Tonight
a surprise presentation of the Grand Master of Magic Award
was made to Richard Webster.
The
Citation is below.
The
Award was made jointly by the Brotherhood of Auckland Magicians
and the Shore City Magicians Club.
Stan Goudge gave the Citation. The Medallion was presented
by Alan Watson
and Mick Peck presented Margaret Webster with a floral tribute.
GRAND
MASTER OF MAGIC
CITATION BY STAN GOUDGE FOR THE PRESENTATION TO
RICHARD WEBSTER ON MONDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2013
There exists a list of New Zealand Magicians who have graced
the art and craft of magic over a long period, and who have
been honoured by their peers as a Grand Master of Magic.
That roll of honour was begun in 1969 with the name of Edgar,
the" Great Benyon". Since then 15 names have been
added. Sixteen magicians in all over a period of forty four
years. A small and select band.
That
list includes the names of Jack Read, Jon and Janet Zealando,
Jim Reilly, Harold Chandler, Francis Newmarch, Peter and
Phillipa Evans, Tony Wilson, Barry Brook, Bernard Reid,
Burns Scandrett, Wayne Rogers, Alan Watson, Greg Britt and
Ken Bates.
Why
am I telling you all this, it is because tonight we are
to add a new name to that list. The seventeenth Grand
Master is RICHARD WEBSTER.
The
award is being made jointly by the Brotherhood of Auckland
Magicians, and the Shore City Magicians Club.
Richard
has many credentials as an author, a physic entertainer,
a hypnotist, and prolific publisher of books. I understand
that Richard has sold over ten million books worldwide.
Other people have noted his contribution to these areas
and he has received numerous awards for these accomplishments.
But we are more concerned tonight with his contribution
to the world of magic.
Richard
became interested in magic at the age of eight. His mother
read tea leaves and used her wedding ring tied to a piece
of string to determine the sex of unborn babies. Richard
was too young to join the New Zealand Society of Magicians,
you had to be fourteen years of age, so he just read books,
devoured anything he could read and developed his own tricks
and magical style. In later years his company Brookfield
Press was to publish 29 of his books on magic.
He
had an early interest in hypnotism after seeing the Great
Franquin's show that toured New Zealand in 50's and 60's,
and later he was to publish in the United States his video
course, The Richard Webster Hypnotism Show in 1995. It was
the first instructional video on how to become a stage hypnotist.
When
he left school he worked for William Collins the book publisher
and in his early twenties was living in London. One day
while in Vienna, walking past a Magic Shop he went in, purchased
several magic tricks, and the magic bug came back again,
in the guise of Riccardo the Magician.
Richard
developed his Children's Act with Ronnie the Rabbit. He
was a successful entertainer for children's parties in family
homes, and also worked as a magician in New Zealand Malls.
He competed with distinction in the Children's' Entertainer
and the Mentalism sections at New Zealand Magician's Conventions.
He was interested in ventriloquism and after all these years
he still has the Ronnie the Rabbit who sometimes makes an
appearance at grand children's parties. From 1972 - 1998
Richard was a busy children's entertainer, mentalist and
hypnotist.
Richard
joined the BAM and was a member from 1987-1995, and President
in 1987-88 and Vice President in 1989 and 1991. As well
as a stage performer and a hypnotherapist, he authored seven
magical DVD including The Close-Up Mentalism of Richard
Webster in 1988.
2.
But it was the allied arts, that is additional ways of entertaining
that were allied to magic, that interested Richard more,
and so he increasingly become interest in Mentalism and
the magic of the mind. Richard is one of a handful of Physic
Entertainers that dominate the international world of Mentalism.
He has performed in many venues around the world and his
books on these subjects are warmly purchased, avidly read,
and willingly endorsed by the top flight of performers.
One example: His Great For Two Book Test is the book test
used by Kreskin, Peter Reveen, Paul Daniels, Alan Watson,
Paul Romhany and many other leading professionals. (Not
to mention a modest performer like me.)
At
the 29th New Zealand Magicians Convention held in Auckland
in December 2008, Richard Webster was presented with a Lifetime
Achievement Award in recognition of a lifetime dedicated
to excellence in writing magical literature." The presentation
by the Awards Committee of Magic New Zealand, like this
one tonight, was a surprise, unexpected but deserved.
Webster
the book man, who has written over a hundred publications,
is interested in helping other promising New Zealand authors.
He has set up the "The Richard Webster Popular Fiction
Award" in 2000, to help encourage New Zealand writers
to write popular books for an international market. Richard
provides a $5,000 prize for the winning entry each year.
Some
of his best writing for magicians has appeared in New Zealand's
own magic magazine entitled Magicana, a bi-monthly periodical
for which he has written a column over many years, (since
the late 80's) sharing some favourite routines and ideas
from the vast store of his experience. He has featured in
other magical periodicals like The Linking Ring, Magigram,
Alakazam! Magik, The New Invocation, Genii and Vanish Magazine,
Richard
is Patron of the Shore City Magicians Club, and is a regular
attender and performer at meetings. He is keen to develop
the skills and abilities of the young magicians, and has
donated many magic books to the society's library.
Before
the Presentation is made I want to read to you all the criteria
for the Grand Master of Magic Award.
"Its
purpose is to honour those magicians who are acknowledged
by their fellow magicians to be Masters of the art and craft
of magic. The recipients first and foremost must be magical
performers of a high standard. In addition they might be
originators of magical effects, or administrators giving
time and expertise to running societies and conventions.
They could be consistent competition winners, or have an
international standing, or be known only in the New Zealand
setting. But above all they are people who have served magic
well, have graced our art, and made a special contribution
over many years. When making the award consideration must
also be given to the standard achieved by the previous recipients."
To
this proud tradition we now add a new name.
Please acknowledge Richard Webster our new Grand Master
of Magic.
The
Presentation of the Grand Master Medallion is to be made
by Alan Watson, the President of the Brotherhood of Auckland
Magicians Incorporated.
Mick Peck President of the Shore City Magicians Club will
present flowers to Margaret Webster. The presentation to
Margaret is an acknowledgement of her contribution to Richard's
achievements.
