the magic

Hugo
Magic and the Movies
 THE MAGAZINE OF THE MAGIC CIRCLE Issue 1157 Volume 106 December 2012

Features There is a Way

364 The Magic Circle Awards Night – Will Houstoun was very sorry to

Page 358
368

Regulars
Hugo – Paul Kieve and Will Houstoun
I learn of Alan Shaxon's
passing. Alan was the
President of The Magic
Circle when I first
354 President’s View joined and has left a
354 Circular News substantial legacy to
356 Letters to The Editor magic in general and, particularly, The
Magic Circle. You can read obituaries
357 Cheeky Dog Chicanery – David Tomkins
for Alan by Michael Bailey and Ian
Page 364
358 Obituaries Keable elsewhere in this issue.
360 A Rich Cabinet of Magical Curiosities – As you read this I hope you are
Edwin A. Dawes looking forward to either the busiest
366 In This Month – Will Houstoun time of your year or the quietest. The
busiest if you are a professional magician,
372 Club Night Events – Mandy Davis
cramming in all of those festive gigs
375 Magic in the Regions – Elizabeth Warlock before you take a well-earned break
Page 368 376 Adopt, Adapt and Improve – Walford Taylor early in the New Year, and the quietest
378 Circular Mentalism – Ian Rowland if you are looking forward to a nice
relaxing break during the festive period.
380 In Review
For me 2012 has been a very busy
381 The Magic Circle Cares – David Hatch year, partly with my PhD work and, of
382 Council Minutes course, with my work on The Magic
384 Forthcoming Club Events – Noel Britten Circular. This time last year I was busily
Page 372 trying to learn everything I could from
Matt Field, worrying about how it
EDITORIAL 07507 275 285 PHOTOGRAPHERS
John Ward
would all come together, and planning
EDITOR Will Houstoun
Editor@TheMagicCircle.co.uk Mark Hesketh-Jennings my first issue. Today I am no less busy
40 Derby Road, London, SW14 7DP Darren Tossell as I try to plan interesting articles and
ASSISTANT EDITOR Tim Reed ADVERTISING 07767 336882
features for the coming year (and
ASSOCIATE EDITORS BUSINESS AND ADVERTISING MANAGER
Anthony Brahams, Dr Edwin Dawes, Scott Penrose probably spend just as much time
Scott Penrose, Ian Rowland, Advertising@TheMagicCircle.co.uk worrying about the magazine!) but,
David Tomkins 17 Berkeley Drive,
CONVENOR OF REPORTS Billericay I hope, you will have now enjoyed
Mandy Davis Essex CM12 0YP the issues I have produced so far.
Cover Mandy@TheMagicCircle.co.uk MISSING AND BACK ISSUES Talking of the coming year, I already
Hugo PROOFREADERS 01923 267 057
Paul Bromley, Julie Carpenter, Michael Candy have some exciting features planned
Photo: Jaap Buitendijk.
©2011 GK Films, LLC. Barry Cooper, Tim Reed, Lionel Russell, Sound of Music, Harthall Lane, for 2013 as well as a selection of
All Rights Reserved Mary Stupple, Rob James Hemel Hempstead,
Herts HP3 8SE other ideas and developments for
DESIGN 020 8521 2631
ART DIRECTOR PRINTED BY The Circular. Rather than telling you
John Hawkins Perfect Imaging Ltd 020 8806 6630 about them now and spoil the surprise,
john.hawkins.7@btinternet.com
104d Grove Road
however, I think I will save them for
Walthamstow E17 9BY next year and, in the meantime, leave
Published by The Magic Circle
Copyright © 2012 by The Magic Circle. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
you by wishing you a very Merry
recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the Editor of The Magic Circular.
12 Stephenson Way Views expressed in The Magic Circular are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views Christmas and a Happy New Year.
London NW1 2HD of The Magic Circle unless specifically stated. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of all
information published in The Magic Circular, the Editor, Art Director, Staff and The Magic Circle cannot accept
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All enquiries Contributions must reach the Editor six weeks in advance of publication if it is essential that they should
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T 020 7387 2222 whenever possible.
President’s view Circular news
ariety is the spice of life. So why don’t we commercial activities are all on target to make Magic Circle

V spice up our lives a bit? There are definitely

signs that variety shows are on their way
back, if it hits TV we may well be swamped by
their vital contribution.
However, to help us go even further in
2013, we need a really successful Season of
Moleskine
For many magicians a
notebook is an essential item
it. “Hooray” I say – sooner the better. Winter Wizardry. It is our plan to include and The Magic Circle is
You may have heard that Laura London Magic Variety Shows. During the golden days pleased to now stock a
brought her burlesque show to The Magic of variety, magicians appeared either as The special, limited edition Magic
Circle. It was a huge success. When variety Great So and So, with a two-hour illusion Circle notebook. The
reigned a few years ago, magicians were no show, or topping a mixed bill with a final notebooks, that come in
strangers to this genre. Many successful magic half-hour act, or in between the tumblers, both a pocket and large size,
acts were launched at London’s famous juggler, singer, ventriloquist, comedian, are manufactured by
Windmill Theatre. dancers etc with just a twelve minute spot. Moleskine to the highest
Howard de Courcy and Garbo was a We can do any, or all of these. quality and feature The
featured act in the Phyllis Dixey Show, she The success of a variety show depends Magic Circle’s logo tastefully
being the most famous burlesque star of the greatly upon the professionalism of the acts, in-bossed on the cover. The
time. When I worked in Ellisdons, my assistant and the expertise of the backstage smaller size costs just £13.50

Photo: Darren Tossell

was a beautiful young lady known technicians. whilst the larger notebook is
professionally as The Pocket Venus. Whilst The return of variety would provide us with £17.50. Both notebooks will
she was there I taught her a magic act and a unique opportunity for some really strong be available in The Clubroom
she gave up exotic dancing to become a promotion. I am hoping that we can come up and on The Website
well-booked magicienne. with some really exciting variety-style posters, www.themagiccircle.co.uk
Back to the burlesque. The show also leaflets, website coverage, plus – and this is
proved very popular for its variety of speciality my own particular baby – a dynamic Smoke and Mirrors
acts including dancing, singing, card scaling, promotional feature. In 2007 Illusions Magic Bar was
paper tearing, comedy and, of course, magic. As I finish writing my President's View I am created by Member Mark
Magic acts are stronger when seen alongside saddened to learn of Alan Shaxon's passing. Bennett and now Mark is
speciality acts rather than other magic acts. Alan was a super magician, a true gentleman, pleased to announce the
If you attended the Centre for the Magic and a dear friend. He will be greatly missed. launch of a sister venue, called
Arts AGM you will have heard that in the last My thoughts and love are with Anne. Smoke and Mirrors, which
financial year we made a small surplus of I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you opened on 10 October.
around £10,000. Thank you to everyone who all a really Magical Christmas and a Situated at 8 Denmark Street,
helped to achieve this. stupendously successful Happy New Year. Bristol, the venue features a
As we enter the Fifteenth Anniversary at our separate theatre large enough
fantastic Headquarters, we need to meet and, to accommodate at least fifty
if possible, exceed this figure if we wish to people, perfect conditions to
keep our home up to the standard it deserves, watch magic shows in an
and to meet the challenges a building of this intimate but electric setting.
age faces.
Meet The Magic Circle, The Magic Circle
Experience, Close-up @ The Magic Circle, The Jack Delvin MIMC
Magic Circle Christmas Show and the CMA’s President@TheMagicCircle.co.uk

354 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 Man. The show featured all of Scott Penrose closed the show
the current young magicians as with his fantastic dove act.
well as some graduates of the Congratulations to all involved
club including Colin Boardman with the show as well as The
who won The Young Magician Young Magicians of Mann
of the Year in 1974. Finally, during its first twenty-five
Magic Circle Vice President years.

Innovention Christopher Hart and Ben

Convention, 2012 Stone.
by Tim Barnes mmc But there was more, with
the Innovention format
September 2012 saw the designed to give lots of
second Innovention magic opportunity to meet and
convention in Las Vegas. greet both performers and
Hosted by Magic Circle fellow delegates, as well as a
Member and veteran show plethora of special guests
producer Paul Stone, this which included Lance Burton,
was billed as a convention Kevin James, Amazing
like no other! And so it Johnathan, Jeff Hobson, and
proved to be. Fielding West. The
The 100 or so delegates, convention included a
many of whom were Circle champagne birthday party
However, the entertainment Members, were treated to for Vegas royalty Roy Horn,
does not stop there. With a a sparkling line-up, with accompanied by Siegfried
white baby-grand piano lectures from Dirk Losander, and Lynette Chappell, a
situated in the bar area live Kyle and Mistie Knight, celebration of the life of
music will also be featured. Michael Goudeau, Diana circus legend Tihany, and the
Zimmerman, Scott Alexander, event was dedicated to Peter
Magical Cakes Greg Rostami, Bill Smith, Reveen – illusionist, hypnotist
Member Stephen Baker Garielle Lyster, Johnny and Lance Burton’s former
recently celebrated his birthday Thompson, Adam Flowers, manager.
with a rather spectacular cake. Seth Kramer and Sos and After Innovention 2010
The Cake Conjurer, Annabel de Victoria. This was just the Paul Stone said that he
Vetten, managed to reproduce, start, with shows including wouldn’t run another
in cake form, Robert-Houdin’s performances from many of convention, then he did.
famous Orange Tree illusion. the lecturers, plus Tommie After Innovention 2012,
The cake itself looked amazing Laing, Michael Douglas, Paul maybe he’s saying the same.
Vigil, Armando Lucero, If so, here’s looking to the
Congratulations Chris Michael Holly, Farrell Dillon, next one!
Member Chris Wardle
recently received three
different awards at The
Pentacle Club, Cambridge.
He was voted Member of the
Year for his contributions to
the society, he won the and really has to be seen to be
Close-Up Competition believed, fortunately we have
held in a local restaurant a photograph so that you can
in real world see it!
table-hopping
conditions, and he was Young Magicians
also surprised of Mann
and delighted to be The Young Magicians of
awarded Honorary Life Mann, founded by Circle
Membership of The Member Mike Clague, has
Pentacle Club in recently celebrated its
recognition of many years twenty-fifth anniversary with a
of loyal service. full evening show at the Peter Raveen, Bob Swadling, Tim Barnes, Harry Monti and Norm
Gaiety Theatre on The Isle of Nielsen

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 355

 Letters to the Editor
Dear Magic Circle Members
As I chose not to stand as a Councillor again this year, I just other areas for The Society. I wish the new Council sincere and
wanted to thank all of those of you who elected me to that very best wishes in all its endeavours in taking The Magic Circle
position for the past two years. I have other commitments this from strength to strength over the next 12 months.
year which will prevent me committing the time and energy, that
I feel would be necessary, to remain on Council. I am confident Kindest regards,
that I shall make time to continue to offer my help and services in Noel Britten

Genii Magazine’s 75th Birthday Bash – Moser, a gimmick from Real Secrets, a 142-page magic book
4, 5 and 6 October 2012 download ... a dream magic compilation for every attendee.
by matthew Field mImc The special guests and performers included Irene and Erika
Larsen (wife and daughter of Bill Larsen Jr., himself the son of
William Larsen Sr., the magazine’s founder), Juan Tamariz,
Roberto Giobbi, John Carney, Alba, Christian Engblom, Woody
Aragon, David Ben, Jon Armstrong, Sonny Fontana, Charlie Frye,
Guy Hollingworth, Ian Kendall, puppeteer Scott Land, Jonathan
Levit, Chad Long, Lukas, Tomo Maeda, Max Maven, Eugene
Burger, Eric Mead, Jonathan Pendragon, Jon Racherbaumer,
illusionist Alex Ramon, Peter Samelson, Dr. Sawa (with close-up
and stage performances), Jim Steinmeyer, Tom Stone, Jamy Ian
Swiss, Bob White, R. Paul Wilson, Yumi, and the astonishing Rob
Zabrecky – along with Richard Kaufman himself performing a
Cliff Green card classic.
Attendees who just wanted to be there included Daryl Easton,
Michael Ammar, Simon Aronson, Barrie Richardson, David “Silly
Billy” Kaye, Frances Willard, Richard Hatch, Steve Bedwell, Gene
Uri Geller and Richard Kaufman Anderson, Paul Cummins, Nathan Coe Marsh, Ray Kosby, Ton
What do you do to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the oldest Onosaka and his family, FISM’s Eric Eswin, Dan Garrett, Sandy
Photo: Matthew Field

independent magazine in magic’s history? If you’re TMC Member Marshall, Joe M. Turner and Steve Cohen.
Richard Kaufman, the magazine’s editor and publisher for the last Of special note was a lecture by Uri Geller, making his first
14 years, you arrange a three-day convention in Orlando, Florida appearance at an American magic convention. He received two
filled with some of the best-known names in magic, arrange a standing ovations and, although he didn’t admit to being a
gift package for every delegate filled with eight special DVDs, a magician himself, did say, “Come on. You’re all intelligent. Use
Bob Farmer trick including limited edition playing cards, specially your heads.”
produced manuscripts with tricks by Dr. Sawa, Jon Racherbaumer, Total attendance was about 850 people. This was a
Derek Dingle, Jerry Andrus, Hideo Kato, Tom Palmer, John Scarne, once-in-a-lifetime, joyous way of saying happy birthday to a
Juan Tamariz, a miniature magic set, and more, including gaffed great magic magazine, and thanks to the people who gave so
cards for tricks by Theodore DeLand, Jay Sankey, Wolfgang much to keep it going (including its subscribers).

IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE IN THE

To reach 1500 magicians around the world
costs less then you think

Full page from £100.00

Half Page £55.00
Quarter page £30.00
all prices subject to VAT

For full details contact the Business and

Advertising Manager Scott Penrose
on 07767 336882
or email advertising@TheMagicCircle.co.uk

356 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 David Tomkins MIMC

CHOOSING THE RIGHT ASSISTANT (OR THE WRONG ONE?)

s children’s performers we all balloon, pushed it back on the nozzle and audience. However when they have

A know the importance of choosing

the right child to help us with one
of our magic routines. This subject
repeated the same action with the balloon
flying off again. Funnily enough, it never
occurred to him to hold the balloon in
been invited up to assist and found
themselves in front of the audience,
they completely changed character. I
always reminds me of when I was in the place. This must have happened about remember one occasion, I invited a
Children’s Entertainer Championships at four or five times. The laughs continued to five-year-old boy up to assist. He came
Blackpool 2010. I needed someone to grow. I must emphasise that the boy up and almost immediately he decided
help me with a linking rope rings wasn’t the least bit intimidated – he had a to start running round in circles making
routine and I had already spotted a very definite, calm and focused attitude. a loud noise like an aeroplane. On
seven-year-old girl on the front row who Eventually I showed him how to hold the another occasion, all the child wanted
had a most comical laugh, you just balloon in place and assisted him in his to do was to stick his tongue out,
couldn’t miss it! I invited her on stage endeavours, for which he received a huge waving his arms up and down making
and she turned out to be the perfect round of applause. silly noises. I don’t generally put up with
helper. She was attentive and responsive Let’s say you’re entertaining a group of this sort of attention-seeking behaviour
to what I asked her to do, but if five to seven year olds at a birthday party. for long. I firmly, but kindly, ask them
something funny happened during the All has been going well and you have just not to do whatever they are doing
routine, she would let out the most finished one of your routines. The birthday otherwise they will have to sit down
unique and infectious laugh which, in child has a younger brother or sister aged again and I’ll pick someone else instead.
turn, had the whole audience, including about three. The little one has been very This usually works, but if not, I have to
the magicians, in fits of laughter. She happy watching the show, feeling quite be seen to mean what I say and follow
was an absolute star! I was the first on comfortable in their surroundings and the action through. Otherwise credibility
in the competition and one or two of Mum and Dad are around too making would be lost.
the other competitors, who were them feel secure. With the right child, in When performing at a birthday party,
watching in the wings, also chose her to the right situation, this can be a great naturally it is a must to invite the
help them during their acts as she was opportunity to captivate everyone’s birthday child up to help at some point
so good. You can see an extract of the attention by gently asking the little one if in the show! On rare occasions,
relevant performance if you visit they would like to come up and say hello. however, have your professional
www.cheekydogentertainments.co.uk This invitation has to be done in a very instincts told you not to even go there
and click on David in Action. sensitive manner. First, I would quieten the for fear of what might happen? One
Another example of an ideal helper audience down in such a way that made party I entertained at there were two
occurred about two years ago. He was them curious about what was next. I birthday children, a boy and a girl both
five, quiet-natured, likeable, and it was would kneel down, smile, extend an open aged five. During the show, the birthday
his birthday. I invited him up and asked hand, and say hello. Little ones are used to girl was so shy that she watched most
if he would like a balloon model. He their parents holding out a hand, to of show peering round from behind her
nodded! As I reached into my box and encourage them, so it’s a familiar gesture. older cousin who was sitting in front of
brought out a balloon and pump, he A gently-worded invite can, with the right her. Whenever I happened to catch her
tapped my arm and politely asked me if child, make them respond favourably. If eye, she would quickly hide her face
he could blow the balloon up. The type the child does come up, all eyes will be away behind her cousin. I felt that if I
of standard hand pump I was using had riveted. Don’t worry about giving the child had asked her to come up to help, she
a thin nozzle so the balloon could be anything to do, just ask them one or two would have either run off into the
pushed onto it initially, but has to be very easy questions and let them respond kitchen or else cried her eyes out!
held during its inflation. I passed the how they wish. Some will just stare at you. Ironically, the birthday boy was quite the
pump to my willing helper who pulled Others will come out with amusing opposite. He sat there only ever half
out the knob then pushed it back in comments. Respond to their reactions, watching the show and was far more
again to inflate the ballon. Suddenly enjoy the moment, everyone else will! interested in rolling around on the floor
there was a ‘phut’ sound as the balloon However long you have been the whole time pulling silly faces at me
flew off the end of the pump onto the entertaining children, it’s still possible to and all of his friends. Who ever said
floor. The audience roared. The boy was choose the wrong child to assist you. Once entertaining children for a living was
completely unfazed by what had or twice over the years, I have invited a easy?
happened, he didn’t even smile. He child up to help who seemed perfectly
calmly bent down, picked up the well behaved whilst being part of the

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 357

 OBITUARIES
There are some magicians who are

T loved by audiences and others who

are loved by their peers. Alan
Shaxon was in a special category – he
was loved by both. Audiences loved his
wonderful magic and his warm
personality; magicians loved listening to
his advice and enjoyed his generosity.
Alan Arthur Howson was born in
Harrow in December 1933. He was
bitten by the magic bug at the age of
eight after reading Lang Neil’s The
Modern Conjuror loaned to him by
Ernest Noakes, and started performing
seriously in his teens. In 1949, following
National Service with the RAF in Egypt,
he joined Glyn Mills bank but managed
to perform as a part time professional.
Miss Anne Dolby was working in a
different bank but luckily for Alan, she
moved into the house next door, where
Alan lived in Whitstable, Kent. They
married in 1956, and with an attractive
partner and enough dates in the book
to earn a living, Alan decided to turn
fully professional and adopt a stage
name. Alan Shaxon and Anne
presenting ‘Sophisticated Sorcery’,
launched themselves into show-
business proper in 1957.
Alan just revelled in his work. He was
a professional to his fingertips and a
master of almost every field of magic –
stage and close-up, cabaret and
after-dinner, children’s shows and
cruising, corporate and television. As
a stage magician he appeared in
summer seasons and variety in the UK
and Europe with many appearances at
the famous Hansa Theatre in Hamburg.
Later he and Anne saw much of the
world whilst entertaining on luxury
liners. Robert Harbin was also cruising
at this time, and, on his death, Bob
Alan Shaxon MIMC
bequeathed Alan all the props that he 28 December 1933 – 28 October 2012
featured on his last cruise. Alan added
other Harbin inventions and was able to
present Little by Little, Blades of Opah,
Sawing in Half and the Chair magazines. He was a superb children’s an avid reader of magic books and
Suspension – all outstanding illusions. entertainer whose date book was bulging experimented and researched at length
Alan also became a very busy cabaret most of the year and burst during before devising the clever magic that
and after-dinner entertainer, and added December. At one primary school in fooled the socks off his audiences. He
television appearances, including the Ashtead he was booked no less than 45 vastly improved existing effects so you
David Nixon and Paul Daniels shows. consecutive times. That has to be a record. could hardly recognise the original. Like
Alan was a much sought-after lecturer, And in recent years he revealed just how ‘Confabulation’, one of the most baffling
and he wrote two outstanding books, adept he was at close-quarter work. predictions ever, and his terrific signature
each filled with little gems of For these multi-varied engagements tricks of Aerial Fishing, his amusing
audience-tested routines, as well as Alan accumulated a large repertoire of Breathalyser routine, his version of the
many articles in Abra and other effects and many original routines. He was Nudist Deck with un-faked cards, his

358 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 outstanding Thumb Tie, and his perfect think it’s hard to underestimate the point, most of us would have given
Hydrostatic Glass finale. This was stunning
magic, perfectly routined, performed with
panache, and the comedy coming not
I contribution that Alan Shaxon made
not just to The Magic Circle but to
British magic in general. I am sure
up. But Alan didn’t miss a beat: he had
yet another which he pulled out from
inside his jacket. I’m sure there were
from one-liners, but naturally through someone else will be able to quantify this occasions when one of Alan’s tricks went
some great audience participation. His better than me, so I will restrict myself to a wrong: but from the countless times I
rapport with his audiences was few personal observations. saw him perform, I never saw it happen.
immediate; they liked him from the Regulars at The Magic Circle saw Alan Alan was a regular performer with
moment he walked on and they there every week; and he was usually many Monday night appearances on
applauded him very loudly when he working on a new trick, taking it out of The Magic Circle Stage. He was always
walked off. his briefcase and giving a quick willing to perform a trick or series of
Alan’s generosity to the world of magic demonstration. He was one of the few tricks that the organiser had decided
was legendary. He helped so many magicians who you could talk with about would fit the theme of that particular
magicians with an encyclopaedic stage and cabaret magic. This was his first evening. And there was always a collective
knowledge of his craft. He was generous, love and, although he embraced close-up sigh of relief from the Members when
too, in giving his services. When he was as most of us who want to make a living Alan’s name was introduced. You knew
asked to perform for a magic club or for a from magic have to do, he never considered the trick would be well rehearsed,
good cause, Alan rarely refused. For about it ‘proper’ magic in the same way that performed to perfection, and with no
20 years he led the team that organised performing on a platform or stage was. extraneous talk or floundering around.
The Magic Circle Annual Banquets and He was down in The Library practically He wrote two great books on magic,
Suppers. His appearances at the Society’s every Monday night – still accumulating My Kind of Magic and Practical Sorcery:
Festival weeks of magic in London’s West knowledge and enthusiastically all tricks he performed and 100% tried
End and for Meet The Magic Circle and researching and borrowing books – when and tested. Unfortunately, as far as I’m
Monday Night events, together with his he had forgotten far more than the vast aware, he never wrote up his versions of
regular lectures, must surely have notched majority of us have ever learnt. This the tricks which he did most often for
up another record. wholehearted love of magic also extended magicians: the Human Gasometer and
For these services to British magic Alan to the Internet, where he was forever Aerial Fishing. (Alan told me he did those
was awarded The Maskelyne in 1991. He checking out YouTube for acts which he because that is what magicians wanted
served on Council for many years and hadn’t seen before; or just keeping up to to see. However when working for lay
proved an excellent Chairman from 1998 date on the latest magic news. people he was much more likely to
to 2003 during the exciting period His style of performing was crisp and perform his bill in orange and the
immediately after the opening of the new slick. I have never seen a magician who linking rings.)
HQ. He was elected President in 2003, and was more in control of his props and who He did write up his version of The
in that role he was host to the many handled all of them so cleanly. There are Hydrostatic Glass with the best lines to
dignitaries from around the world who some magicians who just have natural end an act that I’ve ever heard: “That’s
joined in the 2005 Centenary handling – in my opinion it can’t be taught science ... that’s magic ... and that’s all!”
Celebrations. In America, where he had or learnt; you either have it or you don’t – I have seen many magicians trying to
performed and lectured at many of the and Alan was one of those who had it in work around the trick without using the
biggest conventions, his name sits proudly spades. Just the way he removed a pack same words: but they were never as
in the Society of American Magicians’ Hall of cards from the case; or opened up a good as those three succinct sentences.
of Fame. Hollywood’s Magic Castle, where wallet; or unfolded a newspaper; was as In my view, Alan’s best trick was his
Alan had appeared on a number of interesting to watch as most magicians Thumb Tie. The audience were totally
Photo: Zakary Belamy

occasions, honoured him with a actually doing a trick. convinced his thumbs were tied
Performing Fellowship, and in 2008, when Alan was unashamedly old-school. His together and the passing of the hoops
Alan completed his term as a popular hero, great friend and mentor was Robert through his arms always elicited
president, The Magic Circle elected him an Harbin: a man who also let his magic gasps. As one would expect with Alan’s
Honorary Vice-President and Life Member. speak for itself. Jokes and gags weren’t in magic, there was no hesitation or fatal
Alan’s life revolved around magic and he Alan’s repertoire, but that’s because he pauses: the hoops just seemed to melt
loved every minute of it, doing what he didn’t need them: any laughs came through his arms. This would definitely
most enjoyed and getting well paid for it. naturally out of the performing situation. go in my top ten best tricks I’ve seen.
A magical star has been extinguished but His professionalism shone through not I've concentrated on Alan as a
his legacy will remain with us. Alan just in his attire, which was always wonderful magician but, more
Shaxon was a true professional in every immaculate, but in the way his props were importantly, he was a true family man
way, a kind and generous man, and a fine always in their proper place and how each and genuinely nice guy. He was the
friend to me and to so many others. trick led seamlessly from one to the perfect model on how to conduct
other. I remember once watching him light oneself not just on stage, but also off.
Michael Bailey MIMC a match: he pulled one from his lapel, it
didn’t light; so he pulled another from his Ian Keable MIMC
other lapel, that didn’t light either. At that

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 359

 Edwin A. Dawes

409. WORKING FOR MAX ANDREWS: LESLIE GERARD’S INSIDE STORY

ne of the rewarding pleasures of the Rich Cabinet series So, in August 1947 fifteen-year-old Leslie started work in the

O of articles is to receive ‘out of the blue’ a letter from

someone who can add to the story being told. Such was
the case with the Max Andrews series which brought forth
newly occupied Vampire workshop on the top (fourth) floor of
10/11 Archer Street Chambers in the heart of London’s Soho
district. The Chambers
correspondence with Magic Circle Member Leslie Gerard who consisted of an open
during 1947-48 worked for Max in the early days of occupancy square, the various
of the premises in Archer Street. studios being serviced
At the age of seven Leslie had, like so many others, been by an external iron
recruited via the medium of an Ernest Sewell box of tricks to staircase with landings,
the ranks of magic enthusiasts. An interest in card manipulation and most of them were
was initiated by visits to the Palace Theatre in Reading and occupied by jobbing
seeing the Variety acts of Douglas Francis “On the Way Home”, tailors with their ironing
St Clair and Deveen, whose Expert Cigarette Magic together boards and irons
with Keith Clark’s Encyclopedia of Cigarette Tricks led to radiating heat. The
cigarette manipulation, followed by much diligent practice. ground floor was the
In 1946 Leslie joined the Institute of Magicians as a Junior. domain of the Hunt
Leslie Gerard, c.1959
Claude Manley was a member and, when the Institute folded, Drum Company (Premier
he suggested that Leslie should join the Grand Order of Drums) and throughout the day the occupants of the rest of the
Wizardry, which he did until that Society also foundered. And building were subjected to the continuous roll and throbbing of
so, in 1967, Claude proposed him for Membership of The drums as they underwent testing. There was no Vampire
Magic Circle and he was duly elected MMC, progressing to showroom as such during Leslie’s time with the company,
AIMC by examination with his performance at the British Ring business principally being mail order, wholesale and supply to
Convention at Great Yarmouth in 1981. Hamley’s, with only a few private purchasers.
In 1947 Jack Hughes advertised for two young lads to work Through the side windows of the top floor vantage point it
for him at his workshop in Rye Lane, Peckham. Although Leslie was possible to look down on the crowds of musicians seeking
was living at the family home in Harrow, distance was not a employment who met up every morning from 10am, the office
deterrent, to work for Jack Hughes was an irresistible magnet. of their Union being situated at the end of the street and
He was told to “Start on Monday”. At that time Gil Leaney was opposite the stage door of the Windmill Theatre, which was a
the Works Manager, having only recently been demobilized focal point of interest and rendezvous for some of that
from the Army. Leslie and the other young recruit were set to establishment’s patrons.
work assembling coin stands for Coins in the Glass. However, Max Andrews’s work force at that time comprised of a
after three weeks Jack informed them they were no longer Secretary, a Workshop Manager (Dick Silverman, aka Chavel),
needed and paid them two weeks wages in lieu. Leslie, and two part-time ladies who carried out the assembly
The following week Leslie visited Hamley’s Magic Department work on the Vampire Boxes of Tricks, putting the various tricks in
and told Manager Lenz (Les Allen) where he had been working. place, and one of Leslie’s tasks was to glue labels on the boxes of
Lenz, who was a good friend of Max Andrews, had just which there were three different sizes. Max was also assisted by
informed him that Max was looking for a lad when Max himself Eric “Mad Magician” Williams, London based and not to be
happened to walk in to the shop, and he called him over. The confused with Hereford-based Eric “Nit Wit” Williams who was
outcome was that Leslie was asked to call at the Vampire also prominent at this time, who demonstrated Vampire products
premises the next morning. alongside Max at the various Conventions.
Leslie’s grounding in the business started with Dick Chavel’s
instruction on the correct way to parcel up goods and the
operation of a flat-bed duplicator, involving the use of a roller on
a tray to produce instruction sheets, laboriously one at a time.
Coincidentally, ten years later, Leslie was selling duplicators and
supplies for eight years, employed by the Roneo Company. Dick
had a mantra that he would utter repetitively, “Time is money”,
and also a saying “Why keep a cow when you can buy milk?”,
this latter utterance annoying the two ladies.
Dick was a chain smoker, a sixty-a-day man, who had a sideline
in running Sunday dances at a hotel in Greenford. He would buy

360 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

MIMC

prizes at Berwick Street market, heavy to handle on the gimmick! Some customers
and on Monday mornings tell his wrote to complain that their Moons were dented, and
Vampire colleagues how Max instructed his Secretary to write telling them: “Just
profitable it all was. He was also polish the ball and the dents will not show in the
well versed in the amusement spotlights”, which one suspects would not bring much
arcade business and told Leslie joy to the recipients. As the balls were always carefully
he could take apart any machine packed it seems more likely the dents were acquired
and reassemble it blindfold. when they dropped off the gimmick during rehearsal.
Leslie was sent by Dick to Lenz’s routine with the Indian Moon was greatly
Romany’s, a hardware shop still admired and received plaudits whenever he performed
in existence at 51 Brewer Street, it, so Leslie went specifically to see him when he
to buy several yards of chain, appeared in a public show at the Scala Theatre. He was
together with round links and almost at the end of his routine when the ball fell with
small padlocks. On his return to a resounding thud on to the stage. Lenz, with the
the workshop he was set to nonchalance of the seasoned performer, simply tapped
work to reduce the chain into the ball with his foot into the footlight trough and took
lengths containing the exact Leslie Gerard in 1947 his applause.
Periodically Leslie would be given a shopping list of
number of links required for items to be procured in the haberdashery department of Stagg
the Siberian Gang Escape & Russell, a department store situated at the corner of

s
which sold for one shilling, or Wardour Street, adjoining Coventry
two if complete with padlock.
Leslie’s regular duties
included delivering a suitcase
of props to replenish the stock
at Hamley’s Magic
Department. Lenz, the
manager, was later to join to
join Max Andrews as manager
at the Archer Street Studio.
Soho is a good site for
magic dealers as within its
boundaries are to be found
specialist firms that can fulfil
many of their needs, such as
glass works, plumber’s
merchants, platers, hardware
stores and haberdashers. But
On stage at Collins Music Hall, 1948
wherever he was Max kept a
sharp lookout for articles that could be used as magic props, and
one day he noticed brass bowls in a florist’s shop at Swiss
Cottage. He purchased their entire stock there and then, and
these were then passed to the well-known apparatus maker
Yimka (Richard Scott, who started life as a marine engineer) to
be converted into Vampire Fire Bowls.
At the time Leslie joined the firm, the trick of the moment
was the Indian Moon, Vampire’s version of the Zombie
Floating Ball, and he had to collect a case of cistern balls from
a plumber’s merchant. The rims of these were then filed off
before sending them to the platers. As the purchasers of
these early Indian Moons soon discovered, they were very

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 In the early 1950s Leslie’s cousin rang to tell him that a guest at
her mother’s boarding house in Ramsgate said he knew Leslie.
This turned out to be Dick Chavel who was working in a booth
s

Street. Thimbles, safety pins, elastics and ribbons were on the promenade with the Dancing Skeleton, so successfully
purchased, all used in many of the tricks in the Vampire range. that he returned for at least another season, ample testimony to
The metal ware, such as hinged Ghost Tubes and Tubes, Silks and the item’s popularity with the holidaymakers.
Liquids, were all chrome plated to the high standard that Max One very wet afternoon Max asked Leslie to collect a case-full
required. of glass tumblers from a workshop in Soho. These had been
Vampire’s feather flower bouquets were supplied by a lady previously taken there in order for the trick base to be hollowed
resident in Devon who periodically arrived with fresh supplies she out, sufficiently for some six coins to be secreted, which enabled
had made. This lady subsequently became the supplier for Edwin a mini-Miser’s Dream to be performed (listed Vampire Catalogue
Hooper’s Supreme Magic Company. No.1 as the Modern Miser’s Dream). Having collected the heavy
Sometimes Leslie would accompany Max in a taxi loaded suitcase with its contents, Leslie returned to Archer Street and
mostly with boxes of tricks destined for delivery to Hamley’s. They began his climb up the now dripping iron staircase. He
would pull up at the rear entrance to the Regent Street store and remembers that as he was climbing up to the second floor level
ferry the goods through to the Magic Department. A very he saw girls dancing in the elongated studio which at that time
popular, good-selling line, especially in Hamley’s, was the Dancing was home to the Italia Conti Stage School. He was just at the
Skeleton and Charlie Chaplin, both very well printed on card and third floor level when he slipped face down on the wet steps,
retailing at 2s 6d. Behind the counter stood a very smart black art and the precious case dropped out of his grasp and fell to the
booth, some five feet in height, complete with plush red tabs. A bottom with a resounding clatter.
small gramophone was used to provide musical background to Having retrieved the case, he retraced his steps up to the
the demonstration. The small figure was then placed in the fourth floor where Max was gleefully waiting at the door of the
centre of the booth by Max or one of the assistants and hooked studio for the arrival of the gimmicked tumblers, for which he
on to a thread which passed through a hole in the wall of a small had a substantial number of orders. Leslie related his tale of woe
adjoining room and was attached to a small ring which an and offered his week’s wage, £2 15s, as compensation. “Not at
assistant, or Leslie if he were there, would sit and jig the thread all,” said Max and quickly dismissed the matter, being more
during the short presentation. The demonstrations were given at concerned about his employee’s welfare. And a few glasses had
intervals throughout the day and always proved a magnet for survived the fall.
drawing people to the magic counter with resulting sales of the Max divided his time between the Magic Studio in Archer
item. Street and his Photographic Studio, operated under the name of

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 mission. It transpired that Bernard had been taken on by Harry
Stanley, working in a similar role to his own with Max.
Leslie remembers Helen Andrews, beautifully dressed, calling in
at the Archer Street Studio with her little daughter Dierdre, and
vividly recalls the gleam in Max’s eye as he introduced them,
revealing how proud of them he was.
In December 1947 Leslie saw an advert in The Stage seeking
young acts for a new teenage Revue. He applied and successfully
auditioned his card and cigarette manipulation act to backing
music, receiving a contract to start early in February 1948. As he
‘Howard Studio’, his other given name. It was on the first floor at then required some 10 x 8 in. display photos, he went to Max’s
48 South Molton Street with the name HOWARD visible on the Photo Studio for a sitting, the charge being five guineas (£5 5s).
glass front, and a make-up girl was employed there. The show was titled Youth and Laughter and enjoyed a run of
During Leslie’s time at the Vampire Studio there were a couple almost six months, after which he did not return to the Vampire
of occasions when Max took his staff out to lunch at The White organisation but went on to fulfil another childhood ambition of
Horse pub nearby, situated at the corner of Archer Street working in the cinema. He trained as a projectionist and worked
adjoining Rupert Street. At the end of the meal Max would ask in West End News cinemas, the Regent Street Cameo
Leslie to perform a few cigarette manipulations, then Dick Chavel Polytechnic, and the Curzon Mayfair before entering the Royal
would contribute some items, after which it was back to the Air Force for National Service.
workshop. Leslie Gerard retains happy memories of his six months
One lunch-time, Leslie walked round to Harry Stanley’s Unique working for Max Andrews whom he regards as “a very kind
Magic Studio in nearby Brewer Street. Harry, knowing that he and true gentleman”, always immaculate and well spoken,
was working for Max Andrews, asked “What are you doing and he was sad when he later learned that Max’s marriage
here? Spying?” “No way,” replied Leslie, “Just here for my own had broken up.
interest.” Upon which Harry said “Come and work for me, I’ll
pay you much more than Max is giving you.” But Leslie remained AcKNOWLEDGEmENT
loyal to Max. I am very grateful to Leslie Gerard for his interesting recollections
A few weeks after this incident Leslie was in Gerrard Street of working for Max Andrews, which have added significantly to
Post Office with a load of parcels for dispatch when he met the foregoing four articles on Max and the Vampire Magic
Bernard Hughes, the son of Jack Hughes, who was on a similar Company.

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 363

 The Magic
Circle Awards
Night 2012

Above left to right: The Devant Room, Jack Delvin

his year The Magic Circle Awards

T were presented in a slightly

different style of event to the usual
dinner. Instead of hosting a sit-down
with David Fung, Fletcher Ransberry, Ed Hilsum
and Mike O'Brien

meal in one of London’s hotels The

Magic Circle hosted its own event at its
Richard Pinner own headquarters, featuring a
reception, a show, and, of course, the awards themselves.
As the guests arrived at the headquarters they were greeted
with a glass of champagne and a variety of delicious canapés
in The Devant Room which had been beautifully lit for the
evening. Whilst everyone chatted and socialised the first
magic of the evening was seen as Rajan and Fay Presto, the
current winner of The Magic Circle Close-Up Competition,
entertained with a selection of walk-around magic.
Anticipation for the awards themselves also started to build
as a number of high-profile magicians could been seen
amongst the crowd. Were they there as award winners or
were they simply looking forward to the magic show
that was about to start?
Moving to The Theatre for the first half of the show we
were treated to three acts. Richard Pinner, charming and
smart as ever, opened with a spot of his own before going
on to compere the rest of the show. Richard performed a
variety of effects but one, in particular, had the magicians
around me scratching their heads. It was a tossed out deck,
but one with a difference. All I will say here is that whilst
Richard did correctly name all of the spectators’ cards the
spectators did not all sit down at the same time.
Having warmed the crowd up Richard introduced the first
act, a member of The Young Magicians’ Club called Fletcher
Ransberry. Fletcher performed a smooth set of comedy magic
culminating with the production of a chosen card from a
sealed tin of baked beans. It was particularly impressive to see
how Feltcher, at just thirteen years old, worked with his
audience volunteers.
Edward Hilsum, a former Young Magicians’ Club member,
closed the first half with his dove and manipulation act. With
a large number of lay people in the audience, it was a
pleasure to hear their reactions as each bird appeared, as well
as to watch Edward’s smoothly choreographed act.
After the interval everyone returned to The Theatre for the
Left to right: Paul Daniels,
s

presentation of the Awards. Before getting to the awards, Andi Gladwin and Derren Brown

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 Photos: Darren Tossell

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 365

 The Magic Circle Awards Night 2012
s

however, a number of other promotions were announced.

These included Steve Allen’s promotion to MIMC, Bob Loomis’s
promotion to Honorary Associate of The Inner Magic Circle, by Will Houstoun AIMC
Fred Van Buren’s promotion to Honorary Member of The Inner
Magic Circle and Fergus Anckorn’s promotion to Honorary
Membership of The Inner Magic Circle. Fergus’s promotion,
n December 1918, something truly heartbreaking
in particular, struck a chord with the audience who gave him
a standing ovation both as he made his way to the stage and
as he returned to his seat a few moments later.
Throughout the presentations Brian Sibley, as Chairman of
I happened to the first President of The Magic Circle.
David Devant was performing on stage in
Manchester, at the Midland Theatre, and, for one of
The Council, was on hand to explain the various awards his routines, invited a little girl to join him on stage.
whilst The President, Jack Delvin, made the actual He asked the girl to hold a handkerchief up in the air
presentations. The Cecil Lyle Award, for the best trick for the audience to see, demonstrating what he
published in The Circular during the last year, was presented wanted her to do as he spoke. The girl innocently
to Walford Taylor and the winner of The Hoffmann Memorial lifted the handkerchief into the air and started to
Lecture, with an essay of the relationship between a trick wave it from side to side. When he had lifted the
and its presentation, was David Fung. Mike O’Brien was handkerchief Devant’s hands had been shaking
presented with The Silver Wand for his long-standing uncontrollably from the affliction that J B Priestley
contributions to The Circle and, in particular, Meet The describes as a “paralytic disorder” in the introduction
Magic Circle events. Andi Gladwin, publisher, author and to My Magic Life – an affliction that would eventually
designer of high quality magic books, was awarded the John end Devant’s performing career a few years later
Nevil Maskelyne Award for contributions to magic literature.
Becoming the only magician to have
won all three major Magic Circle
awards Paul Daniels picked up The
Carlton Award for comedy magic. Jim
Steinmeyer was awarded The Devant
Award for contributions to magic on
an international scale. Last, and by no
means least, Derren Brown was given
The Maskelyne Award for
Debbie McGee contributions to British Magic.
Throughout the award presentations it was a pleasure to
witness the surprise and delight of each of the winners.
Another highlight was that, when explaining the background
of The Devant Award, recently restored Kinora footage of
Devant was shown on the projector screen. It was all the
more remarkable to see a modern audience find themselves
enchanted by our long-dead first President as he drew gasps
and laughter from the theatre.
Following the presentation of the Awards Paul Daniels and
Debbie McGee closed the show. Paul performed some of the
classic magic for which he is well known along with all the
humour and comedy that led to the presentation of the
Carlton award. Debbie was, of course, there to assist him
throughout and also performed a routine of her own.
Having never hosted The Magic Circle Awards in our own
Headquarters before nobody was quite sure what to expect,
but I don’t believe that a single person will have left the
event considering the evening anything but a huge success.
Thanks must go to Katherine
Rhodes as the main event
organiser, as well as everyone
else who worked so hard to
make the whole evening
TMC Archive

happen. I personally am
already looking forward to
finding out what next year
has in store for The Magic David Devant
Circle Awards. David Devant

366 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

Hugo MAGIC AND
Interview by Paul Kieve MIMC ad

Last year the Martin Scorsese film Hugo, based on Brian Selznick’s book The glass and I painted a different part of
Invention of Hugo Cabret, caused quite a stir in the magic world as it heavily a picture on each layer. When you
featured Georges Méliès and magic. During the 2012 Magician’s Choice looked at it from the front it made a
programme Paul Kieve MIMC, who worked as the magic consultant on the three-dimensional picture of Houdini
film, interviewed Brian Selznick at The Magic Circle in what was one of the on stage performing the Chinese Water
highlights of the summer. Paul and Brian both kindly agreed to an adaption Torture Escape and, when it opened
of the interview for The Magic Circular. out, each panel had part of a story written
on it about a boy who wanted to meet
Houdini.
Paul Kieve: I always find it fascinating and had a couple of books on how to do I forgot about that project until after
when someone who is amazingly talented various tricks but I couldn’t really do I had graduated and decided to become a
in a different area gets interested in magic. much. For me it became more about the children’s book writer and illustrator. The
How did you find magic and how did you idea of being excited about the fact that story wasn’t originally written for children
fall in love with it? something could happen that seemed but it was about a child meeting Houdini
impossible. With Houdini it was the very which is what any kid who heard about
Brian Selznick: Tony Curtis and Janet human desire to escape from whatever we him would want to do! I turned it into a
Leigh introduced me to magic when I saw are locked into – that kind of idea really book called The Houdini Box that was my
the movie Houdini on TV. I fell in love with brought me to magic. first published book, back in 1991.
magic, but I discovered very quickly that When I was at art school we had an
I was a very bad magician myself! I could assignment to do a project about Houdini. And that story was recently turned into
do the ball and vase, pull my thumb off, I made a sculpture using seven layers of a stage play...

368 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 fantasy, who is one of the major
characters in the book?
I saw the 1902 Méliès film, A Journey
to The Moon, and I fell in love with it.
After seeing the film I thought it would
be interesting to write a story about a kid
who met Méliès. At the time, however,
I didn’t know who the kid might be and I

THE MOVIES
dapted by WILL HOUSTOUN AIMC
didn’t know anything about Méliès aside
from that one film. A few years went by
during which I wrote other books and
then, in 2003, I read a New York Times
review of a book called Edison’s Eve by
Martin Scorsese with Asa and Chloe who
Gaby Wood. The book was all about
play Hugo and Isabelle
automata and, in the review, it mentioned
that one chapter was about the film Everything in The Invention of Hugo
maker Georges Méliès who had a Cabret and therefore in the film Hugo is
collection of automata that were based on Méliès’s actual life: his work as
destroyed at the end of his life. Suddenly a magician and then as a film maker, his
I pictured a kid climbing through the heyday in cinema, the way he lost
garbage and finding one of those broken everything and became a toy seller, and
machines and trying to fix it. I still didn’t his rediscovery and celebration by the

Photos: Jaap Buitendijk. ©2011 GK Films, LLC. All Rights Reserved

know who the kid was or anything about film world. Méliès lived the life of a classic
Méliès, but now I had the beginning of a plot – the celebration, the loss, the
story. I spent the next two and half years re-discovery – everything is there! Then it
figuring out who the kid was and learning was just a case of figuring out how the
everything I could about Méliès. boy, Hugo, who I was making up, could
The fact that Méliès owned the Théâtre fit into and cause all of those things.
Robert-Houdin and Robert-Houdin was In my story, on the one hand, Méliès
connected to Houdini made it all feel like ends up saving Hugo who is an orphan.
it fitted with my previous work and then But the boy, in a different way, also saves
the idea that Méliès took pieces of his Méliès. All of the research I did and the
automata and used them to make his first things I found out about Méliès and the
Sir Ben Kingsley as
Georges Méliès in his
film camera was incredibly powerful. The world of magic were essential to creating
toy booth idea that the automata themselves literally the book and absolutely thrilling.
gave birth to cameras is remarkable.
An automaton is also a key component
So how did the story develop? of the story. Was it inspired by real life?
Everything I discovered about Méliès It was based on the Maillardet

s
created the perfect structure for a story! automaton and, if you look at it closely,

Yeah. We did a musical adaptation at

The Chicago Children’s Theatre using
actors and puppets. There was a local
young magician who did some black art
stuff as well as some levitations and a
beautiful effect that we used at the end.
During the story the main character,
Victor, grows up and has a son. All you
can see of the son is a hat, gloves and a
baseball bat but, using black art to
animate them, they still turn into a very
beautiful character.

I think the next book you worked on

that had any magic in was The Invention
of Hugo Cabret. Is that correct?
That was the next one where magic
had a very important role.

So how did you hear about Georges

Méliès, a magician and the pioneer of film

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk The automaton DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 369

starts to draw
 Photo: Jaap Buitendijk. ©2011 GK Films, LLC. All Rights Reserved
s
you can see that it looks pretty similar as
well as also being able to draw. I was able
to visit the automaton at The Franklin
Institute and see it in real life. At that
point, after I had written a lot of the basic
plot of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the
curator told me that they had received a
box of broken pieces in 1928 that they
had eventually managed to restore into
the working automaton. At that point
nobody knew who made it but, after they
fixed it, they found out it could write three
different poems and draw four different
pictures, and would then sign the name of
its inventor, Henri Maillardet. It turns out
that the Maillardet automata had lived a
parallel life to the one I created for the Méliès teaching Hugo card tricks
book and so I used lots of details from it was a labour of love. I had a lot of help images that I wanted but I was never able
like the table it sits at in my drawings. A with the research, from my editor, and to connect with Madeleine or to really
particular feature was that the eyes were from my friends and boyfriend, but mostly explain what I was trying to do.
left blank, something I learnt from the I sat by myself at my desk writing a book I After it had become a successful book
world of puppetry, which makes it possible thought nobody would ever want to read. and had been turned into a film, just
for the face to appear more expressive. In When the book was successful that was before the French premiere, I got an e-mail
the film they developed its appearance a really quite a shock and to get a phone from the Méliès family saying they would
little bit but it stayed largely the same. call saying Martin Scorsese wanted to turn like to meet me. The day before the
it into a movie was remarkable. premiere I had lunch with the Méliès
One of the many things that I think is family! Madeleine was too old to come
incredible about Hugo is that the history And did you have any contact with but I met all her children and nieces and
of magic and cinema really shines the Méliès family whilst you were writing nephews. Then, at the end of the meal
through. It is taking what, to the general the book? they said they had a surprise for me –
public, are lost histories and bringing them I kept reaching out to the Méliès family I turned around and in walked Madeleine
to light. In many ways the book and the because Georges Méliès’s granddaughter, Méliès to meet me! A lot of people write
film really do Méliès and magic a lot of Madeleine, is still alive! I kept writing to the Méliès family and a lot of people
good. Was that something you were letters to her asking for permission to want to do projects about them so it was
aware of when you were writing? reproduce images and I kept getting lovely that she came to meet me. In the
I was making a book for children about letters back that seemed to indicate she end she finally understood that what I was
old French silent movies so I didn’t really didn’t quite understand what I was asking. doing when I sat down at my desk on my
think that anyone would actually read it! It In the end I was able to reproduce the own in New York was to try and celebrate
her grandfather.

But it must be strange having someone

making a film about your family.
In the story there is a character who
was originally named Madeleine but I
decided it would be better to fictionalise
her a little bit and she became Isabelle.
When I met Madeleine I asked her what it
was like to be on the film set and see the
toy booth from her childhood. She said:
“It was nothing like the real toy booth.”
I asked what it was like to see inside the
apartment she grew up in. She said: “It
was nothing like the real apartment.” I
asked about seeing Sir Ben Kingsley play
Photo: Mark Heskether Jennings

Méliès: “Nothing like my grandfather!”

I was at the French premiere when
Madeleine met Chloe Moritz, who plays
Isabelle in the film, and I heard her say:
“You are me.” I got a card from
Madeleine the next day that said: “From
Brian Selznick
and Paul Kieve your Isabelle, the little girl in the train
station.” So she did like it in the end and

370 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

must have felt some kind of connection. As a writer, having seen the final film, board for the opening shot of the movie.
Later she invited me to see a lost colour how do you think the film compares to He did the same thing with a few other
Méliès film which nobody had every seen the book? scenes so you could say I accidentally
before. I was able to sit next to her and I think I am the luckiest person in the storyboarded a Martin Scorsese film!
watch this film the very first time it had world. My book has a very specific story Now I know this is the wrong way
ever been shown in over one hundred and what you see on screen essentially is round, Paul, but I want to ask you about
years. Every now and then Madeleine my book. When John Logan was writing your conversations with Scorsese. Is it true
would lean over, point to the screen, and the screenplay he told me he had five that he asked you for advice on the right
say “that’s my grandfather” or, “that’s copies of the book open at any one time sort of tricks for Sir Ben Kingsley to
my grandmother.” It was bizarre but so he could see all the drawings and the perform during the flashback scene?
wonderful and fantastic at the same time. story. When I visited the set and met the
set designer Dante Ferretti, who won an Well, when I saw the screenplay there
We have jumped ahead to the film, Oscar for his work on the film, the only were a mixture of different things. Some
so let’s go back a little bit. I met your drawings he had on the walls were of the card items, for example, were quite
publisher from Scholastic last night and reproductions of my drawings. Everyone, specific, but then in other places, like the
she said that The Invention of Hugo at their computers when they were doing flashback scene, it just said: “Performing
Cabret was a book that shouldn’t have the special effects, had my book open on stage at the Robert-Houdin theatre.”
sold. It is 550 pages long, hardbound, next to them. I became friends with a guy I suggested a levitation because in just a
and really not a traditional children’s book. called Tommaso Colognese, who was few seconds you can see that
Despite that though it received huge Scorsese’s assistant, and he said that his something magical is
acclaim and has been published in lots main job was having at least six copies of happening and you can
of different countries. How many places my book on him at any time. When shoot it from lots of
is it available now? someone asked a question Scorsese would different angles. Of course,
It has been published in forty-two give them a copy of the book, open to the with a levitation, the effect
different languages. I can’t name right page, and say: “Do this!” Everyone you must go for is the
forty-two languages so sometimes, on set said they have never seen a director Robert-Houdin Etherial
when a new copy shows up, I will look be more faithful to their source material Suspension. I spoke
and have no idea what language it is before. about it with Will
even in! It is amazing. Of course there are differences, and Houstoun, who also
some things in the film have been opened did some work on the
When the film rights were purchased up like the station inspector’s character. film, and he mentioned
was it already a massively successful book? What is really beautiful is that they started that if it was going to be
No. Martin Scorsese bought the rights with a book I wrote, that was meant to the Etherial Suspension it
before it was even published. They make be a celebration of film, but which is should have the original
early copies for librarians and reviewers ultimately about the importance of balancing base as well.
and he got to see one of those. He reading. Scorsese and John Logan I wasn’t quite sure
bought it before anyone had even read reversed that to make a movie that whether that would be
it. Then there was a writers’ strike and lots celebrates books but ultimately is about authentic but luckily
of other things happened, but eventually, the importance of film. I look at what the Taschen book,
when he came back to it, the book had is on screen and I can truly say that is Magic: 1400s-1950s, had an
become a success. He actually bought mine, but at the same time it is also image of that trick being performed by
the rights before anyone else had even Martin Scorsese’s, and John Logan’s, Madame Méliès, with the additional base,
read it though. and everyone else’s who worked on it in the Théâtre Robert-Houdin! What you
because I didn’t make that movie. see in the movie is almost an exact copy of
When a book is adapted into a film I that image, even down to the details of
have heard that often the original writer is I think that some of the shots from the the stool and the board.
not particularly involved. How did that film are exact copies of your work from And you were there on set when they
work with you? the book. were working on it and building it?
There was no collaboration with me on Yes. The book has an unusual structure
the project, but they all used my book like with long sequences of pictures that Yes, I went to Paris to do it and it was
it was the bible so I felt that they were still simulate film. Usually, pictures in books great to have that shot in the movie. It
sort of working with me. I got to go and illustrate what the words already say, but was great to do and I know that I felt very
visit the set before filming began and I got in my books the words end and then the honoured to be a part of the movie. I also
to see all the props they were buying and story continues visually for twenty or thirty am very grateful that through working on
making. They recreated a lot of pages before the words come back to the project I got to meet you and that we
Robert-Houdin’s material and the Méliès carry it on again. Those picture segments have now had the chance to become
cameras, as well as an entire train station! are based on film and when you look at friends. Thank you very much for taking
I also met Scorsese then for the first time my illustrations that open the book they the time to take part in this interview!
and he told me all about his vision for the are remarkably similar to the opening
movie, how 3D would work in the film, sequence in the film itself. It turns out that For more information on Brian
and the history of cinema that he traced Scorsese took every one of my opening Selznick and all of his books visit
back to the cave paintings at Lascaux. illustrations and used them as the story www.theinventionofhugocabret.com

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2011 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 371

 Mandy Davis MIMC Convenor of Reports. Photographed by Mark

Monday 24 September 2012

Art of Impossible – Monday 8 October 2012 show. Looking stunning, with her slightly
Paul Hyland Fantastique – Laura London mischievous and impish charm, she hinted
on the “touch of anarchy” to follow as
Reported by mandy Davis Reported by Hugh Nightingale she welcomed Javier Jarquin to the stage.
Paul Hyland’s lecture was filled with his It was virtually a full house for this Javier the Card Ninja is an expert card
own creations, interspersed with his Fantastique cabaret night organised by manipulator and a very funny guy who
versions of other people’s work. Laura. The show opened with The Bees claims to do no magic. He certainly kept
He opened with Dissolve, his own Knees, two dancers who set the mood us entranced as he spun his ‘weapons of
method for passing a silk vertically for the evening with big smiles and misdirection’ to all parts of the theatre,
through a horizontal superbly choreographed and executed including the balcony.
cane and his version of routines to the music of the 1920s. Next on were the Stillhouse Orchestra,
Nate Leipzig’s magnetic Their enthusiasm was infectious and the comprising Member Maria Cork and
walking stick. whole audience caught the Flapper bug guitarist Jake Evans. I have met Maria in
Next we saw Boxover, and applauded wildly. Oh, and they did the clubroom but had no idea she had
Paul’s own ‘sensitivity have amazing knees … and the rest! such a wonderful voice. She positively
test’ with kitchen This wonderful couple should open all blossomed on stage as she sang a mixture
matchboxes. A male our shows. of American country, swing and blues as
spectator balanced a Laura then came on to compere the well as one of their own songs about the
box on end whilst a
female helper wasn’t
Paul Hyland
able to do so until she
held hands with the man.
Next was an update of Will Goldston’s
New C&R Ribbon, using a length of
ribbon, sharp un-gaffed scissors and a
folded business card which was sliced
through although the ribbon was
unharmed. Paul had printed his business
cards so that there were now two
half-size business cards to give away.
Misp-Laced was Paul’s version of
Angelo Carbone’s Out of Order – using
much larger cards, whilst Sex Change
used five Telepathy Cards, five envelopes
and a Haunted Key on a ribbon. Chain Monday
Reaction and Fast & Loose were a 1 October 2012
simplified version of George Blake’s The Magic Circle
production of the Endless Chain and a Annual General
routine in which the lady always wins Meeting 2012
and the man loses. A Chop Cup using a [See the
polystyrene mug followed along with November 2012
the Knot of Enchantment which was a issue of The Magic
puzzle-trick with with two ropes. Circular for the
Paul ended with Synergetic Rice – his minutes of the
own version of the Rice Jar Suspension – meeting. Ed.]
in which a chopstick was plunged into a
large glass jar filled with rice so that two
spectators were able to lift the rice jar.
All in all we saw a collection of effects, Bettsie Bon Bon and Miss Banbury Cross
well performed and explained.

372 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

Hesketh-Jennings

people of Chelsea. ‘modesty’ of lace. It sounds like striptease and sequins. She performed her
Dee Riley was the first magic act on. but was actually a delightfully artistic champagne burlesque striptease
Laura had discovered him in the shadows expression of female beauty, seemingly immaculately, and sexily, as only one
of some nightclub working his alternative enjoyed by all genders in the audience – at the top of her profession could. At
magic. Perhaps hints of Russell Brand and sexy but no way lewd nor embarrassing. the climax her champagne sprayed
Johnny Depp might describe his Von Majik, an ex-YMC member, was on out over the front few rows sticking
appearance which he carries well and next to toss out a deck, swallow a balloon, the pages of my notebook together –
touches up with his magic wand mascara. destroy a ten pound note in a flash, make so it’s surprising I can recall anything
He performed his version of Smash and a signed card exchange places with one of the evening!
Stab using a cooking thermometer as the held in a spectator’s mouth, and finally Well done, Laura. Not an easy job,
spike under the cups. find the missing bank note in a Kiwi fruit. getting together such diverse and
Now for the first real burlesque with Matt Hennem was exceptional. His brilliant acts. If you missed the
Bettsie Bon Bon – one of the original Hurly suitcase got ‘stuck’ in mid-air and, when evening, do search for clips of the acts
Burly Girlys. Looking gorgeous in dark he finally got it open, a crystal ball took on on the Internet.
green silk and lace, trimmed with black an eerie, almost balletic life in his hands –
feathers, Betsy, with taste and a contact juggler, par excellence. Monday 15 October 2012
professionalism, danced away her clothes Miss Banbury Cross closed the show in Mark Elsdon Lecture
down to a couple of tassels and the tiniest style, a Hollywood Marilyn beauty in silver
Reported by chris mcGeever
With a strong emphasis on mental
magic, Mark demonstrated and
taught a number of items he has
devised during his years as a

s
performer and creator, many of which

Javier the Card Ninja Maria Cork and Jake Evans

Below left to right: Matt Hennem, Von Majik, Dee Riley and Laura London

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 373

 l Magic Circle Umbrella. Navy blue with silver coloured
handle and printed silver logo. Automatic opening. £14.95
l Magic Circle Playing Cards. Poker size with black backs
Mark Elsdon and gold coloured logo. £3.95 each or £6.95 for two.
l Magic Circle Key Ring. £1.95
s

involved playing cards. The material was suitable for both l Postcards. Four styles depicting posters from The Circle Collection,
close-up and parlour settings. Mark shared his imaginative namely Soo, Devant, Le Roy and Hertz. £2.00 for a set.
l Bob Read’s Magical London Map. £2.95
thinking via unorthodox uses for standard, often-overlooked
l Inside The Magic Circle. Souvenir booklet. £1.95
principles in card magic. l Tie £10.00
Towards the end of the lecture he tipped the method behind l Moleskine pocket ruled notebook with in-bossed
one of his marketed items, a book test with an ordinary book Magic Circle logo, 192 pages £13.50
and an unusual premise, called Whacked! He also gave a sneak l Moleskine large plain notebook with in-bossed
Magic Circle logo, 240 pages £17.50
preview of an upcoming release, iBalance – a borrowed mobile
phone suspension. mEmBERS ONLY
A highlight of Mark’s lecture was his Rubik’s Cube pattern *please state your Degree when ordering
prediction effect. Pointing out how it was at its most basic level l Button Badge* £3.95
l Deluxe Gilt Button Badge* £5.95
“just a card trick”, Mark showed how, by altering the prop
l Jewel with or without Star* £13.50
slightly, he was able to communicate a quirky aspect of his l Cufflinks* £13.95
personality and his own interests.
Along the way, Mark broke up the explanations and discussed These items can be purchased from the Showcase at The Magic
a diverse number of topics, ranging from his views on creativity, Circle Headquarters on a Club Night or can be sent by post to your
address (P&P extra). Credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) and cheques
to the best way of marketing one’s wares to fellow magicians. His drawn on a UK bank accepted (cheques payable to “CMA Ltd”).
insight on keeping notebooks for new ideas, and the need to
work hard at both the brainstorming and sifting process, was For more information Email
particularly notable. He also briefly touched on his experiences as ShowcaseSales@TheMagicCircle.co.uk
or telephone 0207 387 2222
a consultant on Dynamo: Magician Impossible, and contemporary
television magic in general. Mark came across as very affable, and
was disarmingly honest in assessing the strengths and
weaknesses of the various pieces he presented. In describing why
he had included instructions on a DVD for one trick, his sense of
humour about our magic sub-culture came through strongly in
his comic observations about how “people used to read, years ago.”
Perhaps where Mark was most eloquent and informative was
in his discourse about equivoque. Starting off by lamenting how
the technique is frequently misunderstood or poorly executed, he
went on to summarise exactly how it can be employed at its best.
He made mention of the book he has in the pipeline on the
subject, and went into great detail about the strongest ways to
conceal the fact that it is being used, as well as disguising exactly
when it was in play too.
Thanks to Mark, those in attendance went away having
learned far more than just some new tricks with a
mental flavour.

374 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 Elizabeth Warlock MIMC

nce again we are almost into Albion Magic, Dave Forrest, David Charles, Simon Aronson, and Yoann Fontyn.

O another Festive Season and,

while many societies around the
country take a rest this month, hopefully
Keith Bennett and Liam Montier, all of
whom did brisk business between the
lectures. It was a truly magical day, and we
But in September Andi embarked to
America for a different kind of gig.
There he joined Joshua Jay, Darwin Ortiz
many of our Members will be busy look forward to the next one on and Eric Jones to perform close-up in an
entertaining young audiences as they September 29, 2013. event for the Obama election campaign
eagerly await the arrival of Santa. It was just a few days after this that organised by collector Ken Trombly at
One of the most exciting events to Craig Petty presented a lecture himself at his Washington mansion, before a
take place in the Midlands was the the British Magical Society. This versatile distinguished audience of senators and
LADS one-day convention, when over magician who is just at home at the lawyers. Prior to this Andi presented a
three hundred registrants packed the close-up table, on stage, or demonstrating lecture at Trics in North Carolina and
Ramada Hotel, Sutton Coldfield, props for the World Magic Shop, showed later attended the Genii convention in
Birmingham on Sunday September 30 a number of unusual items. There were a Orlando which was attended by fellow
for some eye-popping magic. Now in its couple of effects using an iPhone. Firstly a Brits Noel Britten, Guy Hollingworth,
third year, this lectures and dealers scribble was made on the phone, a card and Bob Hamilton, plus
event, hence the title LADS, was was chosen and the scribble magically anglophile Matt Field. It
organised by David Penn, Craig Petty, became the value of the card. Secondly, was while there that he
and John Farr of the Birmingham based he had five cards chosen, the values of and Joshua Jay continued
World Magic Shop. which matched the total figure of their plan to save the once
The first lecturer of the day was Dee numbers which had been fed into the popular Magi-Fest
Christopher, a young and avant-garde iPhone by three spectators. There was an convention which takes
guy who presented metal bending, effect using a version of the Rainbow place in Columbus, Ohio
including spoons and coins, in addition Deck, a book test using cards instead of each February. This
to mental items such as a book test books and Keymaster with two keys. convention has been going
using both ESP symbols and a word, It is not so much what Craig does but downhill for a number of
plus chair and horror film predictions. the way he does it. Like many successful years, and having regard Andi Gladwin
You are surely going to hear a lot of this magicians, he started his show-business to the strong line-ups over the years, they
upcoming star in the future. career as a Redcoat at Butlins. It was a decided to rescue it and bring it back to
Then there was the duo of Clement & great learning curve where one had to be its former status in the American world
Philippe from Belgium. Although adept at everything from entertaining of magic. We wish them luck.
renowned for their coin work they children, hosting various competitions, It is always difficult to come up with
showed us instead some brilliant and performing in the evening shows, and new ideas for magic meetings, but one
entertaining routines with harmonicas, generally keeping everyone happy. As a that is favoured by the British Magical
rubber bands, a Euro bill and a lighter, result one quickly learns how to project Society once during a year is the Card
torn and restored cigarette paper, a and while Craig’s magic is clever and School organised by George Symes.
variation of Matrix, mobile phone mystifying, it is always presented in an While the attendance may not be great
productions, coins across using a entertaining manner and consequently he it nevertheless makes for an
spectator, and so much more. Let us never fails to capture his audiences. All of instructional evening, with folk like Mike
hope we will see more of these very this would make him an excellent emcee. Gancia, Keith Bennett, Derek Robbins
talented performers. Andi Gladwin continues to exert and of course George, inputting their
America’s Francis Menotti favoured considerable influence on magic with his ideas around the table. While I am not a
cards such as the shuffled deck to new corporate appearances, book publication card worker per se, I find such evenings
deck order, torn and restored card, the and trick company Vanishing Inc which he interesting in that they remind me of
dissolving deck, and a version of cards runs jointly with Joshua Jay, as well as the days when I lived in Toronto and
across, although he did also perform the organising The Session, a weekend event attended the Round Table, which used
penetration of a borrowed two pence held in the Cotswolds each January as this to meet every Saturday afternoon,
coin through his T-Shirt as well as a country’s answer to Fechter’s Finger where a group of us would sit around a
number prediction. He also explained Flicking Frolic. It is there that one can see table at a downtown restaurant drinking
much of the psychology behind his the very best in close-up from around the innumerable cups of coffee and
performance. world, and the convention coming up next swapping ideas. Those were the days.
There were six dealers headed by The January will see appearances from such I’ll be with you again soon with more
World Magic Shop, and supported by names as Jay Sankey, the Buck twins, news from the Regions.

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 375

 Walford Taylor AIMC

TELEPHONY FOR TWO

ricks using the telephone have been thirty-one telephone tricks, although it is

T performed almost since Alexander

Graham Bell invented the
instrument in 1876, but the advent of
short on giving credits where due.
Telephone routines can be classified
under three major groups:
the mobile, or cellphone, has given 1 Routines which depend upon a secret
them a new lease of life as it has code between performer and assistant.
enabled them to be performed 2 Routines which rely on certain technical
anywhere, any time, rather than being characteristics of the telephone itself
restricted to locations where a land-line which are not generally known to
instrument is available. the public.
The original idea of conveying the 3 Ordinary tricks which are simply adapted
name of a playing card to a friend at a so that they can be performed over the
distance by phone was conceived by telephone.
John Northern Hilliard (of Greater Magic The routines can be adapted to ESP
fame) whose effect was singled out for cards, or even entirely different kinds of
special praise by David Devant in his information. For example in Adapt
book Tricks for Everyone (C. Arthur Adopt and Improve – Maritime Menu
Pearson, London, 1910). Since then we (The Magic Circular June 2007) I
have had other distinguished described an effect in which the
contributors to the genre such as Al spectator’s choice of a complete meal
Baker in his Mental Magic (Carl. W. from a cruise ship’s menu was
Jones, Minneapolis, 1949). The revealed by telephone. Another
Handbook of Telephone Telepathy (Al twist is for the location of a chosen
Forman, Chariot Publishing Co., card (ie its numbered position in the
Stamford, Conn., 1963) contains pack) to be revealed by a total
stranger over the phone. To the layman it
is a stunning effect but if I tell you
that it is entitled Svengali’s Telephone was by George Armstrong. It is worth
you can work out for yourself the looking up and can be found in The Magic
method involved. It appeared in Circle Library.
The Wizard for January The routine which I am now about to
1949, at page describe is unusual in that a telephone test
340 and performed with the aid of the performer’s
assistant on the other end of the line is
immediately repeated using anyone the
spectator chooses to ring.

EFFEcT
A pack of cards is shuffled by a spectator
who then verifies that all the cards are
well mixed (thus indicating, without
comment, that all the cards are different).
He is asked to spread the deck face-down
and push out any one card. It is
emphasised that he has had a free choice
and that he may, even at this stage,
change his mind. The rest of the pack is
reassembled, turned face-up and the
chosen card inserted still face down, sight
unseen, in the middle of the pack which is
then cut a few times and placed by the

376 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

spectator in his pocket. The performer “Nought…one… two… three…” up to spectator will choose his own assistant
telephones his spouse/partner/assistant “Jack, Queen, King”. The performer who will similarly divine the card over
and as soon as he gets through hands the remains silent as if the phone has not yet the telephone. Again the same pack is
phone over to the spectator without been answered until she names the value shuffled by the spectator and handed to
saying a word. The performer’s assistant of the chosen card, when he the performer who spreads it face-down
on the telephone names a card and the surreptitiously presses any key on the exactly as the spectator did previously.
spectator repeats it out loud to the handset, which causes a beep in the The performer selects any card without
audience. When he removes the pack assistant’s earpiece, inaudible to the looking at it (as will be seen, it does not
from his pocket and fans it the reversed audience. The reason I suggest that the matter which card is chosen) and
card is found to be the card just named. assistant starts counting from 0 instead of re-inserts it face-down in the face-up
The performer then takes the same pack from 1 is that it gives time for both parties pack, just as the spectator did before,
and likewise reverses any card in the pack to collect their thoughts, particularly if the giving the pack a few cuts before doing
sight unseen, cuts the pack a few times first coded number is number one (an Ace). so. The pack is placed in the performer’s
and puts it in his pocket. This time the The assistant then immediately switches pocket so that it stands vertically. In the
spectator telephones someone of his own to reciting slowly the names of the suits, same pocket a matching deck has
choice asking him to name any card that saying “Clubs…Hearts…Spades… already been placed lying horizontally
comes into his head which he repeats out Diamonds” until the performer signals the making it easy to distinguish and
loud to the audience. The performer correct suit in the same way and passes remove the right pack when the time
removes the deck from his pocket, fans it the telephone to the spectator asking him comes. This deck is a one-colour Dai
and again the reversed card turns out to to ask the helper on the end of the line to Vernon Brainwave Deck, i.e. all the
be the one just named. name the first card that comes into her backs are of the same colour and design
head and to repeat it out loud so that the as the other pack).
EXPLANATION audience can hear it. In this way the The spectator telephones anyone he
The idea came from Al Koran’s Double performer says nothing at all before pleases and asks that person to name
Thought (Professional Presentations by handing over the phone. I first read about the first card that comes into his mind
Hugh Millar, Harry Stanley, London, 1968) this idea of bleeping the signal, as and this is likewise announced out loud
but the effect here described differs opposed to the usual verbal interruption, to the audience.
substantially in that it involves two packs, in an effect called Telephonic Telepathy in The performer then removes the
not one, a revelation by telephone by two Angelo Stagnaro’s Conspiracy (Author’s matching Brainwave Deck from his
different persons, the methods used are Publication, 2004) and I used it in pocket (the appropriate way up for the
quite different, and the dénouements are Maritime Menu Mentality (referred to suit of the card named) and fans it face
consecutive, not concurrent. above). It is very easy to press any phone down to show that the card he had
key without arousing suspicion as the back reversed is the one just named by the
The First Test – by the Spectator of the performer’s hand is facing the spectator’s friend.
For this test we use an Ultimate Marked audience and I find that the thumb is best The reason the pack is cut a few times
Deck, but any kind of marked deck will used rather than a finger which could before being placed in the pocket is that
do. When the card is pushed out of the disclose a movement of the knuckle to the otherwise it might be noticed on
spread pack the performer has ample audience. It is important to remember to fanning the Brainwave Deck that the
opportunity to discreetly read the chosen set the keypad tone to silent beforehand. reversed card is in a different position in
card from its marking on the back. All that The spectator was asked to place the pack the pack from where it was inserted
remains is for the card to be signalled to in his pocket “to keep it out of sight”. The before being put in the pocket!
the performer’s assistant at the other end real reason is that it will then seem It is the combination of the three
of the phone. The code given in The perfectly natural for the performer to different principles (marked cards, silent
Telephone Trick in Greater Magic (John place it in his pocket in the second test, coding and Brainwave Deck) plus the
Northern Hilliard, Kaufman & Co., where it is essential for the working of the fact that the spectator and the
Washington DC, 1938) is perfect. The effect. performer change roles and the
assistant knows approximately when to spectator’s own helper duplicates the
expect the telephone to ring, but by using The Second Test – by the Performer feat of the performer’s assistant, thus
ID calling she will know for sure that it is The previous test is followed by offering to dispelling any idea of complicity on the
from the performer. Lifting the receiver repeat the effect but that this time the part of the performer’s assistant, which
she starts counting aloud over the phone, performer will select a card and the make this routine particularly strong.

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 377

 Ian Rowland MIMC
MIMC

Triumph Of Imagination
s you know, there is no reason whatsoever to go and see can ever be stated too loudly or too often. You may think it’s so

A a play in a theatre. Why would you trudge to some

airless mausoleum of dying arts just to see a bunch of
unemployables stand around reciting tons of words written by
obvious as to be scarcely worth saying, and I truly wish this were
the case. Unfortunately, there are still quite a few magicians who
seem to think that expenditure is of greater significance than
some dead European guy? It’s obviously far more fulfilling to effort, talent or creative imagination.
stay at home and either watch The X Factor, watch DVDs or I still hear eager beaver young mentalists discussing how much
play video games forever. I know this is the case because the money they’ve spent on the latest hi-tech piece of electronic
mass media never let me forget it for a second. Franken-mentalism, presumably hoping to impress either
Despite this evident truism, I happened to see three plays last themselves or anyone within earshot. In similar vein, I recently
month. That may sound a bit extravagant, but only one of received an email recently from a friend who is learning about
them was my personal choice. In the other two cases, friends magic. Someone was willing to buy her a moderately expensive
bought tickets they discovered they couldn’t use and saw me present, and she asked me what expensive magic trick she should
as a dependably appreciative dumping ground for their surplus. ask for. (I advised her to forget about buying a trick and to buy a
(I like these sorts of friends.) I’m going to briefly tell you about Juan Tamariz book instead.)
the plays I saw because they illustrate an important point. Even in the world of stage magic and illusions, budget matters
The first of the three was Strindberg’s Mademoiselle Julie. It less than you might think. In a previous article I wrote about Neil
had a big name attached to it, in the form of international Henry’s stage show in which he needed to produce a person from
movie star Juliette Binoche. It was an expensive, lavish nowhere, in the middle of a small, brightly lit stage. He achieved
production with a fussy, elaborate set that probably cost this using nothing but a big cardboard box (a supermarket
several thousand pounds to build. The play was tedious beyond remnant) plus a great deal of very smart, sly theatrical
belief, and I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Most people misdirection. I’ve seen Copperfield, Siegfried & Roy, Hans Klok
who saw it thought it was stale and indulgent. and many other great illusionists. Neil’s ‘someone from nowhere’
The second was Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler. It had a big name was the finest illusion of its kind I’ve ever seen, and the only one
attached to it, in the form of popular TV and stage star that startled me and actually looked like genuine magic.
Sheridan Smith. It was an expensive, lavish production with a My friend Jeff McBride is without doubt one of the greatest
fussy, elaborate set that probably cost several thousand pounds exponents of stage magic there has ever been, and he has access
to build. It wasn’t tedious but nor was it anything special. The to all the big boxes and cabinets if he wants them. Yet he would
general consensus was that Sheridan, though she is be the first to agree that imagination counts for everything, and
unquestionably lovely, talented and popular, wasn’t quite up to expenditure matters not at all. One of Jeff’s greatest routines is
the role (in much the same way as I’m not quite up to winning called Rainmaker. It’s a poetic and beautiful routine in which two
Olympic gold at gymnastics). water bowls appear to continually replenish themselves with
The third play was an entirely different affair. It was an fresh water that materialises out of thin air. Jeff can hold an
adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It starred no-one you audience of thousands spell-bound and delighted with this
have ever heard of, and took place in a cramped basement routine, which is as flawless, captivating and deeply baffling as
‘theatre’ that was essentially an empty space with some plastic anything the world of magic has to offer. Yet the only props are
seats in it. There was no set, hardly any props and no special two simple water bowls. They aren’t even gaffed! By the way, if
effects. The budget for the entire production would probably you’re interested in the method I’ll give it away in one word:
buy you a few decks of cards and a thumb tip, and I’m not so imagination.
sure about the thumb tip. Guess what? It was a wonderful, I could cite countless other examples of magic, both small– and
gripping and hugely enjoyable theatrical experience. The large–scale, that costs next to nothing but is fantastically
direction was taut, meticulous and hugely imaginative. The cast impressive, and in any case this is wisdom so old it was never
were all excellent, and managed to convey the drama, the fun new. It would be wonderful if we could emphasise this point to
(yes, there is meant to be some) and the horror of the story all the youngsters who come into magic, so that instead of
superbly well. Singer and actress Carrie Marx was on aspiring to the day when they can afford to spend more, they
magnificent form as Mina Harker and made me believe the realise they don’t have to. And while we’re at it, could someone
whole thing – even when she got bitten. The equally also mention this to a few West End theatre producers?
impressive Maxim Wrottesley delivered a startlingly effective
portrayal of Dracula: all of the aristocratic menace and potency, Warm Reading
none of the deranged histrionics of film industry cliché. Last week I had the great pleasure of meeting prolific author
The obvious parable is this: some productions have money, Richard Webster, who hails from New Zealand. I have known
but only talent and imagination have value. I don’t think this Richard for many years, ever since Martin Breese first began

378 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 marketing his books in this event will take place (they use various venues) but
this country back in the wherever it’s held I expect it will be well worth attending.
1970s, but this was my The rest of the line-up looks pretty good as well. For more
first opportunity to information, contact the Psycrets organisation:
actually meet him. In www.psycrets.org.uk.
common with everyone
else who meets Richard, I Quick trick
found him to be incredibly For this month’s Quick Trick I just want to mention something
knowledgeable, yet that falls under the category of ‘almost obvious but not quite’.
modest and thoroughly Specifically: the Princess Card Trick principle works quite well
charming. Richard has with things other than playing cards.
written over 110 books In case you don’t know, let me explain the basic idea. You
on different aspects of briefly display five playing cards, eg 3C, 7H, 4S, JD, QC. You
cold reading, mentalism, ask a spectator to mentally choose one of them and remember
psychic divination and it. You drop the cards out of sight for a second and say you will
Richard Webster spiritual development. If attempt to remove the card she is thinking of. You remove one
you haven’t explored his work, I highly recommend that you visit card, mix up the remaining four and display them. Sure
his website and choose one or two titles to get you started. You enough, the spectator sees that the card she is thinking of is
will learn a lot from one of the finest teachers the magic world no longer among those on display.
has ever seen: www.deceptionary.com/webster.html How’s it done? You secretly ditch the first set of cards you
If you don’t know where to start, simply drop Richard an email displayed and show four cards that are different but visually
and discuss your needs. I’m sure he’ll be happy to help, and he similar eg 3S, 7D, 4C, JH. To the spectator, it looks as if she is
won’t try to sell you anything that you won’t find useful. Or, if seeing the same cards as before minus the one she thought of.
you don’t want to do that, I recommend Quick and effective cold There are versions of this trick all over the internet. (How you
reading and How to make money giving free talks. turn this basic trick into an entertaining routine is beyond the
scope of this ‘Quick Trick’ section, but rest assured it can be
Power of London done.)
I seldom mention Club Nights in these articles, and I’m aware All I want to suggest is that you can use the same principle
that this magazine goes out to many who are unable to attend with items other than playing cards. For example, you could
them. However, I do want to mention the thoroughly enjoyable prepare five flash cards bearing years of the 20th century, each
evening that was recently organised by Laura London. Instead of of them associated with a major event e.g. 1963 (JFK
presenting a lecture, Laura put on a show that combined magic assassination). Drop the display out of view for a second and
with elements of music, comedy and burlesque. It was hugely switch to four completely different cards that bear similar years
enjoyable and I just want to make two brief points. One is that I to the ones shown originally. When you display these, it will
think we should definitely ask Laura to organise another night seem to the spectator as if you removed just the year she was
along similar lines next year. Secondly, we need a few more thinking of.
Monday nights like this where someone is allowed to put Or how about using photos of cars with each ‘marque’
together a show based on their own hand-picked selection of printed underneath? Make the pictures on the second set
friends and performers, and that does not have to be solely similar to those used originally, and the same psychological
focused on magic. It’s good for us, as magicians, to keep in touch illusion will apply. Or how about pictures of five different
with all the allied arts from the worlds of variety, circus and colourful cocktail drinks, again each one being named under
cabaret. Well done to Laura and to all who took part, and I hope the picture? There are endless possibilities that get away from
we have a few more evenings like it in future. playing cards and yet work just as well.

christian Teaching Invitation

In a recent article I wrote about Christian Bischof, the Swiss If you have items, stories, jokes or vicious rumours of
mentalist who impressed everyone at FISM. I’m delighted to say interest to mentalists, please drop me a line
that Christian will be appearing at the Tabula Mentis meeting (ian@ianrowland.com). If you can’t afford Derren and
scheduled for 20 April next year. Christian tells me he will be want to hire a fairly good also-ran mentalist, or you just
recreating his FISM act and talking about its structure and have time to kill, please visit www.ianrowland.com.
development. At the time of writing I don’t know exactly where

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 379

 The Nine of Diamonds Revelation, a move for the The Cannibal work, I’m
Edited by Mark Beecham and Cards in which the cannibals visually afraid you’ll
Neil Stirton regurgitate a selected card, and Gary have to
139 pages, 9 x 6 ins., hard bound, Goldberg’s FIRP, a move which reverses the leave the
illustrated. £24.99 plus p&p from bottom card of the deck and moves it to Babycham
www.nineofdiamonds.weebly.com the second position from top under cover chilling a bit
Dealers contact Murphy’s Magic of a faro shuffle and cascade. A few of the longer.
Supplies, www.MurphysMagic.com tricks that I liked include Amass Aces by What is on
Neil Stirton, a neat routine featuring a very offer here is
Reviewed by Will Houstoun clever glimpse in which the four aces find a neat
Every week a small group of magicians the four mates of a selected card, and principle,
in Edinburgh meet in a small Mark Beecham’s Seasame Street, a two first
underground bar to talk about the latest deck Do As I Do sequence that features a published by Martin Gardner in the 1940s
developments in the world of sleight of great display at the conclusion of the trick. and brushed up for the twenty-first
hand and close-up magic. Based on the In terms of century, which allows the performance of
myth of the nine of diamonds, the curse non-card items, some baffling card locations from a
of Scotland, the group decided to Éireann Leverett convincingly shuffled deck.
publish a collection of their work and contributes a The secret itself is a specific approach to
The Nine of Diamonds is the result. The clever routine, the divided deck principle, and one which
book contains some twenty-seven based on an has the advantage of being undetectable
items, most of which use cards although interesting move, when the deck is spread face upward. It’s
there is a chapter dedicated to non-card in which a to the credit of the authors that the five
items. random coin is phases of the featured routine are
The material covers a range of chosen and spun sufficiently contrasted so as not to make
different plots and approaches to magic. on the table only their parentage apparent. Although the
Items that particularly caught my eye for the magician performer, Marcelo Insúa (Mr. Tango of
from the chapter dedicated to moves to have predicted the coin’s value, Tango Magic) begins with the set-up in
included Mark Beecham’s Regurgitator whether it will be heads or tails up at the place, he also explains a way to get into
end of the spin, and also the year in which position from a borrowed deck, though
the coin was minted. you may substitute any of your favourite
The Magic Circle Library The Nine of Diamonds is a nicely separation techniques, such as Harry
designed book that has been well written Lorayne’s Great Divide, or Lennart Green’s
MY FAVOURITE and illustrated. Its contributors and editors 5-Q shuffle. Although this is not discussed

BOOKS deserve particular praise for the thorough

work they have done to ensure that they
on the DVD, I would ensure that an
audience is encouraged to discount the
A series of occasional 30-minute talks have permission to teach all the moves in possibility of a marked deck, as they will
to be given by individual members of the book as well as crediting the inventors. otherwise jump to this (false) conclusion,
The Magic Circle about their The book’s title may suggest “the curse of to the detriment of the magic.
favourite books on Magic. Scotland” but I am sure that nobody who If you do know a full-deck stack, such as
reads it will feel cursed. those by Aronson and Tamariz, all the
The next talk will be given by
effects on this DVD will already be
BRIAN SIBLEY The UNmemorized Deck available to you. Nonetheless, the
by Marcelo Insúa ten-minute routine is intelligently
on Monday 3 December 2012
Instructional DVD. $30 (£19) from your designed, ending with a strong “calling
at 6.15 pm in the Library.
favourite dealer. Dealers contact Murphy’s the cards” climax, and featuring a Triumph
Library: 020 7387 1533 Magic supplies, www.MurphysMagic.com. routine which I venture will fool many
library@themagiccircle.co.uk knowledgeable card guys and gals.
Reviewed by Tim Sutton The performance is calm and assured,
If the title of this DVD leads you to expect and the explanations, dubbed for
a breakthrough memorised deck without English-speakers over the Spanish original,
any of that pesky, um, memorisation are clear and concise. Despite a somewhat

380 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

misleading title, I can recommend this medium-sized audience that will maintain you can make this work for you, but
DVD to those wanting to add some strong good sight lines. don’t be fooled that it will do the work
card magic to their bag of tricks. The Essence is nicely produced when on its own.
compared with other spiral bound The benefits of the gimmick are that it
The Essence publications but, at £20 perhaps does not is invisible to the audience, hidden
by Tony Griffith feature the same production value that behind your hip-pocket wallet or other
131 pgs, 12 x 9 ins., comb bound, can be found elsewhere. Having said that, item. There are fifteen routines
illustrated. £20 plus £3 p&p from a hard-bound edition is also available for suggested in the booklet, but they are
www.tonygriffith.co.uk £25 if you like your books as objects all variations on the following: a decoy
rather than just as sources of information. prediction is on the table. A spectator
Reviewed by Will Houstoun It is also worth noting that much of the volunteers some information. The
The Essence is the latest book from material described in The Essence has correct prediction is removed from the
Bristol’s Tony Griffith and is designed to been taken from Griffith’s Reflection Thindex and switched in. Lo, a miracle.
accompany his lecture/workshop days. series. If you don’t have the Reflection The Miracle Factory suggests that the
Don’t let that make you think that the series, and are interested in Griffith’s work business of locating the right
book takes the form of brief notes, or have enjoyed seeing him lecture, prediction and extracting it
however, it is a chunky book of just over however, The Essence may well be just from its plastic hiding place
130 pages covering a large range of right for you. will be covered by the
material. actions of casually searching
The material that is explained in The Thindex for a bank note or similar.
Essence includes Silk’n Sorcery, a by The Miracle Factory They also give helpful
multi-phase stand-up routine using a rope Gimmick and 20 page instructional methods for locating a
and silk in which a silk appears in the booklet. $24.95 (£15) from your favourite prediction at position one (it’s
middle of a knotted rope, penetrates the dealer. Dealers contact Murphy’s Magic at the beginning), or indeed
rope, and jumps from one trouser pocket supplies, www.MurphysMagic.com. at position thirteen (it’s at the
to another before leading up to a surprise end), but are rather more vague about
finale. For those who prefer their magic Reviewed by Tim Sutton position seven, or nine, for example, at
with cards, and especially those who like Hmm ... here’s a prediction — in six which point your casual actions might
magic with the Si Stebbins stack, Griffith months’ time you will find the Thindex at begin to look more like someone
has routined a sequence of five tricks each the back of a drawer marked ‘Hope Over secretly trying to find a piece of paper in
of which uses the stack to create a Experience’. To quote from the lusciously a secret index in a wallet. One might be
selection of varied produced instructional booklet: “Many tempted to get out a pair of scissors and
effects, building to prediction methods [...] can create a prune the pockets to a more
a natural climax. A variety of unwanted issues and needless manageable number, although this
method to insecurity during your performance.” Nail would seem like a waste of an
construct a hand writers can, we are told, be difficult to slip expensive prop.
puppet is also on, and produce shaky and indistinct Please avoid also their suggestion of
explained along writing. Well, you can now add the predicting: “A lovely blonde will choose
with a selection of Thindex to the list of gimmicks generating the Three of Hearts” unless you are
other effects needless insecurity. auditioning for Mad Men. One, I fear,
including mental This is essentially an index with thirteen for the mental completist only.
magic, and even a transparent pockets, bound at one edge.
book-based version This slips into your wallet, allowing you to Blinking Effect
of the venerable predict almost anything, apparently. The by Jean-Luc Bertrand
Grey Elephant in Denmark routine. problem is that the amount of time you 108 minute instructional DVD. $40
Throughout the book short essays, will need with this fiddly gizmo to make (£25) from your favourite dealer. Dealers
stories and anecdotes are interspersed your actions appear natural may well be contact Murphy’s Magic supplies,
with the tricks. These include thoughts on better spent on, oh I don’t know, www.MurphysMagic.com.
motivating the props you are using for practising slipping on a nail writer, or
your routines, as well as some useful learning how to do a billet switch. It’s Reviewed by Noel Qualter
advice on the best lay-out for a entirely possible that with sufficient effort Jean-Luc Bertrand is an accomplished
s

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 381

 performance and the trick explanations, a working pro. This is not to say that they
the scene cuts to a chilly looking Jean-Luc can’t be done as Jean-Luc clearly gigs this
explaining his theories on magic. There is stuff. You just need to be careful to cover
s

magician behind the camera, having no standard studio set which makes a your angles. Finally, crediting is
produced several fantastic DVDs for David refreshing change. non-existent. It might not matter to those
Stone and others. He has a great eye for First lets look at the positives. As you’d trying to learn the material from the DVD
filming magic and shooting it in a expect, Blinking Effect is shot beautifully but its a worrying trend. Everything is
compelling, original way, so I was really and it is a real game changer for other stunning to look at, but it wouldn’t hurt to
looking forward to watching his first DVD magic producers. You can learn magic have credits pop-up, or a scroll through at
full of his own original from a man sat at a table in a studio but the end.
magic. that is not gonna help sales like the It’s been said a hundred times before
The name Blinking Hollywood level filming and production that if you get a tip, trick, or a spark of a
Effect comes from an you see here. The magic is all really visual. thought from a magic purchase, then it is
ethos of Jean-Luc’s. He Jean-Luc’s ultimate goal is for his magic to worth buying. I completely agree. There is
wants to produce strong be remembered for decades and he pulls a bit from The Blinking Effect that I will file
magic that resonates with out all the stops. This is a noble goal away and I know I will use it to
his spectators. The DVD is although many magicians won’t wish to devastating effect one day.
shot as one long table adopt some of his techniques and The production value of The Blinking
magic set, with Jean-Luc shortcuts. Also the tricks aren’t crammed Effect is fantastic. I also liked the editing.
performing full of sleight of hand, nothing is too Jean-Luc shows the preparation of the
continuously for complicated, and the effect really is different gimmicks, without elaboration,
friends as he everything to Jean-Luc. He has trimmed just giving you all the necessary, key
would at a banquet. I’ve not seen this away everything unnecessary to just leave elements. It’s the key details like that, that
done before and I enjoyed the show. strong magic. help you to decide whether you wish to
Because of this, I expected all the material So how about the negatives? Well, add something to your repertoire or not.
to be suitable for table hopping magicians some of the methods will really aggravate Jean Luc’s attitude to magic is clear.
but unfortunately it isn’t. A handful magicians. They are exactly the opposite You really are encouraged to check your
of effects require table spreads, lapping of what many of us want to hear! Also own magic to see if it scrubs up to his
and even smoking, and so are completely the methods have not been designed for ideals. He wants to leave spectators in
unsuitable for performing magicians. magicians, you will find a few useful a speechless, quivering mess, and for
The majority of the material uses cards, solutions but don’t expect brand new them to remember the magic for decades.
with a little finger ring magic and tips on concepts. There are also more angly It is a lofty goal but one we should all
using utility props. In-between the moves than you would expect to see from aspire to.

David Hatch MMC

Many readers will already be aware of Jayne Loughland (of Safire illusionists) If you hear of Members or their families
the sad death of former President has recently had surgery but is recovering who are sick or facing hard times please
Alan Shaxon MIMC after a short illness. fast enough for her and her husband contact:
The tributes that have been pouring in Stuart to start preparing for the David Hatch mmc (Welfare Officer)
on the website are a clear indication of pantomime season. I am glad to report 6 Darnley Road, Woodford Green,
the high regard and affection which that Lionel Russell MIMC’s wife is Essex, IG8 9HU
Members had for him. Our thoughts go improving slowly after her fall. T. 020 8504 4134
out to Anne and the family at this time. It is always good to see Bobby Bernard E. WelfareOfficer@TheMagicCircle.co.uk
MIMC on a Monday night when he chaplaincy:
I am sorry to have to report the death manages to make it, as he does from time Revd. Peter Liddelow AImc
of Joseph Lefler AIMC, a professional to time. 23 Kings Road, Barnet, Herts, EN5 4EF
magician from North Carolina, who T. 020 8441 2968
was introduced to magic by Harry Just a thought: “The public seldom forgive E. Chaplain@TheMagicCircle.co.uk
Blackstone senior at the age of eight. twice.” Johann Kaspar Lavater (eighteenth Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler mmc
Former member Shirley Ray has also century Swiss theologian) 10 St Petersburgh Place, Bayswater,
informed me of the death of her London, W2 4LB
mother, cynthia Neptune, a past contact addresses: T. 020 7229 6215
President of the IBM. We send our (see website for Members’ details) E. Geoffreyshisler@TheMagicCircle.co.uk
condolences to both of their families.

382 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk

 committee. MD willing to chair, under “Ask the Council”

Council minutes but Council decided to hold

decision over to future
meeting.
RP reported that the first
MTMC with Rob Page
producing was a success. Also
Club night hosts, KP will talk the Great Days event had been
with Mick Gurr and Sarah a success.
Campbell. AM announced that adverts
Developments Committee – for the Young Magician of the
feedback from Council’s Year competition would be
strategy day will inform this coming soon.
committee to discuss how this Council agreed Darren
aim is to be achieved. Tossell’s proposal for CMA
Regarding Honorary showcase to sell Moleskine
Members, AE said we need to notebooks, low costs items for
recruit the premier magicians of children, badges etc.
mINUTES OF THE mAGIc who was a member for 47 the world as members of the MG announced Friends of
cIRcLE cOUNcIL mEETING years, Tony Faro and William premier magic society of the TMC leaflets would be included
HELD AT THE HEADQUARTERS Andrews. world. with November’s Circular, and
2 October 2012 6.30 pm Members of Council stood in that a membership pack was
silence as a mark of respect. 7. AGm minutes currently being produced.
PRESENT These will be published in the KR said TMC have a stand at
Jack DELVIN (arr 6.58pm) 3. mINUTES November Circular for Dealers Day (27 October). RP
Brian SIBLEY (elected Chairman) On a proposal by AC, seconded acceptance at the 2013 AGM. happy to set the stand,
Alan MASKELL by RP, the minutes of the publicity committee responsible
(elected Deputy Chairman) meeting held on 6 September 8. Reports for manning it.
Steve PRICE (Hon Secretary) 2012 were approved. Those FP (as Council Liaison) would
Keith PAIN who did not attend the last like e-mail alerts when a 9. Any other business

s
James FREEDMAN meeting abstained. member posts on TMC forum HS2 development of Euston
Alexander CRAWFORD
Mandy DAVIS (arr 6.31pm) 4. mATTERS ARISING
Will HOUSTOUN There were no matters arising.
Richard PINNER (arr 6.32pm) Our Headquarters
Fay PRESTO
Kevin DOIG
5. SEcRETARY’S REPORT
i New Members (See attached Conventions
Matthew GARRETT schedule)
Seb HUNT ii Reinstatements. Clive Court
Andrew EBORN (arr 6.52pm) iii Resignations. None Dress Code
Katherine RHODES (arr 6.50pm) iv Promotions (See attached Smart attire is required at
schedule) all events in the Headquarters.
StP opened the meeting and v. Correspondence:
welcomed the new Council. Letters from Mick Gurr and Mobile Phones
JF proposed BS for chair. AM Peter Nardi thanking President Please ensure that you switch off your mobile
seconded. All in favour (with BS and Council for their respective phone before entering the Headquarters. If you
abstaining). promotions. must make a phone call, please do so outside the
building.
BS took the chair and 6. Organisational chart
Photography and Sound Recording
welcomed the two new AC and AE were confirmed as
The use of any form of recording equipment, audio
members of Council – KP and new examiners. or visual, including cameras and mobile phones, is
SH. MD proposed AM as AE was confirmed as not permitted in any part of the Headquarters
Deputy Chairman. JF seconded. Honorary Lawyer. except by special arrangement.
All in favour (with AM AC will liaise with IT
abstaining). committee and SH regarding Gum
SH potentially joining the Please refrain from chewing gum of any sort in the
1. Apologies committee. IT committee is Headquarters.
Stephen KENNARD aware that the look of TMC
(Hon Treasurer), website needs addressing. Smoking
Smoking is not allowed anywhere in the
Scott PENROSE They inherited it, in its current
Headquarters.
form. BS said the IT and Web
We all benefit from these conventions, so please
2. DEATHS committee need to be respect and abide by them to avoid being turned
Leonard Jarrad AIMCH 50+ year combined. away. Thank you for your understanding.
member and Joe Lefler, AIMC Various names were
Also, non-members Les Hinsley, discussed for the Club night

www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk DECEMBER 2012 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR 383

 Forthcoming club events
The Headquarters are open on Club Nights from 3:00pm until Monday 17
10:30pm. Unless otherwise stated, events start promptly at XMAS BAR STUNTS – Alan Astra MIMC & Angelo Carbone MIMC
7:30pm and are scheduled to finish between 8:45pm and 9pm. The usual mix of the unusual. Tricks, teasers, puzzles and
Club Nights are principally for Members, so entry is by Membership conundrums to keep you the life of the party over the
Card. A bona fide magician guest may attend any evening that is Christmas season.
not marked ‘Members Only’ on condition that he or she is able to
show membership of a magical society. A non-magician guest Monday 24
may only attend evenings that are marked as ‘Show’. Guests may CLOSED
only attend two evenings a year. No guest may attend unless the
CMA is told in advance, so if you wish to bring a guest please Monday 31
phone (020) 7387 2222. There is a limit of ten guests per night. CLOSED
All guests must pay a £15 entry fee at the door and respect our
Conventions. Indeed, it is your duty as their sponsor to ensure Looking Ahead to January 2013
that they do. The Magic Circle reserve the right to refuse entry.
See our website for all the latest event details and to subscribe to Monday 7
a weekly email reminder of upcoming events. A LECTURE BY SCOTT PENROSE MIMC

December Monday 14
ANNUAL FORUM – Chaired by Brian Sibley MIMC
Monday 3 An opportunity to ask questions, make suggestions, air views,
WE ASKED 100 MEMBERS OF THE MAGIC CIRCLE – trade ideas and discuss magic (and Magic Circle) matters. Send
Peter Pinner MIMC questions, thoughts and topics to
Peter Pinner once again presents this fun evening of light-hearted Chairman@themagiccircle.co.uk Please note this event will be
Family Fortunes type quiz rounds and some great magic from open to Magic Circle Members only.
some of his favourite magicians.
change of address? Please login to your account at
Monday 10
www.themagiccircle.co.uk. Under “Quick links”, click on
THE MAN IN THE PUNCHLINE – John Styles MIMC
“Profile”. At the top, under “Edit” you should be able to
John will reveal where Mr Punch originated, how his
select “update your profile”. You can contact
British character developed and relate his personal experiences
webmaster@themagiccircle.co.uk if you encounter any
and anecdotes gained from a lifetime spent entertaining the
problems.
young and the old, the great and the good with magic’s allied
member in need? Contact Welfare Officer David Hatch,
art – Punch & Judy. From pubs to palaces, beaches to Broadway
WelfareOfficer@TheMagicCircle.co.uk
and from house parties to Hollywood.

Council minutes Young Magician of the Year

could go up on the wall.
MG suggested winners of
New members elected on
2 October 2012.
Robert Bailey MMC
s

Station. Terry Wright is the be in the club room (subject to SMOTY and CUMOTY James Wilson MMC
contact for CMA. StP is the all the usual restraints) but not competitions could also go on Dominic Chambers AIMCH
contact for TMC. HS2 want a in the theatre and RP proposed the wall. AC suggested looking Jamie Allan AIMCH
survey to determine the state of that, if Council agreed, that we into electronic screens in the
the building in order to assess the propose that interpretation clubroom that could show a Promotions
any future damage that occurs to the CNC. range of changing images. Alan Alan MIMCH to Honorary
as a result of possible future JD expressed the view that AM said that the recently held Member (Professional)
works. Council agreed that our prime concern should be strategy day is important to Simon Drake MIMCH to Honorary
survey could be carried out at to raise money to keep TMC define new goals; the last goal Member
time convenient to us. going and that part of the was the Centenary, since when Fergus Anckorn MIMCH to
MD asked to address CNC way to do that was to include no real new have been set. Honorary Member
regarding whether visitors greater representation of BS said we can still be vibrant Bob Loomis AIMC to Honorary
should be allowed in to the contemporary performers whilst honouring our origins. Member
building on the night of the alongside the historical exhibits. Steve Allen to MIMC
AGM. Following this discussion, FP said we need to know where meeting ended 10.00pm Fred van Buren MIMCH to
BS said that he thought the rule we came from, where we are Date and time of next meeting: Honorary Member
ought to be interpreted as and where we are going. KR Wednesday 7 November 2012
being that non-members could said the clubroom is dull. The at 6.30pm Tmc HQ

384 THE MAGIC CIRCULAR DECEMBER 2012 www.TheMagicCircle.co.uk