to the last one. He also performed some Ambitious Card moves with a selected card finally being found folded inside the card box. Again humour was the key and Mark came third in the competition. Martin Cox also opened with a gag - this time involving a balloon. To theme music from a sci-fi film he used mime as he changed the colours of playing cards' backs several times before proving all were blank on both sides. The music ended and Martin continued with some coin work, then returning to cards with a selection returned to the deck before jumping out unaided! There was some fun with the card disappearing to reappear inside an invisible deck and then in an 'invisible' wallet. Finally a wooden folding chair was hypnotised to collapse at will. Jerome Burgeon from France performed as a character wearing Harry Potteresque glasses. The act was silent with appropriate magical music. From a large suitcase he removed a wand and a large old book which suddenly became a miniature version. He then sat at a table to perform a cups and balls routine. At one point there were four cups on the table and the book moved unaided towards the wand as it lay on the table. The final loads of red crystal balls were very in keeping with the mysticism and the quirky feel of the act which ended as Jerome walked from the table with the book which became large again. He was a worthy winner of the Championship. Marcus Taylor is a very young man who opened his act with some work using small crochet balls which appeared and disappeared in his fists and his pockets. Four Jokers had colour-changing backs as did his complete deck. Four Kings became Aces and then both values were used for various routines involving transpositions and disappearances before the complete deck was shown to be blank. Mel Partner was the only female in the competition. Her Cut and Restored rope routine involved patter about magicians' assistants being sawn in half. She continued with four cards being selected and all proved to be Aces. These then turned over one by one in Mel's hand before being shown as four Queens. A selected card was found in the deck behind Mel's back and it was used for an accomplished torn and restored effect using flash paper. Olmac was also from France. He had performed a routine to music for the judges and also in the second room but had decided not to reset for us; instead he offered us 'something different' which turned out to be card work. A named card was found in a shuffled deck and signed. The three matches to it were located and the cards replaced, then found in different ways. These were variously spun out of the deck, found under the box and disappeared one by one ending with the entire deck in Olmac's pocket and the four selected cards in his hand. His act in the other rooms won him second place in the competition. The competition this year was of an extremely high standard - well done to all who took part. -------------------------------------------- 11. Blackpool International Close Up Show 2007 - Day 1 -------------------------------------------- Reported by Mandy Davis (UK) This year the organisers of the Blackpool convention concentrated as much on close up performance as on stage. To this end there were many lectures overlapping so no one person could attend all events. There were also two days of close up shows. The performers worked at six tables for three shows spread over one day and once in the new VIP lounge on the other. They performed nineteen times! I was in the VIP room for the two days so my report will cover the acts as they appeared there. Our first performer was Henry Evans from Argentina and he proved to be a huge hit. His lovely manner with both the audience and his volunteer endeared him to all and you just wanted him to do well. He opened with 'the fastest cards from box in the world' and followed this by simply dropping the deck onto the table where the colour of the backs changed on impact. He demonstrated various ways of shuffling before asking several members of the audience to shuffle the deck. A selection was made and this was found in various ways. Henry moved on to use a borrowed deck to demonstrate an interesting effect where a value was selected and all four cards were placed in various positions. A number was named and the cards were then proved to be at intervals of the chosen number throughout the deck. Jay Sankey is a Blackpool favourite. He showed the four most vicious cards in the deck - the four Queens - and performed a version of Cannibal Cards as these four ate three selections. Three cards were taken from the deck and a spectator called stop three times as the deck was dribbled matching the selections each time. This was followed by some silent coin work, appearing, vanishing, Coins Across, Coins to Pocket and then a double Torn and Restored playing cards. Jay ended with a routine involving a written prediction. Losander took us on a very magical journey beginning with a salt vanish and reappearance. He also vanished a silk which reappeared inside a large one before repeating this to find the small silk in a spectator's wallet. This demonstrated some very clean uses of a Thumb Tip. He continued with a Thumb Tie before ending with his marvellous signature Floating Table. Ian Rowland was very enthusiastic and swept the audience along as he changed the face of a card to that of a previously selected one. He displayed two 'infallible' predictions and showed that the first vaguely matched a spectator's chosen card. The same happened with another selection but when the flaps of the envelopes were lifted the names of the chosen cards were printed inside them. Finally a lady volunteer chose one of two pictures of birds and then named a playing card. This was placed on the front of the deck and by rubbing it slowly with his hand, Ian transformed the card into one which had the chosen bird cut into it - one of Ian's special hand-made cards which was given out as a souvenir. Marc Oberon performed his award-winning act to the delight of the audience in the VIP room. Golden balls appeared and disappeared to music, finally becoming an Oscar statuette. Marc then gave a demonstration of 'Any Card Called For' before going back to the music and changing the deck into a golden one. He continued with coins before his final productions of larger and larger golden keys. Jupiter started with music and card scaling before producing coins for matrix type effects implemented by two giant cards and a Coins Across routine. He then joined and unjoined some pieces of rope, following this with large cards which turned over one by one before becoming the four Kings. From under these he produced many coins onto the table. Two hankies became a giant rabbit printed silk, then it was back to matrix routining and the production of so many large coins from under the cards that the table was covered. Michael Rubenstein displayed an empty purse so produced coins from the air instead and vanished them one by one to reappear inside the purse. Coins Across was followed by Coins Through Table and then some copper/silver transpositions before all vanished to reappear in the purse once more. The final performer that afternoon was Gregory Wilson who apparently had not been told about this show and took ages to appear. Consequently the audience was somewhat depleted, having given up the wait. In spite of this he had lots of brilliant banter and worked with a borrowed deck of cards in his usual fast and furious style, spinning selections out of the deck and performing Ambitious Card routines - all completely unplanned yet still enormously entertaining. -------------------------------------------- 12. International Close Up Show 2007 - Day 2 -------------------------------------------- Reported by Mandy Davis (UK) The final afternoon once again saw the VIP room filled with an eager audience. There were 500 people who had paid the extra £10.00 for this special treatment but, thankfully, they hadn't all turned up at once! David Roth, master of coin work, started the show with his superb handling of three half dollars and a portable 'hole'. Coins disappeared and reappeared, always ending back inside the purse frame displayed at the beginning of the routine. Using a tuning fork there was some fun with sounds dropping into an empty glass before these were also used to make coins appear and disappear at will. Coin work with a brass box followed before we were shown a small globe of the world. This was used to turn several coins into foreign ones, one at a time, according to the country displayed. Finally they were vanished only to be found nestling inside the globe. Aldo Colombini told the audience that if they didn't like him kissing his wife they should no longer book him! He then performed a routine with two differently coloured ropes which linked and unlinked in a spectator's hand. A card was selected and returned to the deck and the cards were discarded in twos until a face up card was reached; this was found to be marking the chosen card. The discarded piles were shown to have an Ace on top of each and all the cards in each pile matched the colour of its Ace. Finally twelve cards were selected by twelve spectators and found one by one. Simon Lovell, fresh from his long-running off-Broadway show, gave us a very relaxed performance. A spectator chose a card. The four Aces were placed face down on the table and Simon took a card to 'tippy tap' over them in order to find the suit. Once the selection had been found it was signed and returned to the deck. Simon found the card whilst holding the deck behind his back and singing as Pavarotti's voicemail (as only Simon could!) The selection was torn into pieces, and after some typical Simon banter, the pieces were found to have disappeared and reformed as the selection in the centre of the deck. Shimshi, a house magician from the Mirage hotel, Las Vegas, performed the tricks he had explained in his midnight lecture on the first night of the convention. His performance was marred by his insistence at heckling Bobby Bernard much to the discomfort of the audience who supported Bobby throughout. Shimshi performed colour-changing - two black tens to red  a haunted deck effect, causing a selected card to jump out onto the table, and a Ten becomes Thirteen, then Twenty routine; all was ended with some spoon bending. Randy Wakeman, another legend of close up magic, aided a spectator to cut to the four Aces before cutting them back into the deck and dividing it into four packets - only to find the Aces on top again. A mentally selected card was cut to by the spectator before ten cards were displayed together with one which had a different back from the others. The cards were mixed and shown face up. The spectator chose one of them and was shown that this was not the odd backed one - or rather it was because now all the other cards had changed to match the original odd one. Aaron Fisher had Aces which jumped from different parts of the deck to be found on top. A selected card was found face up, then the whole deck was shown to be face up too. A second selection was returned face down and once again the deck corresponded. Another selection was found face up between two selections in a ribbon spread deck. The four Aces were then found again in various ways before the whole deck was shown to be in new deck order even though we'd seen that it had been a shuffled deck previously. Nathan Kranzo performed Three Fly before offering a deck of cards for a selection be scorched and returned. This was found by the spectator stopping on his face down card as the deck was dribbled from hand to hand. One card was named the Voodoo card as whatever happened to it, the same would happen to the selected card which was now inside the card box. When the voodoo one was first folded and then scorched, the selection was found to be in the same state. A nice heads and tails gag followed before another card was selected and returned to the deck. Random numbers were written down and added up, the sum being the number counted down to in the deck to reveal the selection - and this was celebrated with a party popper being set off! Dan Garret ended the close up at this year's convention with some ring and rope effects using a borrowed ring. A thought of card was found inside his wallet and then Dan displayed a routine he'd explained in his lecture. A card was selected and a corner was removed and kept. The rest was torn into pieces and placed inside an envelope. By waving a small sword over it, the card was now shown to be restored and the spectator was expected to perform the trick himself! This time the pieces were placed in a tiny purse but when it was opened there was a note asking that the envelope be examined. Inside was the restored card which was now laminated too. We had been treated to some of the top close up performers in the world over two days and it was great to watch these experts at work. Who will be next year's performers? Can't wait! -------------------------------------------- 13. Well Known Australian Magicians Pass Away -------------------------------------------- Message from Graham Etherington Sad to report three well known Australian magicians pass away. Gene Raymond Gene Raymond passed away on Tuesday 20th February. A private funeral was held on Friday 23rd February. He wrote a book which he called "Nearly a Goner" and while it does not contain a lot of magic, it is most interesting, giving an insight into the life and times of this great magician. Gene was the best Manipulative Act ever to come out of South Australia, even earning praise from the late Maury Rooklyn. There was a special tribute held on Thursday 1st March 2007 arranged by Raymond Crowe at "Theatre 62" in Adelaide with special performances by five local magicians. In attendance from interstate were Nolene and Graham Etherington from Melbourne and Steve Walker from Sydney. Bill Hardgrave Bill Hardgrave, probably the first magician to work professionally in Queensland, was laid to rest at a service held on Tuesday 6th March 2007. He had a friendly nature and was a person who many a magician looked up to as a doyen of the craft. Bill was in his eighties, spending much of his later life in a nursing home and so was probably not so well known amongst the newer members of the magic world. David Faulkner David Faulkner also known at one stage as "Pappa Balloon" passed away at the age of 55. Around Christmas time he was suffering from shortness of breath, went for a check-up and was diagnosed with cancer. An operation was performed and follow-up treatment arranged, unfortunately his condition deteriorated and he was unable to undertake it. His passing is another loss to Queensland and the magic fraternity. ----------------- 14. Updates And News From The McBride Magic Team ----------------- Message from Abbi McBride (US) Greetings Friends! Abbi here, writing in to share the latest updates and news from the McBride Magic team! McBride and Burger Headline in Las Vegas Muhlenberg College's successful program, "The Theory and Art of Magic," is being brought to Las Vegas, March 5 - 8, 2007, or alumni and other interested people like you! This program explores the deeper meanings, philosophy and psychology of magic on a post-graduate level. Larry Hass, the creator and director of this stimulating program has engaged Jeff and Eugene, Teller, Lance Burton and Mac King for this four day, in depth look at the multifaceted art of wonder-making. For more information, please go to: The http://www.mymuhlenberg.com/s/214/index.aspx?sid=214&gid=1&pgid=15&cid=292&newsid=367 Attention Canadians! A special shout out to our friends in Edmunton, Alberta, Canada... Eugene, Jeff and I will be coming your way to see our friend Sheldon Casavant for a public show and Master Class. All the information for reservations and tickets is online at http://www.sheldoncasavant.com/staticpages/index.php?page=20061114165619688. World Magic Summit News We had an incredible time at the World Magic Summit here in Las Vegas this past week. Eugene and Jeff, Bill and Becki Wells, along with Jordan Wright and Scott Hitchcock, spent three days leading forty-four teenage magicians from the United States, South Africa, the Czech republic, Germany, France, Canada, Italy, and Japan in the Lance Burton Teen Magic Seminar. The best part of our time with the teens was on Sunday afternoon, when we got to go to Lance Burton's castle, and see his amazing new fifteen thousand square foot mountain-top home! He hosted the entire teen group for an afternoon pizza party. Lance invited his superstar Las Vegas friends Johnny Thompson, Fielding West, Mac King, Criss Angel, Nathan Burton, and Gary Darwin to join the fun. They spent the afternoon answering questions and signing autographs, and most importantly, giving encouragement, advice and heartfelt wisdom to the next generation of magic. During the WMS, we had one of the convention rooms set up as an Open House for the McBride Magic and Mystery School. Many of our friends and students came in to jam, ask questions and say hello. We thoroughly enjoyed getting to spend time with so many of you! It was especially great to see our friend Pilou, who won the SARMOTI award, one of the highest honors in magic! Pilou, the reigning grand prix winner of the world championships of magic, said "Jeff McBride is my teacher, and I owe much of my success to him. I learned from watching his DVDs." Special thanks to Max Maven, Just Wilbur, Banacheck, Lee Earle, and many of the Magic and Mystery School alumni for sharing your talents and time with us! McBride Magic School Student Spotlight: Shayna Reed Congratulations to Shayna Reed, alumnus of the Magic and Mystery School, and winner of the Teen Competition! Her show was an excellent combination of doves, dancing cane, a splendid card manipulation routine, and a surprising production of her sister Mandy as the statue of liberty at the end! We were really impressed with Shayna's presence and confidence in the interview after her performance. Her commitment to the art of magic and the many hours of practice she's put in really came through!! Our prediction is that the Reed Sisters Magic Show (Jessica, Shayna and Mandy) will be headlining in theaters across the country one day soon! Surprising Awards and Accolades At the World Magic Seminar, all of the awards are not decided by a small panel of judges, but rather, by the entire convention audience, in a voting ballot. Receiving second place in the WMS Teen Competition was Sterling Dietz, and third place was won by Krystyn Lambert. What do all three have in common? They're all alumni of the McBride Magic and Mystery School, and we will be featuring spotlights on them in future Museletters. At the finale gala awards ceremony Jeff and Eugene were called to the stage with Lance Burton. All three were presented with awards acknowledging their many years of creating progressive, magical experiences. Bill Wells was quoted saying, "Jeff and Eugene are the best magic teachers and facilitators in the world." It was a high honor for our school to be acknowledged in front of a gathering of the luminaries of magic, including the show's hosts, Siegfried and Roy. So, as you can see, we've been thoroughly engaged in creating magic, not only for ourselves, but assisting and empowering the magical visions of others. If you, friend, need to re-charge your magical batteries, consider visiting us out here in sunny, warm Las Vegas for a rejuvenating and life-enriching magical experience. Yours in the art of magic, Abbi McBride ----------------- 15. In The Company Of Women Award ----------------- Message from Maria Ibáñez, President Elect of the Society of American Magicians President Greetings, thank you for all your e-mails and phone calls of congratulations on the recent "In the Company of Women" award I received this past Wednesday. So many of you were interested in having taken part and wanted me to send photographs that I have scanned part of the program and also the award - they are attached in .pdf. The actual program is 24 pages and would be too much to scan and/or e-mail. I can tell you that I am deeply honored with this award , especially when I share the honors with some great names such as Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Athalie Range, and Celia Cruz. The buffet was a gastronomical delight, the dessert spread was a candyland for adults, open bar was provided by Bacardi. A local florist was in charge of the exquisite long stem red roses bouquet which was presented to each of the winners. The award is a 10" x 15" hand carved wooden plaque with a brass plate which reads Pioneer, Maria Ibanez, 2007. Again, thank you for all your good wishes and congratulatory notes. As always, keep a dream in the making. Maria ----------------- 16. The Centenary Is This Year And The Convention Is This Year ----------------- Message from Brian McCullagh (Aust) In the March issue of "Genii" an article by me on the Anniversary of the ASM said that the centenary is "next year" and that the centenary convention is "next year". Check Australian Society of Magicians website for details Go to: http://www.magicians.org.au/convention.html ----------------- 17. The 16th Card Book ----------------- Message from Tom Craven Many of you know that back in 1982 I published a booklet called, The 16th Card Book. It had 16 tricks...all based on Alex Elmsley's 16th card principle. All the effects only required that a known card was at 16th from the top, or a selection was controlled to 16th from the top. NO finger flinging. Well, Paul Gordon (that UK card man) wanted to republish my book in a new format....adding additional material. It is now ready for shipment to those who would like a copy. It is perfect bound, 110 pages, with a total of 48 tricks. 32 of those are new to the book. Contributors other than myself are: Phil Goldstein, Nick Trost, Harry Lorayne, Karl Fulves, George Blake, Roy Walton, Lin Searles, Bill Taylor, Paul Gordon, Justin Higham, Marty Kane, Hideo Kato, J.K. Hartman, Richard Hucko, Aldo Columbini, and of course, Alex Elmsley. There will be no wholesale on this book. Retail price is $25 (PPD if ordered from Tom) The book can be ordered from Tom Craven or Paul Gordon as follows: Tom Craven 5217-G Cline Rd. Kent, Ohio 44240 USA vipmagic@aol.com Paul Gordon Natzler Enterprises Worthington- Sussex- UK www.natzler.com ----------------- 18. Regarding E-book Of Solyl Kundu ----------------- Message from Solyl Kundu (India) 'My Kind of Magic' is an e-book compiled and brought out by Solyl Kundu. In this .PDF file (1,277 KB) e-book 10 complete routines plus several effects collected from reputed magic journals and lecture notes that Solyl has contributed to or created over the years has been lucidly explained within 48 pages, with several clear line drawings and color photographs. The e-book contains 28 effects of conjuring and close-up variety. Magicians who know Solyl know him to be a versatile performer. There are routines to satisfy any magician, whether his/her interest is close-up, conjuring, children's party or school assembly and club shows. There are routines / effects with Cards, Matchboxes, Silks, Confetti, and Feather Flower Bouquets, Calling Cards, Spring Flowers, and a Self-vanishing cane that is a Gem of a stage magic. There are effects that will amuse the lookers-on as well as fetch you bookings (keep your fingers crossed too. The routines supplied are complete with presentation and patter suggestions. Solyl is a professional entertainer who knows what audiences like and will pay for. Solyl (or Salil Kumar Kundu in real life) is TVP for India - N and collecting a little donation for raising funds to organize a Magic Convention in early 2008 in his territory under banner of PC Sorcar Ring #83 through this digest. Therefore if you care to learn or use (magic from this e-book) or just want to add an offbeat digest to your magic library just send a mail to ibmring83@gmail.com or solylkundu@gmail.com for additional information. ----------------- 19. Alan Martell Returns To England ----------------- Message from Alan Martell (UK) I would like to thank all of the magicians of New Zealand for the warm welcome and friendship they have bestowed on me. A special thanks to the Palmerston North Magic Circle for a wonderful time at the convention and the week I spent there when I gave a Lecture at their meeting. I would also like to thank the North Shore City Magicians club for giving me the opportunity of talking at the club and participating in their Christmas Show. Most of all I would like to thank Alan Watson for all his help and support. What an asset all you guys have got in him. I hope to be back in NZ in the not too distant future and meet up with you all again, but if I don't I want you to know that this has been one of the highlights of my career in magic. Thanks again guys. ----------------- 20. The Amazing Orchante Saga ----------------- Message from Tommy Orchard (The Amazing Orchante)(UK ex-pat Kiwi) Page 146 - Richard Webster - 'New Zealand's Most Successful & Best-selling Author!' On page 129 of my Saga, I wrote that on the 18th October 2002, we had a surprise visit from fellow New Zealander Richard Webster, whom I hadn't seen for 18 years - 1984 to be exact. Richard had travelled all the way from New Zealand to our home here in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The purpose of Richard's visit was to present my wife and I with the prestigious: 'Magic New Zealand' Lifetime Achievement Award - 'In Recognition Of A Lifetime Dedicated To Excellence In The Magic Arts'. The 'Magic New Zealand' Awards Committee and their sponsors, Alan and Michele Watson, could not have chosen a more ideal personage than Richard to personally present and honour us with this award, on their behalf. I had also stated on page.129: "For those of you who don't know who Richard Webster is, you should be ashamed of yourselves - I'll enlighten you in a future episode"; Well, I'm about to put you in the picture and, for the millions of you around the world who do know Richard's book writing/ work, the following stories of his life, up to the present day will, I'm sure, be of great interest to you as well. Richard Webster was born in Auckland, New Zealand on December 9th 1946 and became interested in magic when he was about eight or nine years of age, after seeing a magician's performance, much the same as how the rest of us 'magic makers' were introduced into the wondrous world of the magic and other associated arts. After procuring a book of magic tricks from the local library, he stuck a sign on the front fence, offering his services. "Fortunately" he says, "No one took up the offer!" As a child he was also interested in ventriloquism, marionettes and music, and later, over the ensuing years, managed to make his living from each of these interests. It was while he still going to school that Richard became interested in hypnotism after seeing - The Fabulous 'FRANQUIN' Show several times. In those pre- television days, Franquin would spend six weeks at His Majesty's Theatre in Auckland (I have both of Franquin's 1959 & 1968 souvenir programmes from that theatre), and because Franquin (Pat Quinn) and Richard's father were friends they received free tickets. Richard says: "One day at school I thought 'I could do that', you know, hypnotise, and to my amazement it worked. I used to hypnotise the other kids on the train going to and from school. This was great fun until one of the other passengers complained to the principal, and I was almost expelled!" (Richard's early hypnotic experiments at school sounds rather familiar to me, especially in the 'almost getting expelled' department! Take a peek at pages eight, nine and ten of my Saga) Richard says, "I went to a school reunion a few years ago, and was remembered solely because of this. Not One Of My 79 Published Books Was In The School Library!" Richard was educated at King's School and King's College, thanks to the generosity of a maiden aunt in Australia whom he has never met, and he was also fortunate in that his parents were interested in the 'psychic world', and he grew up among likeminded people, which kinda' put him in the ballpark, as it were, at a very early age. Is it not any wonder then that he eventually became the world's foremost authority and writer on the various 'New Age' subjects and disciplines! There was a fascinating bookshop in Auckland that, in the early sixties, I used to haunt on a regular basis. It was called: Goodey's 'New Age' Bookshop; the address was, 14 The Strand Arcade. Walking in, you could 'feel' the strange musty atmosphere that seemed to enfold you; it was quite eerie. I can still recall the anticipation of reaching up to a shelf that was almost out of reach, and pulling down dusty old tomes that would send shivers running up and down my spine, as I opened the heavy covers to discover what ancient, mysterious secrets would be revealed to me. I still have various books that I bought there - e.g. hypnosis books by Melvin Powers; and William Walker Atkinson, who wrote many New Age books when Richard and I were still wearing nappies! It's a wonder that Richard and I didn't rub shoulders in that wonderful, curious little bookshop full of mystical treasure troves. Maybe we did, but didn't know it! It was most convenient when in 1965, Mary Throll, my very first agent, opened her new booking office, 'Throll Entertainment Agency', upstairs in the same arcade, five years after she sold out her 'Fullers Entertainment Bureau' to George Tollerton. Continues Next Week -------------------------------------------- 21. Magic New Zealand e-zine Archives -------------------------------------------- Back issues of the Magic New Zealand e-zine go to: www.watson.co.nz/fezine.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) -------------------------------------------- 22. Privacy Policy And Copyright Notice -------------------------------------------- Our subscriber list is NOT made available to any other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. You can subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Magic New Zealand® E-zine at www.watson.co.nz/fezine.html. Magic New Zealand® E-zine is published each Sunday. The opinions expressed therein are those of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of Magic New Zealand®. Neither Magic New Zealand® nor Alan Watson vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, message, statement, or other information reported via Magic New Zealand® E-zine. Subscribers to this publication and authors who contribute to it by doing so agree they will not hold Magic New Zealand® or Alan Watson, jointly or individually liable or responsible in any way for the opinions expressed therein. Magic New Zealand® reserves the right to alter, correct or disregard any articles submitted. Readers are encouraged to submit timely articles or news items which may be of interest to subscribers. By submitting articles to this e-zine, the authors grant Magic New Zealand® the right to publish such articles and such authors confirm their copyright of the material submitted. All works published by Magic New Zealand® are protected by international copyright legislation and articles must not be published for profit by anyone other than the individual authors without the written permission of Magic New Zealand®. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this publication may be freely redistributed, but not sold, to other magicians if copied in its entirety, including the copyright notice below and the above disclaimer. © Copyright 2007 Alan Watson