Hello fellow magi! I hope you’re all keeping safe and well. Things are looking very promising and we could be back to face to face meetings in the not too distant future! For now though we have continued with our monthly online meetings and this month we had a ‘Joining The Circle’ themed evening.

On the night we had guest speaker Matthew Garrett. Matthew is one of the Magic Circle exam secretaries and his role is to meet and greet upcoming and potential new members and to help get them prepared for their exam. Matthew gave us a brief tour around the club website and explained the process you have to go through to become a member of the magic Circle. We also got a sneak peek of the Magic Circle apprentice and the members only Facebook pages which was intriguing to see. Of course currently clubs are not meeting in person and so interviews and exams have had to be done online via zoom. As well as Matthew Garrett we had some of our very own NWMC members talk about their journeys to becoming members of the Magic Circle. Howie Fay is one of three magicians which make up the group ‘The Magicians in Black’. Howie became a member of the magic circle on the 27th July 2000. Howie had Allie Bongo as his sponsor. For his exam he came on stage with his furry companion ‘Rocky Racoon’ and Rocky very quickly stole the limelight, to which Howie had to remind him; “This is my exam!” He then went on to perform a very comical Card in mouth, followed by Dave Williamson’s very graceful ring on rope and finally a very visual and eye popping Bill switch. Howie had no intentions of joining the magic circle but thanks to Jed, who became a member himself, he was ‘forced’ to also become a member. Jed is another performer in the group ‘The Magicians in Black.’ Chris Williams has very recently passed his Magic Circle Exam but first visited and performed there in July 2013. Chris was a magic circle apprentice for 18 months and is now an official member. For his exam, Chris performed his ‘lucky cups’ routine where he poured hot coffee into one of three cups and they were then mixed up. A spectator was then asked if they had a lucky number to which they called out. They then had a free choice of one of the three cups, which would eventually be tipped over their head! Chris took the other two cups and ran the risk of tipping them above his own head and lo and behold they were both empty! Chris then revealed that the bottom of the cups had his lucky number on them, 21. By this point the spectator would be ‘bricking it!’

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The finale was having the chosen cup tipped over the spectators head but to everyone’s surprise (and relief) it too was empty! The final cup was revealed to have the spectators lucky number underneath, lucky number 7! Chris performed 2 other effects, both classics of magic. One of them was his own take on Scott Alexander’s ‘The Blades/Needles’, instead using Fruit loops and floss. Chris closed his routine with a unique take on ‘The 21 card trick’ to bring back that lucky number of his once again. Steve Ashcroft is our President Elect at the North Wales Magic Circle and also shared his journey to becoming a member of The Magic Circle. He opened his exam performance with a packet trick called ‘The Poker Test’ by Erik Casey. This is a very clever ‘observation test’ where four blue backed cards are shown with blank faces. Upon asking questions, as part of the observation test, one of the cards turns into an ace. The spectators are then asked “What colour are the backs of the cards?” When they respond with blue the cards are turned over to show they now have red backs and for a kicker ending the other four cards have changed into the cards which make up a royal flush! Steve then went on to perform ‘Ring on rope’ and finished with his classic ‘Cups and Balls’ routine. So what next? The Committee is monitoring the situation as we go and we are very optimistic! We could be back to face to face meetings very soon, we will keep you posted. I would like to once again thank our amazing committee for all their hard work in this very unusual year! Keep safe all and keep the magic alive! All the best, Scott PS Tim asked me to remind everyone that once “real” meetings start, the provisional timetable is:- Month 1 Close-Up Competition Month 2 Lecture Month 3 Competition So get practicing! (Ed)

LITTLE KNOWN MAGIC FACT The magical words ”hocus pocus” are created because of the name of a sorcerer in the Norse mythology who was called Ochus Bochus

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You may have noticed a slight change in the cover page theme this month! This cover was Howie Fay’s personal favourite and was first published 15 years ago, so in his honour it’s made a re-appearance! I’m touching wood (NOT a euphemism!) as I type this so as not to tempt fate, but things are starting to change for the better. Magic shops are -re opening for personal visits (albeit having to book appointments), and live magic shows are being advertised for later in the year. The next lockdown review is due mid May, lets hope for more good news. Maybe “real” meetings for NWMC may be possible before too long. Fingers and toes crossed as well! I received several emails from Members concerned about the bunny in last month’s Politically Incorrect Corner. I wish to assure readers that no bunny was hurt during production of The Griffin. He was just wearing a skeleton costume! As proof here is bunny replying personally to all your emails! Hope this puts your minds at rest! See you soon, hopefully! Paul [email protected]

Posted on our Facebook page by Mike Harris. “When you have a spare Saturday afternoon an old IKEA cabinet, a spare lighting stand and some sticky backed plastic, what you gonna build? Chuffed at how it turned out.” A really good job. This looks great. (Ed) And a bit of late news - I’ve just found out that Mike had been awarded the Noel Massey Trophy last November(!) for services to our Circle. Thoroughly deserved!

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Kevin Quantum performs daredevil stunt at Edinburgh Castle

The stunt took place at 1pm on Thursday April 29th as the Castle gun fired. It involved Kevin carrying out a death-defying blindfolded walk through a gauntlet of flaming cannonballs. The stunt was designed to mark the moment the country begins to open up after life in COVID-19 lockdown and the return of live performance.

You can watch on You Tube: -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEGTGDSv6qY (NB the actual performance starts at 5 mins into the video.)

Rather him than me! (Ed)

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NEWS IN BRIEF

MOST DISGUSTING TRICK EVER PERFORMED ON FOOL US!

Go over to You Tube and type in Mac King, and watch this performance! Does he really eat a doughnut out of the toilet? Well, you’ll just have to watch and find out! It’s fair to say the trick didn’t fool Penn & Teller and that it’s doubtful you would use it in your restaurant residency! - but it is very different and funny!

Magician to binman for Woolston resident Ian Zippy Lees

I came across an article in the Warrington Guardian about a well known local children’s entertainer whose business was obviously devastated by Covid lockdown and left him with no income. He said: "It was a case of getting off my backside and doing something“, so he took a job with the local Council. Lets hope that before too much longer he can get back to his passion and “proper” job! For the full story go to: - www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/ news/19186305.magician-binman-woolston-resident-ian-zippy-lees

6 NEWS IN BRIEF

BANK DIRECTOR MAGICIAN

Seen in the VN Express, Vietnam. Ngo Duc Duy, director of a credit institution, balances career and passion by performing high-skilled magic shows on weekends. The banker has, since becoming a director, performed at 100 gigs in more than 10 localities in the country, but a majority of the shows are still in Saigon and Hanoi. Reminds me that I’ve been called a merchant banker a few times! (Ed)

News from Simon Drake at his House of Magic: After a year of staring at the wall, abandoning badly dubbed Netflix shows and rather disastrously acting simultaneously as a hairdresser and customer, I snapped out of my trance and ventured forth to delve deep into the archives in the cellar below my Victorian theatre, where original documents, plans and faded faxes are stored. These involve details of my work over 40 years in this industry and 25 years of running a busy theatre in entirely devoted to magic. I am therefore pleased to announce that I have launched a Patreon page which includes enthralling videos previously unseen in the public domain, rare and fascinating ephemera detailing secrets of The Secret Cabaret and mysteries of the spirits of The House of Magic.

Patreon is a secure subscription interface and seems the ideal medium for premiering and explaining the many videos of original illusions and manip routines I have up my sleeve. There is a very special section for magicians only, in which many secrets, methods, and the thinking behind the work is explained. Also featured will be my work with the likes of: , Oliver Reed, Harvey Keitel, Nic Roeg, Julian Lennon, , Richard Garriott, Terry Gilliam, , Kenneth Branagh, Christopher Plummer and Peter O’Toole, as well as my shows and informal chats with much missed HRH Diana, Princess of Wales. See YouTube. And the Patreon page: www.patreon.com/ SimonDrake. Monthly public shows will start again in July: www.houseofmagic.co.uk.

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MAD COW LOCKDOWN CORNER

Now lockdown’s eased, why don’t we stroll over and chat with those youngsters? ‘cos they all talk BULLOCKS!

‘Cos the farmer said my dad was SIR LOIN! Why do you think you come from a noble family?

8 NEWS IN BRIEF

27 – 31 July The Lowry, Salford TICKETS ON SALE NOW www.magicgoeswrong.com Back with their biggest comedy catastrophe to date, multi award-winning Mischief (The Play That Goes Wrong, BBC One’s The Goes Wrong Show) return to the stage with their hilarious new show created with magic legends, Penn & Teller.

How Stephen Mulhern was suspended from Magic Circle He explained in 2015: "I was doing a kids TV show called 'Finger Tips' with Fearne Cotton. "I think if you don't show kids how to do a trick then you'll never get a new breed of magicians, so I suggested we teach a new trick on the show. "The trick was to put a box on your head and turn this ratchet so it looks like your head is spinning, so I did it on Fearne, and then showed them how to make it. "Well, The Magic Circle deemed it too good to reveal, so they suspended me." Thankfully, the organisation were in a forgiving mood and his membership was reinstated. The only problem being that the network had syndicated the show, meaning it was broadcast again on repeat. "Every time they repeat it, I get suspended. I'm suspended [at the moment]. It's ridiculous. You couldn't write it."

NEW TV SERIES The show stars magicians and best friends Wes Barker, Alex Boyer, Eric Leclerc and Chris Ramsay performing comedy, stunts and illusions . The series started on 22nd April . I can only find it screened live on TruTV and Directv—both (free) subscription apps, but later on You Tube.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

The Magic Brothers from France have been awarded the 2021 Merlin Award for Best Illusionist Duo. The award is given by the International Magicians Society (IMS).

COPYCAT MAGICIAN?

In April, magician Stefano Bronzato won Italy’s Got Talent 2021. The judges, as well as the public, were impressed by Bronzato‘s card tricks. However, some fans have accused him of copying AGT winner Shin Lim. Looking at Stefano’s act and Shin’s Dream act, the duplication of postures, moves, effects and even background music seem too many to be coincidence. In a brief TV interview about this, Shin remained extremely dignified, but stated that Stefano had not approached him for permission to use his act, which is copyrighted and patented. There may be further fallout to come! See https://talentrecap.com/copycat-magician-shin-lim-speaks-out-about-italias-got- talent-winner/ for more details.

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JUST A THOUGHT . . . .

MAGIC BAR BET

Put a coin in a normal / whole bottle. Put the cork in the neck of the bottle. Now remove the coin without either taking the cork out of the bottle or breaking the bottle. How did I do it?

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Gleam - by William Alexis Houcke - A Review

This looks quite interesting. Costs @£32 Would like to see one “for real” before buying. Now magic shops are re-opening, maybe one day! (Ed)

Ad Copy You have one blank card, nothing more. Ask the spectator to turn on the flashlight of his smartphone and to name any card. Then, put the blank card above the flashlight... you can see the value of the card he named! Easy to do Free choice, no force at all! You only have one blank card, no switch! Quick reset Gimmick made using Bicycle cards + Online instructions in English and in French.

Review by Rick Carruth This is not a effect as much as it is a "..how did that card do that." type effect. The focus is on the card.. as a source of amazement more so than on the magician. The gimmick card is a well-designed and well crafted prop. It's obvious much time went into creating each and every card. The care and detail is reflected in the price, as it IS a tad expensive.. but well worth the cost if you carry it. This is something magicians will carry to show others at a moments notice. It's ideal for generating interest in you and your magic.

The instructional video is just over 8 minutes long. It does not go into detail outlining specific effects.. but giving you a tool to use to highlight your own routines. There are many different ways GLEAM can be used, and you should be prepared to work out your own handling.

All the ad copy is correct. Although it IS easy to do, you will need to practice the handling to make everything work as smoothly as possible. For those of you who love to implement your new phone into your act.. this is the perfect way to do it. Of course, you do not have to use a phone to perform GLEAM.. you can use any source of light, including small flashlights and lamps.

12 VEGAS MAGIC IS BACK—and ready to try new things

A “green shoot” that things are slowly moving in the direction of normality. A recent article in Las Vegas Review gave details of magic shows that are re-opening to live audiences, albeit socially distanced / restricted numbers. This has necessitated changes in performance pieces .

When Penn & Teller reopen their two-decade-strong show at the Rio in a few weeks, it’s safe to expect it’ll be just as edgy and funny as it has always been. There will be some familiar tricks in the mix, including some classic illusions and material from earlier in the duo’s 40-plus years performing together. Other prominent elements, like the finale from recent years involving the fantastical appearance of an “elephant” named Elsie, might not be in the cards. In last month’s announcement that the show would return to the Penn & Teller Theatre on April 22, Penn Jillette said, “We haven’t been onstage in over a year, so we don’t know whether the audience will be coming to see us do miracles, or just to see if we remember which way to face onstage.” All forms of live entertainment are dealing with specific challenges and different ways of adapting to current restrictions and altered audience expectations. But Vegas magicians are tied together by the high volume of crowd interaction involved in their presentations. The Elsie trick is special because dozens of audience members volunteer to surround the space in which she magically appears. “I think it will be an all-new show,” Jillette said late last year. “Teller and I have kept within each other’s bubbles. We’ve been writing like freaks. It’s very much like the ’70s, where we’re in my living room building stuff out of cardboard and gaffer’s tape. … It’s kind of nice to be two guys in a room again trying to think of wacky stuff to do onstage.”

Mat Franco also recently announced his return, set for April 29 at the Linq, and the America’s Got Talent champion-turned-Strip headliner has reportedly revamped the entire production. Producer & director Brian Burke, who collaborated with Franco on AGT and has also worked on Celine Dion and Lionel Richie’s Vegas shows, along with Le Rêve at Wynn and Celestia at the Strat, chipped in on the changes. Magician Murray Sawchuck, who returned to action in November and is currently performing in his own show at the Laugh Factory at the Trop and as the comedy guest star in the Fantasy female revue at Luxor, has also adapted his act. “I’ve started to buy larger decks of cards, so when the audience picks a card from a distance, they can still see it,” he says. “I probably made seven or eight major changes to the show, because I’m used to working with people in the audience so much. Fortunately, I’ve built up about three hours of material, so I can use different things when we had it narrowed down to what we can do.”

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Comedy represents a huge part of Sawchuck’s act, which presents another set of challenges. “I was just talking to Carrot Top about that, because for a while, we were doing shows for just 100 people,” Sawchuck says. “If you have 100 people in a small comedy club, you can destroy. But in that 1,800-seat theatre [where Carrot Top performs at Luxor] all spread out, it’s almost like everyone’s watching their own individual show, and they react individually. When one of us laughs, everyone else in our group is going to chuckle, too. It’s magnetic. When you’re onstage, you’re farther away from those reactions.”

Piff the Magic Dragon has been onstage at the Flamingo most of the time since October, and David Copperfield, like many of his Strip peers, started up in November, paused and then returned

in March.

Like his close friends Penn & Teller, Mac King has been headlining his own show (at Harrah’s) for 20 years. His highly comedic, family-friendly performance is unique among Strip magic shows, and that’s part of the reason he didn’t do a lot of virtual shows during the shutdown. “It will be interesting to see what the show looks like, because before, I had so many people from the audience coming up onstage with me,” says King, who’s shooting for a comeback date of June 1. “If I went back tomorrow, that wouldn’t be able to happen. I don’t know how comfortable people will feel doing that or how comfortable I’ll feel, or if the regulations will even allow it. My show is so interactive and so dependent upon the audience and me playing off them. It’s really hard to translate that into the virtual world. It’s not that I don’t like it, but it doesn’t feel as fun for me.”

I’M A PSYCHIC!

Am I right?

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INTERNET WATCH

THINK YOU’RE GOOD AT FALSE DEALS?

Then watch this all through! www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A2XdwWP04E

Life of Cyborgs: The cybernetic magician

Anastasia Synn is a modern-day cyborg, pushing the limits of technology and her body as well as incorporating her implants into her magic performances. Don’t know whether to say “WOW” or “UGH”! Watch this on ZOOMIN.TV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot_WbYmKEB8

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INTERNET WATCH

Received from Chris Williams “During lockdown I find myself constantly looking for sources of information that will hopefully improve me as a magician when we eventually get back to normal. During a recent Magic Circle Lecture one of the guests Louie Foxx introduced us to his website; www.magicshow.tips (NB no .com!) Louie is one of the content creators for Vanish magazine and he is full of ideas as demonstrated. His site is well worth a visit so go check it out.” I’ve has a quick look at this site. There’s a huge amount of performing tips / theory as well as routine videos. Thanks for this, Chris. (Ed) PLEASE NOTE my browser gives notice that the site is NOT secure for payments. Be careful.

ROBOT MAGIC! For something different, check out Mario the Maker Magician on You Tube. The little fellow does a number of tricks from Matrix to Rubik's Cube. May just be my strange sense of humour, but I admit I quite enjoyed watching these. The creator obviously has magical knowledge and is damn good with electronics!

Go on, have a look!

MAGIC CHAT SHOWS WORTH A WATCH / LISTEN

www.magiciansadvice.com/podcast/ www.youtube.com/channel/ UCvMn_CRsUIxFnFjarHruRsg/

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Meet the Forgotten Female Artist Behind the World’s Most Popular Tarot Deck (1909)

As an exercise draw a composition of fear or sadness, or great sorrow, quite simply, do not bother about details now, but in a few lines tell your story. Then show it to any one of your friends, or family, or fellow students, and ask them if they can tell you what it is you meant to portray. You will soon get to know how to make it tell its tale. • Pamela Colman-Smith, “Should the Art Student Think?” July, 1908 A year after Arts and Crafts movement magazine The Craftsman published illustrator Pamela Colman-Smith’s essay excerpted above, she spent six months creating what would become the world’s most popular tarot deck. Her graphic interpretations of such cards as The Magician, The Tower, and The Hanged Man helped readers to get a handle on the story of every newly dealt spread. Colman-Smith—known to friends as “Pixie”—was commissioned by occult scholar and author Arthur E. Waite, a fellow member of the British occult society the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, to illustrate a pack of tarot cards.

In a humorous letter to her eventual champion, photographer Alfred Stieglitz, Colman-Smith (1878 – 1951) described her 80 tarot paintings as “a big job for very little cash,” though she betrayed a touch of genuine excitement that they would be “printed in colour by lithography… probably very badly.”

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Although Waite had some specific visual ideas with regard to the “astrological significance” of various cards, Colman-Smith enjoyed a lot of creative leeway, particularly when it came to the Minor Arcana or pip cards.

These 56 numbered cards are divided into suits—wands, cups, swords and pentacles. Prior to Colman-Smith’s contribution, the only example of a fully illustrated Minor Arcana was to be found in the earliest surviving deck, the Sola Busca which dates to the early 1490s. A few of her Minor Arcana cards, notably 3 of Swords and 10 of Wands, make overt reference to that deck, which she likely encountered on a research expedition to the British Museum.

Mostly the images were of Colman-Smith’s own invention, informed by her sound-colour synaesthesia and the classical music she listened to while working. Her early experience in a touring theatre company helped her to convey meaning through costume and physical attitude.

For years, Colman-Smith’s cards were referred to as the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. This gave a nod to publisher William Rider & Son, while neglecting to credit the artist responsible for the distinctive gouache illustrations. It continues to be sold under that banner, but lately, tarot enthusiasts have taken to personally amending the name to the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) or Waite Smith (WS) deck out of respect for its previously unheralded co-creator.

While Colman-Smith is best remembered for her tarot imagery, she was also a celebrated storyteller, illustrator of children’s books and a collection of Jamaican folk tales, creator of elaborate toy theatre pieces, and maker of images on behalf of women’s suffrage and the war effort during WWII. Outside of some early adventures in a traveling theatre, and friendships with Stieglitz, author Bram Stoker, actress Ellen Terry, and poet William Butler Yeats, certain details of her personal life—namely her race and sexual orientation—are difficult to divine. It’s not for lack of interest. She is the focus of several biographies and an increasing number of blog posts. It’s sad, but not a total shocker, to learn that this interesting, multi- talented woman died in poverty in 1951. Her paintings and drawings were auctioned off, with the proceeds going toward her debts. Her death certificate listed her occupation not as artist but as “Spinster of Independent Means.” Lacking funds for a headstone, she was buried in an unmarked grave.

To learn more about this fascinating lady and more pictures of her creations go to:- www.openculture.com/?p=1088243

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PRO 4 WALLET—GARY JAMES

Available from www.proshowmagic.co.uk/product/pro-4-wallet/ Price: £30 The site also has a short video showing how the wallet operates. Pro 4 Wallet is the latest release from Gary James. Basically The Pro 4 Wallet is a Himber Wallet that has four outs instead of the normal two. Similar wallets have been made in the past, for example the Miller Miracle Wallet, but these have almost become impossible to get hold of since production ceased. The Pro 4 Wallet fills this gap in the market nicely. Anyone who already uses a Himber Wallet will immediately realise that having an additional two outs is a huge bonus. This opens up lots of possibilities that were only possible by using double sided cards with the regular two outs. The wallet is made from really nice leather and works a treat when opening and closing the different sides. It’s actually very clever how it works and it’s easy to fool even yourself. Each section of the wallet has a clear pocket on one side and slits for two cards on the other so there is no end of space inside it. My only negative with the wallet is its thickness when closed. Next to a two sided Himber Wallet the Pro 4 Wallet does look quite bulky. I doubt, however, a spectator would even notice this so it’s only really a small point to make. As the wallet has only just been released it does not come with any instructions, so it’s down to the individual to come up with suitable routines. A couple that spring to mind are John Archer’s ‘Komedy Killer’ and Max Maven’s ‘The Armchair Bowler’ both of which would be easily achieved with the Pro 4 Wallet. There is also a Facebook group that has been setup to share routines using the wallet should you be struggling with ideas. This is an excellent utility wallet that you will get lots of use out of. Certainly looks very versatile and price reasonable when compared to most magic wallets (Ed)

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MAD COW LOCKDOWN CORNER

I’m wearing CA-MOO-FLAGE!

Where’s Ethel?

I see TRUMP’S in the news again!

Why’s that news? I do about 200 a day!

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Waltham magician baffles Penn & Teller in amazing mind-reading Zoom performance

John Morton was able to fool the magic legends with his homemade trick, winning the chance to perform before a huge Las Vegas Audience. On a recent episode of Penn & Teller: Fool Us, audiences saw him read the famous magicians’ minds as he performed by Zoom from his Waltham workshop. Although he’s more used to showing his magic at wedding parties, he’s now won the opportunity to perform in front of 1500 people. "I performed the trick from my workshop because Covid restrictions meant that I couldn’t fly to Las Vegas to appear live. Three hours after I was meant to go on, I was still waiting and my nerves were shredded," John said. "Then from thousands of miles away I was able to predict what objects Penn and Teller and their assistant were thinking of, even when I was blindfolded. These guys know everything but as soon as I finished the trick and Penn started talking I knew I had fooled them. As a prize, I will be performing at one of their Las Vegas shows, which will be the largest in-person audience I’ve ever done. I’m sure I will be nervous at the time, but it will be amazing.” The trick originally began as a learning tool for his one-year-old daughter, but took on a magical twist. John has had a lifelong interest in magic which grew into a career, and the lockdown has seen him receive even more recognition. “My story is that clichéd tale about becoming fascinated after my grandfather vanished a coin from my ear, and discovering Paul Daniels when I was six or seven years old,” he said. “I got a ‘proper job’ when I grew up, but then David Blaine came along and I really got back into magic. I enjoy performing up-close magic at weddings and parties most, and I also discovered I was very good at building props, which became my day job. The lockdown meant that I hardly had any gigs for a year, but I was able to use time to audition remotely. I got the highest possible award – a silver star – from the national Magician’s Circle, and was named Magician of the Year by the Medway Magical Society.” “Performing by Zoom can be harder than one-on-one. As magicians, we cheat for a living. But you don’t want to use camera tricks or anything that you can’t replicate in person – it still has to feel ‘real’ to the audience." (from Grimsby Telegraph)

21 Houdini and the Magic of Copyright

The following is a guest blog post on the Library of Congress website by Marilyn Creswell, Librarian-in-Residence at the U.S. Copyright Office:- Magicians do not always reveal their tricks, even when they register their copyright claims. The legendary Hungarian immigrant Harry Houdini registered three of his famous illusions as “playlets,” or short plays, with the U.S. Copyright Office between 1911 and 1914. The playlets were registered as dramatic compositions, which have been eligible for copyright protection since 1856. Houdini’s deposited playlet scripts are now held within the Reader’s Collection, Library of Congress Copyright Office Drama Deposits. Houdini’s first American copyright registration is for the playlet “Challenged: or, Houdini upside down” that features his famous Water Torture Cell trick, also known as “The Upside Down.” The trick, shown here, is an escape from a water-filled cabinet while Houdini’s ankles are in stocks and the lid is locked. The registration describes the work as a “magical dramatic playlet” in sixteen typewritten pages. The first act depicts a group of men talking about Houdini’s amazing abilities, integrity, and willingness to take on challenges. By the second act, Houdini (played by himself) accepts their challenge and, according to the script, “*HOUDINI MAKES HIS ESCAPE*” and the crowd gives “Three cheers for Houdini, Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah.” He kept doing the trick through his 1926 tour when the foot stock broke and he fractured his ankle. In 1914, Houdini registered his “Walking through a Brick Wall” trick as a playlet in two scenes. The plot of this playlet involved a father who constructed a brick wall to keep the son of his “mortal enemy” from being able to look into his garden. The father states, “The day you can walk through the brick wall that separates our houses, I’ll give you my daughter.” The next day, the father wakes up to see the young man made it through the wall. To his new fiancée, he explains, “Alice, whether I did or not [walk through the brick wall], everything is fair in love and war.”

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This playlet includes a note after the curtain, which explains the illusion. It reads: “To attain the above practical effect of walking through the brick wall, the wall proper is laid across the centre of a trap door, on opening of which gives an opening in stage on both sides of wall through which the person playing the part gets from one side of wall to the other the dirt and grass mounds acting as screens for the trap.” Soon others began selling cheap blueprints of the apparatus Houdini used to perform the trick. Even though the copyrightable words and script of Houdini’s playlet were not necessarily infringed, the act lost its appeal once its illusion’s methodology was well-understood. Houdini only performed the trick a few times, and then sanctioned his younger brother, Hardeen’s, use of the trick.

Houdini registered his last playlet, “Buried Alive,” in 1914. The premise of this play involves two tourists who try to one-up a local priest by performing a surprising “miracle.” The stage directions describe the tourist in a straitjacket, who is put into an empty box and lowered into the ground with dirt shovelled atop him. After a few chants and incantations, the tourist is revealed “relieved of his bonds, and appearing just as he was before.” The locals treat him as supernatural, but he insists he is a mere man. Houdini died on October 31, 1926, and was buried in the same custom-ordered bronze casket he used for Buried Alive.

Houdini bequeathed many of his magic tools to his younger brother, Hardeen, with instructions to burn and destroy them after Hardeen’s death. Some tools survive, some of his tricks have been figured out, and some people may have learned from Harry himself, yet other mysteries died with him. While his playlets are now in the public domain, Houdini’s magic mech- anisms may remain a mystery forever.

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POLITICALLY INCORRECT CORNER

Been practicing the sawing trick on my sister . . . .

NOW SHE’S MY HALF - SISTER!

THE GREAT COVIDO

My last marriage ended ‘cos I didn’t open the car door for the wife . . . .

I JUST SWAM TO THE SURFACE!

24 Legendary Magicians You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Joseph Buatier De Kolta

Joseph Buatier was a well-known French magician who performed during the last decades of the 1800s. He almost ended up in the priesthood before choosing to give up his studies and become an apprentice to the popular Hungarian illusionist De Kolta. Although Buatier ended up adopting his master’s stage name, the pupil eventually became greater than his master, as he introduced many acts and tricks that are still in use today. Magicians throughout the United States and Europe were inspired by him and clamoured to learn his tricks.

Joseph Buatier was born in Caluire-et-Cuire (Rhône, France). His parents were fabric merchants. He started reading books on magic at age six, and as a teenager he was already performing in amateur magic shows in his school. However his father, a devout Catholic, wanted him to become a priest, and persuaded him to enter a seminary. At age 18, he left it and worked as a painter, sharing a studio in Lyon with his more talented friend Elie-Joseph Laurent (1841–1926). He also resumed his performances as amateur magician, and one was noticed by Hungarian impresario Julius Vida de Kolta, who persuaded him to make magic his profession. His shows were immediately successful and he took the stage name Buatier de Kolta, acknowledging his debt to the impresario. In 1870, he started a European tour taking him to Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain, and was invited to perform at the Théâtre Robert-Houdin in Paris. In 1874, he left Vida de Kolta and continued with a different impresario, who in 1875 took him to the Egyptian Hall in London and to Russia. In 1891, he went for his first tour to the United States. He started a second tour there in 1902, but died in New Orleans in 1903 of acute Bright's disease. He had married in 1879 a British woman, Alice Constance Mumford, who had him buried in London in the Hendon cemetery. Notable illusions He was a contemporary of fellow French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin. Many of his illusions, such as Multiplying balls, the Expanding Die, the Vanishing Lady, Spring Flowers from a Cone, and the vanishing bird cage, are performed by magicians today.[ It is the Vanishing Lady that is so particularly known today and still used that magicians now refer to it as the De Kolta Chair. A woman is seated on a chair, was then covered by a large cloth, and would appear to vanish before an audience. The effect was a signature piece of Richiardi Jr – after he vanished the woman she apparently reappeared moments later from an empty trunk on the other side of the stage.[ During his career, perhaps his most famous illusion was the one known as "The Expanding Dice." A 200 mm-side dice on a table grew up to 800 mm and opened to reveal a young lady inside, who often was Buatier's wife. Harry Houdini purchased the dice after Buatier's death. 25 Joseph Buatier De Kolta (Cont’d)

De Kolta’s famous Dice Illusion

POLITICALLY INCORRECT LOCKDOWN SLEIGHTS

CTW still needs work!

Good job it wasn’t my window!

26 Remedies Playing Cards by Madison X Schneider - A Review

It's time to celebrate the USPCC comeback of Daniel Madison. The series of some of the most iconic playing cards continue with the Madison x Schneider Remedies. A reminiscence to the beginning of custom playing cards with a modern twist. The new look and feel runs through the entire deck. Improved custom pips and indices, new custom faces and details on the Court cards. Daniel Schneider also redesigned Daniel Madison's iconic King of Diamonds that you see from now on in every new Madison deck. Packed with hidden secrets and built-in magic tricks, including an Angle Zero gaff and a series of brand new hidden revelations with an incredible quality of stock (and traditionally cut). Madison and Schneider are so proud to present this minimally wonderful weapon of deception. • Manufactured by the United States Playing Card Company • Printed on premium (Bee) crushed paper stock • Traditionally cut • Custom front and back • Angle Zero gaff • Hidden revelations for your magic routines My Thoughts: - Playing Cards... you either love 'em, or you don't. I'm not talking about the public... I'm talking about the pickiest bunch of them all... magicians. REMEDIES are designed for magicians. Let me tell you why... First.. Daniel Schneider and Daniel Madison were two of the very first to introduce true custom cards to the magic community. Remedies is a great continuation of that tradition. Second.. I've always been a fan of Bee's. They handled slightly stiffer than Bikes, but I've always preferred the linen finish and the way the Bee's slid together when performing faros. Remedies are printed on the premium Bee crushed stock, I think slightly thinner than original Bee's, but not enough to matter. They are also traditionally cut and printed by USPCC, a trait I like in all my cards. I found the edge cut to be slightly rough. That's not a problem if the edge softens during use.. and my Remedies would faro properly after three or four minutes of faro's. This shouldn't be an issue for most of you, but I have several controls that are dependent on my faro. I have to be able to perform a perfect faro or the deck goes on the shelf. Thankfully, Remedies came through for me. Most of the court cards are custom made. The King of Diamonds is a redesigned image of Daniel Madison and the other King of Diamonds, yes, there's two, is Daniel Schneider. The King of Spades is David Blaine, the King of Clubs is David at Magicorthodoxy, and the King of Hearts is a German magician who's name escapes me. There are several hidden secrets within the court cards, including two Kings holding different cards and an angle zero gaff on the back of an extra nine. 27

The tuck case is a sharp, minimally designed, box with the raven feather and the black rose, both symbolic of the Schneider-Madison kinship. Both the feather and rose are white on either a solid red, blue, or green box. The backs of the cards are similar to the case, except with a thin, white border and a dual rose and feather image.. I like it... Ultimately, you buy cards for their collect ability, and REMEDIES are very collectable.. or you buy cards because you appreciate their feel and handling qualities. The features and design of any deck ARE important, and these cards have that in spades, but I have to be able to say I like how they feel. It's that simple. That's why I recommend REMEDIES to all readers. $15.00 Available from Murphy's Magic and their associates.. https://www.murphysmagic.com/Product.aspx?id=66777 REVIEW BY RICK CARRUTH

The cards certainly look nice. (Ed)

THIS MONTH’S PUZZLE

ANSWER NEXT MONTH

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The Session Goes Global

The Session 2021 will take place October 1-3rd 2021 (please note that this is a change from the previously-announced July dates).

SEE VANISHING INC WEBSITE FOR FULL DETAULS / BOOKING / AND ANY CHANGES DUE TO COVID.

A lot of effort and consideration has gone into the decision to hold The Session, and ’we re making some key changes to the format and working under the UK government guidance and regulations. There’s no question that that COVID-19 has created obstacles for any convention, but we also view it as an opportunity to create a more intimate, meaningful, social gathering than we’ve ever done before. Here's what we are doing to make The Session 2021 the best, and safest convention yet: Online access for everyone When you register you can decide whether you prefer to attend in person or to enjoy the convention by streaming it from home. All shows, lectures, and events will be viewable online, and we’ll set up virtual tours of the dealer room where you’ll be able to see and purchase the latest releases online. And importantly, if you plan on attending The Session in person, but need to change (even last-minute), switching to an online-only registration is free and easy. However you decide to join us, the price is the same: just £155 for the entire weekend. Live attendance We’re planning on making The Session as much fun as it always is, but we will need to make some tweaks to ensure that everyone is safe. Last year 600 people attended The Session. Currently we’re going to limit in-person attendance to less than half that. We are hopeful that regulations will ease and the infection-rate will drop, and in this case we will open registration to more people. There is no limit to the number of online attendees, -but in person attendees will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. It’s to your benefit to register now to “lock in” your place, whether or not you’ve decided to attend in person or from your home. Whether you choose to attend online, or in person, were confident that this will be a convention to remember!

. . . . BREAKING NEWS . . . .

FA announces fans allowed back for the Euro 2020 matches and it’s signed a deal to recycle plastic carrier bags. A spokesman said “Fans will be able to stay safe from Covid, enjoy the atmosphere and help to save the planet!”

29 Magicians' tactics found in politics and marketing

Understanding how magic tricks work could help to protect people from manipulation by politicians and marketing, say researchers. A study from Goldsmiths, University of London, says the psychology used by magicians to deceive audiences can also be used to influence consumer choices. Magic tricks use "powerful tools" to control behaviour, say the researchers. The psychologists looked at how tricks create an "illusion of choice", when the audience has no real control. The research - Mind control trick: magicians' forcing and free will, by psychologists Alice Pailhes and Gustav Kuhn - examines how magicians control their audiences' decisions - and how this can be applied to other areas. 'Full control' "A lot of these magic principles show that you can very easily manipulate and influence decisions that people make - and even though they feel free to have made that decision, the magician has pretty much full control," says Dr Kuhn. He says in the same way that someone might be directed to choose the "right" card in a magic trick, so, too, we can be "nudged" towards buying products in the supermarket. The study, published in Trends in Cognitive Science, identifies different psychological tools used by magicians. At its most simple it can be recognising that people tend to behave in similar ways - so the researchers say that if people are asked to pick one of four cards laid in front of them, 60% of right-handed people will pick the one that is third from the left. This "position force" can be used to push customers towards certain products, depending on where they have been placed. "Mental priming" uses a repeated series of visual and verbal cues to steer an audience in a trick - and researchers found that many people could not explain why they had picked the same "random" number or card.

30 'Illusion of choice' There is also the so-called "equivoque" used by magicians - where the audience believes they are making independent decisions during a trick, while in reality nothing they do has "any impact on the outcome". "Regardless of the spectator's choice, the sequences result in the same outcome. The equivoque is highly effective in providing an illusory sense of control," says the study. An example of this would be a card trick in which someone is invited to cut a pack of cards, with a series of stages of cutting and putting cards back on top - the "vast majority" fail to realise they have no impact on the target card. Dr Kuhn says the magician's "illusion of choice", playing on the need to feel in control, can be applied elsewhere - to consumer decisions, online entertainment or political debates. "It really deals with one of the most fundamental concepts in humanity - do we genuinely have free will? "We feel we need it, but this experience of free will might actually be an illusion - and it's an illusion that magicians often manipulate," says the psychologist.

Political '' Dr Kuhn, part of the Magic Lab research team, says there’s growing interest in understanding how magicians' "forcing techniques" can be used to influence behaviour. He sees politicians increasingly drawing on the tactic of "misdirection", where a magician draws the audience's attention in one direction, with something noisy or spectacular, while the real moves are being made out of sight. "Even if you know you're being misdirected, the problem is these principles are just incredibly effective and they still have an impact," says Dr Kuhn. Using magic techniques to "modify behaviour" can bring positive benefits, says - co author Alice Pailhes. "They might provide new ways of encouraging better decisions in health and wellbeing," she says, such as steering people towards healthier food. "But covert control and modification of people's thoughts raises serious ethical issues, too." And she warns of "unwanted influences, such as political propaganda". "We believe that understanding magicians' forcing techniques is a valuable tool to raise awareness about the ease by which our choices can be manipulated," says the psychologist. A bit different this article, but interesting. Next lockdown and you ’can t do magic shows, consider becoming an MP! The pays bloody good as well! (Ed) 31

. . . . FUTURE NEWS . . . . From my crystal ball

“On tonight’s episode of Lockdown Dragon’s Den ...... ”

20222036

BYE FOR NOW

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