The

JULY 20212021

You can come out now Ethel, they’ve gone!

It was so peaceful during full lockdown!

The Magazine of North Wales Circle / Cylch Hud Gogledd Cymru

Hello fellow magi. Well, what can I say?!Committee have done a fantastic job keeping our club running throughout these challenging times and once again a MASSIVE thank you goes out to you all for your hard work!

We’re hoping, restrictions permitting, to be back to face to face meetings from August. More news to come on that very soon, so watch this space! Also plans are well under way to hold The North Wales Magic Circle Dinner 2021 in November. Again restrictions permitting.’ I ve no doubt we’ll be in for a great night of magical entertainment and catching up with friends, family and fellow magicians. Folks, I hope you’re all keeping safe and well! Unfortunately some of our members have not been able to participate in our online sessions and so ’I m sure you’ll all agree when I say I can’t wait to see you all again back at our base in Prestatyn! Look after yourselves and see you very soon!

All the best, Scott Prior.

KEY RING UPDATE Last month I ran a reciprocal item about the IBM. This was their snippet about us.

2 WHAT ARE WE UP TO?

Was lovely to be a part of this small event in Conwy today. Great to share some magic with folk and help celebrate the grand opening of The Jester’s Tower coffee shop!

JULY ONLINE MEETING A huge thank you to Paul Roberts for joining us on Tuesday evening. Paul is well known to most of our members and is genuinely one of magic’s nice guys! He spent @ 2 hours answering questions about his journey in magic from beginnings to residences to performing for celebrities; from successes to fails. All done with humility and humour. Also thanks to our host / interviewer Nick Marshall who did an excellent job. Really enjoyed the evening. (Ed)

3 As Covid lockdowns have been relaxed around most of the world, live magic is rapidly making a re-appearance. So, there has been plenty of news. To cover everyone / everywhere, I’m sure I could fill another 30 pages! It would be nice to see the latest shows in Las Vegas etc., but with the financial impact and health considerations of Covid, I ’ don t see many of us venturing too far in the next few months. Even within the UK, rising cases of the Delta variant has postponed full release of restrictions (for a little while at least!) and raises travel questions. I therefore took the decision to primarily restrict articles to shows taking place in or close to North Wales, and in the hope they will happen! Like most / all of you, I receive a number of emails from magic shops announcing new tricks. Over the last few months there has been a noticeable increase in single trick downloads, usually priced in the £7 - £12 range. I don’t look at all of them, but those that appear of interest to me. Maybe it’s old age, maybe it’s lockdown frustration, but I can’t help feeling that a high percentage are frankly awful — both in terms of production and content. What do you guys (and gals!) think? Bought anything good? What’s bad? Please let me know. Still hoping to see you all before too long.

Paul 01492 517446 [email protected]

At the last Committee Meeting, it was decided to look into putting on a Halloween Show Well, take a look at Klek Entos on a recent AGT show. Anyone prepared to do this effect? www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWJfhyJFcog&t=1s

4 THIS MONTH’S PUZZLE I’ll give you a clue - it’s not coronavirus!

. . . . JUST A THOUGHT . . . .

5 NEWS IN BRIEF

Edinburgh street magician smashed bottle over man's head after trying card trick

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday 8th June how 35-year-old Walsh "accidentally" picked up the victim's bag thinking it was his own before a heated discussion began. Walsh, who performs magic in the city centre, pled guilty to other offences, including theft, and was ordered to complete a drug treatment and testing order (DTTO). Not the publicity we need! (Ed)

COMING TO RHYL! As part of the UK Tour, the show is in Rhyl on 5th February 2022. Features 5 of the most incredible illusionists in the world including: Britain's Got Talent runner-up Jamie Raven, Britain's Got Talent 2020 Finalists James & Dylan Piper, award-winning magician Oliver Tabor, highly acclaimed magical duo The Glamourists and speed illusionist Kayden Black See www.illusionimpossible.co.uk for more info. Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmZET2dMMCU

Pete Firman On Tour

Coming to Shrewsbury on 7th October. For more information / tickets go to:- www.petefirman.co.uk/#news

6 NEWS IN BRIEF

Bolton man tried to run over brother-in-law over 'black magic' fears Reported on 1st June in the Bolton News. Bolton Crown Court heard Alex Storey, 38, drove his car at high speed at Umesh Patel before punching him to the head and accusing him and his family of using an Indian priest to curse the defendant. Storey was given a 12 month community order, with 100 hours of unpaid work and 10 days of rehab activities. He must pay £200 compensation to Mr Patel and was also fined £150 with six penalty points added to his driving licence. (But no exorcism? Ed)

The location for Magicon 2022 has been released by the Ulster Society of Magicians.. I tried my crystal ball to see if there will be any lockdown at that time, but no luck! If you wish to risk it, you can book a room now, and the hotel is offering a discount if you mention the convention. www.marinecourthotel.net

At time of writing, there were no details of performers / events on the USM website. www.online-usm.com.

TikTok magician Joel M signs with HarperNonFiction HarperNonFiction has signed TikTok sensation and professional magician Joel Mawhinney (Joel M) for Make Your Own Magic: Secrets, Stories and Tricks from My World which "pulls back the curtain and offers a glimpse into the life of a magician". The publisher said Mawhinney is one of TikTok's biggest stars with 10.4 million followers and over a billion views across his channel. The book will be published in November. (Amazing numbers! Ed)

7 NEWS IN BRIEF

101 Tips for Magicians - free download

Chris Dugdale writes: A while ago I published a book entitled 101 Tips for Magicians, which was really genuinely well received. It retailed at $9.99. I have decided because everyone has been through an extremely difficult period of time, to give this away for free. "Excellent, commercial, workable, baffling, these are just a few of the words that come to mind when I think of Chris Dugdale's material – and this book is full of it!" Wayne Dobson. A free copy can be claimed from www.xyabook.com.

Uri Geller: Spoon bending magician to 'unleash his powers' during Scotland's Euro 2020 game against England at Wembley stadium. The spoon bending psychic said he was going to ‘unleash his powers’ to help Scotland win their Friday evening game. He also said that he would summon the spirit of Robert the Bruce for the game.

Well, that was a “no score” as well then! (Ed)

Dan Rhodes now the UK's top YouTube magician Self-taught magician Dan Rhodes, 17, has millions of followers and his tricks have been viewed over 100k times each. He said he spent much of his youth spending "hours and hours and hours" watching magic tricks on YouTube to teach himself magic. To satisfy his followers, he develops and posts at least five tricks a day! Ed’s comments Full marks for effort. Works on You Tube, but not sure about the real world. Watch some effects on his channel and let me know what you think!

8 MAD COW CORNER

Last night I looked up at the Milky Way & thought . . . .

Where’s the barn roof gone?

I see William Shatner’s given up selling his range of women’s underwear!

Yeah . . . SHATNER PANTIES just didn't sound right!

9 Wirral illusionist Steve Price promises 'Magic on the Mersey'

An award-winning cruise ship magician from Wirral made full use of lockdown to create a brand new show that will premiere next month. Steve Price, a member of The Magic Circle and Hoylake resident, will bring Magic on the Mersey to the Aloft Liverpool hotel this July and August. The 42-year-old, who lives in Hoylake, has been a professional magician for the past 16 years, performing on cruise ships and in venues around the world. He has taken the hardest year of his career as an opportunity, creating a brand-new show. The past year has been challenging with no live entertainment, and he has split his time between performing online and developing this new show. “Magic on the Mersey is an opportunity to enjoy world-class magic in the luxurious surroundings of one of the smartest hotels in town. Steve, who wanted to recreate the spectacle and elegance of a luxury cruise ship, walked into the James Doyle Suite at Aloft Liverpool and immediately realised that it was the perfect place to perform. The intimate venue allows audiences to see the magic really close up, right before their eyes. He continued: "I like to involve the audience, but don't worry, you can take part from the comfort of your seat - and you know that I won’t steal your watch!” In his previous performances, Steve invited volunteers on stage to get involved with the magic. Imagining a new magic show with social distancing, seemed impossible, but that’s exactly what Steve’s done. He explained: "I used to get volunteers up on stage and borrow items such as banknotes and wristwatches, but I've replaced these routines for the foreseeable future. "It's forced me to be creative, and now I can't wait to get back in front of an audience and boggle their minds!" Steve describes his act as "a unique blend of world class sleight-of-hand and laugh-out-loud comedy that will create incredible moments and impossible memories." He continued: "My job is to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. "Come dressed to impress and let the cruise come to you. "Magic on the Mersey is a chance to forget the worries of life and be transported to a world where anything is possible. It's what we all need." "Magic on the Mersey" takes place at Aloft Liverpool at 6pm and 8.30pm from Saturday 3rd July. Running time is approximately 75 minutes without an interval. Limited capacity seating. Tickets available from www.magiconthemersey.com 10 The lockdown is slowly ending and things start a slow return to normal… but it’s a ‘new normal’. As magicians resume performing at events, social distancing is going to be a key issue that needs to be planned.

Social distancing in one form or another will be here for some time so if you are planning to perform magic in live situations, it’s important that you spend time planning how your close up effects need to be changed to suit the new environment.

How can magicians adapt their material when live events resume?

Ed’s Comments

I came across the above article in the ADVICE section of MOM’s website. Whilst close up can re-start soon, it will not be the same as pre-Covid. The article gives good practical advice on setting your performance area and how to adapt your tricks. It’s well worth a read and is FREE!

LITTLE KNOWN MAGIC FACT

Lennart Green competed at the 1988 FISM convention in The Hague, Netherlands, and was erroneously disqualified because the judges believed he had used stooges in his act to shuffle the cards. In 1991, he performed the same act but insisted that the judges themselves shuffle the cards to prove that he used no stooges. The judges then awarded him first place.

11 Ed says—Introducing a new online magic teaching resource. At time of writing, I haven’t found any independent reviews, but the site has been endorsed by some well known magicians. Looks interesting. Check out at:- www.gum.co/magicmonthly. Subscription can be cancelled at any time.

Welcome to Magic Monthly Each month I'll be sharing TWO of my greatest effects with you. Join the membership Now for only £10+vat and you will learn: The Knowing Principle ˗ THE fairest and most fooling Impossible card location The Bet ˗ One of my absolute favourite go-to card openers! Drunk Prediction - A close look at an underused and deceptive card switch by Ed Marlo and a casual routine using it. Pinned Prediction - A Do As I Do flavoured card match routine using two packs. Simple but fooling. HC On the Fly - A hands off card force with limitless applications using a borrowed shuffled deck. Stopwatch Shuffle - An impossible ACAAN where everyone shuffles the deck before the card and number are generated. Special thanks to my friend Ollie Mealing for letting me tip and teach his core effect here. Cross Cut Considerations- (Uploading mid June) What You'll Gain Exclusive Access to: As members you'll gain instant access to performances and explanation footage, which will feature: • Methods & Principles • Techniques & Moves • Performance Theory • Plus Many Additional Secrets If you're familiar with LevelONE and Pluck you will know that I aim to create strong and direct card magic. I consider my material to be fun and fooling in performance and yet simple and practical in method.

12 MAGIC: HOW DOES IT WORK?

I came across an article in SyFyWire about the “Now You See Me” films and a headline about the science behind the magic. It actually says very little about the magic in the films, but has a bit of a pop at , escape artists and . Below is the latter section– have a read: -

MENTALISM Mentalism exists in a sort of moral grey area within the magic community. There are those who perform the artform honestly, openly acknowledging the artifice of it all, and there are those who pretend their tricks are the result of actual supernatural ability. The official scientific term for the latter practice is "hogwash." There are a number of strategies to successful mentalism, each of them related to a specific sub-genre of the performance. Mentalism has a wide definition, including the ability to multiply complex numbers or recite digits of pi to a high degree. It also includes claims of psychic ability, object manipulation like spoon bending, and hypnotism. The common theme among all these purported abilities involves some supernatural mental prowess. It’s worth noting that, to date, no single person has exhibited reliable evidence of these abilities in a controlled setting. James Randi, a stage magician turned professional sceptic, offered up a $1 million prize to anyone who could, under mutually agreed-upon controlled conditions, exhibit evidence of any supernatural ability. This included mentalism. The prize has never been claimed. It’s true that mentalists can sometimes perform wonderful examples of mental prowess, such as the aforementioned recital of pi from memory or seemingly incalculable math problems, but these aren’t inhuman acts, they can be learned. Moreover, purported psychic abilities rely on tactics like cold reading. And spoon bending can be achieved with a sufficiently flexible or broken spoon. They’re decent tricks, but that’s all they are.

Ed’s comments: - OK, we all know magic is not real, but in the hands of top performers, the illusion is bloody close! I get the impression that the writer of the article is no fan of our art! I also think it does not mention / appreciate a lot of the skills involved. It’s also a bit thin on scientific explanations of the brain processes. What do you think? To read the full article, go to www.syfy.com/syfywire/magic-science-explained-now-you-see-me

13 POLITICALLY INCORRECT CORNER

When you said you were magic in bed, I wasn’t expecting a BOOK TEST!

PSYCHIC PSUZY WOW! PSEES ALL You are going to be famous

They’re going to name a disease after you!

14 INTERNET WATCH

THIS CAT CAN DO MAGIC!

The cat is shown a coin trick a couple of times, has a think about it, then PURR-FORMS it PURR-FECTLY! (Note the coin on the cat’s paw, and watch it disappear!) Check it out at: - www.hindustantimes.com/trending/this-cat-can-do- magic-watch-it-perform-a-trick-and-be-amazed- 101621945874352.html NB scroll down article a little for the video.

DO YOU WANT A “DIFFERENT” SHOW?

https://youtu.be/euSYev4wIAM

15 INTERNET WATCH

Derek DelGaudio on the Emotional Magic Behind 'In & Of Itself' and His Mystery Role in Soderbergh's New Thriller 'KIMI'

I came across an interesting article on Collider.com about his new show and an upcoming film part. The article is too long to include here - approx. 10 pages - and to para-phrase would be an injustice. So, if it interests you, go to: - https://collider.com/derek-delgaudio-in- and-of-itself-interview/

Hosted by Phil Taylor and Ian Brennan. "For magicians looking to improve the quality of their performances and to get a deeper understanding of this art we call magic." The site contains a huge number of articles for getting gigs and performance tips for beginners through to pros. www.magiciansadvice.com.

LA Times focuses on cardsharp Steve Forte

A short video, but worth a watch to see a true master at work.

www.youtube.com/ watch?v=kc7cQSGAjks

16 INTERNET WATCH

9-Year-Old Magician Shoji Delivers Cool Magic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4c-S3Xm4JE

The Magic Researcher Historical Research on Magicians and Magic Effects If you are interested in the history of magic, give this relatively new site a visit. The latest post is an in depth look at Joe Riding. You can subscribe to receive future articles. https://themagicresearcher.wordpress.com/

Lior Suchard Meets Bear Grylls

https://youtu.be/cHdxSyXEQdM

17 INTERNET WATCH

Man Gate-crashes Live News Report To Perform Magic Trick

Didn’t know whether to include this under news or internet! Anyway, have a look, go to: - www.unilad.co.uk/life/man-gatecrashes-live-news-report-to-perform-unreal-magic-trick/

Illusionist Bismarck Rocks the Bells!

Does the name Bismarck ring a bell? After this routine, it might! https://youtu.be/awtjsafCOUc

18 MAD COW CORNER

The farmer’s sister has just bought a load of cats!

She’s going thro’ the MANY PAWS!

Me & Ethel share a sense of humour . .

We have to, she hasn’t got one!

19 Magicians Around the World Making Thousands of Great Kids Appear

I saw this headline and thought “ well, we had to do something during the lockdown!” But it turned out that this was nothing to do with paternity!

SALT LAKE CITY, June 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the last 12+ months, the pandemic has forced millions of children out of their classrooms, and in front of computer screens. With reduced face-to-face interactions and a major decrease in opportunities for normal socialization, it is still unclear the impact that remote learning has had on our youth. Can it be undone? And if so, how? Enter Discover Magic, the one-of-a-kind kids program taking the states by storm. Social-emotional learning, or SEL, is a broad term for the process through which children build emotional intelligence, and is the backbone of Discover Magic's curriculum. SEL teaches students to regulate their emotions, communicate with others, use compassion and empathy to understand the needs of other people, build relationships and make good decisions. Studies show students who participated in SEL programs even saw an 11 percent increase in their overall grades and better attendance . About Discover Magic - Established in 2015, Discover Magic is a one-of-a-kind kids program created by educators and some of the top magicians of our time. In Discover Magic's courses - now taught by over 100 magicians around the globe - kids learn to boost self-confidence, build communication skills, and make new friends in a fun and nurturing environment, all while learning custom tricks not found anywhere else. For more information, please visit https://www.discovermagic.com/. Ed ’s comments To read the full article go to: - www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/magicians-around-the-world-making- thousands-of-great-kids-appear-301310075.html This seems a great cause. Maybe our Committee could look into this type of project as a means of helping society post Covid and promoting our Circle? 20 COLORFOOL by Victor Zatko

I watched the official trailer, and thought “quite nice”, then I watched Craig Petty’s review and whilst complimentary about construction, pointed out you can save £30 by just doing an Erdnase Change and have the same effect! He shows both ways and they are virtually identical. Watch www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mLPelriYzg and the official trailer below to make up your own mind. (Ed)

This is the Ad Copy: COLORFOOL is a precision hand-crafted gimmick for insanely visual magic. With this method you will be able to make a card change, appear, disappear, as many times as you want without any kind of reset. The gimmick has been designed to be used in real close up conditions but also works perfectly for social medias. In a nutshell: Visual Ready to go out of the box No flap Instant reset Full routine taught Get ready to be COLORFOOLED. Cost @£30. Available from Murphy's Magic and their associates. https://www.murphysmagic.com/product.aspx?id=68455

LITTLE KNOWN MAGIC FACT

Girolamo Scotto was an Italian entertainer, magician, and alchemist active in the last half of the 16th century who is said to have performed magic for Queen Elizabeth I, among other notables. This lead medal was produced from a wax sculpture by the famed Milanese sculptor Antonio Abondio toward the end of the 16th century. In those days there were no such things as business cards, so he had this medal made. It was originally cast in various other metals too, including silver, bronze, and gold.

21 Can You Beat A Bird At Spotting A Magic Trick?

Videos of magicians performing tricks to animals and their astonished reactions have attracted millions of views online. A team of scientists has spotted an opportunity to compare the way humans and other animals think by showing the same trick to volunteers and European Jays, comparing their capacities to see through the deception. They found the birds win on average, but they’re just as susceptible as us to some of the tools in a good magician’s kit, while resistant to others. Last year a team at Cambridge University published a paper arguing for the potential of performing magic tricks to animals in neuroscience research. As the authors pointed out, certain corvids make particularly promising study subjects. Not only are these birds famously smart, some members of the family like to trick their fellow forest dwellers, pretending to store their fall nuts in one spot, but secretly hiding them elsewhere.

Ed’s Comment: Saw the headline and thought “that’s a bit different!” The full article (link below) also includes video of a professional magician performing to jays and then people. The results are surprising — The jays usually saw through the French drop or the palm transfer, choosing the correct hand 70 and 60 percent of the time respectively. The fast pass was a different matter, with the jays getting just 26 percent of trials right. The same tricks were shown to 80 humans to see how often they could pick the correct hand. Success ranged between 13 and 27 percent for the three tricks. For the full article / video, go to: - www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/can-you-beat-a-bird-at-spotting-a-magic-trick/

22 INDEPENDENCE DAY SPECIAL — MAD COW CORNER’S AMERICAN COUSINS

I’m bloody FRIESIAN out here!

Must stop eating jalapenos!

23 Legendary Magicians You’ve Probably Never Heard Of Adelaide Herrmann

While traveling on a ship from London in 1874, ’s eyes were transfixed by a beautiful English girl named Adelaide Scarsia. It wasn’t long before she became his wife and primary assistant, appearing as the star of all his performances. After Alexander’s death in 1896, Adelaide was left penniless, mostly due to Alexander’s extravagant lifestyle. She eventually connected with Alexander’s nephew, Leon, and the two embarked on a popular magic tour that eventually split up when Leon decided to form his own act.

Not one to despair, Adelaide craftily devised her own repertoire of tricks and brought it on the road, proving to be a hit in the US, Germany, England, and France. She was known for her ability to make girls vanish without a trace, make the devil appear in a puff of smoke, and induce a woman in a painting to jump out from the canvas and dance before returning to the portrait. Having started as a dancer herself, Adelaide featured it prominently in her show, along with many animal acts. By the time her act ended in 1926, she was known as the “Queen of Magic.”

LITTLE KNOWN MAGIC FACT 1720- Isaac Fawkes, English Magician retires. His performances at fairs left him with a fortune of nearly ten thousand pounds. Among his tricks were a card on the ceiling with any card called for and his bag of many eggs. His booth is featured in Bartholomew Fair by Hogarth with a sign that says "Dexterity of Hand." He also presented impressionists and contortionists as part of his shows.

24 'Magic' playing card signed by Prince William expected to reach £5k at auction

The card – a two of spades – was signed by His Royal Highness as part of a magic trick at a London charity event. It bears ‘WW’ for ‘William Wales’, and will go up for auction on June 24, after the magician got in touch with auction house Paul Fraser Collectibles. The incredible collector's item is one of just a handful bearing the future king's signature - because royal protocol forbids members of the royal family from signing autographs. The card also bears the signature of Lady Melissa Percy, an English fashion designer and former professional tennis player, who was sat at the table beside the Prince.

Renowned magician Ian Sav, the current owner of the card, described how he came to own such an impressive item after he was invited to perform at a party in London with a star-studded guest list in 2005. He said: "I offered the Prince to choose a card, the two of spades was chosen, and then I asked him to sign the card.” "Lots of various card manipulations took place until the crescendo where the card vanished from the deck. "I looked the Prince in the eye and explained it had appeared folded in quarters under his watch - which it was. "In total shock the astounded Prince repeatedly pronounced 'extraordinary!'."

Ed’s Comments Seeing this article in Gloucestershire Live, I wondered if any of our members have a signed card or memento from performing for royalty or somebody famous? Let me know and get a mention in the August Griffin.(Howie, I expect to hear from you at least!)

25 JEDI MIND TRICKS

THEY ONLY WORK ON THE WEAK MINDED!

I’M A PSYCHIC!

Am I right?

I know several facts about you 1: You are obviously reading this (Keep at it) 2: Trust me, you can’t say “hmmm” without touching your lips! 3: You tried it. 4: You are smiling 6: You didn’t notice I missed fact 5! 7: You checked it. 8: You’re smiling again.

26 N5 Coin Set by N2G

N5 is the latest generation of N-Series props. It is upgraded based on the original effects of N3, N4, making a black Chinese coin with a real hole in the hand instantly change colour without any unnecessary movement and turn into a silver Morgan. N5 is made of high-quality replica Morgan and Chinese coins. The whole set of props includes a N5 gimmick coin, a common replica Morgan, a common Chinese coin, magnets and wooden wand. Ed’s Comments This was released mid—June. If you’re into coin magic, watch the trailer - it’s a lovely looking gimmick that does all the work. Reviews by Saturn Magic and Propdog are very favourable. Priced at £56. Not cheap, but not ridiculous either. The tutorial apparently only teaches the routine shown in the trailer, but creating / adapting other routines will be fairly simple. I looked at a few different sites, but it seems first batch already sold out, with more due @ 9th July. Saturn review www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjVENdQdyjM&t=660s

Propdog review www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr39tQ4sy5s&t=1s

27 CBS by Paul Vigil (Copper Brass Silver)

For an alternative to N5 Coin Set, check out this trailer: - www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAu4IBb4MBo OK, there have been plenty of copper, silver, brass routines over the years, but I think this one plays very well. Ad copy says: - “In this powerhouse coin routine, the magician introduces a brass coin with a hole in it, a solid copper coin, and an American half-dollar. First, the brass and copper coin change places with the half dollar in the magician’s hands. Then they transpose places between the hands of the audience member and the spectator. When the magician tries to put the half dollar away it jumps back into their closed fist only for the brass and copper coins to vanish. For the finale, the magician vanishes the half dollar right in front of the audience’s eyes so cleanly they will be wondering if they actually saw real magic. Paul Vigil’s take on the Copper Silver Brass plot is incredible. Not only do you learn all the moves required to do this routine, but the sleights required are well within the ability of most magicians. Included with this download are a set of gimmicked coins made to Paul’s specifications. Originally published in his sold-out book The Doors Of Deception, this is the first time Paul is sharing this effect on the film. Shot from multiple angles in the P3 Magic Studios, Paul also shares his deep thinking on every detail of this routine.“ For a review: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OowhqNurMys

It’s more expensive than NG5 at @ £70, but again quality props plus longer routine / more tutorial. This will require a bit more practice as well, but the sleights will serve you’re coin magic very well. (Ed)

28 BRAIN GAMES 1 & 2 - Harvey Raft

This is the Ad Copy for Brain Games... Harvey Raft is an underground mentalist and magician who, after more than forty years as a performer, is finally releasing his unique creations in TWO BOOKS. There are over 60 effects ranging from card magic and mind-reading using non-gaffed cards, as well as his original routines using gaffed decks which, for the first time, you are given access to and able to print your own. There are also chapters on Change Bag magic and a section of Christmas magic effects. Book Two is unique in that it comes with access to PDFs of special cards that you can print at your local print shop. These range from decks of cards with Harvey's original designs for marked cards, or single cards used in novel ways. You will have access to 70 downloads. The content ranges from self-working effects, math-style magic, non-card magic and themed magic using Movie cards, Zenner cards and more. Over 400 pages of material - hard cover books Ed’s Comments Not cheap at £130, but this works out at @ £2 per effect, or @ 30p per page! Book One’s effects range from magic circles to Christmas magic to psychic effects using stacked decks and a mathematical book test. Book Two is definitely the more 'mental' of the two. There are a number of ESP and mental magic type effects. The effects do not use major sleight of hand, but there are several mathematical principles. Book 2 uses a number of special cards, e.g. celebrity cards, movie cards, cards with various shapes, places, numbers and symbols. A real bonus is the ability to download these and print them yourself or get printed professionally. If you're looking for something a bit different from“ pick a card” these could be interesting. There is an introductory review on Magic Café by Rick Carruth, but at time of writing no follow up comments. https://themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=731125

29

. . . FUTURE NEWS . . . .

From my crystal ball

Petrol’s abolished! Electricity unaffordable during lockdown? Well, here’s the answer - Vauxhall’s new city pedal cars. Do your 5 mile limit journey, get more exercise and it won’t make a hole in this week’s benefit payment!

2036

BYE FOR NOW! 30