the magic

John
van der Put
The 2011
Magic Circle
Close-up Magician
of the Year
 THE MAGAZINE OF THE MAGIC CIRCLE Issue 1144 Volume 105 NOVEMBER 2011

Features
327 Great Scot! – by Bob Loomis
Circular reasoning
s you know, Prof

Page 326
330

332
The 2011 Magic Circle Heritage Auction –
by Matthew Field
John van der Put – The 2011 Magic Circle Close-up
Magician of the Year – by Matthew Field
A Eddie Dawes’s
column, ‘A Rich
Cabinet of Magical
336 Fourth European Magic History Curiosities’ has been
and Collections Congress – by Matthew Field running in this
345 What Makes a Good Trick? – by Chris Wood magazine for quite
some time. I know some Members
Regulars devour it while others give it a glance
322 President’s View – Jack Delvin and turn the page.
Page 332 322 News To me, the Rich Cabinet has been
324 Letters to the Editor one of the most gratifying things in
325 Clever Devil Corner – Harold Cataquet the Circular. I’ve had many discussions
with non-believers over the years who
326 Conjurors Collect – Tim Reed
ask why they should care about a
328 A Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities –
Dr. Edwin A. Dawes magician they never heard of whom
339 The Magic Circle Cares – Eddie might have featured. That’s
Page 336 Rev. Peter Liddelow and David Hatch precisely the point, I answer. Here’s an
340 Club Night Events – opportunity for you to see whether
Mandy Davis, Convenor of Reports this unknown might have had
342 Circular Mentalism – Ian Rowland something in their life, or mind, which
346 In Review could be helpful to you.
350 Counci inutes If one’s interest in magic is deep,
352 Forthcoming Club Events – then the lives of famous conjurors
Page 340 Brian Sibley and Mandy Davis should certainly be of interest: Robert-
Houdin, Maskelyne & Devant, Houdini,
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President’s view Circular news
Compars Herrmann
ow, I thought July and August were very first young magician to win the award, Tomb Restoration Plans

W good months for magic, but what

about August and September?
Penn & Teller were great on the box,
Johnny Hart, was unable to be there in person
but, on behalf of the Council, I had the
pleasure of making Johnny Hart an Honorary
The Magic Club of Vienna and
Member Magic Christian are
going to renovate the tomb of
providing excellent opportunities for publicity Member of The Inner Magic Circle at a Compars Herrmann which is
for our members, who all did well. separate private ceremony. situated at the Vienna central
Then came an invitation from Fergus Roy of Finally it was back to the Palladium for the Cemetery in the Jewish section.
Davenports fame to officially open the Eurocol 100 Years of Magic Show – it was truly
conference. This I did with great pleasure and spectacular. Very pleasantly compered by Paul
I welcomed the chance to meet so many Stone, we were treated to some three hours
internationally known names in our own of exceptional entertainment. Although, as
headquarters. All reports show that it was a one would expect, most of the acts were
huge success and a credit to Fergus who put magical, in between there was a variety of
in a terrific amount of work behind the other acts from dancing, juggling and hula
scenes to make it all happen. hooping to miming, a costume change or
Paul Stone was another to invite me to two and singing.
show my face at special events. First was the Between the acts Paul introduced some of
VIP reception at a hotel as an opener to the the great performers in the audience. These
London Palladium Show celebrating 100 years included our very own David Berglas, Jack Compars Herrmann gravesite
of magic. This also coincided with the 100th Kodell, and the great Italian illusionist Silvan. It is in a very bad condition and
birthday of the fabulous John Calvert. It was a The latter was cajoled into coming on stage all the metal decoration was
real thrill to meet up with John and Tammy where he performed the most remarkable card stripped off during WWII.
again after many years. manipulations for which he is truly famous. Last year Magic Christian got
I sent John a certificate to mark this extra Another big name that was brought on a Vienna street named after
special occasion along with a citation which stage was no less than the 100 year-old John Herrmann and several
was read at his party a month ago in the States. Calvert. Even at his great age he performed magicians. Private citizens and
Next came the superb show celebrating the the silks and wand trick extremely well, and the magic circle of Dresden
50th anniversary of the Young Magician of the showed that he still had an eye for the ladies. have begun donating money to
Year Competition. Noel Britten was the prime All the acts were sensational and Paul Stone restore this impressive grave.
mover behind this event and a fantastic job deserves a huge vote of thanks from the About half of the €10,000
he made of it too. He managed to pull whole magic world for producing one of the needed for the restoration has
together a very large number of the winners best magic shows of all time. been raised. If you can help,
over the years, many of whom have All these magic events provided me with bank transfers of funds can
progressed to become the top names in some good moments that I will treasure. I had be sent via:
magic today. Everyone was on top form and it not been in the company of David and Ruth Bank: Postsparkasse PSK 60000
was a tremendous success. Unfortunately the Berglas for some time, but this enabled me to Account:
be with them three days running. Magischer Klub Wien
The act that finished the first half at the Number: 00002349219
Palladium, Marko Karvo, was one of the most IBAN:
enjoyable I have ever seen. AT696000000002349219
On the Tuesday after all these happenings, I BIC: OPSKATWW
had the very great pleasure of showing Silvan For more information, you
and his lovely wife and son all over our can email Magic Christian at
headquarters. A little while ago Silvan very MagicChristian@chello.at.
kindly telephoned me from Rome to thank me
for my President’s Views. He is very much in Semi-Circles
favour of the ethos that now pervades The Congratulations to Member
Magic Circle. He believes real magicians David Copperfield who
should love the whole art: the history, the was named by the SAM both
psychology and the performance of pure Magician of the Century and
magic. Hear, hear. King of Magic ... Magic Circular
columnist and mentalist
extraordinaire Ian Rowland
appeared at Stan Allen’s
MAGIC Live convention in Las
Vegas in August, one of only
Jack Delvin MIMC eight lecturers. Commenting,
President@TheMagicCircle.co.uk Jeff McBride said, “Your
presentation was outstanding,

322 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

Ian...you have many new fans programme in the current Penn Times of Malta. The article,
in the USA”, and Stan Allen & Teller: Fool Us on ITV in titled “Smooth Manipulator”,
said, “You were a hit! As I August were Laura London quotes Vanni as saying, “I
knew you would be”. Ian and Martin Daniels, along never considered it [magic] as a
lectures at The Magic Circle on with his Dad, Paul Daniels. career. I could have if I wanted
5 December ... Fergus Lee Hathaway actually fooled to, but I
Anckorn was featured in a P&T and will perform in Las preferred to
story in The Mail on Sunday Vegas ... Illusionists Safire are open up
on 18 September. The story intellectually. I
related how Fergus’s “magic didn’t want to
skills helped him survive the Le Grand David performance be limited,
horrors of a Japanese POW presenting their first Pantomime, and teaching
camp” ... Congratulations to Jack & the Beanstalk, at Theatr English is very
Member Johnny Hart who Colwyn in Colwyn Bay this satisfying.
received a long-overdue MIMC Christmas, from 17-21 Magic is all
degree during the 18 December. More info at about
September Young Magician of www.TheatrColwyn.co.uk/about suspending
the Year Revisited day at The ... Member Vanni Pulé, belief,
Magic Circle ... The International President of the creating a sense of
effervescent Romany won the IBM, was the subject of a wonder, and challenging
€10,000 prize at the Magialdia Lee Hathaway feature story in the 28 August the mind”.
festival in Vitoria Spain in
September. She has been Paul Stone presents served as compere, introducing Netherlands Hans Klok
having a great year, with prizes Palladium Magic magic legends in the audience, performed what seemed like
won at the IBM and the on 19 September including Jack Kodell from the a dozen fast-paced illusions.
Siegfried & Roy Golden Lion Reported by US and David Berglas. Having Before the show began the
Award ... Congratulations to Matthew Field MIMC just celebrated his 100th audience was entertained by
Members who won awards birthday, and appearing for the close-up magicians, including
from the IBM recently for There was a packed house of first time on the stage of the Joe M. Turner, Chris Dugdale,
articles in The Linking Ring: magicians and members of 100-year-old Palladium, John Amanda Eve (Farrell),
Dale Salwak, the general public, including Calvert made the trip from the Edward Hilsum, Michael
Dr. William E. Spooner, Jim many who received tickets US with his wife, Tammy, and J Fitch, Tim Dill-Russell,
Steinmeyer and Byron as a charitable gift from performed The Lazy Magician Franco, Mike Smith,
Walker ... Member Paul MagiCares, to celebrate 100 to an adoring crowd. Chris Kris Krendo, James Milner,
Brown is appearing in The years of magic at the London Woodward made a brief John Milner, Steve Lobley,
Magic Symphony by Richard Palladium in a massive variety appearance; Paul Zenon Chris Philpott, Steve
Leigh at The Davenports Magic show on 19 September. performed his comedy and Morrison, Christian
Theatre, located in the magic Featured were The magic routine; Swiss juggler Lambiase, Jon Holt,
shop in London’s Charing Cross Palladium Magic Dancers, Kris Kremo was a crowd- Martin Cox, David Beckley,
Underground Arcade. The a company of 30; Italian pleaser; Ben Stone sang the Wayne Murphy, Darren
shows run on Saturdays at illusionist Erix Logan; Russian MagiCares song; Jeff Hobson McQuade, Dean Barlow,
3.00 pm. Info at hula hoop performer Yelena performed with his silver- Tommy Moss, Mr Majestic,
www.FalseImpressions.co.uk ... Larkina; American comedy sequinned jacket; and from the Todd Alexander, Mark
Chris Dugdale’s show, 2 magician Michael Finney; Shortland, Rick Tynan, Roy
Faced Deception ran for Italian superstar magician Bond, Terry Herbert, Barry
thirteen evenings in September Silvan who was the evening’s Hicks, Craig Longhurst,
in The Lounge in London’s Guest of Honour; French Mick Geraghty, Nick Barnes,
Leicester Square ... The comedy performer Mikaël Paul Plesants, Clive Panto,
performance on 9 October by Szanyiel portraying a Tom Smith, Ozz Symons,
“Le Grand David” marks the befuddled opera singer; Brian Egerton and Colin
beginning of the company’s American favourite Mac King Egerton. Each attendee
35th season running at both with his ‘cloak of invisibility’; received a full-colour,
the Cabot St. Cinema and American dancer and baton 36-page programme.
Larcom Theatre in Beverly, twirler Nathalie Enterline; The applause was loud and
Massachusetts, featuring and Finnish magician Marko sustained at the conclusion
Members Cesareo Pelaez and Karvo with a stunning act of this 3 1/2-hour variety
David Bull ...James Fortune featuring doves and macaws. show celebrating 100 years
will direct the musical Titanic The show’s second half of great magic at an iconic
next year at Epsom Playhouse began with Paul Stone, who London venue.
... Appearing on the final

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 323

 Letters to the Editor
Tug
Having just read your review of Tug’s Tales in The Magic Circular,
I had to purchase the book immediately. Why, you may ask?
In the early 1960s I lived at Farnborough, Hampshire and met
Tug Wilson. We have remained friends ever since. We usually
recall ’Old Times’ at the Eastbourne Conventions.
But there is more to it than that. Having had my first box of
tricks at about 12 years of age, my first encounter of a large
Magic Illusion show was ‘The Great Lyle’
in 1951 and 1953 at the Kingston Empire.
Both shows included ‘The Noise’ or ‘Sit
Tight’ featuring Tug Wilson as an
assistant in one of the shows.
I still have both programmes of the
Kingston Empire. More important, a
handbill featuring the Motorcycle
illusion [‘Biff’. Ed.] is also in my
collection. At a much later date, Tug
Wilson signed the handbill for me.
Stan Reynolds MMC

Triple Whammy
It is not often that one has a triple whammy of Magic. This last
weekend provided me with a feast that I will long remember. I
came down on the Saturday to enjoy Ghost the Musical and was
fascinated by the magic of Paul Kieve whose stage work made
the show. Then, on the Sunday, the enjoyment made possible by
Noel Britten of revisiting 50 years of the Young Magicians. So
much of interest and entertainment, and so many memories
rekindled. Then, to complete my feast, the Palladium Magic; Paul
Stone has surpassed all his previous efforts and gave us an
evening never to be forgotten. He is surely the greatest Magical
Impresario there is.
So we have Paul, Noel and Paul who are three great
ambassadors for our Magic Circle.
Martyn Long CBE, AIMC

Kudos for Magician’s Choice

May I, through the pages of The Magic Circular, congratulate
everybody involved in ‘The Magician’s Choice’ series of Monday
nights which, without exception, have been a superb mix of
pure entertainment and education. I must confess that when I
first heard the concept I doubted if the idea would work – I was
totally and utterly wrong. It was an excellent programme and I
know many other Monday Nighters will agree with me: The
Summer of 2011 is going to be a very tough act to follow!
Graham Reed MIMC

More from Graham

Making a persuasive presentation to key decision makers can be
a major problem for entertainers pitching for lucrative corporate
work. I have been involved in sales and marketing for over fifty
years and I have just read a superb book which I recommend
without hesitation.
It is called Idea Selling by Sam Harrison (How Books,
distributed in the UK by David & Charles, Newton Abbot,
Devon).
It is not to be missed.
Graham Reed MIMC

324 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 Harold Cataquet AIMC

Show Me the Money

ast time, I raised the issue of why magic has never seen small packet and changes to another bill. I grew up with the

L an explosion of bill tricks (as a consequence of the

explosion in packet tricks). It seems such a natural
extension: you count cards and they somehow change.
Mike Koslowski version, but there are many recent variants. If
you’re really interested, you should look at John Lovick’s
Switch: Unfolding the $100 Bill Change. In the latter effect,
Doesn’t it seem more natural to count money instead?! five bills visually change to another denomination. Every
Growing up in New York, I had the honour of meeting Mike working magician that I know has one or both of these in
Bornstein. He is probably best known for his psychic mystery their repertoire. Most prefer to go from blank paper (or lottery
watch (face of a watch rotates to reveal a playing card), his tickets) to money. These are classic effects, and justifiably so!
floating dollar bill and Polaroid Money Outdone. Mike wrote However, I wanted to do more than just one minute of magic.
five booklets on money magic: Money Magic (1980), More I wanted to begin with four blank pieces of paper and change
Money Magic of Mike Bornstein (1984), Latest Money Magic them one at a time. Looking at Sam Schwartz’s “Back Flip”,
of Mike Bornstein (1988), Mike Bornstein’s New Commercial often credited as the packet trick that started the packet trick
Money Magic (1990) and Mike Bornstein’s Eye Popper Money revolution, I found a solution. What the spectator sees is this:
Magic (1994). They were all collected in Mike Bornstein’s four blank bills are shown, one changes to a $1 (green) bill,
Encyclopedia of Paper Money Magic, but that book is now that bill then changes to a $20 (red) bill, that bill then changes
long out of print. However, you should still be able to find to a $100 (yellow) bill which is shown front and back, and
some of the original booklets in older magic shops. then the remaining three blank bills instantly change to $100
The idea of changing a bill of one denomination into bills (fronts and backs are cleanly shown). You could have
another is very easy in the United States because all their bills done this with genuine bills, but the trick requires five $100
are the same size. Historically, this made forging very easy – bills, one $20 bill, one $1 bill, and three blank bills. Eight of the
bleach a dollar bill and print a higher denomination on it. The bills would then be glued together (using Post-it glue) to form
new bill feels exactly like it should because the paper is genuine a double sided bill. But $521 in cash is a bit much to carry
… I think this fact is a good motivating introduction for a non- around for a routine. For the impact of the additional colour
American magician to use dollar bills as a magic prop. change, I decided to print the bills. As for the exact details of
There are two downsides to using money: First, you can’t the routine, I’ll write up the handling for a later column.
really manipulate dollar bills the same way that you can To make the bills, you have to be a bit of a computer geek,
playing cards. As a result, most bill tricks are short change so my instructions will be very brief. To begin, you can either
routines and the bills are either mis-indexed or double faced scan some genuine bills or do an internet search for large
(e.g. a $5 on the back of a $1). Very little (if any) manipulation images of dollar bills. Using Paint.Net, I next overlaid a colour
is ever necessary. Two recent additions to the genre that come tint on the bill images. I then used Scribus to create the
to mind are Nick Einhorn’s “Mysterious Puzzle of the Missing necessary double-sided printer-ready pages. I took the images
Dollar Bill” and Jim Steinmeyer’s “Bunko”. In the former case, to a printer and had them print them on Zeta Matt white linen
you use genuine dollar bills. In the later case, you use stage at 260 gsm, which I provided, and then had them apply a 40
money. My hybrid solution was to print my own money cards micron laminate. Believe it or not, this results in a card that is
(see the last paragraph). very similar in texture to a thin Bicycle playing card! Paint.Net
Second, if you are not used to seeing US dollars, then it is and Scribus are free programmes, and you can get Zeta Matt
hard to see when a change occurs. For something like the $1 white linen paper on eBay. If you are interested in more
to $100 bill switch, this is an advantage because the moment details, drop me a note.
when the bill appears to change is much later than the
moment at which the bill actually changes. However, when
you are simply counting bills, you want to be able to do this
quickly. If one bill has changed in value, but the audience
hasn’t noticed (or isn’t sure), then you (normally) can’t
interrupt the flow of a routine to re-show the current state
of the bills. So if a change is going to take place, you want
to make that change more obvious to a spectator. Steinmeyer
had the excellent idea of showing that a change has taken
place by changing the colour of the bills. So, a change from
$1 to $5 appears as a change from a beige bill to a green bill.
Before I proceed, I should actually mention the two most
popular bill tricks: the $100 Bill Switch and Richard Sanders’
“Extreme Burn”. These are both excellent tricks, but they are
really one-effect tricks. In the first, one bill is folded into a

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 325

 Tim Reed MIMC

BILL BIXBY & ‘THE MAGICIAN’

ill Bixby (1934-1993) was an actor demise of The Magician, which was still tend to be copies of the originals. There

B who is best remembered as the

character Dr David Banner in The
Incredible Hulk television series. The
being syndicated across America and
abroad, including Britain, Bixby would
feature in several magic television specials
are, too, some original NBC press
photos and transparencies which are
hard to find and demand higher sums.
show was a huge success and made and was a regular at The Magic Castle in Also available is a facsimile, souvenir
Bixby into a household name. However, Hollywood. His enthusiasm for the art pack of The Magician playing cards, the
of magical interest was the lesser- never waned. back design based on the actual cards
known series, The Magician, televised in As with any high-profile series, there which Blake used to throw out on the
1973-1974, in which Bixby starred as was a range of merchandise and series. Other collectables include plastic
the wealthy magician Anthony Blake memorabilia for The Magician. One of the spinning tops, given away in gumball
who used his powers as an illusionist rarest pieces is a huge ‘The Magician machines or cereals. The toy shows an
and escapologist to help those in need. Magic set’ from 1974. The yellow box lid image of the performer.
The show was created by Bruce featured the image of Anthony Blake A contemporary account of the series
Lansbury and in the twenty-two producing doves and was produced by can be read in the August 1973 issue of
episodes, including the pilot, there was Marshall Brodien and featured standard Genii. Bixby is given the cover, showing
much magic featured. Not surprisingly a Brodien tricks. The set which I bought is him with doves. Inside there are photos,
show of this calibre had a Magic not in great condition, but it does have including one of him with Mark Wilson.
Consultant and that was Mark Wilson the instruction manual, which has a cover Later Bixby is again on the cover of the
who supplied illusions and taught Bixby picture of Bixby in character. It is the April 1983 issue, with Joe Berg, but
magic, too. Bill Bixby was a keen ephemeral pieces I like the most. inside there are great pictures, including
amateur magician and therefore the One of the most readily available items one of Bill Bixby presenting the
role was ideal. Audience figures for the from this series is the 1 December 1973 Magician of The Year prize to Paul
series were deemed disappointing edition of TV Guide which shows Anthony Daniels at the Fifteenth Annual
overall and this, combined with an Blake (Bixby) on the cover. I have two Academy of Magical Arts Awards
untimely Screen Writers Guild strike, other television listings magazines from Banquet. The Magician was again
halted production and the series never the same era, both with different images prominent in the November 2004 issue
quite recovered. Even now, nearly forty of The Magician, and these were given of Genii, thirty years after the series
years later, there is no officially released away with local newspapers and ended. A colour cover and a detailed
DVD set of the series. Fans have to rely magazines. Also in December of that year multi-page article ensured Anthony
on various bootlegged versions. was a promotional pictorial spread in Blake was topping the bill once more.
During the mid seventies, after the Playboy magazine. The Magician Annual, published in
Widely available publicity photos 1975 by Paramount Television in Britain
showing Bill Bixby with a Zig-Zag, has now become an uncommon
performing the levitation, production of volume. The contents are what you
flames or Multiplying Balls are worth would expect: simple tricks and comic
collecting. These are inexpensive, as they book stories. This book’s cover has
Bixby surrounded, again, by doves.
Another rarity is ‘The Magician Magic
Cards’ set. Although undated, it is from
the time of the 1974 magic set and it,
too, is made by the same manufacturer.
It is a great piece to have as it is so
representative of the era.
The combination of Bill Bixby’s early
death, and his iconic status in the Hulk
series, means signed photos of him as
Anthony Blake are very rare. I have only
ever seen one signed example of him as
‘The Magician’ which was possibly
genuine, but it seemed too good to be
true so I avoided it. Happy collecting.

326 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

GREAT SCOT!
by Bob Loomis, Hon. MMC, Editor of The Magical Spectator

said “Great Scot!” when someone

I suggested it! I was sure all our

members would have studied the
classic featured in the wonderful wall
were changing coins into counters or
tokens, a coin through table, vanishing a
coin from a spectator’s hand, and a vanish
from the magician’s hand using wax on
been tied tightly in a handkerchief, as
later featured by both Houdini and Slydini.
There were two non-PC items for those
working with animals: thrusting a knife
painting on our headquarters’ circular the fingernail. He also described a vanish through the head of a chicken without
staircase. Of course, I mean Reginald using a coin sewn into the corner of a supposedly harming it, and killing a dove
Scot’s 1584 Discoverie of Witchcraft. I’m handkerchief, an early double-faced coin by stabbing its picture with a knife
sure you will have carefully read it; but, as with a counter on one side, the use of (historically called Theophrastus Paracelsus).
an aid, here is a handy list of the tricks magician’s wax to stick coins together, Classic items he described that are
and techniques still being performed that and telling how much money was in a often sold in magic sets were: My
Reggie described over four and a quarter person’s purse. Grandmother’s Necklace or Cords of
centuries ago. This will help you easily For cups and balls workers, there were Fantasia; The Buddha Papers; The
impress clients with your knowledge of very early descriptions of basic sleights, Jumping Stick version of the Paddle Trick;
the magical arts. palms and moves. He used three or four and pulling laces from your mouth, like
As you’ll recall, Scot’s quaint hollow-footed candlestick holders, bowls today’s mouth coils.
Shakespearian English takes a little getting or saltcellars instead of today’s cups. For close-up magi, Scot recorded the
used to. Typically, he used “juggler” for Sleights were given for vanishing balls burning and restoring of a thread (today’s
magician, “beholder” for spectator, and from under each candlestick, and then Gypsy Thread Trick), cutting and restoring
“conveying” for sleight of hand. Some of causing them all to assemble under a a lace using a substituted separate piece,
the subtleties he revealed were magician’s and the classic Ring on Wand.
wax (several types), the use of invisible For children’s performers, Scot told how
thread and hair to animate coins and to construct what we call today the Flick
rings, and an early reference to employing Book, Blow Book, Magic
both the lap and bosom to steal and ditch Painting/Colouring Book, or Stamp Album
objects. (Yes, girls, bosoming!) Lapping Trick. He advised where to buy one, which
then became ‘lost’ for several centuries was possibly the very first dealer’s
due to magic being performed standing advertisement.
up. Reggie also discussed strategies like Finally, for those into dangerous self-
confederacy, explained tactics performed mutilation tricks, Scot taught how to:
centuries later by “hypnotic horses”, and swallow a knife; thrust a bodkin (awl or
wrote about the supposed “discovering” ice pick) into your head, or through your
of lost (stolen) objects that crooked tongue, and a dagger into your stomach;
psychics used in the early 1900s. He also cut your arm and nose with a large knife
referred to ventriloquism. single one. Large balls were used as final (still done by The Amazing Johnathan);
There is something for every magic nut loads. Scot suggested first practising with put a piece of lead into one eye and take
in Scot’s book. For cardicians, he included lead bullets before using cork balls. it out of the other; push a ring through
glimpsing cards, using key cards, stock For mentalists, Scot described a your cheek; and also, use a wooden,
shuffling employing both the injog and rudimentary two-person spoken code, inverted “V” shaped device (bridle) to
the outjog, the Glide, and the Classic Fan and gave several ‘outs’ when prophesies seemingly pass a cord through your nose.
Force. Tricks described were converting went wrong. He also mentioned Scot’s book was definitely not the first
four Aces to Jacks; telling the card merely arithmetical tricks. to explain how to perform magic. Hero of
thought of by spectator observation; For illusionists, Scot discussed the use of Alexandria’s Greek manuscript beat him
producing a burnt, marked card from a mirrors and how the art of perspective by a millennium and a half, but Reggie
© Copyright R. Loomis March 2011

spectator’s pocket; and discovering a deceived the eye. Magic boxes were gave us an exact picture of what was
chosen card’s name written on a piece of explained. A typical box had a partitioned being professionally performed in England
paper found inside a nut. middle with a lid on either end. By well over four centuries ago. Authors of
For coin tricksters, there were very early, secretly turning it over, items could be magic books copied his “juggling” section
detailed descriptions of basic sleights like exchanged, produced, or vanished. Also for the next two hundred years.
palms and clips. Tricks included a coin described was the static decapitation Intriguingly, it is hard to say just how old
travelling from hand to hand, with a knife illusion of cutting off a person’s head and many of the tricks were when Reggie
tapping the coin to show it was still there, placing it on a platter. described them. Yes, it’s amazing just how
similar to David Williamson’s modern For silk specialists, he dealt with ancient some of the supposedly latest
metal-tipped wand move. Other effects vanishing or dissolving of knots that had sensations are!

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 327

 Edwin A. Daw

396. MR AND MRS VICTOR ANDRÉ: A NEW ANGLE: THE FAMILY BACKGROUND DISENTANGLED

fforts to secure immediate impact when he

E information regarding the

André family from
genealogical sources initially
played for seven months at the
Pavilion in 1890, it seems
reasonable to assume that he had
proved disappointing but I am previously gained considerable
greatly indebted to Michael experience as a conjurer during
Dawes for his inspired and the 1880s, which enabled him to
invaluable help in unravelling a make a smooth transition to the
complicated story. Searches for professional stage. In support of
Victor André in census records this belief, he was probably a
disclosed none earlier than member of the group of
1901 when André, then on magicians who regularly met on
tour and residing at the Sunday nights at the London
Unicorn Hotel, Altrincham, premises in Nile Street of the
was stated to be born in dealer Frank Hiam, for he sent a
London, Middlesex, and aged wreath and was one of the
47. The only other census mourners at the funeral of Mrs
record is for 1911 when Victor The London Pavilion, scene of André’s success in 1890 Hiam following her death on 26
André (now 57) and his wife Etty were good one as the family soon was able to September 1890.
lodging at 20 Westminster Road, employ servants and nurses for the During the 1880s Angle met Etty with
Ellesmere Port, both described as Public children. Henry and Eliza eventually retired whom he had two sons, the elder Victor
Entertainers and Victor additionally as an to the Bournemouth area in the 1890s, Angle born at Acton in 1886, and the
Entrepreneur. Searches for Victor’s birth where they died in 1909 and 1911 younger Stanley Angle born at
proved fruitless suggesting either it was respectively. Paddington in the third quarter of 1890.
never recorded or that André was not his William, the future Victor André, was The family appears under the name of
natal name but one assumed for stage still living at home at the time of the 1871 Angle in the 1891 census, by which time
purposes. The latter of the alternatives census and the seventeen-year-old was William was already launched on his
turned out to be the explanation and now employed as a railway clerk (as in career as Victor André, living at 84
Michael Dawes identified Victor André due course were other of his brothers), Cornwall Road, Kensington, and listed as
as William Henry Angle, born in the doubtless arranged by their father. There a ‘Magician Ventriloquist’.
Paddington area of London, his birth is no trace of him in the 1881 census and Etty appears in the 1891 census as
being registered in Kensington District probably by this time he was working ‘Henderina S. Angle, wife, married, 40.
in the fourth quarter of 1853. In somewhere as a journalist, Selbit (1901) Assists husband.’ Part of this statement is
passing, we may note that Angle is not having stated this was his profession untrue as Marriage Records reveal that
a common surname in Britain. before going on the stage. The only William Henry Angle and Hinderina (note
William was the eldest of nine information found relating to this phase different spelling) Susannah Payne did not
children born to Henry Angle and Eliza of his life is a report of William Angle, a actually marry until 1898 (registered at
Wadbrook Haskins, both born in journalist, who gave evidence to a Brentford, Middlesex), by which time they
Trowbridge, Wiltshire, and who married Coroner’s Inquest in London in October had presumably been living together for
in Marylebone District, London, in 1888, in a case reported in the at least thirteen years. The reason for the
1852. Henry Angle was a Commercial newspapers as ‘The Whitehall Mystery’. A delay in marriage becomes apparent
Railway Clerk at the censuses of 1861 woman’s body had been found, partially when we discover that Etty was already
through 1891, and the family lived in buried, on the construction site of a new married when she met William Angle, and
Paddington (Fulham Place in 1861; police station in Whitehall. It seems Angle it was only after the death of her
Bishops Road by 1871), moving out to was a passer-by at the time of the estranged husband, William Rogers Payne,
Hillingdon, Middlesex, sometime in the discovery. that she was free to marry again.
1870s. The location strongly suggests There is no knowledge of how and Etty had married William Payne in 1872
he was an employee of the Great when William’s interest in magic was first when both were working as assistants at
Western Railway, whose London aroused and whether he used the name Peter Robinson’s Store in Oxford Street; he
terminus was Paddington, and of Victor André prior to his debut on the was about seventeen years older than
presumably his position was a relatively London music hall scene. As he made an she. Whether there were any children of

328 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

wes MIMC

this union remains obscure though none attracted to him and his magic. We can a small boarding school, Newton
is in evidence at the time of the 1881 safely assume that she liked magic or she College, on the southern side of
census. would never have joined him on the halls Newton Abbot in Devon. As Stanyon’s
Etty was in fact born Hinderina Susanna after the birth of their second son in Magic magazine had noted in February
Abrahams (according to the handwritten 1890, and to have so enthusiastically 1902 that the Andrés had settled in the
transcript of births), registered at embraced the hard work involved in nearby coastal resort of Torquay, the
Marylebone in 1850. She was the developing a successful silent thought- location of this school, remote from
daughter of a German-born tailor, Onne reading act and her own highly successful London, makes sense.
Abrahams, and his Norfolk-born wife Dream Visions act. The 1911 census finds both the
Lucy. In the 1871 census Hinderina is The Angles had two sons, Victor and parents and their son Stanley, all under
recorded as Henrietta, so perhaps when Stanley, neither of whose births is the surname of André, lodging at
she grew up she adopted this name for recorded in the General Registry. They different addresses in Ellesmere Port,
general use in preference to the foreign- were residing with their parents at the Cheshire. Stanley, now 22, who had
sounding given name, and hence the family home in Cornwall Road at the time married Ethel Mary Field in Birmingham
diminutive of Etty. of the 1891 census (when they are in 1910, with his wife was lodging with
After marriage, William and Hinderina recorded as aged 4 and 10 months a confectioner at 43 Church Street, and
Payne had opened their own Fancy respectively), together with a 21-year-old working as a Skating Rink Manager. His
Drapers Store on High Street, St Pancras, nursemaid to look after them, a local girl parents were just around the corner
London, where they were living in 1881, Agnes Andrews. from there at 20 Westminster Road.
and employing fourteen assistants. Thus Ten years later at the time of the Brother Victor (under his natal name
at sometime between 1881 and 1885 this census, William and Etty were on tour in of Angle), now 25, is found working in
life was superseded by the arrival in Etty’s the north of England and lodging at music hall at Lincoln, lodging with the
orbit of William Henry Angle, though in Altrincham, Cheshire, where they are conductor of the local music hall
circumstances of which currently we have recorded under the surname of André, by orchestra and his family, one James
no knowledge. It is tempting to speculate which they would be known to the Morris. Victor’s occupation is stated to
that she might have seen Angle, possibly innkeeper who had to complete the be Music Hall Artiste. Also lodging at
in his guise as Victor André, performing at census form. Meanwhile the sons, Victor the same address are two other such
some function, and was simultaneously and Stanley, now 14 and 10, are found at Artistes, both Blackpool-born girls,
Florence Ellis, aged 23, and Constance
Gertrude Butcher, aged 14 (whether
she was part of the same act remains
unknown).
However, only a few months later
Victor married the aforementioned
Florence (Florrie) Ellis, who was the
daughter of a Blackpool grocer, the
family having previously migrated from
East Lancashire. A decade previously,
the 13-year-old Florrie was assisting in
the family shop.
As census returns later than 1911 are
not yet digitised no further information
can be secured from that source but
more can be gleaned from the births,
marriages and death records. From
these sources it would appear that the
Blackpool connection of Florrie Ellis
drew the Angle/André family to the
Fylde area, and possibly William/Victor
and Etty retired there. Certainly the
▲

Paddington Station, where André worked as a clerk death of Etty Angle (under those

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 329

 THE 2011 MAGIC
▲

names) was recorded in the Fylde registration

Written and photographed by Matthew Field MIMC
district (which then included Blackpool, as
well as more genteel places such as Lytham-
St Annes and Poulton-le-Fylde) in the second
quarter of 1922 at the age of 71.
Following Etty’s death, her husband
William remarried at the age of 71 to a lady
called Dorothy A. Osborne, the marriage
being registered in the Fylde district in the
first quarter of 1925. Dorothy, who was ten
years younger than William, has not been
traced (she might well have been a widow).
In the event, the marriage did not last long
as the death of William Henry Angle was
recorded (also in Fylde) in the second quarter Auctioneer Trevor Dawson
of 1926, aged 72. Dorothy herself lived on
until 1946, dying in County Durham aged 82. he Magic Circle Heritage Auction is held every two
William/Victor’s elder son, Victor Junior,
and his wife Florrie also spent time in
Blackpool and the birth of their only child,
T years, and this year’s was scheduled to take place on
31 August, the day before the opening of Eurocol,
the European Magic History and Collections Conference.
Betty E. Angle, was registered in Fylde in the
third quarter of 1926, just too late to meet The auction manager was Tim Reed, who wrote the
her magical grandfather. Florrie Angle died in auction catalogue and managed the event. Executive
1938, aged 50, when her daughter Betty Museum Curator Lionel Russell, Treasurer Alexander
would have only been eleven. Victor Angle Crawford, Executive Librarian Peter Lane and Executive
died in 1956, aged 70, the death being archivist David Hibberd were all involved in the project,
registered in Uxbridge. Betty went on to and members of the Young Magicians’ Club acted as
marry a John A. Morgan at Conway in 1944, runners, conveying items between the Devant Room,
when she would have been seventeen. where everything was exhibited, to the Theatre, where the
The younger son, Stanley André/Angle, auction was held. Production of the catalogue was
and his wife Ethel Mary do not seem to have overseen by Peter Scarlett.
had any children. Stanley died in 1936, aged
46, the death being recorded as Stanley The auctioneer was Trevor Dawson, who whipped his way
Angle in Paddington district. His wife through some 176 lots of varied material. Much of this
outlived him by 26 years, dying in 1962 at was, in Tim Reed’s words, “duplicates or surplus items
the age of 73 and interestingly her death from The Magic Circle Collection ... The remaining lots are
was recorded as Ethel M. André in selected consignments from other individuals and
Birmingham, which was her birthplace. estates”. Among this latter group were items from the
These family details conclude the saga of late Patrick Page’s collection.
Mr Victor André, the Mysteriarch, who with
his partner and later wife Etty performed as The auction brought a total of £16,655 in about two
The English Mahatmas, and throw a little hours. Among the highlights were Chung Ling Soo
more light on a conjurer whose career has letterheads which sold for £130, a Houdini postcard for
not received the attention it surely warrants £140, a Chung Ling Soo ‘Mystic Cauldron’ poster for
in the magic literature. £1,500, a Soo ‘Dream of Wealth’ poster for £1,200, a set
of the Albo books for £700, a Len Insul vent doll from the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Page collection for £850, a Tickner vent doll also from the
I am greatly indebted to Michael Dawes, Page collection for £1,050, antique Punch and Judy dolls
Adrian and Geri-Lynn Dawes, David Hibberd, from the Page collection for £900, a copy of the David
Bill Kalush, Peter Lane, Rosalind Leveridge, Berglas and David Britland The Mind and Magic of David
and David van Ness for their generous Berglas for £240, a broadside for an Alexander Herrmann
assistance with various aspects of the Victor appearance at the Boston Museum for £1,100, and a copy
André story, and for the resources of The of Magic of Robert Harbin for £750.
British Library’s 19th Century British
Newspapers, The Magic Circle Archive, the Prices were designed to fit every budget, with many items
Peter Lane Collection and the Conjuring Arts going for £10 to £25.
Research Center’s Ask Alexander.
Everyone seemed pleased as they exited the event, some
REFERENCE with new treasures for their collections, others with simply
Selbit (1901) The Showman evanescent memories.

330 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 CIRCLE HERITAGE AUCTION

Heritage Auction Catalogue Soo letterhead Adelaide Herrmann photo

Tim Reed and Lionel Russell

Devant's 'Biff' illusion photo

Houdini postcard

Viewing in the Devant Room

Herrmann poster

Devant leaflet

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 331

 John
van der
Put The 2011
Magic Circle
Close-up
Magician of
the Year
by Matthew Field MIMC

In standnotamazed

332 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

Winner of The Magic Circle Close-up that I now do, a lot of that is because of Obviously, these things make you think. I
Magician of the Year for 2011, John van John’s influence. had three ambitions when I started magic.
der Put AIMC has made a name for One was to learn Guy Hollingworth’s
himself dressed in a green dragon outfit, M Did you have a career path which your “Reformation”, one was to come up with
spitting fireballs on stage and performing parents were moving you toward? a signature piece, and one was to come
some excellent magic as Piff the Magic J They’ve always been very supportive up with an original card move. I had
Dragon. He made a great impression on of everything I’ve done which has been achieved all these by the time I was 22
Penn & Teller: Fool Us and spent August great, but they also said to me to make and I asked myself, now what? I realised I
performing at the Edinburgh Fringe. His sure I had a backup plan if the magic was thinking too small. I was so busy
website is www.vanderput.com. didn’t work out. So I studied computer making sure my backup plan was in place,
science and did that as a degree at I wasn’t even looking at Plan A. So I
Matthew Field: Congratulations on university. thought about what I really wanted to do
winning the Magic Circle Close-up with my life, my career, and I realised I
Magician of the Year award. Is this M Did you start doing children’s parties? wanted to be on stage. So when I got
something that you planned on entering What was your entree into actually better I decided to re-train as an actor,
for a long time? performing? learn some stagecraft and have a proper
John van der Put: Yes. It was a long-held J I did work at a couple of children’s go at this magic thing. I went to Central
ambition to win the award and I put a lot parties before I went to university, but I School of Speech and Drama for a year in
of thought, time and effort into it. I came didn’t enjoy it. That world is not for me. London and got a masters degree in
second two years ago and didn’t place But at university, in Lancaster, I was broke performance.
last year, so this year I was very happy to and desperate. It was either stack the
win. shelves in the supermarket or get some M Where and when did you get involved
gigs, so I rang up a restaurant and asked with Heston Blumenthal, the famous chef
M Where did you grow up? if I could come and try out and they said who owns and runs The Fat Duck
J I was born and raised in South East yes. I remember at the beginning standing restaurant?
London. at the side of the restaurant for about 45 J It was just after I left drama school. I
minutes being too shy to approach did some work for Punchdrunk, a theatre
M Were any of your relatives involved in anyone. Finally I went up to a man at the company who were doing their first show
show business or magic? bar and asked if he would like to see a with the National Theatre. Through this
card trick. Awkward, but it was a start. Heston’s agent got in touch and we
The owner asked me to come back the started working together in 2006. We
next week, and I did that every week for have done a few collaborations over the
three years and that was really the start of years and I’m the only magician to have
my career. I got lots of other gigs from it ever performed in the restaurant. He is a
and in my last year I started working a genius.
second place as well, all close-up magic.
M Then you got involved with that
M How did you move from close-up into theatrical group called Stand Not Amazed,
platform and stage magic? but all one word and all lowercase.
J When I was 22 to 24 I got really ill, J I don’t know why. I don’t like that
▲
and for a while it was touch and go. name either. It’s the only name I now

J Nobody at all. I had a friend at school

who could juggle and I learned it from
him. But juggling is difficult to entertain
with, so eventually, after going through a
brief and ill-advised clown phase, I ended
up in the Fellowship of Christian
Magicians when I was fifteen where I met
people like Pete McCahon, John Archer
and Mark Shortland. It was really those
people who got me more involved in
magic and helped me develop as a
performer.

M So from a relatively young age you

were associating with top-class magicians.
J Those magicians were great; John
especially drummed into me the
importance of being original, he taught
me to go out of my way to be unique. If
you look at the originality of the things With Jonathan Ross on 'Penn and Teller – Fool Us'

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 333

 as a dragon performing tricks with large but mostly it’s a sort of mentalism persona
boxes. Yet that Zig Zag is one of my that’s funny and that’s John. Who is John
favourite pieces to perform, because if van der Put?
you watch it, it’s all about turning the J I think I must have a very low
trick on its head. I would never call Alexis boredom threshold. So I make something
or Maya an assistant. It’s just ridiculous. up and then after a while I feel like I want
For a start, they’re doing more work than to do something else. In a way it keeps
the magician on stage, so if anyone is the my brain fresh. Actors will go through lots
assistant he is. of plays in their careers, so I think the idea
that you do a ten-minute act for years
M How do you view the traditional roles and years is not the only way. When I was
of men and women as they appear in doing magic in restaurants, I was much
magic in the 21st century? less creative, partly because I was worn
J Just horrendous. I find it offensive that down by the gigs, doing the same eight
there is an undercurrent in magic that a to ten minutes all the time. Because it
woman’s role in magic is handing props to worked so well, I was relying on it to feed
the magician or jumping in and out of me. I have to change my material to get
boxes. Why is this still around? It should rebooked now. It has to be of a certain
have no place, and yet it persists. The visual standard to make it into the act anyway
regret. It’s so difficult to spell. I used to language of magic on stage is worrying to and I have to develop material that
insist on it being bold too, say the least. I do the Victory Carton quickly.
standnotamazed. Can we move on? illusion with the spikes. Audiences love it,
but I’m not sure that we’ve gotten rid of M How did Piff develop?
M Was this your group? the misogyny in it. Why else put someone J I was doing close-up magic and
J I started it with Lucy Cullingford, a in a box and stab them with 15 wooden people were calling me ‘the Eeyore of
movement director who has worked with poles? It’s very difficult to get rid of that magic’ at gigs because I looked so
the RSC and many other companies. We from those tricks, and it is there in so many. miserable. Also when Joe Public would
also worked with Maya Politaki and Alexis pop up with their ‘Can you make my wife
Terry whom I met on my degree course. M You seem to be a super-analytical disappear?’ or ‘Turn it into a hundred’,
We did a lot of shows and scratch person who is very aware of the zeitgeist well, I just don’t suffer fools gladly.
performances together, some great, some of the 21st century regarding the way Anyway, I was invited to a fancy dress
painfully awful, aiming at nothing less people view magic and magicians, male party and asked my sister if she had a
than inventing a new theatrical language and female, and you’re not content to let costume. Turned out she had a dragon
for magic. I actually grew up hating magic it alone, you want to incorporate it into outfit. I painted my nose red and got
as a child and still break into a cold sweat what you do. some antlers because it was a Christmas
when presented with a bad illusion act. I J I’ve always believed magic is an art theme and went as a rein-dragon. When I
will watch maybe one act in a gala show form and it should be performed from the arrived, of course no one was in fancy
that I enjoy and cringe over the other heart. And if it’s art, then it should also dress, so I was feeling very stupid
95% of magic that I see. But when I see have the power to touch people on more standing there with a glass of red wine in
stuff I do like, I love it, and that’s the than one level. It frustrates me that there the corner being really grumpy and my
flipside. Fred Kaps, Tommy Wonder, is very little magic out there that has the friend came up to me and said, you could
Cardini – these are the people that make power to actually provoke an emotional
me really passionate about the art and its response.
possibilities. I wanted to create work with
the company that I was really proud of, M I have seen you do, personally, in the
that wasn’t following the crowd, that was five or six years I have known you, four
carving a unique niche. Slowly we’re completely different acts, and I mean
doing this I think. Our theatre show, completely different. I’ve seen you do Piff,
which is called Love and Other Magic the levitation of the dog Mr Piffles, the
Tricks, is now touring. act that won the close-up competition
that had the human gasometer in it
M Didn’t you have a Zig-Zag as part among other things, and the act where
of that? you have a computer and you run out of
J Originally it was part of the show, but the hall into the woods, and I’m sure
now it’s a stand-alone cabaret piece. you’ve got a dozen that I didn’t see. Most
magicians that I know work within a
M But you’re the guy who doesn’t like relatively constrained area where the
box tricks! audience sort of know what they are
J I know. It’s funny, isn’t it? The irony of going to do. Let’s take John Archer as an
my life. There’s all this stuff that I profess example. He does a combination of mind
to hate; magicians dressing up in reading, comedy, maybe plays the ukulele
ridiculous outfits, and here I am dressed and he has sharp exchanges with people,

334 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

do this in your act. You could be Puff the a-time card change which you performed
Magic Dragon. Straight away I said to her, as the finale to your appearance on Penn
I could be Piff the Magic Dragon, you and Teller: Fool Us.
might have heard of my older brother. I J If you don’t put your creation out, it
didn’t try it for a year or so but when I did will get ripped off, sadly.
it just all fitted. The whole ridiculous
thing, it made me be able to play the M How has The Magic Circle helped you
exact type of magician I would want to in your career?
play, grumpy but also smug, showing off. J I met some of my closest friends in
It has evolved over the years. I just used to magic here. When I came as an eighteen
be grumpy and deadpan whereas now it year-old I’d go for dinner each Monday
turns out he’s the last of his species, he’s with Richard Pinner, Fay Presto, Jon Allen,
lonely, he’s broken up with his ex-wife Nick Einhorn, John Gordon and Pete
princess so he’s bitter but is also trying to McCahon. I remember coming back on
find a new one so he’s always flirting with the night bus each Monday buzzing with
the girls on stage. It’s a rich mine to explore ideas. Richard has gone on to be a huge
and not a million miles away from reality. help to me in my career, always there to
brainstorm ideas and build things that
M Where did the idea of adding a dog explode. Fay Presto gave me an
to your act come from? Was that your pet apprenticeship in restaurant magic,
dog? One day were you petting it and just The Circle. I asked him if would be okay without which I’d have gone hungry for
decided it would work well in your act? with him if I added it to my act and he a long time, and always supported my
J I was doing my Edinburgh show and said yes. I adapted the trick from the more left-field ideas. I owe them both
the girl I was with had a Chihuahua. The metal tube which was in Alan’s version to a great deal.
Chihuahua got in my show because I the plastic drinking straw that I use now
came up with a good joke for it, so I and then after six months I decided it M How do you see things progressing?
bought my own Chihuahua. Also Max would be a good idea to toast a Will standnotamazed develop into a
Somerset inspired me because he would marshmallow at the end of it, which I future career for you along with Piff?
do stuff with chickens and ducks and I think is a great bit. J I’ve just come to the end of a five-year
thought it seemed like he had gone the plan, and I’ve been fortunate enough to
extra mile with what he does. Initially, M In magic, you tend to see people doing accomplish most of the things on that
when I started my act I wanted it all to fit the same tricks over and over again. It plan. I’ve just spent several months
in a bag. It has been a lot of extra effort gets to the point where you see dozens of working out what I’d like to do next
to go to, but it’s been great having him magicians doing split-fan productions and which I always find really important; to
around, on stage and off. it’s easy to forget which magician is on stop and ask myself what do I really want
the other end of the split-fan. You have to do, given I only have a limited time.
M For the Close-up Magician of the Year consistently come up with images in your The most important thing to me is to be
competition you did a trick which I have act that are unique to John van der Put. able to create work I believe in and ensure
only seen two other magicians perform. That can’t be easy and must reflect that work is sustainable and it gets the
That’s the human gasometer. I’m not sure something of a philosophy that you have. biggest audience that it can, including TV.
people know what a gasometer is any J It takes me ages to come up with the I’ve got an idea for a Piff sitcom that I’d
more, but they have those big round pieces I do. The straw-ometer took me a like to make and I am also going to be
tanks you sometimes see when you’re year and it’s a two-minute bit. The card- doing solo shows as myself which is sort
driving along the motorway. In the old changing trick was three years at least of a bridge between doing stand-up and
days they contained illuminating gas that and it was only six years later I felt a theatre show. One of the major
was used for lighting and the original comfortable with it. All of these things influences on me has been Ricky Jay. I saw
trick, as Alan Shaxon still does it, has an take ages to come up with and then his show when I was about 15. I love the
upside-down bracket with a gas mantle, somebody comes up to you and says, oh idea of performing small theatre shows.
the thing that glows when it gets hot. I’ve yes, who did you buy that from? It’s
seen Pete Firman do it but I don’t recall heartbreaking. Those routines, once all M The problem is finding venues.
the details. You do it with a clear drinking the patter is in place and are fully J I’ve not found that. I work two or
straw which you have been drinking finished, they’re like my babies, a little three times a week in large venues. All
through and then you light the end of it child I’ve raised up. John Archer was this – burlesque, cabaret and variety – is
and a flame appears. It is a trick which is always on about you’ve got to be original, huge at the moment. You’ve just got to
rarely done today and even if you wish to you’ve got to be original. I’m lucky to apply yourself. It goes back to – what do
research methods you’ll find it is not easy. have been able to come up with some you want to do? I want to be in theatre
What attracted you to that trick? good ideas and I work hard at what I do shows. How do you get them? You create
J I had seen Alan’s act a lot and the and have never settled for less. a stand-up act that can get you into a
theme seemed to relate to the idea of a theatre. The idea of Piff was very
fire-breathing dragon. I spent a lot of time M You have marketed at least one trick, intentional to get me where I wanted to
with Alan and I bought a version of that VDP, as a DVD (available from be. These days I wake up every day
trick from him at a flea market here at www.alakazam.co.uk). This is a piece-at- completely in love with my job.

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 335

FOURTH EUROPEAN THURSDAY

MAGIC HISTORY
AND COLLECTIONS
CONGRESS Viewing the British Library's Evanion Collection Marttin Scott-Price Graham Lee

Written and photographed by Matthew Field MIMC

112
magic collectors and history buffs converged on
London from 1 – 4 September for the fourth
gathering of the group patterned somewhat on the
Magic Collectors Association (MCA) conventions in the US. There Fergus Roy Alan Shaxon, Julia and Stefane Laurens Jack Delvin S
were delegates from Germany, France, Italy,
Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, the US FRIDAY SATURDAY
and Australia, and I’m sure other countries
as well. The congress was organised by
Fergus Roy, owner, with his wife Betty, of

Photo: Wittus Witt

Davenports Magic. Fergus had dubbed
the organisation Eurocol to make the
name less unwieldy and designed a
handsome logo. The Magic Circle was Matt Field Anne Davenport Bill Spooner
host to the talks, illustrated with
PowerPoint slides, and one of the
evening shows. The Circle’s Heritage
Auction, reported elsewhere in this
issue, took place on the preceding day.

Thursday Fergus Roy Flip Hallema Charles Greene Peter Schuster

Things got under way with a trip to the British Library for a
special private viewing of the Evanion Collection of magic. The
rarely exhibited collection contains posters and ephemera of
material mostly dating from the 1800s and early 1900s. The
Library has generously made the collection available for viewing
on line, at www.bl.uk/catalogues/evanion/. The evening saw a
buffet and show, Welcome to The Magic Circle at our Vanessa Toulmin Geoff Felix John Davenport Jacques Voignier

headquarters. After a welcome by our President, Jack Delvin,

compere Martin Scott-Price took to the stage with a big hat and
some tired gags, then there was Scott Penrose with his dove act,
balloonologist Graham Lee with funny and amazing stunts, Alan
Shaxon with daughter Julia performing illusions including
Harbin’s Vanishing Radio and Blades of Opah, and Roy
Davenport with his energetic act including the Colour-Changing Ken Trombly Peter Lane Peter Wardell Richard McDougall

waistcoat made famous by his great grandfather.

Friday
Half-hour talks were scheduled on Friday, with a lunch time
break for a visit to Covent Garden to see the performers in the
famous piazza. Fergus Roy welcomed the group and explained The Dancing Pig Francois Bost Dinner at the Savage Club
that Jim Alfredson, Lifetime President of the MCA who normally
delivers a welcoming speech, was not able to attend due to a
fall and some broken ribs. The Magic Circle Executive Librarian performer and author. Peter Lane (UK) spoke about items from
Peter Lane took to the stage to inform attendees that Eddie his extensive collection of “Professor Anderson, The Wizard of
Dawes, a regular speaker and organiser at the Heritage Weekend the North” and how many of them had found him instead of
events, was unable to attend due to illness. Also unable to attend the other way around. Yours truly Matthew Field (US/UK)
was Bill Palmer, whose wife had unfortunately passed away. presented a talk on “Magic’s Most Prolific Writer – Karl Fulves”
Charles Greene III (USA), performer and poster collector, spoke illustrated with many of his books and magazines along with
on “Ionia, The Mystery Resolved”, about the brief career of accompanying apparatus.
Clementine de Vere,the magician depicted in the beautiful and The group adjourned for lunch in Covent Garden to see how
well-known poster. François Bost (France) spoke about “New street performers use the famous piazza. Performing were Peter
Revelations about Giuseppe Pinetti”, the 18th century Italian Wardell, winner of The Magic Circle Stage Magician and Close-

336 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 SUNDAY The group reassembled at 7 pm for “An Evening at the Savage
Club”, the famed gentleman’s club (open to all attendees for the
evening) with a long list of stellar members in the performing
and fine arts. Dinner was followed by communal singing of such
chestnuts as “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary”, “If You Were the
Only Girl” and “Roll Out the Barrel”.

Roy Davenport Doubler decker The Hackney Empire Hackney Empire seen from the stage Saturday
The morning talks were again half-hour presentations. Peter
Schuster (Germany) lectured on “The Magic of Doctor Reinhard
Rohnstein”, a magician who died in 1955, well-known in
Germany but virtually unknown in the rest of the world. Jacques
Voignier (France) spoke of “Early Magic Dealers and Stage
Scott Penrose Mervyn Heard and projector The Magic Lantern images Paul Kieve
Automata in France prior to Robert-Houdin”, a look at 18th
century creators of this then-popular entertainment. Wittus Witt
(Germany) decided at the last minute to change his subject to
“One-Issue Magic Magazines”, although he generously included
short-run magazines as well. The beautifully illustrated talk was
sprinkled with his good humour. Card expert Daniel Rhod
(France) examined “Cardsharping in France”, a look at cheaters
and their techniques, with two small volumes available for
purchase. Bill Spooner (US) presented a fascinating look at
Chris Woodward Daniel Rhod David Hibberd Jacques Voignier “Inexhaustible Vessels: From Ancient to Modern Times” which
examined the Lota Bowl in all its many guises, tracing the earliest
back more than 2500 years. Pierre Taillefer (France) spoke of
“Conjuring Arts in the Islamic Middle Ages”, the flourishing of
magic in Baghdad, Cairo and Cordoba. The illness of Eddie
Dawes prevented him from delivering a talk on “Mr. & Mrs.
Victor André’, and The Magic Circle’s Executive Archivist, David
Pierre Taillefer Stefane Laurens Volker Huber Rudiger Deutsch Hibberd (UK), graciously filled in with “Photographs of David
Devant”.
The afternoon concluded with a series of 15- and 20-minute
talks, leading off with Chris Woodward (UK) speaking on
“Maurice Fogel – Still Searching for the Sensational” and
including material from his new book on Rameses – The
Forgotten Star. Stéfane Laurens (France) spoke on “New Magic
Wittus Witt. Alan Shaxon Oliver Tabor Paul Daniels Paintings from the 14th to 20th Century” a survey of art by,
among others, Hieronymus Bosch, Bruegel, Dalí and others
which include images of magicians at work. Volker Huber and
Rudiger Deutsch (Germany) presented an extensive examination
and survey of “The Billiard Ball Stand – A Stage Gimmick for the
Billiard Ball Manipulator and its Development from Manually
Operated to Automaton”, including examples of stands which
Romany Roy Davenport The Edward Victor Buffet vanished and produced balls, operated by the performer, a
hidden assistant, or mechanical means.
up Magician of the Year titles in a rare outdoor performance Saturday dinner, “The Edward Victor Buffet”, was held in the
including the Cups and Balls, and Geoff Felix with a Punch & Charing Cross Hotel, adjacent to Charing Cross Rail and Tube
Judy show. Station (Davenports Magic Shop is located here in the Charing
Back to The Circle for afternoon talks. John and Anne Davenport Cross Shopping Arcade), and it was here that Edward Victor
spoke of their extensive research on “The Maskelynes”, notably actually performed. A short walk to the Charing Cross Theatre
John Nevil, Nevil and Jasper, illustrated with posters, broadsides and delegates and members of the public who had purchased
and a performance by John of an amazing appearing model tickets were treated to The Magic of The Magic Circle, with all
automobile. Flip Hallema (Netherlands) presented a talk on performers being Members of our esteemed society. Paul Zenon
“Gastro Magic” which combined his love of food and cooking was the very funny and magical compere, and the first to
with magic, illustrated by several gastronomic effects. Ken perform was Oliver Tabor with his violin-themed act. Richard
Trombly (US) described items related to “Collecting the H’s”, McDougall was excellent with a silent cigarette-themed routine
Houdini, Houdin, Heller, Hartz and (h)others. Prof. Vanessa in which his smokes and lighter never seemed to be where they
Toulmin (UK) made a special trip to present “Professor Vanessa’s should, followed by his wonderful turn with a goose with an
Performing Wonders: Edwardian Film”, a showing of quite a attitude. Romany filled the stage with her birdcage productions,
few short, silent films, some hand-coloured, of magicians (many amusing by-play with volunteers and excellent magic. Alan
anonymous) performing effects, some via special effects, with a Shaxon performed some of the routines which he has made
▲

bonus of one of my favourites, the Dancing Pig. iconic classics, including Confabulation, Aerial Fishing,

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 337

 THE MAGIC CIRCLE
CLOSE-UP
MAGICIAN OF THE YEAR
26 March 2012
Closing date for entries 31 January 2012

Competition rules and entry conditions

available on TMC website or
from Competition Secretary
Katherine Rhodes AIMC,
T 07956 249 318
E TMC@KatherineRhodes.co.uk
338 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk
 FOURTH EUROPEAN MAGIC HISTORY Houdini, Devant, Lafayette, Soo and Harbin. Paul Kieve, whose
▲

children’s book Hocus Pocus is partly set in the theatre, gave a

AND COLLECTIONS CONGRESS talk on the rise and fall of the theatre, some of the magicians
Hydrostatic Glass, Thumb Tie and the Human Gasometer. Roy who appeared on its stage, and his participation in its
Davenport presented a completely different act to his Thursday restoration, followed by an escorted tour of the magnificent
turn, with amazing billiard ball manipulations and a Miser’s structure. Also appearing was ‘Professor’ Marvyn Heard who
Dream with coin ladder and what seemed to be hundreds of brought a Magic Lantern projector and showed how still images
coins. The headliner was Paul Daniels, at the top of his form, were made to animate in the days before cinema. To view these,
who came on stage in a ratty toupee which he said he had sold the audience joined him on stage.
on eBay for a great price. He performed his signature Chop Cup This was a fitting close to a packed schedule of events.
routine, Dean’s Box, Crystal Ball Card Reading in which Fergus Roy did a masterful job organising the four days,
spectators divine the selections, and banknote in Lemon, Egg providing delegates with a rich mix of talks, site-specific journeys
and Walnut. Paul’s stage presence is remarkable and his magic and meals in unique venues. Delegates received a package which
is first rate. Although the theatre was warm on a balmy London included Bob Read’s “Magic London” map, produced for The
Summer evening, the audience had a marvellous time. Magic Circle’s Centenary, plus a variety of London maps. Among
attendees who did not make presentations were Mike Caveney,
Sunday John Gaughan, Magic Christian, Dany (Trik) Cudennec, with
Two red double-decker Routemaster buses, iconic symbols of brief appearances by Roy and Jean Walton and Simon Drake.
London, delivered delegates from The Magic Circle Headquarters For many attending, this was their first opportunity to visit
to the Hackney Empire Theatre. The enjoyable journey was an The Magic Circle headquarters and positive comments were
opportunity to see some London neighbourhoods. On arrival, the to be heard from many lips.
group took seats in the historic theatre, built in 1901, which was The 2013 Eurocol Congress will take place in Hamburg,
once a premiere variety showcase, featuring magicians such as Germany and the 2015 event will be held in Paris, France.

Peter Liddelow AIMC

David Hatch MMC

I regard it as a great privilege to have members’ circumstances will be treated Contact addresses:
become your Welfare Officer, and with the utmost respect and Mrs Doreen Hawley (Peter’s wife) –
should like to take this opportunity on confidentiality. 19 North Mill Place, Mill Chase,
behalf of The Magic Circle to thank my Halstead, Essex, CO9 2FA
predecessor, Revd Peter Liddelow, for all Sadly I have to report the death of Peter Eddie Dawes – 393 Beverley Road,
he has done in so many ways to Hawley MMC aged 82. Peter had been a Anlaby, East Yorkshire, HU10 7BQ
support members in need. I am proud member of TMC for over 50 years Peter Pinner – 30 Manor Park Drive,
extremely grateful that he has agreed to and particularly enjoyed performing to North Harrow, Middlesex, HA2 6HS
continue as Chaplain and to share in children. Magic was an important part of David Ball – 30 Sandy Lodge Way,
the writing of this column. As many will his and his family’s life and he requested Northwood, Middlesex, HA6 2AS
know, Peter’s wife Sylvia’s health that he wear his MC tie at his funeral.
problems are making increasing Chaplaincy:
demands on him and we remember We send our good wishes to Eddie Revd Peter Liddelow AIMC –
them both and wish them well. I am Dawes MIMC who has had a complicated 23 Kings Road, Barnet, Herts, EN5 4EF
delighted that Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler recovery following a routine operation. T. 020 8441 2968 E. Chaplain@
MMC has agreed to join the Chaplaincy. Eddie unfortunately requires further TheMagicCircle.co.uk
Geoffrey is Rabbi at the New West End surgery, which at the time of writing is Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler MMC –
synagogue, Bayswater, and is normally scheduled for 10 October. We hope that 10 St Petersburgh Place, Bayswater,
in the club room on Monday nights. I following this he makes a full and speedy London W2 4LB
have no doubt that members will recovery. We also send best wishes to T. 020 7229 6215
welcome the fact that the Chaplaincy David Ball MIMC who is also awaiting E. Gshisler@TheMagicCircle.co.uk
team has been widened in this way and surgery and Peter Pinner MIMC who is
will give him their full support. As I am having medical tests. Together with them If you hear of members or their families
a retired children’s anaesthetist most of we do not forget other members and who are sick or facing hard times please
you are too old to receive personal their families previously mentioned for contact:
medical care from me, but as a doctor I their ongoing treatment and care: David Hatch MMC (Welfare Officer)
do understand about the sensitivity of Steve Biddle AIMC, Gwen Cooper, 6 Darnley Road, Woodford Green,
dealing with health matters and can Alan Tall AIMC, John Wood AIMC. Essex 1G8 9HU
assure you that any information you Just a thought: Love is blind – friendship T. 020 8504 4134
give me about your own or other closes its eyes (Anon). E. WelfareOfficer@TheMagicCircle.co.uk

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 339

 Mandy Davis MIMC Convenor of Reports. Photographed by John

Mondays, August 2011 Magician’s Choice We featured a report last month, and have a few more photos by John Ward.

Carlos Vinuesa Chris Power Chris Wood Gordon Drayson

Michael Vincent. Paul Abbey Richard McDougall Roberto Forzoni and Nick Fitzherbert

Will Houstoun Tim Sutton Justin Higham Lee Thomson

Monday 5 September 2011 Teller: Fool Us. Our guest was Peter Davey, Peter told us the original idea was ‘An
Who’s Fooling Who? the Executive Producer, who gave us Audience with Penn and Teller’ but it
insights into the background to the series was their idea to do “Fool Us.” In fact
Reported by Geoffrey Shisler and some of the things that went on they genuinely enjoyed being fooled and
The genial Noel Britten chaired this backstage. There were also a number of really looked forward to seeing effects
interesting evening devoted to the members of The Magic Circle present who that they did not know. Contrary to
recently broadcast series Penn and had appeared on the shows. some views expressed, they saw no

340 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

Ward MMC

performance prior to the recording. immensely and, as Peter wonderful footage of Houdini readying
Many magicians were concerned that concluded, fooling them the plane and finally making his flight.
there had been too much exposure but was not the be-all and end- Houdini never flew again – and his
Peter told us that some of the reviewers all of the series anyway. remarkable aircraft seemed to just
had complained that there had not been [The Pre-show session vanish. Paul’s investigations, including
enough! While a certain amount of featured Harry Reeve.] Harry Reeve visits to Digger’s Rest, identified that the
exposure was necessary, to make clear plane was shipped to the UK and sold
that they knew how a trick had been Monday 12 September 2011 to Donald Stephenson – stage assistant
performed, the producers did their best to Harry and the Disappearing to Chung Ling Soo. Further research
make sure that it was kept to a minimum. Airplane – Paul Zenon MIMC through numerous archives failed to
It was agreed right from the start that find the resting place. He made a return
Penn & Teller would only reveal their Reported by Tim Barnes visit to a condemned warehouse in
knowledge of the workings of illusions Magician, escapologist, celebrity and Barnes, South West London, a former
through drawings. debunker of myths – a description of both storage facility used by Stephenson.
Graham Jolley, one of the nine our speaker, Paul Zenon, and Harry Paul wandered in to find three men.
successful ‘foolers’ in the series, said that Houdini, the subject of his talk. He asked them if they knew about the
he really wanted to fool them. He started This was the story of Paul’s quest to former use of the building, and days
off his card work with some flashy later one of the men emailed Paul and
shuffles, to show that he could handle a turned out to be Stephenson’s great
pack of cards, and then went on to do grandson!
what was, essentially, a self-working trick. Paul remains convinced that one day
We heard from John van der Put who, he will find what became of the plane.
although he didn’t fool them, had gained He’s reassured by the fact that people
enormously from his ten minutes on never actually destroy propellers,
prime time TV. All his Edinburgh shows believing that in time he will find the
were completely sold out! plane itself – or at least one part of it.
Young and Strange expressed their For now, he’s waiting on another
appreciation at the respect with which the coincidence, a twist of fate that will
production team treated them, to the take him closer to his
extent that they re-shot the explanation Paul Zenon goal. This was a
given by Penn so as not to give too much find what became of Houdini’s remarkable remarkable evening.
away. Voisin plane. [The Devant Room Pre-
Penn & Teller felt it was the best thing Paul’s interest initially arose from him show session featured
they’d ever done and enjoyed it simply wanting to create a non-magic Alan Shaxon.] Alan Shaxon
production to present at Edinburgh’s
annual Arts Festival. His studies took Monday 19 September 2011
him to images of the events of 1910, Meet Joker Magic –
which saw Houdini purchase a Gyula Czili MIMC
plane in Hamburg and have it We’ve got a photo of the
delivered to Australia, as part evening’s proceedings from
of a publicity stunt and John Ward.
world record attempt. [The Devant
During a short stay in Room Pre-
Australia, Houdini learned to show session
both drive and fly. At Digger’s featured Henry
Rest he achieved his aim – Henry Lewis Lewis.]
Australia’s first sustained, controlled
and powered flight. We saw
numerous photos of the craft, and
of those associated with his life
Peter Davey and Noel Britten and work; together with some
Gyula Czili

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 341

 Ian Rowland MIMC
MIMC

Spooning In Vegas
wo columns ago, regarding my lecture in Turkey, I mentioned By any standards, Magic Live was a superb convention with

T how my life sometimes works out oh-so-perfectly. You

may have found this a bit nauseating. You may even have
felt moved to bribe a farmer to dump fresh manure on my car
many treats to savour. Joshua Jay presented his latest one-man
show, which was excellent. We had a superb ‘lecture
documentary’ about the history of sawing a woman in half,
while you stuff a note through my door saying, ‘Not so perfect complete with excellent performances of five variations on the
now is it, eh Mr. Smugboots?’ (Of course, none of you would theme. That may sound rather repetitive, but in fact it was
actually do anything so horrible. The lovely old couple who live hugely entertaining as well as being informative.
at my previous address, the one still listed on The Circle The highlight for me was an extraordinary presentation by
membership list by mistake, are sure the ‘incident’ was entirely Chilean magician Juan Esteban Varela called ‘From The Dark’.
coincidental. They say their car is nearly back to normal, but in Juan has long been fascinated by the challenge of devising
warm weather it does develop a faint whiff of cattle shed.) magic for the blind, and has managed to create an entire show
I mention all this because I’m about to bring up another ‘my that blind people can take part in and enjoy. ‘From The Dark’
perfect life’ moment, so if you found it sickening last time, you was a special presentation of this show, devised especially for
can turn the page and/or make another call to the farmer. Magic Live. To get the full experience, we all sat blindfolded in
It happened while I was making plans for August and trying an unlit room for the duration of the performance. The show
to decide whether to go to the Edinburgh Fringe or Las Vegas. consisted of a series of conceptual, auditory and tactile illusions,
I was about to flip a coin when the phone rang. It just frequently baffling and all superbly presented by Juan. It was a
happened to be Stan Allen inviting me to lecture at the Magic unique, thrilling and extraordinary show, quite unlike anything
LIVE convention in Las Vegas in August. How neat and perfect else I’ve ever experienced. You can read more about Juan and his
was that? A little amicable haggling over my astronomical yet extraordinary magic on his website, http://www.jvarela.com.
reasonable fee, and the deal was done! (Incidentally, I discovered My mentalism lecture was on the third and final day of the
Stan’s invitation stemmed largely from a recommendation by convention. I say ‘lecture’, but in fact like all the lecturers I had
my good friend Jeff McBride, so … thank you Jeff!) to repeat it four times in a row because it’s such a big
I flew out to Vegas five days ahead of the convention, so convention. I don’t know if I was any good or not, but the
that I could have some just-for-fun time seeing shows and audiences were great, I met a lot of new people and I
friends. For this part of the trip I stayed at the Bellagio hotel thoroughly enjoyed myself. Noel Britten was there and was kind
which I regard as like heaven only better. As well as thoroughly enough to say that I was funny (in the ‘telling good gags’ way as
enjoying myself, I spent a bit of time prop hunting. Mentalism opposed to just ‘unintentionally weird’). Coming from him, that’s
is mercifully light on props, and for overseas gigs I seldom take a great compliment.
anything with me because it’s easier to just buy stuff locally. Or If you’ve never been to Magic Live, then you should give it
so I thought. serious consideration. It’s intentionally very different from other
My shopping list included 32 stainless steel spoons, which conventions, always full of neat touches and unique events, plus
you’d think would be fairly easy to get hold of. Not so. I’ll you get the fun of Vegas as well. What could be better?
spare you the details, but this simple mission degenerated into
a madcap farce involving countless spoons either too soft or 21 DVD
too hard for the purpose, an out-of-town Walmart the size of “21” is the title of an excellent DVD published last year by
Kansas and an entirely mad Greek cab driver telling me about Swedish magical maestro Anders Moden. It features ten of
his family’s involvement with Nazi gold (I am not making this Sweden’s finest magicians presenting 21 different effects and
up). Did I find the right spoons eventually? Yes. Did I decide, routines, spanning just about every magical genre. It’s all in
three days later, to drop the spoons routine from my lecture, English, and it’s one of the finest, most enjoyable DVDs I’ve seen
thereby rendering the whole saga a monumental waste of in a long time.
time? Yes indeed. Does this reflect a shabbily disorganised I’m giving it a mention here because the highlight for me was
mind that couldn’t put three beans in a row? You betcha. ‘Forced Will’ by Jonas Ljung. It’s one of the best impromptu
close-up mentalism routines I’ve ever come across, and well
Dark Magic worth knowing. The DVD is distributed by Murphys so it should
After five days of fun in paradise, I waved a reluctant farewell be obtainable via Your Favourite Dealer. Highly recommended.
to the Bellagio and relocated to the Orleans, the excellent off-
Strip hotel chosen for the convention. I left behind a waste bin QUICK TRICK
full of discarded spoons in various states of distress, plus a Here’s a great way to establish your credentials as an expert in
generous tip for the cleaner who took them all away and, I human psychology.
imagine, started a small scrap-metal business. You need to make six cards, and they can be any size you like.

342 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

1&6 2 3

4 5 shapes, ignore the colours’. Turn the double face down, slide
off the top card, Card #4, and place it face down on the table.
Again, chat to the Spec for a moment and simply move the
top card (Card #5) to the bottom.
Card #6 is now on top. Turn it face up and say, ‘You’ve
already seen one like this, haven’t you? But this one’s slightly
different … see, the word ‘of’ is repeated. Did you notice?’
Most spectators do not notice the repetition, so this will come
as a surprise. Say, ‘That’s not the weird part. The weird part is
Mine are roughly playing card size. Card #1 says ‘Psychology that you didn’t notice it the first time either!’ Point to Card #1
Survey Group of Greater London’. The ‘of’ is actually repeated, that has been in full view the whole time. The Spec will see
but most people won’t notice. Card #2 contains all the numbers that the ‘of’ is repeated. Put the packet of cards you’re
from 1 – 10, with 7 missing and a red dot under the 5. Card #3 holding away in your pocket.
is identical, but the 7 is included. Card #4 shows three shapes, Say, ‘Remember I showed you the numbers from 1 – 10?
each a different colour (I use red, blue and green) with a 7 on Which one had the red dot? Number 5 … correct! But that
the triangle. Card #5 is identical but the 7 is missing. Card #6 is was just a distraction. Did you notice that one of the numbers
identical to Card #1. was missing altogether?’. Let the Spec turn over the second
Stack them from top to bottom, all face down, in the stated card, and she will be amazed that the 7 is missing. Say, ‘You
order. are so used to hearing the numbers 1 to 10 as a set that –
Say ‘From time to time I work as a consultant to advertising given a little distraction – your brain sees something that isn’t
research groups – people who advise big companies on how we there. But the reverse is also true. You sometimes don’t see
can all be influenced without realising it. I’ll show you what I something that is there. Do you know where the missing 7
mean.’ is?’. Let the Spec have a guess. Say, ‘Remember the last card I
Take out the packet of cards. Turn the top card face up. Say showed you? I asked you to remember the shapes and ignore
this is one of the groups you work with. Read the name out the colours. By mentioning shapes and colours, I flooded your
loud: the Psychology Survey Group of Greater London. Leave the brain with distractions and you didn’t see the number 7
card face UP on the table. printed right there on the card’. Let the Spec turn the
Say, ‘The next card shows the numbers from 1-10, but one of remaining card over and see the 7 on the triangle.
them is marked with a red dot. Try to remember which one, but That’s it. It’s a fun, quick demonstration of how our
don’t say anything out loud’. Do a double lift, showing what is perceptions can be fooled, people find it utterly amazing, and
actually Card #3. Count out loud from 1 to 10 and turn the you come off as an expert in the mysterious workings of the
double face down again. Slide off the top card, Card #2, and mind.
place it face down on the table. Make eye contact with the spec
and say, ‘That was easy, wasn’t it? But don’t say anything just Invitation
yet’. As you say this, simply move the top card (Card #3) to the If you have items, stories, jokes or vicious rumours of
bottom of the packet without making a move out of it. Don’t interest to mentalists, please drop me a line
refer to it, don’t try to justify it. There’s no need. (ian@ianrowland.com). If you can’t afford Derren and
Say, ‘The next card shows three shapes. Remember the shapes, want to hire a fairly good also-ran mentalist, or you just
but ignore the colours completely’. Double lift, showing what is have time to kill, please visit www.ianrowland.com.
actually Card #5. Say, ‘Square, triangle, circle – remember the

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 343

344 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk
 t the recent Magician’s Choice once the climax is reached, the impression made in good humour.

A season this summer, a discussion

was held about “What makes a
good trick?” This is a summary of the
that is left is all that matters.

Entertaining
A good trick should:
● have a beginning, a middle and
an end
views given and the conclusions It was also accepted that a good trick is ● be able to be described in a single
reached by those present for the benefit one that is entertaining and the old adage sentence
of those not able to attend. was quoted that, “If they like you, they ● have a presentation that is relevant to
will like what you do”, again reinforcing the audience
Trick or Effect? the view that the performers themselves ● create meaning between yourself and
Firstly, a request for the definition of are key to making a “good trick”. the audience
terms raised the old argument of However it was also pointed out that you ● get a gasp
whether we should use the terminology are struggling in an uphill battle if all you ● have a clear climax
of “trick” or “effect” but it was have going for you is personality and your ● mystify
generally agreed that magicians are the effects are not up to scratch. Tommy ● be engaging/interesting
only people who care about such things Cooper was offered as an example to ● be cheap
and the participants moved on with the disprove this but in turn it was countered ● pack flat (and play big)
question in hand. that he was not a magician so as much as ● fit in the boot of your car
a clown, and his clowning skills were ● be on DVD
Effect vs. Performer excellent, which justified his acceptance ● not be on “YouTube” yet
It was suggested that focusing on by an audience as a performer. ● be new and original
finding a “good trick” divorces the ● be unbelievable
context from the performer, and the Is there any such a thing
performer is in truth inseparable from as a bad trick? Conclusion
the effectiveness of a trick. It was It was generally felt that if presentation At the end of the session groups fed back
countered that David Blaine and Dynamo was all, and the performer was in charge their attempts to define and distil the
owe much of their success to the quality of this, then no matter the trick, it could characteristics of a good trick as follows:
and sensationalism of their effects be successful in the right hands. As an “A good trick is where the audience and
rather than their personality. People do example, David Berglas, who was taking the entertainer go on a voyage of discovery
tend to talk about the trick first and the part, was challenged if he would use the together for their mutual entertainment.”
performer by association second, for 21 Card Trick, a heavily procedural affair “If it’s entertaining, amazing and
example we have all experienced the regarded by most with disdain. He memorable, that makes it a good trick.“
following conversation: “I saw an thought briefly and then asserted that “There are four elements to a good trick:
American magician vanish a jet once.” in the right circumstances he would. A good entertainer/performer
“You mean David Copperfield?” “Yes, I Any trick, he maintained, could be No solution (at the moment)
think so, how did he do that?” made successful. It was further quoted An element of surprise (debatable?)
by others that, “There are no small parts, It is Entertaining“
Relevance only small actors...” (Stanislavsky) and And finally, “There are no bad tricks!”
It was agreed that a trick that is linked that, “There are no bad tricks, only bad
or associated with a performer is ideal performers...” (Daniels). All present enjoyed the debating and left
but it was also suggested that they discussing magic, continuing to make
have to relate or resonate with an Characteristics various points. The discussion was not
audience to be truly effective and this is The participants were then split into smaller intended to be exhaustive but to stimulate
also part of Dynamo and David Blaine’s groups for discussion and given the chance members into considering how they can
success, not solely the effects in and of to explore these assertions and summarise strive to improve. Should members wish
themselves. It was noted that often the their group’s answers. They were challenged to contribute further thoughts and
audience can only recall part of the trick to draw out some characteristics of a views, the Theory forum on the
Photo: John Ward

anyway, the part that impressed them. good trick, beyond the generalism website is an immediate place
Some tricks which we dismiss as being of the performer being key. This where all are welcome and
too procedural or obvious can, with the generated the following list of encouraged to have their say
right presentation, fool and impress and suggestions, some of which were and share their opinions.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD

TRICK? by Chris Wood AIMC

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 345

 Avant-Cards – The Card Magic I have had the pleasure to meet Tom items or routines published in ‘classic’
of Tom Gagnon Gagnon and see him execute all of the mentalism texts. The following chapter
by Wesley James techniques in this book with sublime addresses how potentially tedious
211 pgs., 8.5 x 11.25 ins., extensively mastery. With application on the part of procedural aspects of some routines can
illustrated. $50 plus $5.20 p&p you, dear reader, you too can bring this be handled in such a way as to defuse
(about £35) via PayPal from exquisite material to life. It will take boredom and keep things entertaining.
www.TomGagnonMagic.com. dedication and persistence but the rewards The fifth chapter is outstanding. It
will expand your horizons with a new view includes an impressively ingenious
Reviewed by Michael Vincent of what is possible with a deck of cards. Confabulation-style routine that would
This collection of advanced card magic This has my highest recommendation. even baffle mentalism experts, and some
is the long overdue creative effort of new thinking on the ‘Wordo’ prediction
Tom Gagnon. Written by Wesley James Mind Work principle that is well worth knowing.
with excellent illustration by Tom by Richard Mark ‘Amazing Apparatus’ is the title for
Gagnon himself, the reader is treated to 144 pgs, 6 x 9 ins., illustrated. $45 chapter 6, which details simple easy-to-
an extraordinary collection of expert (about £32) plus p&p from the author at make devices that any mentalist would
ideas, techniques and plots to www.MindBendingMysteries.com, find uses for, while chapter 7 includes –
really stimulate the creative or your favourite dealer. Dealers contact among other gems – a delicious routine,
juices. The technical details have Murphy’s Magic Supplies, ‘Dual Reality Travel’, that blends elements
been described with exacting www.MurphysMagic.com. from several existing routines (all duly
precision and with the credited) into a highly convincing
illustrations combine to make Reviewed by Ian Rowland demonstration of mind-reading.
the learning process an easy Richard Mark is a qualified psychiatrist The penultimate chapter presents
process. who also performs as a mentalist. Ten Mark’s thinking on the Q&A act, and is a
Each chapter of the book deals years ago he delighted the mentalism fine example of how he can address what
with an original technique Tom has community with his first volume of might be considered ‘staple’ mentalism
created with variations and applications. original mental creations, Mind Warp. This fare and find new tweaks and refinements
‘The Gagnon Tabled Spread Pass’ was an outstanding contribution to the that enhance both the deception and the
appeared in The Magic Circular and it is mentalism field, packed with impressively entertainment value. The ninth and final
an outstanding technique for executing original routines in which well-crafted chapter, ‘How the mind works’, is a
the Classic Pass while the deck is spread methods served a variety of entertaining wonderful dissertation that explores how
out on the table. This is just one of the and highly deceptive routines. This second several neurological principles relate to
many gems that will be found in this volume offers more of the same, and mentalism, hypnosis and feats of ‘mind
very large, 212-page book. You will also demonstrates again why the author is so control’.
encounter Ribbon Spread Techniques for highly regarded in the field. This is a magnificent book, packed with
forcing a card, Spread Controls and new The material, all of it clear and well- brilliant thinking, that deserves to be
applications for the Bottom Deal. written, spans many different themes. The studied by everyone with a serious interest
This is a very important book because first chapter concerns close-up miracles, in compelling, entertaining mentalism.
it reveals how far card magic has including a fresh application for the
evolved over the last 150 years. I feel ‘Endless Chain’ and a smart presentational Consignment
this is a fantastic book, right up there angle for Curry’s ‘Swindle of Sorts’. This is by James Howell
with the complete works of Derek Dingle followed by ‘Fourth Dimensional 40 min DVD, envelope and pdf envelope
and Larry Jennings. My only concern is Encounters’, a detailed treatise on the template, gaff. $29.95 (£20) plus p&p
that this book may have a limited appeal. Three Envelopes routine in its various from your favourite dealer. Dealers
Copyright Michael Vincent 2011

Reading this book made me realise how forms together with a refined new contact Murphy’s Magic Supplies,
much time and effort it will take to approach that is simply astounding in www.MurphysMagic.com.
bring this material to life. It is aimed at scope.
the expert card magician looking for new Chapter three Reviewed by Matthew Field
ways to manipulate the pasteboards provides Mark’s This is a method for the signed card to
and represents new and exciting recommendations for envelope effect, with an important feature
possibilities; this is a book of expert card séance routines, and – the envelope is out and on the table
magic, by a world-class cardician. mostly refers to dealer before the card is selected.

346 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 So – the card is selected and signed, Magnets and gaffed coins, mostly This is a laudable task, although the
lost back in the deck, the deck is put back standard stuff, are also involved in some subject will obviously be of quite limited
in the box and the box placed in the lovely coin routines including a Matrix interest, except to die-hard (and
magician’s pocket. The magician points to effect with and without cards and a very perhaps long-term) members of that
the envelope on the table and from it nice two coin transpo. A colour changing organisation.
removes the signed selection. deck starts with two colour changing The project is, however,
A few points. There is sandwiches, then the entire deck gets marred by misspellings of
some construction necessary affected. A packet trick involves pictures names (W.W. Durbin, Percy
to make this, but the gaff of candles lighting to help celebrate a Abbott, John Nevil Maskelyne,
materials are provided with birthday. The special cards are available, Jeffery Atkins, Billy O’Connor,
the DVD, including a but you could easily make your own. Ernest Wethered, Bill
template so you can make For some of the tricks you need to be Stickland, Terry Seabrooke, Bill
more envelopes (to give wearing a wristwatch with a leather band. McIlhany, Jon Allen, and Prof.
away, if you wish). Palming Many of the effects require some table Bofeys, whose name is spelt
is required. The magician space. The sleights involved are of two different ways several times,
must place the pack in his pocket just intermediate level. among others). The photographs are
prior to the revelation. Most important, The effects are performed for spectators stamp-sized, tiny, and are badly in need
you’ve got to be mindful of the ‘too in a restaurant/pub setting and are of Photoshop adjustment (the whites
perfect theory’ pitfall. Did the signed card explained, in excellent English, by Mr. are grey and the alignment is often
really just magically materialise in that Zheng. The skewed). The history leaves out people
envelope? camerawork and like Paul Stone who for several years
Having said all that, the method is production are of the booked the convention talent, and
clever, there’s a diabolical envelope switch highest standard, Gene Gordon, who co-founded the IBM
involved, and it looks really good. David courtesy of Russ with Len Vintus. There is also no
Penn is the on-screen host, and you can Stephens. Credits are mention of the fact that the
see a video on YouTube (search for via a one-page pdf. convention, which took place in
‘Consignment’). It’s great to see Eastbourne in alternate years, will be
innovative, visual moving from there northward to Great
Jump magic by a performer who is a working Yarmouth beginning in 2012.
by Frank Zheng professional from abroad, and this DVD is All that aside, it is valuable for
DVD, 1 hr. 57 mins. £19.99 ($29.99) plus recommended. historians to have a book like this to
p&p from RSVP Magic, access. If you’re a fan of the British
www.RSVPMagic.com or your favourite Linking Britain Ring, you might enjoy the reasonably-
dealer. Dealers contact Murphy’s Magic by Roy Field priced volume.
Supplies, www.MurphysMagic.com. 62pgs., A4, illustrated, soft cover.
£12.50 inc. UK p&p (USA $24 and in Puncture 2.0
Reviewed by Matthew Field Europe €16). By sterling cheque payable by Alex Linian
No, I hadn’t heard of Shanghai magician to C. Field, or contact 49 min. DVD with gimmicks. $35 (£25)
Frank Zheng either, but he’s a very royfield@britishring.org.uk. plus p&p from your favourite dealer.
talented coin and card magician whose Dealers contact Murphy’s Magic
very visual work, sometimes using gaffs, is Reviewed by Matthew Field Supplies, www.MurphysMagic.com.
excellent. The British Ring of the IBM was founded
There are eight routines performed and in 1928 and Member Roy Field (no Reviewed by Matthew Field
explained, with a ninth, a sponge hearts relation) has done a service to the history This is a great looking pen through
routine, demonstrated but not explained, of magic by compiling its history. quarter (or euro) effect, extremely visual
since the moves are pretty standard. The book recounts the beginnings, the and not very difficult to perform. The
There’s a wonderful trick involving a various officers (many of whom were or gimmicked coin you receive (usually a
balloon that bursts as a spectator holds it are Members of The Magic Circle), the quarter in the US or euro on this side of
and you move your hands around it. It conventions, the magazine The Budget, the pond) is a variant of the David Roth
involves no pins or darts, but does use a and lists of winners of British Ring Karate Coin, in other words there’s no
▲

PK ring. contests. mechanics involved in the coin itself,

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk HE MAGIC CIRCULAR 347

316 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk
 www.RSVPMagic.com. Dealers contact as you can see from my excerpted list,
▲

Murphy’s Magic supplies, are variants of familiar tricks, sometimes

www.MurphysMagic.com. with an added kicker. They’re shown
there’s just a hole. performed in real-life situations, for
The pen provided is also ungimmicked, Reviewed by Matthew Field spectators who are standing or seated
although it has a special property used in Shaun McCree is a clever card magician in a restaurant. The production by Russ
the effect. The DVD is nicely shot with on- who knows what he’s talking about Stevens is, as always, excellent.
screen instructions in because he is working magician. In this In other words, this is practical magic
your choice of English DVD set for Russ Stevens’s RSVP Magic, for the worker. It is not easy to find this
or Spanish – Mr. Linian Shaun presents eleven routines which he sort of material, and Shaun is a good
does not speak. There uses in strolling environments. That means teacher. I wish I had had a DVD like this
are several variations effects performed in the hands (your before I was faced with my first strolling
of the effect, some spectators’ and your own) without the magic job.
with a signed coin and need of a table, in situations where you
some restorations, may be surrounded. Urban Illusions
along with practice There’s an Easy Money variant using by J.C. Sum
tips. Some bonus effects include Pen Thru coloured pieces of paper which transform 120 pgs., 8.5 x 11 ins., soft cover,
Body, Banknote, Magazine, Necktie and to banknotes, ‘Everywhere and Aces’ in illustrated. $90 (£68) plus p&p from your
something where the pen penetrates a which cards transform, ‘Daley Rainbow’ favourite dealer. Dealers contact Murphy’s
deck of cards, finds a signed selection, which is Dr. Daley’s ‘Cavorting Aces’ with Magic Supplies,
which turns out to be the only card with a Rainbow Deck kicker, a Card to Wallet, www.MurphysMagic.com.
a hole in it. Coins Across in the
None of these are really worth it. The hands, the Hofzinser Reviewed by Matthew Field
main effect, though, is a real eye-popper, Ace trick with a kicker, Books with designs for contemporary
and the package is very reasonably priced. a story trick (quite illusions are relatively rare. Singapore
long for strolling, I illusionist J.C. Sum’s new volume contains
Stand & Deliver think), and a couple of ten illusions and presentations which are
by Shaun McCree tricks which do require of varying quality and practicality. These
2-DVD set, 3 hrs. $39.99 (£28) plus p&p a table after all. are not things you’ll be able to put

▲
from your favourite magic dealer or Most of the tricks, together with a craft knife and some

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 349

 Council minutes
▲

gaffer tape. They are fabricated from heavy-duty

sheet metal (usually some type of aluminium) and
one or more assistants are often required, in one
case a sort of double. Also lots of rehearsal.
As Mr. Sum says, “This book is not for the
beginner illusionist”. Undescribed is the standard
Illusion Base and other basic
ideas. There are two ‘passing
through an industrial fan’-
type effects, a massive
‘Assistant’s Revenge’ idea,
dividing a lady into sevenths,
a passage through a tunnel
lined with broken beer
bottles, a contemporary MINUTES OF THE MAGIC 4. MATTERS ARISING
DeKolta Chair illusion (the DeKolta Chair itself is CIRCLE COUNCIL MEETING Stage Magician of the Year
not described), a crystal Metamorphosis, and more. HELD AT SMoTY Committee had asked
There is an introduction by Franz Harary, who THE HEADQUARTERS ON 7 that the date of the
knows a thing or two about illusions himself. SEPTEMBER 2011 6.30 pm competition be changed so
Some of these are a bit derivative, and it’s not that it is before FISM. Council
clear that all of them have actually been built. Mr. PRESENT felt this would be unfair to the
Sum is a successful, working illusionist, so he Alan MASKELL (Deputy current holder who should
knows what he’s talking about. Most of these Chairman – in the Chair) enter FISM as the holder. If the
illusions will have to be built as models and then Jack DELVIN (President) date were to be changed it
constructed by a machinist. They will be heavy and Alexander CRAWFORD should move further after
have to be transported and loaded in and out. (Acting Treasurer) FISM. Unanimously agreed not
But, for the professional illusion worker, there is Noel BRITTEN to change the date from that
much here of interest and, at about £7 per illusion Mandy DAVIS already publicised. SP to inform
plan, the price is reasonable. James FREEDMAN SMoTY Committee.
Fay PRESTO
Martyn ROWLAND Membership of CMA
Making Magical Memories – John VAN DER PUT As agreed, the Chairman had
Colin Dymond Michael VINCENT circulated forms to become
Book. £15 including UK P&P from members of CMA to all
colin@AceOfDiamonds.co.uk. Steve PRICE (Deputy Secretary) members of Council. All
Reviewed by Jack Stephens Kevin DOIG (Deputy Treasurer members of Council were
and Minute Secretary) encouraged to join.
Colin Dymond has been a popular children’s
magician for more than fifteen years. He is also the 1. APOLOGIES 5. SECRETARY’S REPORT
co-presenter of the brand new DVD from Practical Andrew EBORN, Will There were three new members.
Magic – The Magic of Puppets. HOUSTOUN, Scott PENROSE, (See attached schedule)
Separate from the DVD, Colin has published a Richard PINNER, Katherine There were two
book entitled Making Magical Memories, which is RHODES, Brian SIBLEY, Chris reinstatements.
aimed at the children’s entertainer. It contains WOOD, David WEEKS. There were three
chapters on the business of promotions.
magic, the show itself, 2. DEATHS It was unanimously agreed
including some of the magic Council learned of the death of that Johnny HART should be
effects that he performs, and Frank BIGGS (aka Frank Koval) promoted to MIMC
running the games session of following a letter from his niece. Professional as proposed by the
a party (a lucrative ‘extra’ for Members of Council stood in President. The award would be
any magician who does not silence as a mark of respect. made at an imminent interview
offer the whole party being conducted by Dave
package). It is not a huge 3. MINUTES ANDREWS and Russ STEVENS.
publication, and so is not full The minutes of the meeting It was unanimously agreed
of technical mumbo-jumbo, but it is an ideal held on 2 August 2011 were that Brian Sibley should be
introduction to the world of entertaining agreed with some minor promoted to MIMC as
children for anyone starting out in this line of amendments. Proposed AC, proposed by the President. The
work. Even a seasoned performer will pick seconded JV. Unanimously award would be made at the
up a tip or two! agreed. AGM.

350 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

Correspondence: bookings, the Acting Treasurer for tax purposes. Promotions on 7 September
Council had been asked to had received a schedule which 2011
intervene in a dispute between he had checked to various 8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Dr William E Spooner MIMC
one member and one non- underlying contracts as fully The Acting Treaurer was with Gold Star
member. Secretary to write to briefed to Council. authorised to establish Brian Sibley MIMC
them both (and a third party Major concern was expressed electronic internet banking for
who had asked for at the very low number of TMC. Agreed unanimously. Made Honorary Member
intervention) stating that they bookings in place for the The Acting Treasurer proposed Professional on
should try to sort out their period May 2011 to May 2012. the appointment of a deputy 7 September 2011
differences themselves and There seemed to be few new to the Treasurer, responsible for Johnny Hart MIMC
Council will only intervene if bookings coming in. CMA has buying various services. with Gold Star
any behaviour brings TMC into committed to the Acting Following appointment of the
disrepute. Treasurer to provide a monthly buyer, AC indicated that the
A request for photographs of updated report of the state of first area to be addressed
a vent doll would be referred bookings. Council asked to would be printing.
to the museum curators. record a vote of thanks to the NB asked that from the
Treasurer of TMC for his meeting after the AGM, visitor
YMotY Revisited committed and detailed fees on a clubnight will be
Ticket sales for this event were analysis of the situation. raised from £10 to £15.
now looking healthier. JvdP will write to CMA Board Unanimously agreed.
to ask for an opportunity to NB to head up (with SP)
FISM present a number of ideas for seeking to make the displays
Agreed that Council should bringing in more money to CMA around the premises more
sponsor current holders of other than corporate bookings. interactive. Suggested it is one
SMoTY and CUMoTY. This It has been brought to the display case at a time.
sponsorship takes the form of notice of the Acting Treasurer Suggestion that they start with
proposing and supporting that CMA’s commercial the Tommy Cooper cabinet.
members, not financial contracts were being signed as
backing. There was discussion though by TMC. The Acting Editor of The Magic Circular.
about whether TMC should be Treasurer has written to CMA It was agreed that the process
offering mentoring to members insisting that it is clear in all for appointment of the editor Our
who were still to achieve contracts that the agreements would be agreed at the next Headquarters
appropriate standard or to
sponsor those already of a
are with CMA and not TMC,
and that TMC logos are removed
Council meeting. The President
noted that whoever made the
Conventions
good quality. The President has from all CMA stationery, recommendations, the final Dress Code
Smart attire is required at all
to sign for those being publications and websites. appointment would be made events in the Headquarters.
sponsored so it was agreed The Acting Treasurer by Council.
that the acts should be of a suggested and it was agreed Mobile Phones
Please ensure that you switch
good standard already – and that, as TMC was the key Michael Vincent. off your mobile phone before
preferably award winners of brand for selling the building, As this was his last Council entering the Headquarters. If
some sort. the CMA should be licensed to Meeting, a vote of thanks for you must make a phone call,
please do so outside the
use the phrase The Magic his work was unanimously building.
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS: Circle Headquarters for so long agreed.
Regional Officers as the management agreement Photography and Sound
Recording
Our representative for Germany or its replacement was in force. Date of Next Meeting: The use of any form of
has also agreed to be our JF indicated that Magic Tuesday 4 October 2011 at recording equipment, audio
representative for Austria and Management would allow 6.30pm or visual, including cameras
and mobile phones, is not
Switzerland. CMA and TMC the use of the permitted in any part of the
TMC Headquarters logo that New members elected on Headquarters except by
P.R.O. was designed by and for Magic 7 September 2011 special arrangement.
A Report is on file. Management, free of any Brian Gunton MMC – Gum
charge on condition that Magic By examination Please refrain from chewing
Ethics Committee Management may continue Dr Richard Foster MMC – gum of any sort
in the Headquarters.
Members of The Ethics using it to market the premises. By examination
Committee have offered The Acting Treasurer Robert Woods MMC – Smoking
support to the group looking informed Council that for the By examination. Smoking is not allowed
anywhere in the
at Exposure Issues. various Magic Circle produced Headquarters.
events, volunteer expenses will Reinstatements on 7 We all benefit from these
CMA: continue to be provided cash September 2011 conventions, so please respect
and abide by them to avoid
Following his letter to the on the day, which will be Marc Kerstein MMC being turned away. Thank you
CMA, requesting full details of considered to be fees for which Chris Power MIMC for your understanding.
the CMA’s full pipeline of the recipient is responsible with Gold Star

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk NOVEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 351

Forthcoming club events Saturday 19
Ali Bongo Saturday Show
Great close-up and stage magic. Doors open: 5:15. Show finishes
8:30. All invited. £8 from TMC Box office in advance.
The Headquarters are open on Club Nights from 3:00pm until
10:30pm. Unless otherwise stated, events start promptly at Monday 21
7:30pm and are scheduled to finish between 8:45pm and 9pm. Presentation & Technique – Curtis Kam
Club Nights are principally for Members, so entry is by Membership A celebration of the art of sleight-of-hand in two acts: Act One is
Card. A bona fide magician guest may attend any evening that is a thirty-minute show consisting solely of coin effects, destroying
not marked ‘Members Only’ on condition that he or she is able the popular myth that the number of coin presentations is
to show membership of a magical society. A non-magician guest limited. In Act Two Curtis separates myth from method for the
may only attend evenings that are marked as ‘Show’. Guests may most elusive techniques and effects in coin magic, including the
only attend two evenings a year. No guest may attend unless the perfect retention pass, the visual coins across, and Ramsay’s
CMA is told in advance, so if you wish to bring a guest please do Cylinder and Coins.
not contact me but phone (020) 7387 2222. There is a limit of
ten guests per night. All guests must pay a £15 entry fee at the Monday 28
door and respect our Conventions. Indeed, it is your duty as their Eric Mason & Pabular – James Fortune MIMC & John Ward MMC
sponsor to ensure that they do. The Magic Circle reserve the right A fine artist, close-up magician and mentalist par excellence
to refuse entry. See our website for all the latest event details and Eric Mason invented many effects including the Boon thumb-
to subscribe to a weekly email reminder of upcoming events. writer as well as illustrating Tony Corinda’s 13 Steps to Mentalism
and most copies of the close-up magazine Pabular. It is the
NOVEMBER 2011 fascinating world of Eric and Pabular that James Fortune, John
Monday 7 Ward and special guests will be introducing you to tonight.
Flea-Market – James Freedman, MIMC
The Flea Market is a big sale of magic tricks, props and books Looking ahead…
and your chance to clear out that cupboard and sell unwanted
items that may not suit your style. To reserve your table, DECEMBER 2011
ring 0845 006 2442. Monday 5
Because John Archer Was Sadly Unavailable – Ian Rowland MIMC
Monday 14 Monday 12
Lucky to be Alive – Fergus Anckorn MIMC Mystery Evening
TMC’s oldest member, whose incredible experiences as a
Japanese Prisoner of War were told in Surviving by Magic and Change of address? Contact Secretary Steve Price,
The Barbed Wire University, talks about his life and magic and Secretary@TheMagicCircle.co.uk
how the latter saved the former! Fergus will be in conversation Member in need? Contact Welfare Officer
with Andrew Eborn, MIMC. David Hatch, d.hatch@ich.ucl.ac.uk

THE MAGIC CIRCLE SHOWCASE SALES

● Magic Circle Umbrella. Navy blue with silver coloured

handle and printed silver logo. Automatic opening. £14.95
● Magic Circle Playing Cards. Poker Size with black backs and
gold coloured logo. £3.95 each or £6.95 for two
● Magic Circle Key Ring. £1.95
● Souvenir Pocket Mirror. £2.95
● Postcards. Four styles depicting posters from The Circle Collection, namely Soo,
Devant, Le Roy and Hertz. £0.50 each
● The Magic Circle: Performing Magic Through the Ages. Book by Michael Bailey.
Hardback. 288 pages. £18.95 These items can be purchased
● Bob Read's Magical London Map. £2.95 from the Showcase at The Magic Circle
● Inside The Magic Circle. Souvenir booklet. £1.95 Headquarters on a Club Night or can be sent
by post to your address (P&P extra). Credit
● Fridge Magnets. Four styles depicting posters from The Circle Collection, cards (Visa and Mastercard) and cheques
namely Soo, Devant, Le Roy and Carter. £2.95 each or £9.95 for four
drawn on a UK bank accepted (cheques
MEMBERS ONLY *please state your Degree when ordering payable to “CMA Ltd”).
● Button Badge* £3.95 ● Jewel with or without Star* £13.50
For more information Email
● Cufflinks* £11.95 ● Tie £14.95
ShowcaseSales@TheMagicCircle.co.uk
● Membership Certificate frames £26.95 or telephone 0207 387 2222

352 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR NOVEMBER 2011 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk